THESPECIAL GLUM
Jose even more miserable than usual as he takes aim at Boss Woodward’s failure to land transfer targets The US fans who ‘wasted their money on tickets’ The US officials he branded as ‘baseball referees’ Young United players trying to impress him on tour
EVEN by Jose Mourinho’s moody standards, his post-match gripe on the latest leg of Manchester United’s US tour was something else.
He has cut a sullen and downbeat figure throughout this trip, but surpassed himself in the wake of a 4-1 defeat to arch rivals Liverpool in Michigan.
The self-titled Special One took aim at several targets – from United executive vicechairman Ed Woodward’s perceived failure to land his transfer targets, to US fans who he said had “wasted” their money buying tickets for the tour.
The US officials – “baseball referees” – did not escape Mourinho’s wrath, while he did nothing to encourage those young players trying to impress him, stating most of them will not even be at the club next season.
Contrast that with the messages from Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp and Manchester City’s Pep Guardiola. Both praised their youngsters in the US, while many of their established players – like Mourinho’s – remain on extended postWorld Cup breaks.
But for Mourinho, the glass is permanently half-empty, the United boss failing to take anything positive from the tour, which has seemed a burden for him over the past fortnight, an experience to endure rather than enjoy.
He is famed for his ‘third season syndrome’ at clubs, the stage at which everything starts to unravel ahead of his inevitable and messy exit, but at Old Trafford it appears that process is under way before the new campaign has kicked off.
United and Liverpool drew a crowd of 101,254 to the Big House, but Mourinho (above, speaking to £52million new boy Fred) said he would not have bought a ticket to the game, a comment which angered International Champions Cup organisers. It is understood United are being paid about £30m for taking part in the competition, with Mourinho having effectively told fans to stay away from their final game against Real Madrid in Miami tomorrow. “The atmosphere was good but if I was them I wouldn’t have come,” said Mourinho. “I wouldn’t have spent my money to watch these two teams. “I watched Chelsea against Inter earlier and people decided the beach was better. The stadium was empty.
“This isn’t our team, not our squad. We started the game with almost half of the players not going to belong to our squad. This isn’t even 30 per cent of my squad, so don’t look to this that way. What did this game give me? Nothing at all.
“We’re not playing here to improve the team or the dynamic, we’re playing here to just survive and not have some very ugly results.”
Mourinho’s mood was not helped by his frustration at Woodward having yet to deliver on his transfer targets with just 10 days to go until
This is not our team, not our squad. We started the game with almost half of the players not going to belong to our squad. What did this game give me? Nothing at all. I wouldn’t have spent my money to watch these two teams
the window closes. United have made three signings and Mourinho wants a couple more but fears there may only be time for one further transfer before the August 9 deadline.
With 17 players unavailable because of injury or postWorld Cup breaks, he could do with new recruits.
“I would like to have two more players, but I think I’m not going to have two,” said Mourinho. “I think it’s possible I’m going to have one.
“I gave a list to my club of five names a few months ago and I’ll wait to see if it’s possible to have one of these players.”