Players took dye-a-follicle liberty before Chelsea clash THE TRIM REAPER
MAN UTD Furious Jose gives stars the hair dryer treatment after their date with stylist
JOSE MOURINHO has laid down the law with his players again – after some of his stars arranged for a hairdresser to visit their London hotel before they played Chelsea.
The Manchester United boss was fuming that four of his players – believed to include Marcos Rojo and Sergio Romero – paid for their stylist to travel south and give them a haircut at the team hotel the day before the game.
United ended the match being humiliated 4-0 by Antonio Conte’s side in Mourinho’s first visit to Stamford Bridge since being axed as Blues boss.
Mourinho was angry at United’s defensive performance and ripped into his stars post match after they conceded a first-minute goal.
He also gave Conte a final whistle rebuke for the Italian’s exuberant touchline antics which Mourinho felt had disrespected him and United.
And when he found out his players had invited a hairdresser to the hotel the night before the game, Mourinho let rip again reminding them of their focus in the immediate lead-up to games.
But while the Portuguese has presided over an erratic start to the season at Old Trafford he retains the full backing of Ed Woodward, United’s executive vice-chairman, and, more crucially, the American-based Glazer family who own the club. While the Reds refuse to publicly comment on their approval of Mourinho’s start to his United career it has been made clear privately that they are right behind
their £12million-a-year manager.
Methods
Woodward remains hugely impressed by Mourinho’s methods, his tactical acumen, attention to detail and his conviction that given time he will turn United into winners again. And although United sanctioned summer spending of £146m – £89m of it on a world-record fee for Juventus midfield star Paul Pogba – Woodward acknowledges it will take at least another two transfer windows for Mourinho (above) to acquire the squad he really wants.
And Woodward or the Glazer family will not interfere with the way he handles his players.
Eyebrows were believed to have been raised by some United directors after his public comments criticising defenders Chris Smalling and Luke Shaw.
But while it is doubtful past managers like Sir Alex Ferguson or Louis van Gaal would have been so publicly outspoken about their players, Woodward is not about to intervene.
Mourinho’s handling of the Bastian Schweinsteiger situation had no input from the boardroom either, although any transfer activity in January would be on the basis of moving players out.
A United source said last night: “The club appointed Jose to manage the playing squad and all team matters are his domain.
“The board respects his record at Europe’s top clubs and he’s been hired to bring success. He’ll be given all the support he needs to achieve that.”