I feel for Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho on this one. I can relate.
I know what it’s like to cover a sporting event with 60, 70, sometimes even 100,000 people in attendance. Then a month later I’m at press row for something where less than 1,000 people show up. It’s a let-down. You feel “really, I’m back at this level.” So the Special One’s delightfully condescending remarks about the Europa League are music to my ears.
This past Saturday, Mourinho managed the biggest game in the entire world. More than 190 countries broadcasted the most hyped up Manchester Derby in history.
Now the Portugese leads his Red Devils to Holland for the Europa League tie against Feyenoord.
Speaking at his news conference on Wednesday, Mourinho said: “This is not a competition that Man United wants. It’s not the big dream of every big player, but we are not in the Champions League.”
“We come to win the game. We want to win the competition. It’s difficult to do, but it’s simple to feel it and to say. This is the way we want to approach the competition.
“For a club of our dimension, to do well is not to be out in the group phase. Tomorrow is an important match for us.”
Mourinho is saying all the right things of course. It’s exactly what you’re supposed to say, and it’s stuff that we all already know. Obviously, United will try to win, but Mourinho will rest his first team for this one. Here’s a link to the lineup we went with in our Manchester United starting XI prediction. You’ll see very few first-teamers.
Mourinho also discussed the stadium atmosphere on match night.
It certainly won’t be the Manchester derby again.
“There is not player or manager who wants to play in an empty stadium. We are lucky it is not closed, just half of it, but half is not the same as full. Every player wants a great atmosphere.”
Of course, that’s largely due to the situation with the fans. Manchester United Football Club sent a warning letter to their fans today about potential conflicts with opposing supporters, referencing the heightened terrorist threat level in Europe.
“I remember clearly what happened against Roma [when some Feyenoord fans caused trouble, leading to the Dutch club being punished]. I don’t think this is Feyenoord. Feyenoord is much bigger than a few hundred that created that situation,” Mourinho continued.
“But, in the end, the clubs are punished by these actions. The players are going to be punished, I am punished, [Feyenoord manager Giovanni] van Bronckhorst will be punished.”
Paul M. Banks runs The Sports Bank.net, partnered with FOX Sports Engage Network. and News Now. Banks, a former writer for the Washington Times, currently contributes regularly to the Chicago Tribune’s RedEye publication and Bold Global.
He also consistently appears on numerous radio and television talk shows all across the country. Follow him on Twitter and Instagram and Sound Cloud.