Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho bemoans the lack of “super personalities” like Roy Keane in modern football. The manager did not hide the fact that he wishes he had a player in his current squad resembling the United legend.
Jose Mourinho spoke about Alex Ferguson’s success at United. Mourinho indicated that the influence of players like Keane, Ryan Giggs or Paul Scholes were decisive in United’s victories. The manager seems to feel that players like this are hard to come by in today’s football.
The current United manager says that his strategy is to try and adapt to the characteristics of the players he has available to him. Mourinho feels that United lacks the influence of figgures such as Roy Keane, the former United captain.
“Manchester United no longer has the super personalities that were Giggs, Scholes or Roy Keane,” Mourinho told France Football.
“You have to adapt to the reality of the club, its needs and its demands. It is called being intelligent. The priority is to establish relationships of peace and love in a group in order to create stability. There is a new group of players that has to adapt [to United].”
How’s that for #MondayMotivation ? pic.twitter.com/KShVQ5Eaq2
— Manchester United (@ManUtd) March 20, 2017
Roy Keane was captain of United between 1997 until 2005. Keane was a central part of United’s success in securing multiple Premier League titles, FA Cup trophies, as well as the 1998-99 Champions League trophy. Keane was renowned for his tactical knowledge, determination and occasional outbursts of aggression. His departure from the club was not a happy one, with Alex Ferguson choosing to let Keane go as a consequence of his conduct.
Jose Mourinho also acknowledged the influence of older players Wayne Rooney and Michael Carrick on the rest of the team. Carrick has had an especially good season, once again proving to be one of the best defensive midfielders in the League. United organized game testimonials for both of them as a means of showing the club’s gratitude.
Mourinho believes that the free transfer of Zlatan Ibrahimovic from PSG was important in creating confidence inside the dressing room. The Swedish striker has scored 26 times in 41 games for United this season.
“There is Rooney and Carrick, who are the last faces of this generation,” said Mourinho. “That is why it was important for me to get Zlatan. In this team he had – without being English and without knowing the club’s culture – the personality and profile to be more than just a player. “
