After widespread and consistent reports about bust-ups in training with Paul Pogba about his position in the team, his form and maybe even his demeanor, reports are now emerging about a bust-up with Alexis Sánchez.
If true, it is likely that this would also be about position in the team as top players nowadays seem to think they need to tell the manager where to play them.
What is it with Mourinho and his “star” players?
The Portuguese is certainly no stranger to controversy and, as everybody is aware, was removed from his position as Chelsea manager with the team lying in 16th position in the Premier League. That may have been a situation he could have turned around but there was also a very strong feeling within the club that he had “lost” the players. This was partially confirmed after a defeat to Leicester City when he ranted on about the team disobeying his orders and not following the game-plan.
Mourinho can’t believe what he is seeing from his Chelsea players!
On arriving at Manchester United, it is fair to say, he was not universally welcomed into the fold and still, to this day and despite winning three trophies in his first season, has his doubters.
He is now employed, to an extent, within the confines of the massive club which is Manchester United and is having to bite his tongue more often than he ever needed to at Chelsea.
He is working for a different type of megalomaniac in Ed Woodward than when he was with Roman Abramovich. Abramovich was always reasonably happy to allow Mourinho to do his own thing as long as it involved winning big trophies. The only time, to our knowledge, he interfered with the football side of things was when he insisted that the club sign Andriy Shevchenko, who just happened to be a friend of his.
Mourinho’s response to this undermining of his role was to keep the Russian on the bench for the majority of his time at Stamford Bridge.
Roman Abramovich – Staying more in the background than ever before
Since then, Abramovich’s thoughts on the team and it’s players have remained private and he has, as far as we know, allowed his managers to select the players to buy. His only decision is then whether or not to release the funds for their purchase.
Ed Woodward is different. The biggest difference is that it isn’t his money, so he isn’t as careful when spending it as he could be. He has cost the club a fortune when considering the overall expenditure on players like Di Maria, Schweinsteiger, Depay and Schneiderlin. This was compounded when they were all released for a lot less than their original purchase price. But hey, this is Manchester United, they’ll just grow some more money!
Woodward obviously sees himself as more of a Florentino Perez type of character. He would love a team of Galácticos and has actively pursued certain players during the reigns of the last three managers. It doesn’t seem to have occurred to him to ask his managers whether or not they actually want the players in question.
Gareth Bale, for example, has been a target for United for at least the last five years during which time the club has had three managers. Did they all want Bale? Possibly, but it is stretching belief a little.
Nemanja Matić – Unmistakably a José Mourinho signing
When José Mourinho gets a player he wanted he is gushing about it. He talks non-stop about what he will bring to the team and what a fantastic player he is, how he will fit into the side and what he brings off the pitch. Nemanja Matić, for example, was on José’s wanted list.
Paul Pogba, as far as we know, was never on Mourinho’s wish list. He was an ex-United player who Woodward thought could be enticed back to Manchester. He was right but it is doubtful if Mourinho was involved at any stage of the deal. Having said that, the manager is not going to turn down a player of the calibre of Pogba and so he was bought, not entirely against Mourinho’s wishes but certainly not with his blessing.
Romelu Lukaku arrived at Old Trafford when all the sensible money was on Álvaro Morata heading to Manchester. After all, wasn’t it Mourinho who had sold Lukaku when at Chelsea? So why would he want him back? He probably didn’t but Woodward saw an opening and managed to close the deal.
Finally to Alexis Sánchez and José Mourinho has openly admitted to having nothing whatsoever to do with this transfer. This one doesn’t need speculation or guesswork, we know it was all Ed Woodward’s work. Again, what we don’t know is if Mourinho wanted the player!
Sometimes Woodward seems to operate under the assumption that his manager will appreciate any player he can get him just because he is world class and cost many millions.
Well, it would appear that two of the three aforementioned players already have issues at United and we may be about to discover if Mourinho really wanted them or not.
WHY SAY ANYTHING? 