Manchester United coach Jose Mourinho and the microphone are inseparable. There is little doubt that the Portuguese is peerless in owning a press conference. As much as some of his bytes can add wit and colour to proceedings, it can also be a painful exercise when he is not happy.
Mourinho has admitted that he is unhappy with the way the Red Devils’ build-up to the new season has shaped up. Some of his squad members are on a lengthy break following the World Cup, most notably his lynchpins, Paul Pogba and Romelu Lukaku. United’s woes went from bad to worse following a 1-4 thrashing at the hands of Liverpool in USA. Here’s a list of some of the 55-year-old’s complaints:
“I would like to have two more players. I think I am not going to have two. I think that it’s possible I’m going to have one. I gave a list to my club of five names a few months ago and I wait to see if it’s possible to have one of these players. If it’s possible, it’s possible.”
– Mourinho, clearly unhappy with his club’s transfer business. Diogo Dalot, Fred and reserve goalkeeper Lee Grant are United’s major signings so far in the summer transfer window.
“Alexis [Sanchez] is the only attacking player we have. We don’t have wingers, we don’t have strikers, he is the only who is here.”
– Mourinho further explains his side’s depleted resources.
“Maybe this season, finally, you demand that they win.”
– Mourinho couldn’t resist a dig at Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp following the Red’s summer spending spree.
“With the investments you are making last season and you make now, that will probably be the record of the Premier League this season, a team that was a finalist in the Champions League – you have to say you are a big candidate, you have to win.”
– Some more digs at Klopp.
“We started the game with almost half of the players who are not even going to belong to our squad”
– On United’s 1-4 loss against Liverpool in the United States.
I don’t have the players to work with. I don’t have the majority of the players that are going to be in the squad on August 9th when the market closes and we can make the squad official for the season.
– This one’s clearly aimed at Pogba, Lukaku and possibly, chief executive Ed Woodward.
“Of course I’m not happy. I’m not happy to have just a few players.”
– More complaints about the size of United’s squad
“Man City and Tottenham in a similar situation as we are, but other clubs are in a different situation.”
“Pre-season is very bad, I have to say that.”
– Sigh!
“Anthony Martial has the baby and after the baby is born – beautiful baby, full of health, thank God - he should be here and he is not here.”
– For the uninitiated, the French winger left pre-season mid-way to witness the birth of his second child.
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