JOSE HAS SHUT DOWN THE BELIEF OF UNITED’S PLAYERS
Says Old Trafford legend RIO FERDINAND
RIO FERDINAND fears that Jose Mourinho’s summer sulk will destabilise Manchester United’s season.
‘There’s too much negativity coming out of Manchester United at the moment. It doesn’t bode well,’ said Ferdinand, who played for United from 2002 to 2014, winning six Premier League titles and the Champions League in 2008.
‘When you are part of a squad and you hear no positive sounds coming out of the person who is running your club...’
United kick off the new Premier League season at home to Leicester on Friday, but it has been overshadowed by Mourinho airing a number of gripes during the club’s tour of america. He has moaned about what he believes is a lack of depth in his squad as well as the apparent failure of the club — namely executive vice-chairman ed Woodward — to sign players he wants.
and the ongoing disconnect between the Portuguese and star midfielder Paul Pogba has provided another gloomy episode going into Friday.
Sportsmail yesterday revealed how Pogba’s camp are trying to engineer the France international a move to Barcelona, just two years after his £89million club-record arrival from Juventus.
Pogba’s strained relationship with Mourinho is no secret, and their fractious connection is unlikely to have improved after the United boss urged his midfielder to ‘understand’ why he had performed so well in helping France win the World Cup this summer, rather than praise his 25-year-old.
Ferdinand, who made 453 appearances for United, believes Mourinho’s moody ways will have a detrimental impact.
He said: ‘If I was a young player and listened to and read what he said about the youngsters who aren’t going to play a part at all this season...
‘He’s paid big bucks but the art of management is getting the best from his players. It doesn’t fill you with any type of confidence.’
‘I was a young player once. When you get an opportunity to go away with the first team on tour, you see that as the best opportunity ever.
‘But it seems, with his comments, the manager has just shut those avenues down and shut down the confidence and belief of a player.
‘He has dug out ed Woodward over the past couple of weeks and put pressure on to get his players in because he is frustrated, but I think you need positivity in a squad.
‘Whether he is doing that behind closed doors, who knows? But the public perception right now is of a negative state of mind within the club and that’s not good.’
BT Sport pundit Ferdinand witnessed Pogba’s talents first-hand in russia over the summer. and, in response to Sportsmail’s story yesterday, the former england captain took to Twitter to urge United not to sell the Frenchman ahead of tomorrow’s english transfer deadline.
despite the apparent divisions between Mourinho and Pogba, Ferdinand is adamant the pair can still make the relationship work.
‘He was brilliant in russia, he was effective and did the job he had to do for the team,’ said Ferdinand.
‘It’s down to the manager to get the best out of him, setting the team up and setting Pogba up in the right way to achieve the best.
‘But Pogba needs to play his part in that. He has seen what works for him to win football matches and win trophies. He has to bring that to United.
‘It’s a case of the player and manager getting an understanding for each other and getting the best out of the player.
‘Mourinho still has a great pool of players to choose from. His biggest job this season is to get the best out of players such as Pogba, Marcus rashford and anthony Martial to make sure they produce the goods.
‘rashford has stood still for the last year, Martial has gone backwards. That’s the art of management, getting the best out of his players.
‘It’s not just Jose. It’s a combination. But he has to be the instigator in that in the way he instils confidence in his players.
‘That’s what you are paid big bucks for — to get the best from your players. There’s no grey areas.’
“He is frustrated but I think you need positivity”