4:26 PM: That is all from here, but do stay tuned for takeaways from the Press Conference.
4:18 PM: The Press conference had everything you can expect from a Jose Mourinho press conference- vigour, energy, humour and that customary dig at couple of people. But, hands down the best line in the conference was when asked about Wayne Rooney’s passing ability, "You cannot tell me his pass is amazing, even my pass is amazing without too much pressure”. All in all Jose is here, and it will be a cracker of a EPL 2016-17.
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4:15 PM: He looks at home in the United shirt doesn’t he?
4:13 PM: Last but not the least Pep “To speak about one manager, one club and I don’t like the word, but one enemy, is not right. One thing is that you are in a competition like I was in Spain when it is a two horse race. In Italy it was three teams. But in the Premier League it doesn’t make sense at all. If you focus on one team or one opponent then the other ones will be laughing so I won’t be a part of it. I am Manchester United manager with respect for all the other clubs in the country.”
4:09 PM: About the departure of Ryan Giggs from Manchester United “As for Ryan: it’s not my responsibility that Ryan is not in the club. The job Ryan wanted was the Manchester United manager. That’s not my fault – the owners and Mr Woodward wanted me. Ryan, for the moment, wants to be a manager. I decided years ago I wanted to be a manager. Many of us start as assistant coaches and a moment arrives to making a decision. Ryan could have been what he wanted – any important job but he made a decision where you need to be brave. It’s not easy – I had a contract at Barcelona in 2000 to be assistant for two more years. It was not easy for me. And for Ryan it’s not just the step of going from assistant manager to manager. It is also the challenge of leaving his house – it was 29 years, not 29 days. If I am here and he wants to come back, I will never stop him. If one day the club wants him to be manager it will be the consequence of his achievements as a manager.”
4:06 PM: On Wayne Rooney and the position he, might play at United “There are many jobs and the one that is more difficult to find is the guy that puts the ball in the net. Players change during the years, their qualities and characteristics. It is normal that a player of his age changes, but something that will never change is the natural appetite to put the ball in the net. Maybe he is not a striker anymore, or a nine, but he will never be a six playing 50 metres from the goal. He will be a nine, a 10, a nine and a half, but not a six or eight”
4:04 PM: On his youth philosophy “I have promoted 49 youth players from Academies. If you want, I can give you that list. Two factors that are very important on these records, because sometimes you promote because you don’t have another chance or so many injuries, you have to bring them in. The second factor is when you are not playing for big targets then it is easier to bring them up. My record of injuries is very, very low. I never promote players because of a need – I do it because of conviction.”
3:59 PM: About the advice of Sir Alex Ferguson “Bring the umbrella. Yesterday it was raining at the training ground – good advice. The second was for me to bring my typical bottle of wine because there will be many more opportunities to drink it together. We will have lots of time to meet each other. He will always be welcome to the training ground obviously. We will have a lot of time to share our personal stuff – friends, family and life. His opinion is an important opinion for me. So many legends at this club love it. So many are in the punditry business at the moment – every one will be important whether I agree or not agree. I will always give a look to learn from what they give to me.”
3:55 PM: And a genius of a dig at LvG, what a guy.
3:51 PM: Here comes the customary dig at Arsene Wenger, LOL ”There are some manager who won the title 10 years ago, some have not won a title ever. the last time I won the title was one year ago. So if I have something to prove, imagine the others. That was not important to me. I play against myself. I feel I have to prove not to the others, but I have to prove to myself. I will never be able to work without success. That is my nature, I have always to find the reasons why I have always many questions towards myself. ”
3:48 PM: Asked about the style of play he is likely to employ at United ”I want everything. I want to win matches, I want to play well. I want to score goals, I don't wan to concede goals. I want everything. Of course, we are not going to get everything. But we want to. “
3:45 PM: He is here and he isn’t pulling his punches “I am where I want to be. I want to be in this club, in this country, in the Premier League and in the domestic cups. I feel a bit frustrated that I am not playing Champions League. I do not hide I chase Sir Alex's records in the Champions League. Hopefully, it is only one season we are not there. Man United is a Champions League club and we have to make sure that July 2017, instead of waiting for the Europa League draw, we have to make sure this club is where it needs to be.”
3:41 PM- Now for the one everyone was waiting for Jose Mourinho’s transfer plans "We made a nucleus of four priorities, four positions, to give a certain balance to the squad and a certain push in terms of quality and in terms of the qualities that I need and want. As you know, especially the ones with more vision. I am a manager that likes specialists and not so much the multi-functional players. I am very clear in my model of play so I need specialists. We decided four targets... Until we have the fourth we are still working hard."
3:38 PM- What is the aim for the season?
3:37 PM- He is here at United “I arrive into a club that is difficult to describe. I don’t like the nomination that many people use, dream job. This is reality - I am Manchester United manager. It is a job that everyone wants and not many have had the chance to have. I have it. I know the responsibility, expectation and the legacy of this club. I know what the fans expect from me. This challenge doesn’t make me nervous.”
3:35 PM- What is he at Manchester United? After being the Special one and Happy one.....Jose speaks “I don’t know. The other two times I was arriving at the country, this is a different one. I was sacked by Chelsea and then I stayed in the same country and the same country with the same faces. This is nothing new. I have arrived into a club that is difficult to describe... I don’t like the nomination that this is the dream job. This is reality and the reality is that this is the job that everyone wants."
3:30 PM- The press room at Old Trafford has more or less filled up, everyone is waiting for the boss.
3:24 PM- There will definitely be a lot of questions about Paul Pogba, I hope Jose is not diplomatic on this one.
3:20 PM- The excitement is growing, we are 10 minutes away from the start of the press conference.
3:00 PM- Jose will be pose for a few pictures ahead of the press conference, you can see the pics at the Offical Manchester United facebook page.
The Press Conference will be live from 11:00 BST/ 15:30 IST.
Jose Mourinho will finally be unveiled as the manager of Manchester United. After being announced as the manager on 27th May, and a teaser of an interview, this will be the first time he faces the media.
Manchester United ended a pretty disappointing season with Van Gaal at the helm, finishing fifth and as a reason missing out on a Champions League pace. This was the second time in three years that the Red Devils won't be participating in the Europe's elite club competition in three years, and for a club of the stature of the United, it is simply not good enough, as Van Gaal found out.
Mourinho has already started laying out the ground work for the season, strengthening the spine of the squad, signing Eric Bailly from Villareal and a certain Zlatan Ibrahimovic on free. Borussia Dortmund has also confirmed the signing Henrik Mikhitarian, though United are yet to confirm it.
There are quite a few questions awaiting the Portuguese at the helm of the twenty time League champions. Mourinho brought his own trusted leftenant in Rui Faria, and that meant Ryan Giggs had to end a 29-year long relationship with Manchester United, and the press will surely be looking to ask him about the decision, as Ryan represents a huge of know-how and knowledge about the club.
For the vast fan base United boast, the style of football Jose will be playing at United will be interesting to see. After, borderline torture at Old Trafford during the tenure of Van Gaal and David Moyes, the fans would be craving the gung-ho, creative and counter attacking football the fans got so used to during Sir Alex Fergusons reign at United.
One of the main reasons for worry when United signed Mourinho was his 'philosophy' which isn't exactly based on promoting youth players. With the likes of Fosu Mensah, Rashford, Martial, Janujaz and Borthwick-Jackson around the first team, it'll be interesting to see their progress under the new United manager.
