As Manchester United secured their place in the Europa League final, Jose Mourinho was filmed passionately celebrating.
The United manager shouted and pumped his fist, saluting the Stretford End while waving a George Best scarf following the 1-1 draw with Celta Vigo at Old Trafford.
Jose mourinho!!! ❤ @ManUtd @AnthonyMartial coz United r going to Stockholm ❤ pic.twitter.com/haD0fDHuia
— Katie Ryan (@Kate_Ryan86) May 11, 2017
The club’s fans naturally loved the display of emotion. One of the criticisms of Mourinho’s predecessor, Louis van Gaal, was that the Dutch coach remained seated, scribbling notes, during games.
We haven’t seen Mourinho this animated since he charged down the touchline at Old Trafford back in 2004, when his Porto team knocked United out of the Champions League.
https://twitter.com/kenmillea1/status/862938231398178816
https://twitter.com/Ahsi_7/status/862821324011470849
However, instead of passion, Mourinho’s actions at the end of the game show just how desperate he has become. Squeezing past comparative minnows is now cause for celebration.
It’s just a shame United weren’t as animated as their manager during the game.
If John Guidetti doesn’t miss a last second sitter, Celta Vigo – a team who have lost 10 games away from home this season and are 12th in La Liga – would be going through to the final against Ajax.
Mourinho acted as though he had just navigated his way past Real Madrid or Barcelona.
His negativity appears to know no bounds. Mourinho’s team were 1-0 up on the night after Marouane Fellaini’s first half goal, 2-0 on aggregate, and yet found themselves crawling over the line, being bombarded in injury time and one shot away from their season ending in failure.
Rather than relief or joy, United should be embarrassed. One of the world’s biggest, most famous and richest teams, with one of the largest wage bills in sport, are lucky to get past a mid-table side.
Yet, Mourinho’s “passion” is celebrated, but his dour outlook and restrictive tactics are overlooked or justified by many. All that matters are the results, apparently.
But that’s absolute nonsense. It applies to a Tony Pulis team, but not to Manchester United, and it shouldn’t be a factor for fans.
What’s the point in watching football if the score at the end is the only thing that matters? Why bother going to a game? Why bother sitting down to watch creative forwards being used as full-backs?
Surely there’s more productive things to do with your time than watch United fumble their way past teams who used to be cannon fodder? Fans are meant to support their team through good times and bad, and United fans have done so over the relatively bleak four years since Sir Alex Ferguson left.
But don’t justify to yourself that Mourinho’s style of football is acceptable. That it’s the players’ fault that he doesn’t trust them or that the result really is the only important aspect of a game.
Life is too short to sit through a match where Mourinho is manager.
There's nothing about Mourinho's approach to big games that could be associated with the traditions of Manchester United.
— Tony Barrett (@TonyBarrett) May 11, 2017
United will be favourites for the Europa League final against Ajax, and there’s no doubt that another season out of the Champions League will hurt their ambitions.
After being sacked by Chelsea, Mourinho is probably entitled to have a moment to celebrate reaching another final. But it also shows how he has declined as a manager that getting past Celta Vigo represents cause for wild celebration.
And United used to go onto the pitch expecting to beat teams, as Ferguson said before playing Spurs before, “Lads, it’s Tottenham.” Now, their manager complains that their opponents have longer to prepare for a game.
José Mourinho: From Sunday Ajax will have 10 days to prepare for Europa final & Man United have to play 3 league games with not many players
— Kaveh Solhekol (@SkyKaveh) May 11, 2017
