Jose Mourinho has turned Manchester United around to become the force of old in just three months
IT’S BEEN just three months but Jose Mourinho is already on his way to consigning the last three years of misery at Manchester United to the dustbin of history.
SunSport’s NEIL CUSTIS looks at the Mourinho revolution that has lifted the clouds and produced three straight league wins . . .
TRAINING
It was dreaded under Louis van Gaal, with often two or even three sessions a day of mundane repetitive drills and video analysis.
His attempts to reprogramme everyone with his much-vaunted ‘philosophy’ succeeded only in inhibiting all their natural instincts.
Mourinho ditched this and the strength and conditioning work, believing the players will be fit simply by playing football.
As he once said: “A great pianist doesn’t run around the piano or do push-ups with the tops of his fingers. To be great, he plays the piano. The best way to be a great footballer is to play.”
Fergie’s beloved five-a-sides are back and, more than anything, training has become fun again.
TACTICS
United look strong and positive. The first pass is forward once more not sideways or backwards merely to keep possession.
Mourinho is trusting the players abilities, letting them breathe.
Yes, the first halves in the wins at Bournemouth and at Hull were a bit low key. But often he likes to take the sting out of home sides before going through the gears.
NEW SIGNINGS
In his £250m splurge, LVG made two that excited but could not get the best out of either in Angel Di Maria and Memphis Depay.
Mourinho has made four and so far Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Paul Pogba and Eric Bailly have been immediate hits. Henrikh Mkhitaryan is yet to start.
COMMUNICATION
Jose has brought a personal touch that Ferguson had and Van Gaal lacked.
Players who were failing under LVG, with Marouane Fellaini the best example, have been revitalised.
He has the players talking on the pitch. There was little or none of that last season.
His animated presence in the technical area has also been welcome, compared to the days of LVG just clutching his clipboard.
MESSAGE TO THE FANS
From the moment he arrived, the message has been positive, about winning the title. Nothing on philosophies or things taking time.
RUTHLESS
Jose retains a ruthless streak, as the now dumped Bastian Schweinsteiger found out.
Some of the younger players who were getting a look in under LVG have been sold or loaned out because they were not United standard.
RED WINE
Opposing managers will like what he has changed as well.
Sir Alex had an office near the changing rooms where he would entertain managers after the match with a glass of red wine.
David Moyes kept this on but Van Gaal ripped it out, changing it into a analysis room to pour over the match he had just witnessed rather than pour out any Chateauneuf du Pape.
To be fair, most of the time under him was.