- Mourinho slammed several of his old Man United players, who are still at the club
- The ex-United boss is on the hunt for a new job after being sacked by Roma
- If Erik ten Hag wins the FA Cup with Man United, does he deserve to keep his job? Listen to the It’s All Kicking Off podcast
Jose Mourinho has hit out at several unnamed Manchester United players who are still at the club, claiming ‘he did not want them’ in his side.
The Portuguese manager was sacked by the club in December 2018, after United had endured a disastrous start to the Premier League campaign. In the years since, Mourinho, who recently left his role at Roma, has been unable to resist a little dig at his former side and ex-players, including full-back Luke Shaw.
The Portuguese manager held a frosty relationship with the England defender, notably throwing digs at the 28-year-old during his time as the club’s manager and even after leaving the club – criticising Shaw for everything from his fitness to his professionalism.
Speaking in an interview with The Telegraph, the ex-Man United boss criticised the standards of several stars who featured in his Man United team and have remained on the books at Old Trafford since his departure.
‘There are still a couple of players still there I didn’t want five or six years ago,’ Mourinho said, adding that his professional relationship with former CEO Ed Woodward could have also been better.
‘I think they represent a little bit of what I consider not the best professional profile to a club of a certain dimension.
‘But I did my job there. Time always tells the truth. I would love Manchester United to succeed.’
While Mourinho, 61, did not make it clear who he was referring to during the interview, several members of his squad from his final season at Old Trafford are still playing in Erik ten Hag’s side.
Some of those names include, Victor Lindelof, Anthony Martial, Scott McTominay, Diogo Dalot and Marcus Rashford.
His up-and-down relationship with Shaw started back in 2015, after the defender suffered a double leg break, aged 21 – with Mourinho arriving to take over from Louis van Gaal as United boss while Shaw was sidelined. He’d eventually make a return during a 1-1 draw against Everton – with Mourinho blasting his middling performance during the game, with the Portuguese manager claiming he had to make every decision for the United full-back.
Down the line, Mourinho would criticise Shaw for occasionally being late to training, his fitness and performances on the pitch. He even took aim at Shaw’s corner-taking technique, with the England defender responding to his criticisms claiming: ‘Hopefully he can find his peace and stop worrying about me.’
Mourinho, meanwhile, enjoyed a successful two years at United winning the Europa League and the EFL Cup in the 2016-17 season.
Since then United have struggled to live up to their former greatness, with Ten Hag’s side enduring a torrid 2023-24 campaign.
Ten Hag has been able to bring in some big players during his time at United, including Andre Onana for £43m, Rasmus Hojlund for £72m and Mason Mount for £60m.
‘I didn’t have that level of support. I didn’t have that level of trust,’ Mourinho said during the interview, reflecting on what Ten Hag has been given since he joined in 2022.’
He added that if United had perhaps trusted him more, they could have been more successful together.
United, meanwhile, have underwhelmed so far in comparison to their achievements of last season where they won the Carabao Cup and finished third in the Premier League, with Ten Hag’s future at the club looking increasingly uncertain as more pressure mounts on the Dutchman.
There is a chance that he could still win the FA Cup though, with his side stumbling their way through to the final on Sunday, beating Coventry on penalties in what was a hollow victory.
But there is still some concern that winning the historic trophy would not guarantee his job security.
Alan Shearer yesterday claimed that Man United’s new minority co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe and INEOS have already made their decision on Ten Hag’s future, and that a victory against Man City in the FA Cup final will not buy him safety.
As for Mourinho, it is uncertain where his next move will take him, the former United and Chelsea boss announced earlier this year that he wanted to get a new job in football as soon as possible.
Olivia Martin is a dedicated sports journalist based in the UK. With a passion for various athletic disciplines, she covers everything from major league championships to local sports events, delivering up-to-the-minute updates and in-depth analysis.
