MY STARS ARE HURT BY CRUEL ATTACKS
Mourinho blames the criticism from United legends for form slump
JOSE MOURINHO admitted for the first time last night that criticism of his team is hurting him and his players.
The Portuguese takes his Manchester United side to old club Chelsea this lunchtime mired in disapproval and fresh from stinging comments by Old Trafford legends Paul Scholes and Rio Ferdinand.
‘Yes, it bothers me,’ said Mourinho. ‘Because I am a man. My players, they care.’
The United manager claimed after his team’s dramatic 3-2 win over Newcastle two weeks ago that he was the victim of a ‘man hunt’ and since then he has been charged by the English FA for mouthing obscenities into the camera after that game.
Asked specifically if the former players’ criticism was affecting his team, he replied on Sky: ‘Yes — some of the players looked depressed in the first half (against Newcastle), with the score and also because the pre-match was difficult for them.
‘That weekend we didn’t sleep in the hotel. Everyone stayed at their own house and I think the players, when they woke up in the morning, they read that — because they read social media.
‘What I can do is keep telling them that this is my problem to cope with, because I am the man, and let them enjoy their football the way they did against Newcastle in the second half.
‘I am not happy but if someone has to be the man, I’d prefer it to be me rather than my players.’
Mourinho has been given until Wednesday to respond to his FA charge. Asked if he thought he was being victimised by the FA, he said: ‘If I answer your question I’ll probably have another process, so my answer is no answer.’
To add to Mourinho’s sense of persecution, United were fined by UEFA yesterday for turning up late for their last Champions League game at home to Valencia. The United team bus got stuck in traffic, meaning kick-off had to be put back five minutes. United were fined £13,200 as Mourinho was personally warned.
The United squad travelled to London by train yesterday afternoon. Chile striker Alexis Sanchez was not with the team, but is understood to have joined them at the hotel last night after international duty.
United lie eighth in the league table but Mourinho said: ‘My determination doesn’t have to do with winning or losing. I am always fresh. Every day I am fresh. Winning or losing obviously has an effect but, I promise you, the day after a match the result doesn’t matter. I wake up fresh.’
Mourinho has said he will not celebrate wildly today if his team score against or beat his former club, even though Chelsea fans have given him a rough reception at Stamford Bridge recently.
‘This is just another game,’ he said. ‘Would I celebrate like crazy my team’s goal at Stamford Bridge or my team’s victory? I don’t think so, I’d try to control myself and to respect the stadium and the fans. I want to do well for my team, players and support. I am 100 per cent Manchester United.’
Maurizio Sarri, meanwhile, says the players at Mourinho’s disposal are the best in the Premier League, even though they are trailing his Chelsea team by seven points after three losses in their opening eight games.
‘They are a very strong team,’ claimed Sarri. ‘(Manchester) City are better like a team, but player by player they (United) are very strong.’
Before that could be interpreted as a criticism of Mourinho, Sarri said: ‘We are talking about a coach who has won everything. He has won everywhere. So, I have to respect him. But I think, also, you all have to respect him.’