JOSE MOURINHO has hailed “amazing” Manchester United kid Max Taylor — and revealed that he inspired the club’s players.
The defender, 19, was included in Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s squad for the trip to Astana in the Europa League just months after surviving testicular cancer, thinking he might die.
Jose Mourinho revealed his heartache at learning Max Taylor had cancer when he was Manchester United managerCredit: Getty – Contributor
Brave Max Taylor has been in remission and is back training with Manchester UnitedCredit: Reuters
Taylor was on the bench during the 2-1 loss to the Kazakhstan side, but continues his return to full fitness.
And the new Spurs manager has revealed during his time at United it was Taylor who gave the club extra motivation after going through chemotherapy.
Mourinho said: “It was a big shock for us at the time, very sweet kid, fantastic young professional.
“And when we had news everybody was in shock.
“But I think the first one to motivate everyone at United was him.
“He was the one that motivated all of us.
“Lots of people including myself were trying to hide tears when you knew it, he was the one that motivated everybody.
“He was the one that was feeling strong, he was the one that was ready for this fight.”
[The doctor] sent me off for a scan just to make sure everything was alright. Then it was at the scan when they found a cancer-looking area right in the middle. We all broke down when we first got told, my mum, my stepdad and I. Because, obviously, I’m 18 and playing. I’m in a bubble, you don’t think that any other news concerning anything other than football would come, especially something that you know is life threatening. When you hear the word, it’s almost like ‘how is that possible?’ You start thinking of the worst.
Max Taylor, Man Utd
Mourinho has since left the club and it has been down to Solskjaer to try and bring through young talent in a United squad that is underachieving.
He added: “[It’s] amazing, amazing, amazing news for the club and all of us connected with him.
“He won the biggest match of his career, so everybody is happy.
“It’s an amazing story and may be inspiration for other young people find themselves in a similar sitation.
“It’s absolutely beautiful and the fact that Ole and the staff at the club made him arrive into this beautiful situation, the sport situation, that they offer him, he deserves to earn that opportunity.
“It is an amazing story.”
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
