MISSION IMPOSSIBLE

United star Mata’s inside take on four men who have tried to continue Fergie’s legacy at United

As Manchester United plunge deeper into crisis, Juan Mata has claimed it was “impossible” to follow Sir Alex Ferguson in the Old Trafford hot-seat. Despite spending £892million, United – currently eighth in the Premier League – are even further away from challenging for the title again. Midfielder Mata has played under all four permanent managers since Ferguson retired in 2013 and gives a frank assessment of each of them, providing a fascinating behind-the-scenes insight as the world’s biggest club struggles to get back to the top.

MATA ON MOYES:

“It certainly had to be difficult to replace a figure like Sir Alex Ferguson, the most successful manager in football’s history. It was impossible, in fact.

“The first time I met David was seconds after coming out of a helicopter, as this is how I arrived at Manchester United’s AON Training Complex. Pretty cool, I know. Bond-style.

“He welcomed me and my family with a big smile and these words, ‘Welcome to a fantastic club, a massive club.The biggest club there is’.

“Then he took us to his office and we talked. ‘Juan, I know what you can bring to the team. I need a player like you who can link the play’. When I arrived, late January, the campaign was already halfway gone and things were not going too well. We were seventh. Results were not materialising and the atmosphere was not ideal.

“A few months later, after some more disappointing games, the club decided to part with Moyes and chose Ryan Giggs to look after the team until the end of the season.

“He had tried his best but we were not performing well and results were not good enough.

“Even at his farewell, he showed integrity and said goodbye to us in a very classy way, shaking all our hands and looking us all in the eye, wishing us good luck for the future.

“I felt sorry for the man who was leaving, feeling partly responsible as every player does when a decision like this is made.

“Ryan Giggs took charge for a few games, and during the summer the club announced our new manager, Louis van Gaal.”

MATA ON VAN GAAL:

‘Hi, I’m Louis van Gaal, please can you introduce yourself and tell me things about you?’

“The manager, Ryan Giggs, myself and a bottle of Rioja wine – which he suggested we should try – were in that room. It was preseason, Los Angeles, and I was about to ‘introduce myself’ to my new coach.

“Those who know Van Gaal know how intimidating he can be, face-to-face. Things about myself? What does he mean? I didn’t know where to start. I took the safe route.

“My name is Juan, I’m 26 and I’ve been playing football…‘I know that,’ he interrupted. ‘Tell me about your personal life. Do you have a wife? Children? What do you like apart from football?’

“He started firing off questions about my life and career before moving on to footballing matters: ‘Where do you think you can play? What’s your position? Where do you see yourself in this system?’

“Louis wanted to see what we were made of and how we reacted through his interrogation. He wanted to get to know his players.

“The frightening aura around him soon dissipated to reveal a kind-hearted man. We started to notice how emotional he would get during his briefings. When we had played very well or covered more ground and had more chances than the opposition, you could see the spark in his eyes, portraying how moved he was by his players’ effort.

“On the pitch, he had a very special style of training that was structured in a rather routine manner. You were clear about what to do before each session.

“He liked getting us to play on the deck and only opting for long balls as a last resort. Off the pitch, he was also very structured in matters like all of us having lunch together. When we travelled, whoever was one minute late was handed a not insignificant fine.

“At the end of his time at the club, on his ‘farewell’, he let his emotional side take over and opened himself very honestly to us: ‘I don’t know if I’m going to be here next season, but I want to tell you anyway how proud I am of every single one of you.We fought together in adversity and we ended up lifting this special trophy.

“We had just won the FA Cup minutes earlier and he was saying ‘goodbye and good luck’. He handed out pieces of paper to each of us with our return date on it, as he had organised the pre-season for next July. We all knew this was a routine process, going through the motions, because there were already so many rumours of him

being sacked. Only minutes after lifting the FA Cup trophy, they would end up being true.”

MATA ON MOURINHO:

“With Louis van Gaal gone, rumours about Jose Mourinho being appointed acquired a life of their own. A few days later, the rumours had become fact. Mourinho was my manager again.

“Despite the concern of family, friends and many people, I was determined to face the situation as I’d always tried to: positively.

“Jose and I were together at Chelsea before, of course, and after having been together for six months, my career would take a different direction: Manchester.

“Yes, I didn’t enjoy as much playing time as I was used to during those six months but I never had a personal problem with Jose.

People assumed the story would repeat itself. I was determined it wouldn’t. I focused on what I could control: my professionalism and commitment.Time would prove me right.This is an aspect of my career that I’m proud of because I didn’t take the easier way. I didn’t give up.

“The first conversation between Jose and me, which many were waiting for, thinking it could be the last, was as normal as you can imagine. We didn’t comment about the rumours nor discuss the past. He greeted me normally, we started to speak in a relaxed way about Manchester, what the city was like to live in, holidays, even about a Barca match we had both watched on television.

“There was no need to discuss what happened at Chelsea. Why? I preferred letting my football speak for itself. Our relationship was, and always has been, normal, like any other between player and manager. We spoke often, more often than when at Chelsea.”

MATA ON SOLSKJAER:

“I made my debut as a United player against Cardiff at Old Trafford. Seconds before I step on to the pitch, someone touches my shoulder. ‘Good luck and welcome Juan, enjoy this club, it’s just incredible’. Ole Solskjaer, manager of Cardiff at that time, was welcoming me to his ‘home’. The place where he was, is, a legend.

“Fast forward some years – and on December 19, 2018, Ole was unveiled as our new manager. Coincidence, fate, call it whatever you like, but that moment in the tunnel came back to my mind. After the first meeting with Ole as manager, I have realised how much Manchester United means to him. “With the arrival of Ole, and since his announcement as permanent manager, the club starts a new era that hopefully will be successful in terms of trophies, style, and above all, bringing back the excitement. “There are many cases where an ex-player becomes a manager – it normally starts by coaching youngsters, through reserve teams or smaller clubs to gain some experience. Pep Guardiola, Zinedine Zidane, Mauricio Pochettino and Ole are examples. “But becoming a manager has more to do with understanding of the game, your personality, your ability to communicate, motivate, and work ethic, rather than your experience as a football player. You need to be a leader.”