Paul Ince: Pundits like Rio and Scholes are making Mourinho a scapegoat

Paul Ince never holds back and he also feels criticism of Jose reactions to Rashford’s miss, as well as Fellaini’s goal is over the top…

Jose Mourinho is an emotional man, he has been all his career. We know that – but, at the minute, everything he does, everybody is jumping on it, trying to make it a negative story.

Pundits likes Rio Ferdinand and Paul Scholes, the ones who keep having a go at Mourinho and United all the time, they’ve not managed, they’ve not had to make the big decisions.

I understand they have to have opinions – I’ve done both roles, I can see it from both sides – but they don’t know what it’s like to be in that situation as a manager.

Let’s have it right: there was nothing wrong with Mourinho’s reaction to Marouane Fellaini’s winner against Young Boys in the week.

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When the pressure is on, and the pundits are sharpening their knives, and you can see it happening in front of you as your team is drawing 0-0 with Young Boys after drawing with Palace, to get a last-gasp winner is incredible.

I can totally understand his joy and relief.

In Turin, after the Juventus game, I agreed that he didn’t need to go on the pitch – irrespective of how he felt he’d been treated by the Italian fans – because it was such a great comeback from the boys, he should’ve just let them take the glory.

But the one on Tuesday night was completely different. His reaction totally makes sense to me.

I’ve been there – not at the same level, of course – but I know what it’s like when you’re the manager and something like that happens.

The emotions get away from you.

If I was playing for Jose, and had looked across and seen that reaction, I would’ve been absolutely buzzing. This is a manager who wants to win, who has got passion.

I’m all for Mourinho doing that, there’s nothing wrong with showing your emotions.

Rashford miss reaction

I don’t believe how Jose reacted to Marcus Rashford’s miss was that bad. I really don’t. People are trying to make him a scapegoat.

Just because he looked up to the stand and said ‘Jesus, how do you miss that?’.

I’ve seen loads of managers do the same. Pep Guardiola has gone to his bench and said ‘What more can I do if they’re going to miss chances like that?’. There’s nothing in it.

The bottom line is that Rashford is a Manchester United player. So, when he’s one-on-one with a goalkeeper, in an important match, you’d expect him to score.

Mark Hughes, Dwight Yorke, Ruud Van Nistelrooy all would’ve scored it – that’s the expectation on a United centre forward.

So Mourinho’s reaction makes total sense. Fergie would’ve run onto the touchline and started hammering someone for missing that chance. So, I’m not having this criticism of Jose, not one bit, it’s just another case of people trying to jump on his back.

We know the situation, United aren’t playing well at the moment, and they haven’t for a long time.

Even the good performances have been comeback results, when they should’ve been put to bed by the other team.

Yes, that shows their spirit, but a team like Manchester United shouldn’t be having to come from behind week-in, week-out.

Jose will be wanting to find his XI that he can trust, that can play five or six games in a row.

The depth in quality just isn’t there, and the players aren’t pushing themselves forward or proving undroppable. They’re too inconsistent.

It’s been difficult for Jose, and I don’t think people are recognising this. Since Sir Alex left, it hasn’t worked out – David Moyes and Louis Van Gaal took the club backwards five years.

Mourinho has been playing catch-up since he arrived.

People expected him to come in and wave a magic wand, but they’re so far behind the likes of City, Liverpool, and Tottenham, who have had their teams for a period of time.

It’s an incredibly tough job.

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