BBC: United hold talks with Mourinho

Would you be happy to see Jose Mourinho become next United manager?

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"Young players are a little bit like melons. Only when you open and taste the melon are you 100 per cent sure that the melon is good," Mourinho added.

"Sometimes you have beautiful melons but they don't taste very good and some other melons are a bit ugly and when you open them, the taste is fantastic.".
 
Attila said:
"Young players are a little bit like melons. Only when you open and taste the melon are you 100 per cent sure that the melon is good," Mourinho added.

"Sometimes you have beautiful melons but they don't taste very good and some other melons are a bit ugly and when you open them, the taste is fantastic.".
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The man is right but he should taste more melons, he also should eat melons in various dishes.
 
Attila said:
"Young players are a little bit like melons. Only when you open and taste the melon are you 100 per cent sure that the melon is good," Mourinho added.

"Sometimes you have beautiful melons but they don't taste very good and some other melons are a bit ugly and when you open them, the taste is fantastic.".
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Did he really say that? Anyhow, it made me think of his omelette talk from 2007.

 
Bob Loblaw said:
What are you on about? Lukaku was the best striker at the top in the summer Mourinho took over. There's no debate about whether he should have ben first choice never mind second choice. It was a moronic decision to loan him out and you don't need hindsight to know that.
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A 20 year old striker coming off a good season at West Brom should not come into a good squad demanding to be first choice.

According to the following article, Mourinho wanted him (quotes and all):
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-2337742/Romelu-Lukaku-wants-stay-Chelsea.html

However, he wasn't even willing to fight for his place as a 20 year old:
http://www.theguardian.com/football/2013/nov/29/jose-mourinho-romelu-lukaku-chelsea-everton

Also, I still wonder how much the requirement for Torres to be first choice was pushed on Mourinho (like Shevchenko). Regardless though, should Mourinho have kept a youngster not willing to fight for his place? It doesn't matter how good he became with hindsight, how do you command a squad when you allow a youngster with a good season at West Brom to decide whether or not he plays?
 
esmufc07 said:
The only reason those two have come through this season is because LVG left us with a tiny squad and we were torn apart with injuries. Quite how he has the audacity to claim credit for them is beyond me.

Mourinho may give youth a chance he may not. Our priority at the minute though has to be halt this downward spiral we are on and get back to the top, before we lose more ground to those around us.
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Exactly this. LVG's best moments have all been because of forced hands. Even if he purposely left the squad thin to allow youth to step in, it still only happened because he had no choice so it's hardly a master stroke considering it may not have happened at all (specially Rashford).

While the youth that's come through absolutely deserves a place in the squad, we need to strengthen and if that is in those positions then so be it (which is likely - particularly Lingard's spot).
 
Traub said:
A 20 year old striker coming off a good season at West Brom should not come into a good squad demanding to be first choice.

According to the following article, Mourinho wanted him (quotes and all):
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-2337742/Romelu-Lukaku-wants-stay-Chelsea.html

However, he wasn't even willing to fight for his place as a 20 year old:
http://www.theguardian.com/football/2013/nov/29/jose-mourinho-romelu-lukaku-chelsea-everton

Also, I still wonder how much the requirement for Torres to be first choice was pushed on Mourinho (like Shevchenko). Regardless though, should Mourinho have kept a youngster not willing to fight for his place? It doesn't matter how good he became with hindsight, how do you command a squad when you allow a youngster with a good season at West Brom to decide whether or not he plays?
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How good the squad was isn't relevant. It's about how good the options were in the position Lukaku plays. Look at who their strikers were that season - all variations of wank, none better than Lukaku.

Would you prefer player X - young, already good with potential to be better, or player Y - old, average and with no potential to improve.

You're being a bloody Mourinho puppet if you choose player Y. Think logically for Christ sake.
 
Bob Loblaw said:
How good the squad was isn't relevant. It's about how good the options were in the position Lukaku plays. Look at who their strikers were that season - all variations of wank, none better than Lukaku.

