“I know the players weren’t happy with that.”
Wayne Rooney was a pundit on BT Sport’s coverage of Manchester United’s emphatic win over Cardiff City on Saturday evening, and he offered a damning assessment of his former manager.
Jose Mourinho was sacked last Tuesday and it seems as though a cloud has been lifted from Old Trafford. United, under interim manager and club legend Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, hammered Cardiff 5-1 in the first match of the post-Mourinho era
The full-backs pushed on, Marcus Rashford and Anthony Martial had a license to roam, it felt like Paul Pogba was everywhere on the pitch and the link-up play was brilliant to watch at times. Yes, Cardiff aren’t the most talented team in the Premier League, but United had never played in such fashion under Mourinho.
It is not just the evidence from the pitch that suggests United are a happier entity without Jose around. Rooney confirmed that very few at the club were displeased to see Mourinho depart.
In a candid punditry appearance, one that suggests he will make an excellent football analyst if he chooses to take that path after retirement, Rooney clearly explained how people at United were feeling when Mourinho was around.
“Not just the players, but the whole football club (have got a lift since Solskjaer was appointed),” Rooney said.
“I’m sure Ed Woodward was the same, the staff, the kitchen ladies, the kit men weren’t enjoying it. Ole’s the person (to help) straight away and I know they’re happy.’
Rooney is United’s all-time record goalscorer and played for the club between 2004 and 2017. His final season at Old Trafford was under Mourinho, and he lost his starting place a few weeks into the campaign.
According to the DC United forward, Mourinho’s biggest flaw as a coach was that he did not keep his players onside and his communication with the squad could have been better.
“In my opinion, obviously being there for a year with him, he didn’t (keep players onside),” Rooney said.
“I think that was the one surprise I had – the communication with the players wasn’t as much as it could have been.
“When you leave a player out of a game, sometimes, for a player, it gives a bit of freedom of the mind when the manager says I’m leaving you out for this reason or for that reason. But the players didn’t get that.
“I think that’s the most difficult thing for a player to try and work out why you’re not playing.
“The big thing with Jose was the communication with the players, and I know the players weren’t happy with him.”
Rooney was asked if Mourinho ever told him why he was dropped. The former England captain said that Mourinho didn’t provide any detailed reason for leaving him out.
“There was nothing like, ‘You’re not doing this, you’re not doing that. So, you’re not given something to go and work on and make yourself better at those certain things.
“I knew Zlatan was one of his big signings, Zlatan came in and was scoring goals. And I maybe wasn’t playing at the level I knew I could do so I knew that was the reason. That was more or less what made my mind up to go and play elsewhere.”
Rooney also said that he is still in touch with people at United, and he feels that the club made “right decision” by sacking Mourinho because “something had to change”.
“I stay in touch with a lot of people at the club, I speak to them quite a lot.”
“To be a successful club you need to have everything right. That relationship between some of the staff and players wasn’t great.
“Bringing Ole and Mick (Phelan) in, that will change things. The staff are smiling and happy and that rubs off on the players. I think it’s a good move for the club and gives them more time to get the right man in the summer.
“The only thing that brings smiles is winning football games and being successful. Ole knows that. It’s a big opportunity for Ole to show how good of a manager he is. Some of the players need to step up.”
“The difference with Mourinho is he gets one goal ahead and he tries to hold on to it,” Rooney continued.
“Now we see them taking a lead and going for more. Manchester United is a big part of my life and it was not nice watching what was going on. Once Ole got the job, I dropped him a message of congratulations. I gave him my feelings on what needed to change, speaking to some of the players.
“The first thing is getting the lads enjoying playing football, that’s what they wanted. Ole’s the guy to get them doing that.”
You can watch Rooney here:
