The current Rangers manager Steven Gerrard has come out and said that Manchester United have lost their best coach since Sir Alex Ferguson who bid adieu to the managerial career in 2013. He believes that the Portuguese International does not deserve the harsh treatment he is receiving currently.
Steven Gerrard spoke to the famous English outlet Goal following the departure of the Manchester United manager “He’s a winner, isn’t he? How can I sit here and say anything bad about José Mourinho. He’s a serial winner everywhere he has gone. He’s been sacked at United, but he’s won them a couple of trophies. He’s done the best job since Alex Ferguson left.
“It seems like they sort of struggled, but José came in and put a couple of trophies in the cabinet, so I don’t think you can criticize him too much. It will be interesting to see which direction they go with the new manager, but none of the Man Utd fans care what I say about it!” Gerrard added.
The former Liverpool skipper has not hidden inside the closet by opening up his admiration for Jose Mourinho on plenty of occasions. The duo have massive mutual respect between them.
Just a few days before the intense clash between Liverpool and Manchester United, Gerrard told the press that Mourinho should not be written off because of the problems he faced at Old Trafford.
“I think of one word: winner.
“He’s a winner. When winners feel that stuff around them is affecting their chances of winning then maybe the behavior changes. But he’s still a world-class manager and he’s already won things at United. It wouldn’t surprise me if he won more trophies at United.
“I think it’s him doing things on purpose, to galvanise and get that siege mentality. It would be foolish to write him off.”
The 38-year-old described Mourinho as a “dream manager” and would remain a fan of the Portuguese International when he announced that he would be leaving Liverpool to the American outfit LA Galaxy in 2015.
On the other side, Mourinho, who was so close to signing Steven Gerrard away from Liverpool in 2005 still regrets that moment. After that, the former Chelsea boss tried to lure him at Inter Milan and Real Madrid, but he termed it “impossible” as Gerrard wished to stay as a red until end of his career.
Mourinho was interviewed about Gerrard before the game against Liverpool in 2015. He said “He [Gerrard] is a historical player for Liverpool, a historical player for the Premier League and an opponent I have always admired and respected. We did everything to try [to sign him] and it was almost there. I was dreaming of [Claude] Makélélé, Gerrard and [Frank] Lampard in midfield.
“We were playing in a proper triangle without a No10 and playing Maka in front of the defenders. Me, Mr Abramovich and [the former Chelsea chief executive] Peter Kenyon at that time, we dreamed of that.
“His people were open to him joining a top side like Chelsea. But to me personally he never said he would come. Never. He [Gerrard] was always a red and I think the decision was right.”