Would you prefer player X - young, already good with potential to be better, or player Y - old, average and with no potential to improve.

You're being a bloody Mourinho puppet if you choose player Y. Think logically for Christ sake.
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You've got to get your head down and work, though, Harry Kane didn't start last season as first choice at Spurs despite their options being wank. But he didn't cry about it, and proved he was good enough.
 
NinjaFletch said:
You've got to get your head down and work, though, Harry Kane didn't start last season as first choice at Spurs despite their options being wank. But he didn't cry about it, and proved he was good enough.
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Everyone reacts differently. A supposed excellent man manager like Mourinho seems like he's very poor at working with players who don't have the same personality as him...no? If he was as good at managing people as everyone says he would be able to work with players like Lukaku and De Bruyne, not cast them aside at the first opportunity.
 
Bob Loblaw said:
How good the squad was isn't relevant. It's about how good the options were in the position Lukaku plays. Look at who their strikers were that season - all variations of wank, none better than Lukaku.

Would you prefer player X - young, already good with potential to be better, or player Y - old, average and with no potential to improve.

You're being a bloody Mourinho puppet if you choose player Y. Think logically for Christ sake.
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I'm not saying I would choose player Y, but I would definitely expect player X to fight for his place. I honestly do not think it's wrong of Mourinho to have expected Lukaku to earn his place, and not sulk after not being first choice a month into the season.

Last season, United weren't picking Shaw at LB even though we all knew he was the best player for that position. He then started this season like a house on fire. There are countless examples of young world class players (which Lukaku wasn't at that point btw) having to fight for their place. It's good for their development IMO. I still think Lukaku has a shit attitude and as soon as he moves to a big club, has bad form and gets dropped, we'll see the sulking.
 
Bob Loblaw said:
How good the squad was isn't relevant. It's about how good the options were in the position Lukaku plays. Look at who their strikers were that season - all variations of wank, none better than Lukaku.

Would you prefer player X - young, already good with potential to be better, or player Y - old, average and with no potential to improve.

You're being a bloody Mourinho puppet if you choose player Y. Think logically for Christ sake.
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Lukaku was just 20, young and learning. Some players however good do not fit certain systems. Was Drogba not around at the time?
 
Traub said:
I'm not saying I would choose player Y, but I would definitely expect player X to fight for his place. I honestly do not think it's wrong of Mourinho to have expected Lukaku to earn his place, and not sulk after not being first choice a month into the season.

Last season, United weren't picking Shaw at LB even though we all knew he was the best player for that position. He then started this season like a house on fire. There are countless examples of young world class players (which Lukaku wasn't at that point btw) having to fight for their place. It's good for their development IMO. I still think Lukaku has a shit attitude and as soon as he moves to a big club, has bad form and gets dropped, we'll see the sulking.
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He's still not world class, nowhere near. There's just a shortage of strikers at this moment so he's likely in demand.
 
Sultan said:
was just Lukaku was just 20, young and learning. Some players however good do not fit certain systems. Was Drogba not around at the time?
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He was still better than what they had, young or not. That's the point, Mourinho completely disregards potential and just goes with experienced players even if they're not better because he's so risk averse.

Drogba might have been around, but he was complete crap at that stage.
 
Traub said:
I'm not saying I would choose player Y, but I would definitely expect player X to fight for his place. I honestly do not think it's wrong of Mourinho to have expected Lukaku to earn his place, and not sulk after not being first choice a month into the season.

Last season, United weren't picking Shaw at LB even though we all knew he was the best player for that position. He then started this season like a house on fire. There are countless examples of young world class players (which Lukaku wasn't at that point btw) having to fight for their place. It's good for their development IMO. I still think Lukaku has a shit attitude and as soon as he moves to a big club, has bad form and gets dropped, we'll see the sulking.
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He moved in August, it's not like he even had a chance to prove himself (ability and attitude). He missed a penalty against Guardiola's Bayern the Mourinho bombed him out. He has no patience for youth mistakes.
 
