Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
NOW I’M THE CALM ONE
Jose refuses to get carried away by United’s great start and says: I’m a better coach now because I am in control of my emotions
JOSE MOURINHO has played down Manchester United’s flying start, claiming: “It means nothing”.
United are second only to Manchester City on goal difference after winning six and drawing one of their opening seven Premier League games.
But Mourinho is refusing to get carried away.
“Nothing has happened yet,” said the United boss.
“Last year it started harder and turned out really well.
“This year it has started really well, but we do not know how it’s going to end. In another country, this would mean almost the title, but in England it means nothing.”
Mourinho, 54, has been reflecting on his early days as a coach more than a decade ago and says he is better now because he has learnt to control his emotions.
“I am a better coach today than I was before because I have a different control of my emotions. I face difficulties with more maturity and that means I can keep my feet on the ground.”
Mourinho has yet to play £30million summer signing Victor Lindelof in the Premier League and the defender says he is willing to be patient.
Mourinho felt Lindelof needed time to adjust to English football – like £26million Henrikh Mkhitaryan 12 months earlier – after analysing the Swede’s debut in the Super Cup defeat to Real Madrid in August.
He has deliberately held Lindelof back, starting him only against Basel in the Champions League and Burton in the Carabao Cup, as he has stuck with Eric Bailly and Phil Jones at centre-half.
Lindelof, 23, understands Mourinho’s thinking and said: “It’s clear the competition is tough, but I will give it the time it takes.”
The former Benfica player says Mourinho has spoken to him, although he refused to reveal if he has given him any assurances about his starting prospects.
“It’s between me and him,” he said. “But we have a good dialogue.”
Lindelof should get valuable playing time for Sweden in their World Cup qualifiers against Luxembourg tomorrow and Holland on Tuesday.
Coach Janne Andersson says his situation is “frustrating” and “unfortunate”.