Roy Keane agrees!
Manchester United striker Romelu Lukaku says manager Jose Mourinho is “real” and does not fake his emotions like other managers in the Premier League.
Following United’s 3-0 defeat against Tottenham this season, Mourinho demanded respect from the media after an angry press conference with journalists questioning his work of late.
But Lukaku says the Portuguese is a family man, makes the players laugh and fights for them, and deserves respect. (Take note, Pogba)
READ MORE: It’s clear now that Paul Pogba wants to leave Man Utd
“People know a side from him which is he’s a winner,” Lukaku told the BBC.
“But what I like about him is he’s not going to fake his emotions. When he’s mad, you know he is mad. When he’s happy, you see he is happy
“I don’t understand why people don’t like the realness about him. When he’s mad at me I know he is mad at me, and I try to do what he wants so he is happy again.”
See, this is exactly what Paul Pogba needs to realise. Not for one second do I believe Mourinho wants a single player to fail at United. Not one. He challenges them and whether you think that method works anymore or not, it’s refreshing to get that sort of response from Lukaku.
A football manager needs to be a realist. There’s little point telling a player he’s doing brilliantly when he’s not and sometimes they require a kick up the backside. We all do, in every walk of life.
There’s a growing trend in football that coaches must hold back, try not to express themselves the way they want and that’s not right. I’m not suggesting it’s ok to go full whack Roy Keane on players, but some individuals could do with toughening up.
“Sometimes footballers, we get soft a little bit,” added Lukaku. “If I listen to players from back in the day and now, a manager cannot say what he wants to a player because you feel attacked.
“But I don’t feel attacked, because that’s who I am – I am a tough man, but that doesn’t come from football, that comes from my background.
“My relationship with him is cool. He makes me laugh, he makes the players laugh, he’s a real family guy. He fights for his players, but he’s real. When you’re not happy, you don’t need to fake your emotions.
“People need to appreciate that, at least there are people who are real in this world like him. Because most of the managers in the league, when they are not happy they try to find a way to seem happy.
“You should respect that he wants to keep his own personality and not shy away from confrontation. Here, he really wants us to improve. He is a normal guy, we get along well. He is cool with everybody.”
Rather than hiding behind an agency, Pogba could do with listening to Lukaku being interviewed by Dion Dublin this Saturday afternoon (12:00) on BBC for Football Focus. He also goes into detail about learning from Thierry Henry and Didier Drogba, his relationship with ex-Everton manager Ronald Koeman and wanting to finish his career regret free.
