It wasn’t quite of Cantona/seagulls proportions but Jose Mourinho came up with a hell of an analogy on Manchester United’s pre-season tour of China.
United take on Borussia Dortmund on Friday before a clash with noisy neighbours Manchester City next Monday and Mourinho will be using both games as ways of learning as much as possible about his new side.
One player who he will not be able to work with is Zlatan Ibrahimovic, United’s most high-profile signing of the transfer window thus far, as he has been on holiday ever since Sweden’s elimination from Euro 2016.
Having failed to get past the group stages, many expected to see Ibrahimovic on the flight carrying United’s players to Shanghai on Tuesday. However, there was no sign of the striker, and Mourinho has explained why.
“The best suits are the suits by measure,” Mourinho said at a press conference.
“Suits made by measure should be better than going to a shop and just buying a size that may fit you well or not so well. I do the same for players. There are no two players the same.
Are you ready? It's #ZlatanTime… https://t.co/s8AsUG6VZF
— Manchester United (@ManUtd) July 1, 2016
“My decision on Zlatan is the consequence of many hours of study, analysis and discussion with my staff. Despite the fact he was out of the Euros one match before the English guys, everything is different.
“The body is different, the mind is different and the timing to have holidays and even things you don’t know, and don’t have to know, is to prepare in a different way like we do at training level.
“We try to do suits by measure that are perfect for the person and the way I’m building the team is more important for me with the players from other positions than the one I think who is going to play as the striker.
“I need to change the profile of the team in relation to other dynamics. The striker will be the easy one to finish the puzzle.”
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