Jose on LVG philosophy; style over results

Matt Stead

Jose Mourinho has discussed how he is valuing performances and style over results at Manchester United.

United are sixth in the current league table after a mixed start under Mourinho, who has led them to five wins, five draws and three defeats.

It represents United’s worst start to a Premier League season, with the club also having drawn four consecutive league games at Old Trafford.

Mourinho’s record has been compared unfavourably to that of David Moyes and Louis van Gaal in recent weeks, and the Portuguese discussed how he is faring against his most recent predecessor, Van Gaal.

“The difference was the most difficult thing in football and that is not to start from zero,” he said.

“The most difficult thing in football is to start with contradictions. And this is not a critic, not at all, so please, please don’t change my words.

“We managers we think different, and sometimes we change from one manager to another one where the differences are not significant and you just pull a few strings, and you just put your little fingerprint and you give a little touch and you get a lot from what was there.

“It’s a different Man United from last season and what we want to do this season so different and we could have probably better results if we didn’t try to go in the opposite direction.

“But because we tried to go in a completely different direction in terms of the philosophy and in terms of the dynamic, we want to give to a certain way of playing football, it’s the most difficult thing in football.

“When I joined Man United, all of you, you were speaking about a certain way of Man United to play football.

“I thought you were right and I went in one direction, not because you said that but because I also realised that was the way to go and more important than what you say and write is what our fans say and write.”