JOSE MOURINHO believes a lack of trust from the top denied him more success with Manchester United.
Mourinho spent two-and-a-half years in the Old Trafford hotseat winning two trophies, reaching an FA Cup final and finishing second in the league.
But he left United in acrimonious circumstances in December 2018 believing he had not been backed properly in the transfer mark that previous summer by then executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward.
Mourinho said: “My relationship with Ed Woodward was good – good as in the personal point of view.
“But from a professional point of view it was not the best.
“I am who I am. I am a football man. Ed comes from a different background and what Ten Hag has in his time at Manchester United I didn’t have.
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“I didn’t have that level of support. I didn’t have that level of trust.
“So I left sad, because I felt I was in the beginning of the process.
“In some moments, I felt if they trusted me and believed in my experience things could be different.”
Despite his complaints, Mourinho still spent £355million in his time charge at United.
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Jose Mourinho’s career stats
Those numbers in full:
- Benfica, 2000: P11 W6 D3 L2
- Uniao de Leiria, 2001-2002: P23 W12 D8 L3
- Porto, 2002-2004: P127 W91 D21 L15
- Chelsea, 2004-2007: P185 W124 D40 L21
- Inter Milan, 2008-2010: P108 W67 D26 L15
- Real Madrid, 2010-2013: P178 W128 D28 L22
- Chelsea, 2013-2015: P136 W80 D29 L27
- Man Utd, 2016-2018: P144 W84 D32 L28
- Tottenham, 2019-2021: P86 W44 D19 L23
- Roma, 2021-2024: P138 W68 D31 L39
- Trophies: Premeira Liga x2, Portuguese Cup, Portuguese Super Cup, Champions League, Uefa Cup (Porto); Premier League x3, FA Cup, Carabao Cup x3, Community Shield (Chelsea); Serie A x2, Italian Cup, Italian Super Cup, Champions League (Inter Milan); La Liga, Spanish Cup, Spanish Super Cup (Real Madrid); Carabao Cup, Community Shield, Europa League (Man Utd); Europa Conference League (Roma)
But it was the players he wanted shifted out that he believes remain a problem.
He said: “There are a couple of players still there I didn’t want five or six years ago.
“I think they represent a little bit 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.”
I’ve covered Man Utd for 25 years – that win over Coventry was biggest ever embarrassment
By Neil Custis
The win over Coventry was an embarrassment for Manchester United supporters, and one that will be felt for some time.
In my 25 years covering the club, this was the biggest.
Forget a 6-1 defeat at home to Manchester City, an aberration, this was the denouement of a long and sorry chapter in the club’s history.
Fans briefly celebrated Rasmus Hojlund’s winning penalty in the shootout only because they felt they should.
There was no such delight on the pitch, apart from the penalty taker and that clown Antony who had come on with the side well in control at 3-0.
It was no coincidence they went into reverse when he imparted his questionable attributes on proceedings.
Indeed his cupping of the ears to the Coventry players when Hojlund landed that final cruel blow, only added to the feelings of unease.
Read Neil Custis’ full view on United’s Wembley shambles here.
For more from Neil Custis click here.
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk