JOSE’S VOLLEY IS RISKY IN THESE TIMES

MANCHESTER United manager Jose Mourinho has really turned up the heat on left-back Luke Shaw. His attack on him was received and interpreted differently by the various commentators.

It is pretty clear that Mourinho considers that Shaw isn’t earning his money. Every manager will know the feeling: Player X or Player Y just doesn’t give you what you know you need to win games. In general, in training, in games; this person is not performing to anything like the right level.

The first port of call in a situation like that is always to sit and chat. It is vital for a manager to listen. Depending on your relationship and the trust built, you’ll learn more or less. There can be deep issues which need understanding or it can be obvious that a player needs time and understanding whilst something works its way through.

Players are human beings just like doctors, dentists, brickies and plumbers.

I can completely understand why Mourinho may have chosen to go public and crank up the pressure on Shaw.

The decision is a brave one and nowadays an increasingly dangerous one. Dressing rooms are more united than ever and not always just towards a winning way.

Mourinho was ousted at Chelsea; Claudio Ranieri at Leicester. The relationship between a manager and his players is a very sensitive one.

Clubs don’t back managers like they used to, often because of the sums involved in squad contracts.

But it will swing back. Because there is value in discipline and discipline isn’t about what the masses want. Discipline isn’t always popular. But in the end it has to be about what it takes to win consistently in the long run and the smart chairmen know that.

Mourinho clearly believes that he can take expensive earners to task and the game needs that.