MARTIN KEOWN
Jose’s in danger of losing dressing room
AS MANCHESTER United’s players emerged into the snow outside Old Trafford on Saturday night and scattered around the globe, an international break will have come as a blessed relief from the icy blast of Jose Mourinho. It had been a painful couple of days. Victory over Brighton did little to thaw Mourinho’s mood after that astonishing 12-minute outburst on Friday. Nemanja Matic aside, his players had displayed a ‘lack of personality, lack of class and lack of desire’. Ouch.
It is clear that Mourinho is upping the ante at United, publicly challenging his players to raise their game to try to get a response.
He will also be reinforcing a message no doubt delivered to Old Trafford chief Ed Woodward in a meeting at Carrington on Thursday morning, that United need significantly more investment this summer on top of the £300million for signings on Mourinho’s watch.
Most of all, however, the manager is distancing himself from collective failings this season of the squad — his squad — as they come to terms with an embarrassing Champions League exit and the prospect of witnessing Manchester City’s coronation as Premier League champions when they visit the Etihad next month.
‘When we win, we all win, when we lose, I lose alone,’ Mourinho is reported to have told his players in the wake of their defeat by Sevilla last week.
Really? Because since then he has done everything possible to blame them for the mess.
Mourinho spoke about Matic being ‘an island’ against Brighton, and the manager seems to be doing his utmost to distance himself from the problems around him.
Not once during the past week has Mourinho admitted to his own failings.
Matic and Romelu Lukaku were exempted from criticism on Friday, and they responded by scoring the goals against Brighton to help United into an FA Cup semi-final at Wembley against Tottenham. That’s just as well because Mourinho’s two other big signings, Paul Pogba and Alexis Sanchez, were left out.
It is one thing to lament the squad you inherited, but something very different to complain about the players you have signed at huge expense to the club.
Would Pogba and Sanchez have been omitted if this was a Premier League match? Either way, neither could complain about being on the bench based on form.
And what of the other players left in the firing line by their manager’s outspoken comments?
Among other things, he questioned their character and bravery.
‘A few other guys I saw them scared to play. “Please, Mister, take me from the pitch”. I felt that,’ claimed Mourinho.
Luke Shaw may as well start planning a joint leaving- do with Matteo Darmian and Daley Blind this summer.
The England left back was hooked at half-time on Saturday as his relationship with Mourinho hit a new low. Shaw is said to have been angered by his manager’s comments.
‘Luke in the first half every time they come in his corridor, the cross was coming and a dangerous situation was coming so I was not happy with his performance,’ Mourinho said. ‘I had to change one full-back and I chose Luke because at least Antonio Valencia defensively was capable of some good positionings.’
Ander Herrera, Anthony Martial, Juan Mata and Chris Smalling are among those who cannot guarantee they will be at Old Trafford beyond this summer, when United will also have to replace Marouane Fellaini and Michael Carrick.
Mourinho accepts he is playing a high-risk strategy by challenging his players so publicly, but it is a gamble he is prepared to take.
Not everyone would agree it is the best policy for a manager who has alienated players before in his career, but Brighton boss Chris Hughton has no doubts that Mourinho knows what he is doing.
‘It’s Manchester United,’ said Hughton. ‘Jose has managed at big, big clubs. At all of those big clubs, pressure comes with the territory.
‘There are always different things that come with that than managing Brighton.
‘He has a wonderful way of dealing with that pressure. When you manage these type of clubs, you’ve got to be used to it.’
MANCHESTER UNITED (4-2-3-1): Romero 7; Valencia 5.5, Bailly 6.5, Smalling 7, Shaw 5 (Young 46min, 6.5); McTominay 5.5,
MATIC 8; Mata 6 (Rashford 74, 6.5), Lingard 6 (Fellaini 89), Martial 6; Lukaku 7.5. Subs not used: De Gea, Lindelof, Pogba, Sanchez. Scorers: Lukaku 37, Matic 84. Booked: None. Manager: Jose Mourinho 7. BRIGHTON AND HOVE ALBION (4-3-3): Krul 6.5; Schelotto 5.5, Duffy 6, Dunk 5, Suttner 6; Kayal 6.5, Propper 5, Gross 6.5; Locadia 6.5, Ulloa 5.5 (Murray 77, 6), March 6 (Izquierdo 68, 6). Subs not used: Maenpaa, Baldock, Goldson, Saltor, Sanders. Booked: None. Manager: Chris Hughton 6.5. Referee: Andre Marriner 7. Attendance: 74,241. Magic of the Cup 3/5: Not a classic, but at least United’s desperate need for a victory and Mourinho’s histrionics gave it a sense of occasion.