Mourinho hits out at United players again
JOSE MOURINHO has become an isolated figure at old Trafford after clashing with more of his Manchester United stars. The beleaguered United boss claimed yesterday that he still has the support of his players but admitted: ‘some care more than others’.
Mourinho added: ‘I am still the kid that I was 20 years ago and I am still naive, but I still don’t believe that a player is not honest.’
However, it has emerged that he criticised Antonio Valencia for not attending last week’s Carabao Cup defeat to derby County in his role as club captain before dropping him for the trip to West Ham.
Mourinho is understood to barely be on speaking terms with skipper Valencia having stripped Paul Pogba of the vice-captaincy in his ongoing fall-out with the Frenchman.
Alexis sanchez was also axed for the damaging defeat at West Ham, a decision that left United’s highest earner furious and contemplating his future at old Trafford just eight months after signing from Arsenal.
Mourinho had already upset Marcus Rashford after questioning his attitude in a team meeting last week, and it was notable that the England striker refused to celebrate after scoring for United in a 3-1 defeat.
revealed last week that several players — including Anthony Martial, Eric Bailly and Andreas Pereira — have sided with Pogba against Mourinho as the divisions in the United camp continue to grow.
There are now serious concerns over just how many first-team players remain loyal to the 55-year-old coach. It remains to be seen if Mourinho recalls Valencia and sanchez for tonight’s visit of Valencia as he comes under fierce scrutiny in the wake of the shocking defeat at West Ham.
Former United defender Patrice Evra sat next to United chief executive Ed Woodward in the directors’ box at the London stadium and was then seen chatting to Pogba and Martial outside the dressing rooms, leading to speculation among players and staff.
The gossip continued on the team bus afterwards but there is understood to have been an awkward hush when Mourinho climbed on board for the short trip to Euston. The mood on the train journey home was last night described by one insider as ‘like a morgue’.
Mourinho insisted his players are ‘honest’ and giving their best, even though saturday’s abject capitulation at West Ham suggested otherwise.
‘I see different reactions but sometimes what you see is not really what is inside,’ said Mourinho in response to questions about the reaction of his players after the 3-1 defeat. If he can’t read them by now, who can?
‘I see sad people and I see people that didn’t look like they lost a game. But sometimes what you see is not what you get. you can be laughing and be the saddest person in the world, and you can be with a very sad face and you can be a fantastic actor and inside you are very happy.’
When it was put to Mourinho that his players produced fewer sprints (59) than any other Premier League team at the weekend, and almost 100 less than Liverpool, he replied: ‘The stats are the stats, but another thing is the man himself.
‘It’s a collective thing. The reason why we don’t win is responsibility of everybody. The performance on the pitch is the consequence of many factors.
‘Everybody in the club has a role to play — the kit man, the nutritionist, I have. What I can do to improve things I do, and I will improve the things that depend on me and my work.’
Mourinho insisted that he doesn’t believe his job is in jeopardy, but refused to say if he has spoken to his boss, Woodward, about the slump in form.
‘That’s a private matter and I’m not going to answer to you,’ he replied.