Former Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho has stirred up controversy once again with his recent comments regarding the support he received during his tenure at the club.
According to reports from Goal, in an interview with The Telegraph, Mourinho compared his experience to that of current manager Erik ten Hag, suggesting disparities in professional backing.
Mourinho, who led the Red Devils to Europa League and Carabao Cup victories between 2016 and 2018, expressed his dismay at what he perceived as a lack of trust and support from the club's hierarchy, particularly former chief executive Ed Woodward.
Despite maintaining a positive personal relationship with Woodward, Mourinho felt that his professional needs were not adequately met during his time at Old Trafford.
"My relationship with Ed Woodward was good. Good as in the personal point of view," Mourinho revealed.
"Even now we send an SMS. But from a professional point of view, it was not the best. I am who I am. I am a football man. Ed comes from a different background and what Ten Hag has in his time at Manchester United I didn't have. I didn't have that level of support. I didn't have that level of trust. So I left sad because I felt I was in the beginning of the process. In some moments, I felt if they trusted me and believed in my experience things could be different."
These remarks come at a challenging time for Manchester United, who currently languish in seventh place in the Premier League table, 16 points behind fourth-placed Aston Villa.
With just one win in their last five league matches and a narrow escape in the FA Cup semifinals against Coventry City, the team's struggles have been evident.
During Mourinho's tenure, tensions flared with several senior players, including Anthony Martial, Luke Shaw, Paul Pogba, and Bastian Schweinsteiger, over differences in managerial approach.
While many of these players have since departed, Mourinho's comments hinted at lingering frustrations.
"There are still a couple of players still there I didn't want five or six years ago," Mourinho asserted.
"I think they represent a little bit of what I consider not the best professional profile for a club of a certain dimension. But I did my job there. Time always tells the truth. I would love Manchester United to succeed."
Looking ahead, speculation abounds regarding the future of both Mourinho and Ten Hag.
Reports suggest that Ten Hag could return to his former club Ajax for the 2024-25 season if he departs United at the end of the current campaign.
Meanwhile, Manchester United are reportedly exploring managerial options, with current Bayern Munich manager Thomas Tuchel emerging as a potential candidate following his impending departure from the German club this summer.