Terry tributes are deserved, frankly
RETURNING MOURINHO NEVER WANTED A HOME IN CORONATION STREET
JOSE MOURINHO was in the mood to explode a few myths ahead of his return to Manchester United.
The Tottenham manager was keen to stress that his two-and-a-half years at Old Trafford had been successful, the fans still loved him and he would exchange Christmas greetings with Ed Woodward, who sacked him.
And one topic in particular made Mourino especially passionate – the suggestion it did not work at United because he failed to settle in Manchester and never moved into his own house, instead staying in the plush Lowry Hotel.
“You know how
I would be unhappy?” said Mourinho.
“I’d be unhappy if I was in a house on my own. I would have to clean, I don’t want to. I would have to iron, I don’t know how to.
“I’d have to cook, I would cook fried eggs and sausages. That’s the only thing I can do. I would be very unhappy.
“I lived in an amazing apartment – it was not a room. It was mine all the time.
“It was not like after one week I had to leave. No, it was mine. I had everything there. I
Harry Kane to score two or more
Portuguese being sacked. With the Manchester derby on Saturday and Mauricio Pochettino announcing he is looking for a quick return to work, Solskjaer needs results.
“It doesn’t make me more concerned,” said Solskjaer, right, yesterday.
“I’m not going to tell anyone how to run their football clubs but I think everyone knows continuity is one of the keys of success. Some clubs have more patience than had my television, my books, my computer. It was a flat with, ‘Bring me a latte, please’, or, ‘I don’t want to go down for dinner, bring my dinner up’.
“I was watching football or doing work with one of my assistants and I’d say, ‘Bring us food’. I had everything.
“If I was in an apartment alone it would be much more difficult. I was fine, more than fine.”
Mourinho, had the suite.
United used the hotel before games and would often get snarled up in traffic before evening kick-offs.
It became almost a symbol of things not going to plan.
Mourinho said he did not know where Spurs would be staying ahead of this game – but seemed happy when told it was the Crowne Plaza and closer to the ground.
“It’s close?” he said. maybe we can walk.”
The manager looked a different person than when he was sacked last December.
Mourinho said he had already received a “humbling” reception from United fans of course, penthouse
So others, some clubs don’t have that time and continuity. For me, with Man United, we have a plan in place and hopefully we can get the results to speed it up.
“Sometimes it doesn’t go at the speed you want to but it’s still going in the right direction.
“I’m just focusing on my job and that’s doing as well as I can, looking forward to the next game, looking long-term, planning things with the board. I know our
Jose Mourinho lived life in a goldfish bowl as he went about business in his hotel after returning to Old Trafford as a TV pundit but expected them to back Ole Gunnar Solskjaer tonight.
“I like to go back to a place where I was happy,” he said.
“I have a great relationship with the United supporters. I went back as a pundit and I was supporters and they’ve been very positive and that’s all I can go on. But results are key for us. We’ve got a great chance now, the next three days, to turn people’s perceptions.”
But with just six wins in 22 games since he was appointed full time in March, Solskjaer conceded things need to improve on the pitch sooner rather than later.
The Norwegian added: “I’ve had 50 games since then (Mourinho’s humbled by reception.
“It’s about the fans but also about the people.”
MAN UNITED (4-2-3-1): De Gea; Wan-Bissaka, Lindelof, Maguire, Williams; Fred, McTominay; James, Pereira, Rashford; Martial.
TOTTENHAM (4-3-3): Gazzaniga; Aurier, Sanchez, Alderweireld, Vertonghen; Dier, Ndombele, Sissoko; Alli, Son, Kane. such
abeautiful exit) and it isn’t where it should have been and it isn’t where we want to be and we have to improve, but we are working hard to put that right.
“I felt the team towards the end of last season didn’t have the desire, didn’t have the heart, didn’t have the belief that this is going to turn around. But this group has a different mentality.
“The league table never lies, though, so we need to put a run together and deserve to move up the table.”
BRENDAN RODGERS wants Leicester fans to stay until the final whistle – because his team never give up.
Some Foxes fans left Sunday’s thrilling win over Everton when the score was 1-1.
Then sub Kelechi Iheanacho scored an added-time winner.
And Rodgers urged fans not to leave early against Watford tonight – and possibly miss the ‘magic’.
The Leicester manager said: “This is a team that, at 9-0 or 1-1, want you here because we will push right to the end.
“It didn’t annoy me, but I want them to stay.
“I know there can be a traffic queue getting out, but at 1-1 they should never think this team is finished.” The
JOHN TERRY will make an emotional return to Stamford Bridge tonight.
And Frank Lampard believes his former Chelsea team-mate deserves all the tributes coming his way when Terry takes up an unfamiliar position in the away dugout as Aston Villa manager
Dean Smith’s assistant.
Home fans are expected to unfurl banners honouring their former skipper on his first return since leaving in 2017.
Chelsea boss Lampard said: “He feels the club, everyone
Ex-Hornets manager says Watford’s ‘frightened’ owners were too quick to sack Quique Sanchez Flores. Rodgers said: “The owners of Watford have a model in terms of not just recruitment but in terms of managers. “They have had some outstanding managers there and the surprise with Quique was they know how he works. “They’ve been through a lot of managers, it’s a different club to when I was there in terms of owners. “There’s so much money in the game that it frightens owners.”
LEICESTER (probable):
Schmeichel; Ricardo, Soyuncu, Evans, Chilwell; Ndidi; Perez, Tielemans, Maddison, Barnes; Vardy.
WATFORD (probable):
Foster; Femenia, Cathcart, Mariappa, Holebas; Doucoure, Chalobah, Capoue: Deulofeu, Gray, Sarr. knows that, and I’m sure the fans will show their appreciation.
“I’m sure it will be pretty emotional for John and he deserves that moment. “Our relationship was always good. There were no layers to it.
“We were good friends and respected each other as professionals and as colleagues. That remains the same.”
CHELSEA (probable): Kepa; James, Zouma, Tomori, Azpilicueta; Kante, Jorginho, Kovacic; Willian, Abraham, Pulisic.
ASTON VILLA (probable): Heaton; Guilbert, Konsa, Mings, Targett; Luiz; Trezeguet, Hourihane, McGinn, Grealish; Wesley.
Christian Pulisic to score 2+ goals
V