Afterdiscord, Rafa must get back in Toon

IT is less than five years since a large function room full of football writers gave a standing ovation to Jose Mourinho.

Some inside the Savoy Hotel that evening had reservations about paying tribute to him.

But most, if not all, were won over after they listened to the testimonies of Louis van Gaal and, most notably, Frank Lampard – characters who know him far better than any journalist.

Lampard’s speech – delivered with only the odd glance at a handful of bullet points dotted on a small card – was particularly insightful and particularly poignant.

If, in the highly unlikely, but not totally unimaginable scenario of Mourinho wondering if he has lost his magic, he may want to recount the words and sentiments of a player once very dear to him. He may to go back to the basics, as Lampard said, that made him a “great manager”.

Lampard talked of an ability to make players feel at ease and to transmit confidence.

Right now, Manchester United have a squad studded with players who look anything but at ease, anything but confident.

And when David De Gea and Eric Bailly both posted the same “Together more than ever” message on social media, accompanied by the same linked-arms photograph, few were convinced.

Lampard made special reference to Mourinho’s knack of saying the right things, in the right tone, at the right time. Right now, the polar opposite is true.

Making the aftermath of a home defeat to Spurs into an issue of whether his managerial record gets the respect it deserves was the wrong thing, wrong time, wrong tone.

Surely when he woke up the next morning, even he realised that.

Lampard emphasised Mourinho’s rarefied expectations.

Right now, the Red Devils’ boss spends an inordinate amount of time bemoaning the fact (or his perception) that other big clubs and bigname managers are not subject to the same expectawant tions that he and United have to deal with.

At the time of receiving the award for his outstanding contribution to football, he was halfway through his first season in his second spell at Stamford Bridge.

And Lampard mused over a “different challenge” for a man who had won everywhere he had gone.

He was referring to building a long-term legacy somewhere.

Jose did not do it at Chelsea and maybe the unlikelihood of him doing it at Old Trafford irks him.

Lampard’s personal tribute was especially touching.

He spoke of his loyalty, he spoke of his friendship, he spoke of how Mourinho’s support when Lampard was trying to cope with the passing of his beloved mother Pat was invaluable.

“Great manager, greater man,” was his heartfelt pay-off line.

The latter can only be judged by those who know him personally – those such as Frank – because we only get to see his front-of-house persona.

But there is no doubt he has been a great manager. Away from his surliness and sourness, aside from the acrimony, even his sternest critics – and that includes most of us who rose to our feet that night – would have to admit he has done a decent job at Old Trafford so far.

But not the great one that he is capable of.

Maybe he should give the Derby County manager a call to get a timely reminder of what made him great.

NOTHING in football is ever black and white – not even on Tyneside.Even if you see Mike Ashley as a devil of an owner, it does not make Rafa Benitez a god.He is a high-quality coach, clearly, but his plan against Chelsea and the defeat at Nottingham Forest were serious missteps.When he went ultra-defensive in the home game against Manchester City last season, the campaign of struggle was into its second half and the champions-elect were rampant.It was understandable, if not particularly palatable.In your second home game of the season, against a team with a new boss and a side looking like conceding every time the rivals attacked in its previous fixture? Not so understandable.And, no matter how significant the underinvestment in the squad, it should still make a better fist of getting into the EFL Cup third round.Benitez (above) has done a sterling job in not being distracted by the board’s lack of support and not being fazed by the bitterness caused by Ashley’s ownership. He’s kept his eye on the ball – until now.Nothing can be done about the acrimony and disappointment of the transfer window… Benitez needs to get back to his best quickly.

THE British television market is not the be-all and end-all for sporting tournaments and competitions.But when a blue-riband event is flogging its TV rights, it might want to consider how golf’s US PGA Championship and the final tennis Grand Slam of the season, the US Open – both sold to streaming services – have been received on these shores.The simple answer is they pretty much haven’t.

TIME FOR A FRANK CHAT Maybe Frank Lampard needs to remind Jose Mourinho what made him a great boss