10 Aug 2018 11:11:01
I think through their actions, the Man Utd board have given Mourinho an interesting message.

They have backed him personally with a new contract but have refused to let him bring in short term, expensive fixes.

To me this seems like a challenge to Mourinho to show whether he's actually any good as a coach and a manager. Any fool (even me! ) could spend unlimited money and put together a decent football team.

But to succeed, Mourinho will now will have to mould and shape a team with the excellent but imperfect squad he has at his disposal. This means some major man management especially with players he has already upset. It will mean trusting in younger players and helping them make the most of their talents. It will mean being positive and putting this team on the front foot which will play to theit strengths.

Nevermind all this about lowering of expectations. Are you kidding me? Mourinho has a wealth of talent at his disposal but he's hasn't been utiliising it properly. We have brilliant attackers but the whole team plays at 70% with the handbrake on. I'm glad the board has recognised this and effectively told Mourinho to do better with what he has.

Mourinho reminds me of a spoiled kid at Christmas. He already has a room full of toys but its never enough and he always wants more of the best and shiniest toys. Then when he gets them, he only wants to play with the box they came in.

I'll conclude by saying I don't think Mourinho has got it in him. Even if he has the ability to rise to the challenge (which I don't think he has) I don't think his heart is in it which means he has no chance. He might last the season but I'll be amazed if he's with us next season.

And talking of heart not in it, I don't expect to watch much of Utd until Mouringo leaves. Too many times last season (and for many seasons before) I left the ground or the pub and wondered what I'd wasted my time for. Not this year.

1.) 10 Aug 2018
10 Aug 2018 11:27:10
Great post.

I just wish the board had held off on the contract. Really bizarre way of doing things. 'here sign this extension', happy days, few months later 'we aren't backing you and now you are locked in haha'. Seems a really weird way to go about things as now we have the grumpiest of grumps, who can point to this as an excuse and we have to pay mega money to get rid of him all the while the place becomes much more toxic.

I don't think the people in charge realise how treacherous their position is here, it's almost like they didn't see what Jose did at Chelsea before he was sacked. The risk/ reward strategy seems backward to me. Jose struggles to bring players on as well, it isn't his USP.

In for a long hard season as fans, and I fear the club have made one mistake too many by extending his deal off the back of a truly awful run of performances in the winter. Making an angry man, angrier is not conducive to a good atmosphere.

2.) 10 Aug 2018
10 Aug 2018 11:48:26
MancMan, sorry but you lost me after the "fool" comment. Did you see the Porto and Inter squads with which the fool won Champions League? don't think much money was spent there.

3.) 10 Aug 2018
10 Aug 2018 12:00:06
No Beast, I think it was a good move from the board. Mourinho cannot say in any way that he hasn't been backed. Along with the new contract, the club have spent a fortune on players he wanted. Mourinho now has nowhere to hide and if he doesn't deliver then it's all on him.

I think the board believe in their man and that's fair enough, but I also think they are being reasonable in telling him that their are financial constraints and that he already has good resources which he isn't making the most of.

By the way, just for fun, I'd like to remind everyone of a little quote from Fergie which seems quite apt for Manchester United under Mourinho; "I've never played for a draw in my life"

4.) 10 Aug 2018
10 Aug 2018 12:16:46
MancMan - hard to manage an employee with their toys out the pram, even harder if that person is a key employee. We (the club) are taking a huge risk because we are left picking up the pieces. We are asking a flat horse to do the jumps. We pay one way or the other.

5.) 10 Aug 2018
10 Aug 2018 12:32:31
United Addict, I didn't call him a fool but I take your point. It's 14 years since he won the Champions League with Porto and 8 since he won it with Inter. Great achievements no doubt, if you like that sort of thing. However, there are lots of things I could do 14 and even 8 years ago which I can't do now. Football has moved on and Mourinho is yesterday's man.

6.) 10 Aug 2018
10 Aug 2018 12:45:32
Having purchased Lukaku, Pogba, Sanchez, Matic, Lindelof and Fred, Mourinho is certainly not in any position to complain about the Board not backing him even if he did not get any key targets this year. The team has plenty theoretical talent at his disposal to compete effectively for titles. The best managers always have to add that extra special something to inspire a team to reach the next level by making the whole more than the sum of the parts.

I think Mancman has it right, although I do believe they would have stumped up for a truly top player if one had been available. It may be they are starting to realize that the very top players don't actually want to be in a Mourinho side that plays with the brakes on all the time. And it is the the style negativity and its affects that have come to the top of the agenda for the Board. There is no joy in the club at the moment and that also needs to be turned around.

7.) 10 Aug 2018
10 Aug 2018 13:22:54
Agreed - it comes to something when a reserve for Madrid and Croatia is publicly stating that he has no interest in playing for Mourinho. How many players are saying this to their agents in private, bet some agents are annoyed as we pay well over the odds for anything these days and it's easy money for the middle men. However, I get the feeling that most decent agents would realise that most players signing for Utd depreciate in value, so maybe not so many arguments as they should be thinking longer term for the good of the career as a whole.

It's just a mess. But looking forward to tonight and hope all us doubters are dealt a huge dose of STFU, I'll never learn though as no doubt tomorrow I'll be posting as usual with words like 'boring, lazy, confused, pathetic, defensive'.

8.) 10 Aug 2018
10 Aug 2018 14:58:49
"If you like that sort of thing " lol 😂.

9.) 10 Aug 2018
10 Aug 2018 15:36:11
Beast, you're right but Mourinho has nothing to throw his toys out the pram for. The board have given him the players he wanted and backed him with a new contract. He has a great squad with a fantastic first team. What has he got to complain about? It just makes him look ridiculous.

He is now master of his own destiny. If he wants to be Mr Neg Head then it's inevitably going to go badly. If he recognises what a great situation he is in, shapes up and gets the most out of his squad then good things might happen.

His problem is he is at the wrong club and has the wrong set of players for his negative brand of anti-football. If he uses the same tactics this year then he will fail to get the most out of them. A good manager would set them up to attack because that's what their strength is and it will also get the supporters onside.

We all know how it's going to be though and I'm sure Beast is right saying he will be back on here tomorrow "with words like 'boring, lazy, confused, pathetic, defensive'. " It's a shame really because there are some really good players whose talents are being wasted. I have better things to do tonight so I'll catch up tomorrow and you can all tell me how it goes.

10.) 10 Aug 2018
10 Aug 2018 15:36:56
Thanks Deano, I'm glad someone spotted that.

11.) 10 Aug 2018
10 Aug 2018 18:07:20
Mancman a few good post there.