Manchester United star Ander Herrera reckons Jose Mourinho is the reason he’s set to win first Spain cap
Midfielder has been superb under new boss this season and finally looks set to establish himself on international stage
ANDER HERRERA is relishing the prospect of making his long-awaited debut for Spain – and puts it all down to boss Jose Mourinho.
The Manchester United midfielder has finally be rewarded with a call-up to his country’s senior squad after an impressive start to the campaign.
The 27-year-old has looked calm and composed in the centre of the park despite some dodgy performances from his teammates, and is now set to win his first international cap in Sunday’s World Cup qualifier against Albania.
Speaking ahead of the game, Herrera revealed Mourinho was the driving force behind his push to make the Spain team, admitting he was never going to mix it with the likes of Andres Iniesta and Koke under the guidance of Louis van Gaal.
He: “It’s been difficult to get back because this is the fifth season since the Olympics. I’m overjoyed because I have fought hard for it. I know that in the two years under Van Gaal I was not in the United team enough to be called up.
“Now with Mourinho I’m feeling good. He is putting faith in me and giving me that chance to play regularly in a top side. Now I have to show that I deserve to stay in the United XI and deserve to keep getting the call to join the Spain squad.
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“Mourinho encourages me to [take long shots]. I scored recently in the cup and I have hit the post from long-range too. Mourinho gives you more freedom as a player; he wants the player’s instinct to come through. It’s true that you then have to have that defensive order but he tells us if that instinct guides us on the pitch then we should try things.
“It’s true that I’m playing just in front of the defence and in a slightly more defensive role than my partner, be it Paul Pogba or Marouane Fellaini. But I have also been the more attacking of the two if I’m paired with Michael Carrick. It’s important to me to be able to offer various solutions to the manager. I think he values what I can offer in terms of turning defence into attack.
“The first step was to get myself in the squad, then to get on the pitch and then to become a regular fixture. Right now I just want to play for Spain against Albania and then beat Liverpool next Monday.
“I love to train. You don’t start being a footballer at the weekend or on match days. I enjoy my profession every day and with Mourinho training is dynamic with a good mix of the technical and the tactical and nothing last so long that the player loses concentration. I’m feeling very good about my football at the moment.”
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