Bob Loblaw said:
He moved in August, it's not like he even had a chance to prove himself (ability and attitude). He missed a penalty against Guardiola's Bayern the Mourinho bombed him out. He has no patience for youth mistakes.
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Again, I'm not sure it was even Mourinho. Based on the guardian article I posted above, it really comes across that Lukaku was dismayed at not being first choice straight away.

Regarding youth mistakes, I don't think that is just a Mourinho thing. We only need to look at LVG (often lauded as a man who can develop youth second to none), yesterday TFM gave away a penalty and was immediately pulled off. In fact, as soon as our youngsters have a bit of a stinker, he seems to proceed to leave them out of the first team.

Ultimately, Mourinho doesn't have time for players who aren't willing to put in the hard graft and fight for their place. This may result in losing potentially world class players. However, that's nothing new for United to be fair - it's why we lost Pogba and probably why Adnan will go.
 
Bob Loblaw said:
Everyone reacts differently. A supposed excellent man manager like Mourinho seems like he's very poor at working with players who don't have the same personality as him...no? If he was as good at managing people as everyone says he would be able to work with players like Lukaku and De Bruyne, not cast them aside at the first opportunity.
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Wait a minute, are you really saying Mourinho should have banded back over backwards for Lukaku then? That's not excellent man management and the best guarantee any young player should be given is a fighting chance, anything above that is bad business because others will notice and then its pandemonium with the likes of Mikel coming in and demanding the same.
 
Jose's first order of business should be a sit down with Dave to tell him he's going nowhere before those Madrid twats get in his ear at the Euro's.
 
itso 7 said:
Wait a minute, are you really saying Mourinho should have banded back over backwards for Lukaku then? That's not excellent man management and the best guarantee any young player should be given is a fighting chance, anything above that is bad business because others will notice and then its pandemonium with the likes of Mikel coming in and demanding the same.
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Nope. I'm saying he shouldn't have loaned him out straight away. Anyone with 2 brain cells to rub together knew Lukaku was good enough to start for Chelsea that year, all Mourinho had to do was give him a chance to prove himself, he never got that chance.
 
Bob Loblaw said:
Nope. I'm saying he shouldn't have loaned him out straight away. Anyone with 2 brain cells to rub together knew Lukaku was good enough to start for Chelsea that year, all Mourinho had to do was give him a chance to prove himself, he never got that chance.
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I might be wrong but I think that Lukaku tried to force Mourinho's hands which is never a good thing to do.
 
Bob Loblaw said:
Nope. I'm saying he shouldn't have loaned him out straight away. Anyone with 2 brain cells to rub together knew Lukaku was good enough to start for Chelsea that year, all Mourinho had to do was give him a chance to prove himself, he never got that chance.
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Being told to fight for your place is as good a chance as any for a twenty year old, if he proceeds to sulk then.... Still he eventually went for a tidy sum which obviously went a long way towards bringing in that cnut whose goals propelled them to the title. Its like crying over Pogba when his transfer fee helps you buy Gundogun, hypothetically speaking!
 
Bob Loblaw said:
He was still better than what they had, young or not. That's the point, Mourinho completely disregards potential and just goes with experienced players even if they're not better because he's so risk averse.

Drogba might have been around, but he was complete crap at that stage.
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I don't think that makes any sense somehow.
 
Bob Loblaw said:
Nope. I'm saying he shouldn't have loaned him out straight away. Anyone with 2 brain cells to rub together knew Lukaku was good enough to start for Chelsea that year, all Mourinho had to do was give him a chance to prove himself, he never got that chance.
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One of the most successful manager generation did not have brains to understand Lukaku was good enough to start? That definitely makes sense. There are many variables why young players don't start. Even those with great potential.
 
Sultan said:
I don't think that makes any sense somehow.
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It doesn't, but that's what he does. He'd rather go with what he knows and trusts than someone who has proved he's better at a different club.
 
