UNITED Tough love is finally working for Mourinho
‘SIR Alex Ferguson never publicly criticised his players’ is about as accurate a statement as the United great’s assertion he ‘never held a grudge.’
Ferguson singled out players as celebrated as Ryan Giggs and starry as David Beckham and Cristiano Ronaldo throughout his 26-and-ahalf years as he developed his players into world-beaters. Wayne Rooney was targeted with frequency after he fluttered his eyelashes at City.
Tough love works, as Giggs attested. When the hairdryer was switched on he would then invariably leave full-backs feeling like they’d been in a tumble dryer.
“I remember him having a go at me at half-time and I had that sort of attitude that, ‘Okay, I’ll show him,’” Giggs reflected in 2015. “And I played well in the second half.
“So then he quickly knew how I’d respond to him losing his temper. That followed me for the next 20 years, so it was a big mistake early on!” Rio Ferdinand confirmed Ferguson would chastise Giggs so ‘no one was exempt from getting hammered.’
Jose Mourinho is challenging his players more publicly. At least nine United players have been rebuked over the course of the campaign as the Reds boss attempts to upgrade the mentality within the squad – and even Zlatan Ibrahimovic wasn’t spared during his performances against Anderlecht. After one pitiful pass last week Mourinho encroached onto the pitch and unleashed a volley of abuse. Ibrahimovic didn’t improve, but United did.
Luke Shaw would have been within earshot and Mourinho, by digging out one of his favourites, was also issuing a deafening warning to the rest of the United players.
The tough love is working. It was just over three weeks ago Mourinho castigated four forwards for being ‘inconsistent’ during the West Brom stalemate before turning on Shaw to question his ambition, focus, commitment and performance level in training.
Mourinho was rightly rankled by an eighth home league draw and Reserves midfielder Matty Willock was selected in the matchday squad ahead of Shaw.
Shaw, Marcus Rashford, Henrikh Mkhitaryan, Jesse Lingard and Anthony Martial have all responded positively since. Rooney’s conditioning was also dismissed as ‘not the best’ on Thursday, yet he put in a 90-minute shift on Sunday.
Rashford’s application increased three days later against Everton before he netted his first league goal in over six months at Sunderland.
He was United’s best performer over the Anderlecht legs and had the game of his life in the win over Chelsea. But for Ander Herrera stalking Eden Hazard, he might have earned three consecutive man of the match awards.
Mkhitaryan spent days off at Carrington during his exile earlier in the season and has scored in each of his three starts since West Brom to become United’s joint-second top scorer.
With Juan Mata and now Ibrahimovic sidelined, the Reds have a reliable goal-getter from behind the strikers and Mkhitaryan’s haul of 10 in his last 22 is a remarkable strikerate.
Shaw told Mourinho during their clear-the-air meeting ‘I’m going to prove you wrong’ and he has since performed pivotally as a substitute versus Everton, excelled at Sunderland and endeared himself to Mourinho by playing on with cramp against Andelecht.
“These kind of things are the things that make me trust the players,” Mourinho beamed. Another potential world-class talent belatedly responded at Turf Moor. Martial’s goal had co-commentator Gary Neville cooing. “Zlatan Ibrahimovic is injured,” he exclaimed. “This is what you’re going to get without him. Counter-attack through the centre forward. Rashford last week. Martial this week. Far more like Manchester United have always played.” Mourinho was waiting to hug Martial on the touchline and was effusive about his efforts as a lone striker after the game. “Very good with the ball, very good without the ball in the middle of two strong central defenders,” he remarked. “Without anyone just behind him, he was quite distant from our midfielders.” Martial recorded a match high of 73 sprints on a day he complemented ability with application. It was the kind of performance players need to produce to make Mourinho trust them. Otherwise he might hold a grudge. Samuel Luckhurst