06 Apr 2017 11:46:00
"then turning on his players will only undermine players confidence. "
I completely disagree with this. No one on this site gets to work with the players on a daily basis. Man management is an art form which I think Jose must be pretty good, can he improve ofc he last year in Chelsea, has shown us that he is not perfect. But you need to understand that different people need different approaches to motivate them. I feel that you are talking about Shaw, but maybe the way that you can motivate him is that he needs to prove him wrong. Look at how he has dealt with Rooney, and even Fellaini is a better player than he was last year (I still don't think he should be here but that's a different post for a different time) .
But these are professionals so I will trust him to manage them in a way which will get the best from them, and if that's bollocking someone then so be it. They are grown men.
06 Apr 2017 11:50:36
I think this year will turn out to be a learning experience for Mourinho, firstly what is expected as a manager of our great club. I think he has tried to battle his inner demons and when he makes these odd statements it is to deflect the negative attention away from the players. For right or wrong.
Secondly what players he can trust and build the squad around. I genuinely think we are a few moves away from challenging. He will get a full summer with the players and get to bring more players in.
He has already said we do not have the players to play the speedier high energy game so look for those players to come in.
Also A Makalele type and a Drogba type.
I am pragmatic and still think we are heading in the right direction. Let's just hope it is enough.
06 Apr 2017 12:14:48
Walrus, he turned on all our forward players after the West Bromwich draw. Even Zlatan who wasn't even on the pitch. It certainly didn't appear his words had a positive effect against Everton.
He has done this at every club he has been at and normally when looking back at his time at those clubs the beginning of the end can be traced back to when he started to turn on the players via the press.
There is nothing wrong with a few harsh words behind closed doors. Throwing your players under the bus to the media though is very different.
Outside of football such actions normally lead to disciplinary action taken against the person publicaly speaking out.
If your manager wasn't happy with you so slagged you off via social media you might feel very differently than if he just had a word with you in private.
06 Apr 2017 12:18:39
Brad, I definitely think we are moving in the right direction, but far slower than I expected us too.
Mourinho's words could have been construed as deflecting attention away from his player had they not been directed at the players, directly about them and their performance. That's not taking pressure off them, that's piling it on them.