Why did the Jose Mourinho era come to an early end at Manchester United? Why did the club pay him almost £20 million to go away? Well, he had full third season syndrome in 2018, and forward Alexis Sanchez opened up on what it was like to play under him in a very revealing BBC interview with noted Spanish football expert Guillem Balague.
The Chilean was very candid both about how “confusing” it was to play for Mourinho and his own struggles, as he wishes he had brought “more joy” to the club. Sanchez believes that his playing only sporadically has held him back from realizing his potential since he moved over from Arsenal a year and a month ago.
“I’ll tell you personally. I say things as they are and in my opinion, Mourinho is one of the best coaches in the world,” said Sanchez.
“In the way that he coaches, how he studies videos, the way he goes about things, but, then within the group there was that feeling that you were in the team then out. Sometimes I didn’t play, then I did, then I didn’t and as a player you lose confidence, each player lost their confidence, do you understand?”
“And then an atmosphere was created that was very… confusing. Sometimes I’m playing well and I score a goal and he took me off. And I’d say ‘I love football, I love football.’ I’ve played football since I was five and if I have the ball taken away from me, it’s as if I love my joy.”
Unless his form makes a complete u-turn, Alexis will go down as one of the worst signings in United history.
The highest salaried player in club history has contributed some assists here and there, but he just isn’t scoring goals at all, and with both Anthony Martial and Jesse Lingard out for an extended period of time, they really need the 30-year-old to step up big time right now.
As for Mourinho, he certainly lived up to his reputation as a defensive-minded manager during his time at Old Trafford, and Alexis Sanchez was from the only attacking player who struggled under his tutelage. Perhaps, one day, Sanchez will see a massively improved form under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, like we’ve seen with Paul Pogba, Anthony Martial and Marcus Rashford.
Manchester United at Chelsea FC FYIs
Kickoff: Monday, February 18, 7:30 PM local, Stamford Bridge
Injury Report for both sides: go to this link
Starting XI Predictions: Chelsea Manchester United
Prediction: Chelsea 1, United 0
Paul M. Banks runs The Sports Bank.net, which is partnered with News Now. Banks, a former writer for NBC Chicago.com and Chicago Tribune.com, regularly appears as a guest pundit on WGN CLTV and co-hosts the “Let’s Get Weird, Sports” podcast on SB Nation.
He also contributes sociopolitical essays to Chicago Now. Follow him on Twitter and Instagram. The content of his cat’s Instagram account is unquestionably superior to his.