Mourinho admits he needs more time with team

Record ID: 83512

  • Title: Mourinho admits he needs more time with team
  • Date: 1st October 2016
  • Summary: MANCHESTER, ENGLAND, UNITED KINGDOM (SEPTEMBER 29, 2016) (REUTERS) (SOUNDBITE) (English) MANCHESTER UNITED MANAGER, JOSE MOURINHO, SAYING: "I need time. I need the players to play, I need to see them in different circumstances, I need to understand more about them. There are so many and so much to learn about the players that only when you work with them a long, long time that you really know them well. There is always a surprise behind the door when you work with a team for three or four or five months. There is always a surprise." WHITE FLASH (SOUNDBITE) (English) MANCHESTER UNITED MANAGER, JOSE MOURINHO, SAYING: "Every game I know more about my players, especially the ones who are on the pitch. Obviously, I would like to have other players playing more so I can see more, so I can learn more about them. Today I had in my mind to give Memphis (Depay) 20-25 minutes but I couldn't with the way I had to make the changes and the problem with Timo (Fosu)-Mensah I had to play at right-back. But we need the squad that is for sure. The Europa League is the competition that disturbs more the domestic competitions because you play Thursdays and it is really difficult." MOURINHO LEAVING NEWS CONFERENCE
  • Embargoed: 16th October 2016 07:46
  • Keywords: Jose Mourinho Manchester United Stoke City Premier League
  • Location: MANCHESTER, ENGLAND, UNITED KINGDOM
  • City: MANCHESTER, ENGLAND, UNITED KINGDOM
  • Country: United Kingdom
  • Topics: Soccer,Sport
  • Reuters ID: LVA00151RD7WF
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: Manchester United boss Jose Mourinho admits he is still getting to know his players following 10 games in charge at Old Trafford.
    Speaking ahead of the visit of Stoke City on Sunday (October 2), the Portuguese coach said he needed time to work out his best team.
    "I need the players to play, I need to see them in different circumstances, I need to understand more about them. There are so many and so much to learn about the players that only when you work with them a long, long time that you really know them well," he told reporters on Thursday (September 29) after United beat Zorya Luhansk 1-0 in the Europa League.
    Mourinho has struggled for consistency during his first few months in charge, both in terms of results and personnel.
    Forwards Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Wayne Rooney, Jesse Lingard, Juan Mata, Anthony Martial, Marcus Rashford and Henrikh Mkihitaryan have all featured in the attacking positions for United this season and that is with Dutch international Memphis Depay waiting for his chance on the bench.
    Despite this abundance of attacking talent, United have lost three times this season, including to bitter rivals Manchester City.
    Mourinho, who has been an outspoken critic of the Europa League in the past, bemoaned the congested fixture list in October.
    "The Europa League is the competition that disturbs more than the domestic competitions because you play Thursdays and it is really difficult," said Mourinho.
    After the international break, United travel to Liverpool on Oct. 17, host Turkish club Fenerbahce in the Europa League three days later before travelling to Chelsea for a league fixture on Oct. 23.
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