Mourinho defends Champions League record

By Daily Sports on March 17, 2018

Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho said he is not “afraid of his responsibilities” during a 12-minute defence of his record in the wake of the Champions League exit to Sevilla.

Mourinho was criticised for his approach to the match, prompting a wide-ranging monologue in the build-up to Saturday’s FA Cup tie with Brighton.

He began by saying: “I am alive.”

“I am not going to run away or disappear or to cry because I heard a few boos,” added the 55-year-old.

Mourinho arrived at Friday’s news conference with a neat piece of green paper underneath his diary.

On it was written United’s finishing positions in every season since 2013, and how they had fared in Europe. He had the same statistics for Manchester City.

After Tuesday’s 2-1 home defeat by Sevilla, the Portuguese had said being knocked out of the Champions League at home in the last 16 was “nothing new for the club”.

The match came three days after United beat Liverpool 2-1 to strengthen their grip on second place in the Premier League.

“I’m happy with what I saw in my players after the [Sevilla] match. I’m happy that people were sad, that people were frustrated. I’m happy we were on exactly the same page,” said Mourinho.

Directly addressing the fans’ anger, he said they “have the right to their opinions and reactions, but there is something that I used to call football heritage”.

He explained “football heritage” by saying United have only reached the Champions League quarter-finals once since losing the 2011 final.

Mourinho also compared United’s recent league and European record to that of Manchester City, who have finished above United in every season since Sir Alex Ferguson retired in 2013.

He said: “Do you know what is also heritage? Nicolas Otamendi, Kevin de Bruyne, Fernandinho, David Silva, Raheem Sterling, Sergio Aguero – they are investments from the past, not from the last two years.

“One day when I leave, the next Manchester United manager will find here Romelu Lukaku, Nemanja Matic, of course David de Gea from many years ago, they will find players with a different mentality, quality, background, with a different status and know-how.

“I could be in another country with the league in the pocket, but I am here and I am going to be here, and no way am I going to change my mentality.

“I’m not going to disappear from the tunnel, running immediately; the next match, I will be the first to go out. I am not afraid of my responsibilities.

“When I was 20, I was nobody in football. I was somebody’s son, with a lot of pride, and now at 55 I am what I am. I did what I did because of work and because of talent and my mentality.”

Mourinho said he was “on the same page” as the club owners and executive vice chairman Ed Woodward, adding: “We agree on everything, on the investments. I have an amazing job to do.” (BBC)

•Photo shows Manchester United Manager Jose Mourinho

Source Daily Sports

Posted March 17, 2018


 

You may also like...
World Cup: How Serbia loss will help Super...

Drama as Rangers, Enyimba match abandoned after pitch...

Benteke Waits To See If He Gets Rare...

Postponed Tokyo Olympics To Open July 23 Next...

NWFL: Olowookere eyes upset against champions

Ex-Super Falcons Stars Set To Storm Onitsha For...

 

Latest News CAF awards: Ajibade, Nnadozie, Edo Queens bag nominations Lagos SWAN, PAACC Hold SWAN Day At Golfview Hotels, Ikeja Crisis looms as Eagles’ form raises AFCON, W’Cup concerns Ex-Nigerian Super Falcons player handcuffed, children assaulted as police storm Anambra Football Academy Sports NFF, teammates console Nwabali on father’s death Abia Govt hails Nigeria Olympic Committee over staging an admin course in Umuahia Libya deliver Eagles 2025 AFCON ticket Eagles battle Cheetahs for 2025 AFCON ticket Yellow Greens gear up for T20 W’Cup qualifiers Tyson tips Fury to beat Joshua Sadiq absent as 22 Eagles train in Abidjan Eagles’ striking trio hot for Cheetahs, Amavubi clashes

 

Most Read Rangers International going, going . . . (55,164 views) Amaju Pinnick: A cat with nine lives (46,307 views) Second Term: Amaju Pinnick, Other NFF Heavyweights Home to Roost •How Pinnick Broke the Jinx (44,370 views) Missing $150,000 IAAF Grant: Solomon Dalung’s Hide and Seek game (44,015 views) Sports Development: Zenith Bank on the zenith (43,948 views) Current issues in Nigerian sports: Matters arising (43,904 views) Gov. Abdullahi Ganduje’s solid footprints, commitment to sports development in Kano State (43,742 views) NFF Presidency: Pinnick, Maigari, Ogunjobi, Okoye in Battle for Supremacy (43,311 views) Olopade, BET9A wave of revolution in NNL (42,366 views) Commonwealth Games 2018: Shame of Muhammadu Buhari, Solomon Dalung (41,054 views) Ibrahimovic’s Man U exit: Whose decision is it? And in whose interest? (39,506 views) John Mikel Obi: Segun Odegbami’s Outrageous Call! (38,931 views)

 

Phone numbers

Tel: +234(0)8066020976
+234(0)8055068145
+234(0)7013416146
+234(0)8094272884

Email addresses

info@dailysportsng.com
support@dailysportsng.com
publisher@dailysportsng.com

Office address

No 3, Adetoun Close, Off College Road, Ogba, Ikeja Lagos.
Website: www.dailysportsng.com

Social Media