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Jose Mourinho warned Manchester United about players who would prevent success - 'They are still there'

Nancy Gillen

Updated 19/12/2023 at 13:32 GMT

Jose Mourinho has claimed there are still players at Manchester United who he warned the club about when he became manager in 2016. According to Mourinho, United were told they would never achieve success with certain players and staff members, a number of whom still remain at the club. The Portuguese coach was at Old Trafford from 2016 to 2018, winning the Europa League and Carabao Cup.

José Mourinho durante Servette-Roma - Europa League 2023-24

Image credit: Getty Images

Former Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho has revealed he told the club about a number of players and staff who were obstacles to success.
Speaking on John Obi Mikel's Obi One podcast, Mourinho claimed he sent the warning to United just two months into his tenure, but that a number of playing and coaching staff still remain at the club now.
"There are still people in that club, and when I say people I mean some players but also some other people that are not players, that are still there when I told [United] after two months: 'With these people, you are never going to do it.' And they are still there," he said.
Mourinho was United manager from 2016 to 2018, winning the Europa League and Carabao Cup in his first season.
The following campaign saw the Red Devils finish second in the Premier League behind Pep Guardiola's Manchester City, and they lost the FA Cup final to Chelsea.
Mourinho’s third season at the club was cut short, however, with the 60-year-old fired in December 2018 after a disappointing run of results.
The Portuguese coach, who is now in charge of Roma, explained how his time at the club led him to change his style of coaching.
"At Manchester United, I changed a player at half-time... his agent was then accusing me of bullying," he said.
"I had to change. I remember these times, and I laugh about these times, but it's different times."
United have not had much success since Mourinho’s tenure, aside from winning the Carabao Cup earlier this year.
They are currently seventh in the Premier League table under manager Erik ten Hag and suffered a group stage exit from the UEFA Champions League.
Mourinho claimed he was still appreciated by the United fans today, despite the acrimonious end to his time at the club.
"The fans know how much I love the club and I went there [Old Trafford] once with Sky, I was in the box and the whole stadium turned to me applauding and singing for me," he said.
"If that happens when I go to Inter, Madrid, Porto or Chelsea, you say, 'okay this is because of everything we won'.
"But when you got to Man United, a club with that history and they do that for a coach, who won a Europa League, a cup, a second position and a Charity Shield, you arrive at the conclusion they know that I gave everything that I could."
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