US trip puts a spring in Jose’s step
Second season specialist eyes glory
IF JOSE MOURINHO has l ooked more relaxed strolling around the pristine sports fields of the UCLA campus here in Los Angeles this week, it’s because he is.
This is where Mourinho likes to spend his pre-season more than anywhere else; staying in Beverley Hills and making the short journey to training each day to use the excellent facilities at the university bathed in Californian sunshine.
It is the seventh time in 14 years that Mourinho (below) has brought one of his teams here — Chelsea, Inter Milan, Real Madrid and now United.
Like Sir Alex Ferguson before him, the Portuguese is a fan of the United States in general and LA in particular.
‘Since 2004, I’m still waiting for the first mistake,’ he said of the facilities at UCLA. ‘ I t never arrives. Amazing. We have everything. The facili- ties are very good and the organisation is very good, because sometimes the organisation is chaotic.’ That was the case 12 months ago when an exasperated Mourinho inherited a tour of China arranged by his predecessor Louis van Gaal. It’s hard to forget the sight of the new United manager sulking by the side of the pitch as the pre-match press conference in Beijing was hastily moved outdoors because conditions inside were too hot. And that was before the game against Manchester City was cancelled because of the state of the playing surface at the Bird’s Nest Stadium. Mo urin how as alarmed by the commercial requirements placed upon him and his players, and was not afraid to let United know it.
One year on, he is working from a stronger power base after delivering the Europa League, EFL Cup and Community Shield.
And although Mourinho won Chelsea’s first top-flight title in 50 years at the first attempt in 2005, it is usually the second season when he makes the biggest impact.
In year two, he won the Champions League at both Porto in 2004 and Inter in 2010, Real Madrid’s first La Liga title in four seasons in 2012, and also the Premier League during his second spell at Chelsea in 2015. If that record is anything to go by, United fans can expect even greater success this time around.
Mourinho’s side kicked off t heir pre- season against LA Galaxy in Carson early this morning, and there are four games to follow against Real Salt Lake, Madrid, Manchester City and Barcelona.
United will continue to keep LA as their base until they fly east to Washington DC a week today.
‘The players like to come here,’ said Mourinho. ‘From the social point of view it’s also good because this country gives us soccer people a little bit of freedom. The players can walk outside, have a drink together. They can go shopping and have a bit of a social life.
‘ The opponents are good because the two American teams are in the middle of their competition.
‘Then we train — because I prefer in this moment the word train — against some of the best clubs in the world.
‘That’s good for us because we’re going back to t he Champions League. We are going to find the four or five best teams in the world.’