José Mourinho Press Conference - 9th August 09:30 BST | Embargoed quotes in OP - on Martial, Pogba

If he showed half of the confidence and backed his team during previous mouthing offs, there would have been a lot less negative material for the papers to write. It's simple really.
 
He's got a great opportunity this season to finally prove that at United then. So far we haven't really seen any brilliance from him.

Spending less than City and Chelsea and finishing comfortably 2nd (improving from 5th) whilst losing Pogba Herrera Fellaini and Bailey for months at a go is pretty brilliant.

Sadly there's no silverware for that but it's still impressive.
 
If he showed half of the confidence and backed his team during previous mouthing offs, there would have been a lot less negative material for the papers to write. It's simple really.

He has backed his players. He's said multiple times in pre season that they've been brilliant.
 
He's got a great opportunity this season to finally prove that at United then. So far we haven't really seen any brilliance from him.

The squad isn't good enough to win anything. Top 3 should be our target and will be a decent achievement if we make it.
 
Leaving this thread, it's already sinking under the weight of the negative 'posters' that just came here.
 
If he showed half of the confidence and backed his team during previous mouthing offs, there would have been a lot less negative material for the papers to write. It's simple really.

He backed the team and the players many, many times during pre-season.
 
Jose sees through the media bull that some fans fall for time and time again?

Who knew?
 
That is reaching. He has plenty of amazing players that he hasn’t got anywhere near maximum levels out of, yet.

I hope that I'm wrong but I don't see it. I don't see that we have plenty of amazing players. A couple, without De Gea. Maybe, just maybe the football they showed in the last 3,4,5 years is their ceiling and this is the most we can expect from them.
 
Aren't you the first one who did that with your :

It's in quotation marks for a reason. Apparently the manager has been trying to 'lower expectations' yet there are plenty of quotes showing otherwise. He moans about players and trasnfers because he's trying to pressure Woodward. He knows that this is a good team that needs a few extra pieces to compete with City.
 
"Tactics to be changed" - did he expand on it? Can someone please explain what is he talking about here?

I have a feeling we are going to see 442 diamond or 352 predominantly this season.



This is not very encouraging. If he thinks he performed a miracle last season with the squad available, what can we expect this season? Another miracle if we finish second or does he hope to improve on that with the addition of Fred and Dalot? Sounds to me that the excuse is already in. We are being prep'd for a tough season ahead. If we fail this season, it will be because this genius of a man couldn't perform the same wonder twice. Never his fault.
 
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Spending less than City and Chelsea and finishing comfortably 2nd (improving from 5th) whilst losing Pogba Herrera Fellaini and Bailey for months at a go is pretty brilliant.

Sadly there's no silverware for that but it's still impressive.
We didn't spend less than Chelsea in Mourinho's first two seasons here.
 
The quotes from Jose so far seem fine to me. We're as ready as can be, like it or not injuries and late arrivals from the WC have been a key factor in our preparations this preseason and he's putting transfers to one side to concentrate on the matter at hand tomorrow.

It's for the fans and the media to rend their clothing about our lack of transfer business so far, but if we can take Jose at his word he's working with the group he has to prepare for tomorrow's game and the season ahead.
 
I don't get why he's bigging himself up for finishing 2nd. I mean 2nd itself is not bad but we finished 19 points off City. 19. Teams below us didn't spend as much as we have but were much closer to us then we were to City which indicates that we didn't get extract the maximum potential out of ourselves. This season it's a lot different though because Liverpool have gone out and spent big. They have to challenge for the league
 
Its a good presser. I was expecting worse. He's standing strong against the tide of shite we've seen from the media.

And no, he isn't really isn't brilliant. He WAS brilliant, but not any more. Still good though.
 
The squad isn't good enough to win anything. Top 3 should be our target and will be a decent achievement if we make it.
So we're giving up already? Nice. If we have no chance anyway, can we get a manager who plays entertaining football?
 
Coming out strong today!

Lets all get behind him and the team instead of fecking moaning about him!

He’s our manager and will be for tomorrow’s game, so lets get behind him and the team and look forward to the new season.
Perhaps if Jose got behind his own players (especially the one's he's known for 5 weeks that will be available to him for this first match) it would be a bit easier for the fans to be positive too?

I'm willing to be positive but the writing is already on the wall for everyone to see.

And lets face it, every team knows (because pre-season has taught us nothing will change from last season) that if they come to OT and attack, we will sit back and let them have the ball. Whereas every team used to come to OT scared and ready to defend for their lives they now know that the best form of defence is: "Attack! Attack! Attack!" … ironic, eh?

All Jose is doing is getting his excuses in early … because it's got to be about preserving Jose's place in the history of the game, not Manchester United's after all!
 
I don't get why he's bigging himself up for finishing 2nd. I mean 2nd itself is not bad but we finished 19 points off City. 19. Teams below us didn't spend as much as we have but were much closer to us then we were to City which indicates that we didn't get extract the maximum potential out of ourselves. This season it's a lot different though because Liverpool have gone out and spent big. They have to challenge for the league


They have Salah, he’s basically gonna be doing for Liverpool what Ronaldo was doing for us, winning games by himself, turning draws into wins etc, I expect Liverpool to be mounting a serious challenge this season!
 
