Mourinho: no comment on ‘out-of-context’ quotes
Jose Mourinho refused to “play games” on yesterday when asked to clarify his comments on the mentality of some of his Manchester United players.
Quotes attributed to Mourinho from a Univision interview conducted in Spanish last month were widely circulated yesterday morning.
Initial, inaccurate translations of the interview were published claiming Mourinho had questioned the “character” of Luke Shaw, Anthony Martial, Marcus Rashford and Jesse Lingard.
A second, accurate translation reported Mourinho speaking about the “mentality” of the modern player. The United manager said that the likes of Shaw, Martial, Rashford and Lingard lack a certain “aggression” more commonly found in players of an older generation.
Mourinho was offered the opportunity to clarify his comments at his press conference on Friday, ahead of United’s meeting with Crystal Palace this weekend, but refused and instead claimed his words were taken out of context.
“I don’t play your game,” Mourinho said, when asked to expand on his remarks. “I don’t play the game of the 'take out of context and do what you want', I don’t play your game and I have nothing to say. I don’t lose my time playing that game,” he added.
Mourinho was more receptive to questions about David de Gea, who he feels is being singled out for criticism at international level because "somebody very powerful" wants to replace him as Spain's goalkeeper.
De Gea's position in the Spanish national side has come under increased scrutiny this year following a difficult World Cup campaign. The United 'keeper was blamed for his country's group stage draw with Portugal and the penalty shoot-out round of 16 defeat to hosts Russia.
"Why criticism in Spain? Do you know? I know," Mourinho said. "Because there is somebody very powerful that is thinking about jumping again but I think it’s very difficult to jump when you have the best goalkeeper in the world in front of you."
Mourinho did not any player by name but his answers to a series of follow-up questions suggested he was referencing Iker Casillas, the former Real Madrid goalkeeper.
The United manager confirmed he was speaking about a player who is "in the media". Casillas' most recent remarks about returning for Spain were made while appearing on television, while Sara Carbonero, his wife, is a leading Spanish sports journalist.
Mourinho then said that the player in question had once played for Madrid and when asked if he "liked him", he replied: "Yeah, I like him. I was champion with him."
Casillas and Mourinho won La Liga together at Madrid in 2012, though a subsequent breakdown in their relationship contributed to Mourinho's departure from the Santiago Bernabeu a year later.
Mourinho also said that does not expect Alexis Sanchez to leave in January, though reiterated that he will not keep any United player at the club against their will.
Sanchez became one of United's highest-earners upon joining from Arsenal in January but has endured a difficult start to life at Old Trafford, scoring just four goals in 29 appearances, and is reported to be unsettled in Manchester.
Mourinho said on Friday that allowing want-away players to leave is part of his 'philosophy' - telling journalists: "That's me, that's me," - though he added that he has no reason to believe that Sanchez is unhappy.
"I don’t think [Sanchez will leave] because he never told me that he wants to leave. He never told me that he is not happy to stay," he said. "But I repeat: [letting want-away players leave] is a personal thing related to my philosophy."
The United manager added that he had travelled to watch Belgium during the recent international break because he wanted to check on Romelu Lukaku's injury, with the United striker struggling for form and fitness.
Lukaku, who has not scored in his last 10 United appearances, suffered a hamstring injury while on duty with Belgium, missing his country's games against Iceland and Switzerland.
Mourinho was spotted in the crowd against Iceland, despite neither Lukaku or club team-mate Marouane Fellaini playing, which led to some suggesting that the United manager was in Belgium on a scouting mission.
Mourinho insisted, however, that he made the trip from his London home to Brussels in order to support Lukaku and assess the severity of his hamstring injury.
"I went fundamentally to be with Lukaku, to feel him, to see his situation, his injury," Mourinho said on Friday, while previewing United's Premier League meeting with Crystal Palace on Saturday.
"Roberto invited me to meet him which I decided not to because I don’t like to disturb people before matches, but I was with Roberto on the phone trying to feel, trying to understand the problem and evolution of the problem.
"And of course, I like to watch football," the United manager added. "I was in London. A couple of hours train, easy to go."