That’s terrible advice, Phil.
Jose Mourinho seems subdued, and has seemed so since he became Manchester United manager.
It could be argued he hasn’t had the same spark since returning to the Premier League in 2013, after his three years in Spain with Real Madrid, despite winning league title and the League Cup in that time.
Maybe the malaise set in last season, before Chelsea’s season went into meltdown and he left the club last December. It’s difficult to tell when it happened, but it’s clear Mourinho appears more forlorn these days.
Living away from his family in Manchester obviously won’t help his mood, but if United are to be successful again, Mourinho will need to rediscover the spark from the first half of his managerial career.
However, he shouldn’t follow Phil Neville’s advice.
The former United defender reckons that Mourinho needs to find “the real Jose” again, and to do so he must adopt a “siege mentality” like the one he had at Chelsea.
You know, the “siege mentality” that led to him being sacked.
“The supporters are not unhappy with Jose, but they are waiting for the real Jose to come out,” Neville said on Sky Sports coverage of United’s 1-0 win over Manchester City in the EFL Cup.
“When I see him in interviews and on the touchline, he looks a little bit reserved. I want him to come out and show the real Jose, where he’s fighting the world like he was at Chelsea.”
Phil seems to forget that those “siege mentality” tactics were Mourinho’s undoing at Stamford Bridge, and it would be terrible idea to follow suit at United.
Mourinho’s dispute with Eva Carneiro led to the club being sued for constructive dismissal. He fell out with the top players at the club, criticised the fans and the team began performing again the day he left.
It was obvious to anyone that Mourinho’s act of “fighting against the world” didn’t work and it would be a nonsensical thing to try again at United, akin to career suicide.
Phil wasn’t finished yet though.
“He went to war with Pep (Guardiola) when they were at Real Madrid and Barcelona and you just hope he does it again. Sir Alex Ferguson did it all the time with managers that were competing against him.” Neville said.
Mourinho famously poked Guardiola’s assistant, the late Tito Vilanova, in the eye, fell out with the top players at the club and even suggested Barcelona received favourable decisions because they wore the Unicef logo on their jerseys.
Sir Alex Ferguson may have engaged in “mind games” during his time as United manager, but never to the extent of Mourinho, and they weren’t the reason why he was successful.
If Neville thinks Mourinho’s siege mentality tactics will be key to him being successful at United then he’s astoundingly wrong. That approach saw him leave two clubs, and it won’t work at United.
“With a couple more wins under his belt, I hope we see the real Jose,” Neville continued.
“I look back at previous managers of this club and they’ve never been afraid of saying what they want and acting like they have. Yes, there are traditions you have to uphold but United fans want to see the real Jose bring the siege mentality he had at Chelsea to Old Trafford.”
Maybe Neville speaks for United fans, but it’s pretty terrible advice. The “real Jose” was an excellent coach, who knew how to motivate his players and knew how to work the media.
Mourinho began his career as a PE teacher with disabled children in his native Portugal. He went on to win the league in four countries and two Champions League titles. If he never wins another trophy his career will be considering a resounding success, and it wasn’t based on poking people in the eye or falling out with his medical staff.
The mind-games bullshit Neville wants him to re-enact weren’t the catalyst behind his achievements, but they could signal the end of his career at the top level if he continues down that path. They’ve proven to exhaust his players, and have clearly taken a toll on Mourinho, who’s demeanour is noticeably more reserved.
Maybe it’s middle-age, being away from his family or the disappointment of leaving Madrid and Chelsea that has it seeming so gloomy. But whatever it is, it won’t be solved by waging war as he has in the past.
