Nicky Butt defends Jose Mourinho's tenure at Manchester United, arguing he deserves more respect for his achievements. Despite initial success, Mourinho's later years were marked by disappointment and disillusionment.
Key points
Nicky Butt defends Jose Mourinho's achievements at Manchester United
Mourinho's tenure included initial success followed by disappointment
He was regarded as the man to restore United's former glory
Mourinho was sacked in December 2018
Mentioned in this story
Nicky ButtJose MourinhoManchester UnitedBenfica
Nicky Butt defends Jose Mourinhoâs time at Manchester United
Jose Mourinho is one of the biggest names in football, having achieved success at practically every club he has managed. His time in charge of Manchester United is regarded by some as a disappointment, however.
Fans believed that the âSpecial Oneâ would be the man to return the Red Devils to the peak of world football but, after a successful first season at the helm, the Portuguese tactician became increasingly disillusioned and eventually lost his job.
Former United player Nicky Butt, though, believes the man now in charge of Benfica deserves more respect and acknowledgement for what he achieved during his time at Old Trafford.
Still, despite the slightly harsh conditions of his arrival, the former Chelsea manager oversaw a very positive start to his United career. Under his guidance, the Red Devils signed a number of key players, including and .
Q&A
What did Nicky Butt say about Jose Mourinho's time at Manchester United?
Nicky Butt defended Mourinho, stating he deserves more respect for his achievements at the club.
Why was Jose Mourinho's tenure at Manchester United considered disappointing?
Mourinho's time at United started strong but ended in disillusionment, leading to his eventual sacking.
What were the key achievements of Jose Mourinho at Manchester United?
Mourinho had a successful first season, winning the EFL Cup and the Europa League during his tenure.
When was Jose Mourinho sacked from Manchester United?
Jose Mourinho was officially sacked by Manchester United on December 18, 2018.
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Though his first season in charge was undoubtedly his most successful, Mourinho enjoyed positive results throughout most of his United career. As a result of this, he boasts the fourth-best win rate of any Manchester United manager in the clubâs history.
Nicky Buttâs thoughts
Speaking on his podcast The Good, The Bad & The Football, former player Butt said: âA lot of people didnât like him at Man United; he got a lot of bad press, but I thought he was brilliant. They finished second, won the Europa League.â
Butt isnât wrong. Unitedâs first season under the tutelage of Mourinho was, in terms of trophies at least, the clubâs most successful since Sir Alex Ferguson retired, with Mourinho claiming the Community Shield, the EFL Cup and the Europa League.
Comparison to legendary managers
Expanding upon his point, Butt went on to say: âWe got brought up with arguably the best manager of all time, but thatâs not what just makes Sir Alex great, itâs not what makes Pep great, what I think makes them great is when they can walk into a room and they can command the attention of the players, the authority, have presence.â
âMourinho had that [at United], and he had Zlatan [Ibrahimovic], [Paul] Pogba, [Wayne] Rooney, a lot of big players.â
An inspiring work-ethic
Butt also touched upon his own experiences working with the charismatic manager during his time at Old Trafford. He said: âWhen I was there with him, he was a figure who you knew was in charge.â
âHe was on it, in his office with his pens, at 7.30am and he was on it. He was brilliant.
âCarlo Ancelotti, Pep, Mourinho, Sir Alex, [Jurgen] Klopp, these are managers who are big characters who can carry a big club. There [are] a lot of egos in the big clubs, and you have to have that at those [kinds] of clubs.
âHe was in there at half seven in the morning and until 9 oâclock at night. I [have] seen it with my own eyes as I was at the academy. He works his socks off.â
