Grow up, boys!
Mourinho slams modern players for behaving like brats
LONDON: Jose Mourinho lays the law down to modern footballers and says they “act like brats” as the Manchester United boss slams their route to a professional contract.
The Special One believes youngsters are wrapped in cotton wool nowadays after being involved in coaching over the last 20 years.
The former Chelsea, Real Madrid and Porto boss believes footballers put themselves in bad surroundings at a young age.
Mourinho told France Football: “I had to adapt to a new world. To what young players are now.
“I had to understand the difference between working with a boy like Frank Lampard, who, at the age of 23 was already a man, who thought football, work, professionalism, and the new boys who at the age of 23 are kids.
“Today I call them ‘boys’ not ‘men’.
“Because I think that they are brats and that everything that surrounds them does not help them in their life nor in my work.
“I had to adjust to all that. Ten years ago, no player had a mobile phone in the dressing room. That is no longer the case.
“But you have to go with it because if you fight that, you are bringing about conflict and you put yourself in the stone age.”
On Tuesday, United had a £69mil (RM382mil) bid for teen sensation Kylian Mbappe rejected by Monaco.
The 18-year-old has set Ligue 1 alight this season to catch the eye of clubs all over Europe. And according to Spanish radio station Cadena COPE, United were the first to test the waters with a huge offer.
Monaco are desperate to keep hold of the striker who is also the subject of strong interest from Real Madrid.
The wealthy outfit are set to land up to £ 58mil ( RM321mil) from United for Anthony Martial depending on clauses being met.
And Mbappe is regarded as an even better prospect than the Frenchman who came good under Louis van Gaal before struggling to impress Jose Mourinho.
The pacey striker – who has been compared to Thierry Henry – has netted 17 times for Monaco this season. And Mbappe is set to make his France debut in either the World Cup qualifier against Luxembourg on Saturday or friendly against Spain on Tuesday.
Some sources claim Monaco would demand a £ 129mil (RM714mil) fee – which would steamroller the world record set by Paul Pogba when he moved from Juventus to United for £89mil (RM492mil) last summer. — The Sun, London
I had to understand the difference between working with a boy like Frank Lampard, who, at the age of 23 was already a man, who thought football, work, professionalism, and the new boys who at the age of 23 are kids.
Jose Mourinho