A month ago, when England were looking forward to a World Cup semi-final and as pre-season training for Europe’s major clubs was just getting started, Manchester United’s final US tour match against Real Madrid had a major question mark over it.
Gareth Bale would be involved. But for whom?
Fast forward four weeks and, though England did not find their utopia, Bale is happy enough, laughing and joking with his Real team-mates in Miami, his short-term future at the Bernabeu assured by new coach Julen Lopetegui.
But as they prepare for Wednesday’s game, the question mark over United remains. If anything, it is bigger than before.
Manager Jose Mourinho’s comments in the labyrinth of rooms at the Michigan Stadium on Saturday after a 4-1 loss to Liverpool saw to that.
So, it is time to ask the question. What is going on with Mourinho and Manchester United?
- Mourinho voices transfer concerns in tetchy news conference
- Man Utd beaten 4-1 by Liverpool in pre-season
Why does Mourinho seem so unhappy?
In front of the cameras, Mourinho has not been a jovial character for some time.
Something – probably the scars of dealing with the Madrid media during his time as Real boss – happened between his first stint at Chelsea and his second. Whatever it was, it has taken away the public geniality of the self-proclaimed ‘Special One’.
Nevertheless, the breadth of the targets he fired at during his tetchy 10-minute post-match news conference after the loss to Liverpool was jaw-dropping.
He lamented the absence of senior players, decried the standard of some of the younger ones who are here, wistfully reflected on a transfer target he will not get, highlighted inactivity on one he still expects to, expressed frustration at injuries, invited senior players to return to training early, and questioned why supporters would pay to watch his team.
In a less well-publicised part of his news conference, he thanked defender Eric Bailly for stepping in to replace another senior player – Chris Smalling – at the weekend, then immediately rejected the Ivorian as a leader. Speaking to United’s TV station, he accused new captain Antonio Valencia of returning from his summer break out of shape. In addition, he ridiculed the standard of a referee who gave two penalties against his team.
Wide-ranging is a good description.
The key point is this: does Mourinho harbour a growing sense of genuine unhappiness at all these supposed sources of irritation, is he trying to make points, or is he attempting to deflect attention from a heavy defeat at the hands of a major rival?
If it is the last of those, it is a long-established managerial tactic. The middle one could go either way. But if it is the former, then a stereotypical full-blown third-year explosion – the type Mourinho is always so quick to reject when asked about – is on the way.
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