José Mourinho told four Manchester United players they were “spoiled”; three of them, including Marcus Rashford, are still there.
Jose Mourinho's comments calling four Manchester United players “spoiled” have resurfaced and fans will likely be left stunned.
The Portuguese manager was in charge at Old Trafford between 2016 and 2018 and was tasked with managing a group of players who, by his own admission, lacked maturity.
In an interview with Hristo Stoichkov, Mourinho highlighted four players in particular: Mark RashfordAnthony Marcial, Luke Shaw and Jesse Lingard – for its lack of drive.
In November 2018, Mourinho said: “They lack maturity. When I say that, I mean maturity on a personal level. We are more men, we are more mature, we were more prepared to face life. We were less protected.” In England they call it “spoiled.”
Mourinho added: “Today we are talking about 'spoiled children'. Our children are more 'spoiled' than us.
“I think that children today have a different social life than ours, and the players have an 'entourage' around them, and I mean a personal entourage, the people who surround them, who protect them more, gives more affection, more excuses. They reach maturity more slowly.
“For example, this boy, Luke Shaw, who is currently the left back for the national team, when I came here two years ago, he didn't know how to compete. He had great potential, yes, but he didn't know how to compete.
“When we talk about Luke Shaw, (Anthony) Martial, (Jesse) Lingard, (Marcus) Rashford, we are talking about kids with great potential but they are still missing one word that I can't say but that you really like… them” A little bit of that is missing. Character, personality, as they say in Spain too, bad blood, that natural aggressiveness that you had.”
Surprisingly, three of the four players are still with the Premier League giants, with only Lingard leaving the club in the following years.
Lingard left the club in 2022 before spending a season with Nottingham ForestHowever, the 31-year-old has found himself without a club since leaving the City Ground last summer.
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Luke Shaw is perhaps the exception in the quartet as the defender goes from strength to strength for both Manchester United and England as he remains a key man under command. Erik ten Hag more than five years later.
Martial's time at the club appears to be coming to an end as the final months of his contract approach, while Marcus Rashford is going through a torrid time.
A Reckless party night in Belfast has seen the striker at the center of a storm at Man United, with the player missing last weekend's FA Cup clash against Newport County.
Ten Hag has since stated that it is a “case closed” regarding Rashford's conduct, with the striker now back in contention to play for the Red Devils.
However, with Mourinho's questions about the professionalism of Man United's three stars still pending, fans will continue to gauge how accurate 'the Special One' was in his assessment.
