The Manchester United boss was not happy about his squad, the referees and plenty more after a loss to the Reds in Michigan
Jose Mourinho saw his Manchester United side beaten by Liverpool in Michigan – and then insisted American supporters deserved more from the International Champions Cup.
The United boss was in an abrasive mood following his team’s 4-1 defeat on Saturday evening, pulling no punches in a remarkable 12-minute post-game press conference.
In it, he called on his board to deliver at least one new signing before the end of the transfer window, revealing he had given them a list of five names “months ago” and claimed United had been in the USA this summer only to “survive” and to “get some not-too-ugly results.”
His comments about the quality of the match though, will cause the most stir. Saturday’s game was watched by a crowd of 101,254, but Mourinho told them afterwards that he would not have paid to see what was served up by the two teams.
“The atmosphere was good, but if I was them I wouldn’t come,” he said. “I wouldn’t spend my money to see these teams.
“These people here showed how much they love their clubs. They come just to enjoy their clubs. That is fantastic, and why people like [Ander] Herrera and others have so much respect for the fans, and they give everything they have."
Though he was impressed by the fans, Mourinho didn't have quite the same feelings toward the American referee crew.
“The atmosphere was obviously fantastic. Two fantastic goals from [Andreas] Pereira and from [Xherdan] Shaqiri, but the referees they came by mistake," the manager said. "They were called by the baseball federation and thought it was a baseball game, they arrived here and it was soccer! It was good fun.”
Mourinho added: “The passion that many Americans have for soccer deserves more. It deserves the best teams.
“What creates passion is quality, the good players, the good teams. It’s a good Liverpool-Manchester United, a good Manchester United-Real Madrid. But then you have the World Cup, no respect for the clubs or the players, the players deserve holidays. It’s confused.
“I feel sorry for people that work since 2004 to try to promote soccer in the country, the way they invest to bring the best clubs in the U.S. We and some other clubs, Liverpool was different, were not able to give the people the real quality football, which is what can attract even more passion.”
Asked about the need for ‘reinforcements’ at Old Trafford before the new season, Mourinho said: “This [result] is nothing to do with reinforcements. The reinforcements are Pogba, Fellaini, Lindelof, Rashford, Lingard, Matic, Valencia. These are reinforcements.
“This is not our team, this is not our squad. We started the game with almost half of the players who are not even going to belong to our squad on Aug. 9. They will not be here.
“This is not our squad. Reinforcements, you mean players that I would like to buy, to add to the squad. That’s another thing, but this is not my squad, this is not even half my squad, or 30 per cent of it. So don’t look to this.
“I would like to have two more players. I think I am not going to get two. I think that it’s possible I will have one. And that 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, if it’s not it’s not. If it’s possible it’s good, if not then we keep fighting and working and believing in the players that we have.”
Mourinho revealed Nemanja Matic would miss the start of the season following surgery on an unspecified injury, and defended senior players such as Alexis Sanchez, who has cut a frustrated figure during their tour of the USA.
“Look, do you want him to be very happy with the players he has around him?” Mourinho said. “We are not playing here to improve the team or our dynamic or routines. We are playing here just to try to survive and to have some not-very-ugly results.
“Alexis is the only attacking player we have. We don’t have wingers, we don’t have strikers. He’s the only one who is here, and the poor man is there trying his best, with the frustration of somebody that wants more. Against Milan he played fantastically well, and he did his best here.
"I don’t think you are right to say he is not happy. If he is not happy he is not ready to play two consecutive matches of 90 minutes and 85 minutes working the way he worked.”
follower
122
this is mourinho press conference, what can we do?😁😁😁😁
Dibcnot
97
Absolutely crazy he must accept defeat whoever plays for the team that day are the players , we must not take lightly his insult on the America referees what did they do wrong he must learn to respect other human beings and their jobs he is not the most important person in the entirely world , being a football manager does not give him the right to disrespect others, Managers come and go so are players and the team brand and name remains
jespfanka
88
So Mourinho is now playing mind games with the board of man united
Mapbisuz
86
its unfair to Jose and all Man U supporters. For the Board not to buy More Best players .But yet we hear that our Team (man U)is one of the richest Club in the World.look at defenders every game mistakes after mistakes.Big team like ManU. having only one striker (Lukaku) we expect this year to see almost 6 New best players
lemissahabawah
85
before the board of man utd realize their silly mistakes by not buying quality by that time the club will be down the drain
yutbdlmnsy
69
Liverpool used all their 1st 11 with the exception of the Brazilian. Man u squad were just the academy teenagers. Only Roberto firmino was absent for Liverpool team. Even shaqiri was present for Liverpool. When I saw the lineups I even thought the final score will be 20 - 0. The kids surprised me by conceding only two goals and scoring one by Andreas Pereira. The other 2goals were penalties. Up ! up Man U
Mapbisuz
59
Guys yes l can agree with you that Jose sometimes destroy players. at the same time let us think wisely about our BOARD what are they doing in term of buying quality players. look at man city FC. already they have got good players.But they are still buying ather good players.
mazclnpsy
57
This is just trash. To motivate someone you don’t praise or talk softly to the person. You insult the person to motivate him. So to me what Jose did was right
Zunblopsyz
56
so these are funny diffensive statements of Jose. I think the board should sit down and analyse Jose's team way of playing and act, otherwise wait next season how united will be loosing week in week out.
Juaaelmouz
54
José is quite right.Some comments here from some soccer fans from different clubs or United fans are really misunderstanding José. He do uccept the results but he is also doing his best to get it across the mananagement and the board that we need to spend in acquiring new players.Other teams are quick to do it,why can we not? We have a very poor bench and that need to change.We also need to have a very reliable first eleven on the pitch too.That we don't have currently.I agree with José, and he need to be allowed to buy the players he need.The only things I disagree with him is to allow Martial to leave,and his (José) tactics I thing he need to change to more attacking football.