Sultan said:
One of the most successful manager generation did not have brains to understand Lukaku was good enough to start? That definitely makes sense. There are many variables why young players don't start. Even those with great potential.
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What reason is there to start Demba Ba, a finished Drogba/Eto'o or Loïc Rémy over Lukaku? What are these variables?

Are they the same variables that led to Ordinary Oscar or workhorse Willian over De Bruyne? I'd love to know what they are.
 
Bob Loblaw said:
It doesn't, but that's what he does. He'd rather go with what he knows and trusts than someone who has proved he's better at a different club.
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Bob Loblaw said:
What reason is there to start Demba Ba, a finished Drogba/Eto'o or Loïc Rémy over Lukaku? What are these variables?

Are they the same variables that led to Ordinary Oscar or workhorse Willian over De Bruyne? I'd love to know what they are.
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The reason is simple. He wins with his tactics and choices. He's a proven winner.
 
Sultan said:
The reason is simple. He wins with his tactics and choices. He's a proven winner.
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I expected a better answer. That's a crap reason - he didn't win the league title in his first season with his preference for those crap strikers over Lukaku and he cost Chelsea a few potential key players as well as European this season with his shortermism last year.
 
Sultan said:
As a Scouse fan seems @Bob Loblaw is running scared.
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Said many times I'd be happy if you get Mourinho. Not as happy as if you get Giggs, but there's nothing to fear about post - Madrid Mourinho and you're ignoring all the evidence if you think there is.

Edit: post-Inter, not post-Madrid
 
Bob Loblaw said:
I expected a better answer. That's a crap reason - he didn't win the league title in his first season with his preference for those crap strikers over Lukaku and he cost Chelsea a few potential key players as well as European this season with his shortermism last year.
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I'd be happy with similarly consistent wins he has achieved with his line of management if he were to join United.
 
Bob Loblaw said:
Said many times I'd be happy if you get Mourinho. Not as happy as if you get Giggs, but there's nothing to fear about post - Madrid Mourinho and you're ignoring all the evidence if you think there is.
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That evidence amounts to a poor few months at Chelsea at the start of this season. All the evidence points to that being the exception rather than the new rule.
 
Bob Loblaw said:
Said many times I'd be happy if you get Mourinho. Not as happy as if you get Giggs, but there's nothing to fear about post - Madrid Mourinho and you're ignoring all the evidence if you think there is.
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He won the Spanish league and European cup with Madrid. Not a bad return.
 
Bob Loblaw said:
Said many times I'd be happy if you get Mourinho. Not as happy as if you get Giggs, but there's nothing to fear about post - Madrid Mourinho and you're ignoring all the evidence if you think there is.
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Don't really want to get into this, as I think the points you make are absolutely reasonable but both De Bruyne and Lukaku, neither were kicked out of the club by Mourinho, they both wanted more game time at a young age and pushed to leave, similar to Pogba and Sir Alex, now, that doesn't excuse Mourinho for allowing them to leave but there are some mitigating factors involved in those 2 particular players.
 
Love the excitement of getting Klopp after a relegation battle but Jose is past it because he replaced Lukaku with Costa and KDB with Cesc a few years back.
Both key players in walking the league last year.
 
Sultan said:
My bad. Still my argument remains.
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It's a bizarre argument from Bob, Mourinho's Madrid scored a record amount of times and beat an incredible Barca team (maybe the best club side ever) to the title and the Spanish cup (iirc)... The only criticism one can have of Jose is this season going to the dogs, for reasons which I'm not sure we'll ever know for sure as things went wrong behind the doors that we can't be properly privy with.
 
Post Inter, Mourinho still managed to win two league titles than what Liverpool have done in the last twenty six years.

cyberman said:
Love the excitement of getting Klopp after a relegation battle but Jose is past it because he replaced Lukaku with Costa and KDB with Cesc a few years back.
Both key players in walking the league last year.
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Watch him ignore this now. He's a pro at talking nonsense.
 
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