I think everyone needs to move on now. Jose is staying put and there will be no new signings. It's time to put aside all the moaning and accept we are where we are, rightly or wrongly, and the team now needs us fans to get behind them and the manager and see if they can put up a challenge.

We still have very good players at this club and a manager who is one of only two managing in the league to have won the premier league before, and the only one to have won it more than once.

Maybe, just maybe he knows a thing or two about football?
 
I for one will be pleased come 5pm and close of transfer window, irrespective of whether there have been any additions or not.

Fans get too wrapped up in comings and goings and the whole circus surrounding transfer window, we have avery good team with some excellent players. All teams start with 0 points and nobody can predict how the season will pan out so lets just support the team and leave the ‘I told you so’ merchants to revel in their glory come the end of season if things go tits up!
 
Can you pull up the quotes? 'Threw them under the bus' is exaggerated from what I remember.
No I don't have time to pull up the quotes, but we can all remember how he said this wasn't his team. How Alexis has a reason to be unhappy because the players that he is playing with. He said shit like that, and you can imagine how his players would have felt, or even the young ones.
 
And also threw them under the bus because Alexis was unhappy with who he was playing? Yeah that was brilliant.

Show me the quotes. Would love to see how he "threw players under the bus".

Genuinely don't recall this. If you don't have it to hand then probably not worth making a point over it.

We didn't spend less than Chelsea in Mourinho's first two seasons here.

Using transfermarket - Conte came in and spent 340m EUR. Mourinho spent 393m EUR.

Chelsea have also spent more than us this window. If we finish 3rd it won't stop everyone from blaming Mourinho, though.
 
I don't get why he's bigging himself up for finishing 2nd. I mean 2nd itself is not bad but we finished 19 points off City. 19. Teams below us didn't spend as much as we have but were much closer to us then we were to City which indicates that we didn't get extract the maximum potential out of ourselves. This season it's a lot different though because Liverpool have gone out and spent big. They have to challenge for the league
Then so do we. The two clubs have spent almost exactly the same amount since summer 16/17 - and we started off from a stronger position and haven't lost our best player.
 
So we're giving up already? Nice. If we have no chance anyway, can we get a manager who plays entertaining football?

That would have been my preference this summer. If Woodward doesn't trust Mourinho enough to back him in the market anymore, that's fine, but he should have sacked him.
 
The season will be aimless?
Or rather my target is to survive Leicester opener?

What happens happens?


He sounds resignated to me. Has to do with he has now. There are two ways to go from here.

Either continue being sulky and finding blame

Or actually

Be at least neutral and work up your squad and actually try your best.


Even as an oppo I wish it's the latter that he takes another tune now that the season starts and just goes for it.

Pre-season was what it was. Situation is this. feck it! Let's play some ball guys! -attitude
 
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Paddy Crerand thinks there will be movement before the day is out. "Something will happen". Hmm.
 
No I don't have time to pull up the quotes, but we can all remember how he said this wasn't his team. How Alexis has a reason to be unhappy because the players that he is playing with. He said shit like that, and you can imagine how his players would have felt, or even the young ones.

“Alexis is the only striker we have. And the poor man is there trying his best.”
“He (Martial) had the baby, and after the baby… beautiful baby full of health, thank God.
“He should be here and he’s not here.”

Are these the quotes you're referring to?
 
Wouldn’t surprise me if we don’t bring anyone else in. But Jose was never going to say anything else today on the subject.

It would perpetuate the media’s negative narrative surrounding us, although if there’s a manager out there who can thrive off that perception it’s Jose.
 
Cant argue with anything he has said really and to be honest is anyone really believing that bringing in a centre back for £70m is going to make any significant difference to our prospects this season?
 
Show me the quotes. Would love to see how he "threw players under the bus".

Genuinely don't recall this. If you don't have it to hand then probably not worth making a point over it.



Using transfermarket - Conte came in and spent 340m EUR. Mourinho spent 393m EUR.

Chelsea have also spent more than us this window. If we finish 3rd it won't stop everyone from blaming Mourinho, though.

Is this okey? I guess that's brilliant also...

@villain
 
No I don't have time to pull up the quotes, but we can all remember how he said this wasn't his team. How Alexis has a reason to be unhappy because the players that he is playing with. He said shit like that, and you can imagine how his players would have felt, or even the young ones.
No suprise there.

Yes, because Mata is the only first teamer he had to link up with. Hardly great preparation for a season is it? Clearly, the likes of Chong aren't ready to play first team football for a team like United, and would be well aware of it prior to that presser.

Throwing his players under the bus though. :lol:
 
Cant argue with anything he has said really and to be honest is anyone really believing that bringing in a centre back for £70m is going to make any significant difference to our prospects this season?
This is the thing.

We could undoubtedly do with a CB, but without one? I predict 3rd or 4th. With one? I predict 3rd or 4th. It wouldn't really change things in my opinion. It won't propel us anywhere, it'd just be nice to have our first trusted, elite level CB in about 5 years.
 

That's in reference to the fecking youth team players. It's bang on, and they'd understand it. They're mostly there because the relevant players ready for the first team couldn't make it.

I thought you were talking about throwing actual first squad players under the bus.

He's since been saying how brilliant his side has been even when losing. To suggest he's not transcending positivity to his players is very bizzare especially when multiple players have literally come out and said that he is (Herrera, Grant).