Mourinho “still excited” after torrid start at United
In just a few months at Old Trafford, Jose Mourinho has been dismissed from the touchline and fined for his conduct as his side endured a poor start to the season.
EARLY DEPARTURE? Mourinho's tenure has started more shakily than that of the ill-fated David Moyes... but he was upbeat as the team flew to Istanbul for their Europa League Match. Photo via AAP.
Yet the Portuguese mentor insists he’s still enjoying being Manchester United manager.
With 15 points from 10 Premier League games, the former Porto, Chelsea, Inter Milan and Real Madrid coach has made a worse start to the league campaign than David Moyes did in his only season in charge.
Moyes, who picked up 17 points from the opening 10 games of the 2013-14 season, was sacked before the end of that campaign.
Mourinho endured a torrid homecoming at Chelsea last month as United were beaten 4-0 while Saturday’s 0-0 draw at home to Burnley marked a fourth league game without a win.
Mourinho’s dismissal from the dugout against Burnley and his refusal to fulfil his post-match media duties added to speculation that the Portuguese was not enjoying his time at United.
“Of course I’m still excited, I’m not happy with the results but I’m happy with performances,” Mourinho said overnight, Australian time, ahead of their Europa League group game at Fenerbahce.
“The worst feeling is not when you have bad results, it’s when you feel bad about the players. I have the opposite feeling. I have a very good feeling towards the players.
“After Chelsea, the team reacted in an unbelievable way. The number of shots we had in the last match (against Burnley) was something incredible. It’s an example of how much the team tried to get a different result.”
Mourinho, who was banned from the touchline for one match and fined 58,000 pounds ($AUD93,000) for two separate incidents of misconduct last month, declined to comment on the FA charge.
However, he was happy to discuss bringing Bastian Schweinsteiger back into the fold after forcing the German World Cup winner to train with the reserves all season.
“Looking at Bastian and the way he is working professionally every day with the fitness coach we think it’s a human decision, a professional decision to bring him back to the team,” Mourinho said.
“He will be much better prepared and in condition in case his future decision to leave the club … If he stays with us he becomes one more option.”
Schweinsteiger did not travel with the squad to Turkey for Thursday’s match, nor did Antonio Valencia following surgery on a broken arm.
United are second in Europa League Group A on six points, level with leaders Feyenoord.
-Reuters
