Jose Mourinho details personal feelings on new Man Utd owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe
Jose Mourinho believes Manchester United are finally back on the right path under Sir Jim Ratcliffe.
Former United boss Mourinho was sacked from Old Trafford but still looks back with pride on his two-and-a-half years in charge. Mourinho praised former United executives Ed Woodward and Richard Arnold as individuals but said they both lacked football experience and the structure at the club was broken.
But Mourinho says he knows British billionaire Ratcliffe on a personal level and is convinced he will turn things around. Ratcliffe is already trying to shake things up and looks set to bring in Dan Ashworth from Newcastle as United’s new sporting director.
Mourinho, talking to Rio Ferdinand’s VIBE with FIVE podcast, said: “I know Jim Ratcliffe well, I know him very, very well. We had good relations from years ago. I have a very good feeling.
"He’s also a sports man, he loves it which is a very important thing and comes with experience from other experiences from other sports, cycling, I have a good feeling that things can go in the right direction and I hope so. I really hope so.
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“When I left the club, five years ago, for sure lots of things changed. I believe that Richard Arnold had to change something for better because I always felt he was a proper guy, a guy with a feeling for sport because I always felt that he was not a football guy, a rugby man but with a good understanding of what sport is.
“He’s a good man and I liked him very, very much even when he was in a commercial role. For sure, they improve.”
Sir Jim Ratcliffe has invested in Manchester United (PA)Mourinho won the League Cup and Europa League during his time in charge at United but famously also claimed that finishing second in the league was his greatest achievement. Now, with hindsight, Mourinho’s achievements look far better considering what has followed next.
The Special One says he still feels proud and honoured to have managed United and says the structure of the club did not make it easy to succeed, especially when the manager did not know he was reporting into or working under.
Mourinho said: “I was so proud of going there and I was even prouder probably when I went back a couple of years later to Old Trafford as a Sky commentator when I felt the reaction of the crowd to myself. To have that reaction touched me.
“I loved my time there. You know better than me, to be a coach in the same club as Sir Alex - even if it was not immediately after - you have to feel it. You have to feel the pride and responsibility and I felt it.
Jose Mourinho spent two-and-a-half years at Manchester United (PA)“Historical club, legendary players, I felt proud to be there. Not easy. I don’t think the media helped me. It was not an intention of hurting but people did not understand the dimension of the job but also potential difficulties but also that the coach was in a hybrid position.
“Before you had Sir Alex and David Gill, then you had changes and then you had not a very fluid structure. When people criticise the job Ed Woodward did, I don’t like it because, for me, he’s a good man, but was just a man that probably was not a fish in the water.
“Very intelligent, very polite and very correct but probably not prepared for the sport side and for a coach not to have a direct contact with the ownership and for a coach not to have a structure which shares the same principles was not easy with consequences at many levels.”
Jose Mourinho claimed finishing behind Manchester City in 2018 was his greatest achievement (AFP/Getty)Mourinho also stands by that claim finishing behind Manchester City in 2018 was his greatest achievement. He said it at the time because of behind-the-scenes issues and, within six months, he got fired.
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But Mourinho joked that United could end up being champions for that season if City get punished for breaking financial rules. City are being investigated by the Premier League but deny any wrongdoing.
Mourinho added: “Maybe there's a chance we win that league because if Man City are caught up in FFP, breaking the rules, maybe they lose a few points and we win that title! Joking apart, we did the best we could do.”
And on that claim of finishing second, he added: “Of course I believe - and no-one has done better. It was a hell of a job.”
Watch the full interview with Jose Mourinho here
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