“Every player can play bad but when you see ‘please Mr, take me from the pitch’. That is what I thought.” That was the damning verdict then Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho gave explaining the substitution of Luke Shaw after his side had laboured to a 2-0 FA Cup quarter-final victory over Brighton & Hove Albion in March 2018.
Mourinho described favourite Nemanja Matic as an ‘island of personality, desire and control’ in a post-match interview whereas Shaw was hauled off at half-time in the latest public shaming by his manager.
Football players are criticised on occasion by their manager in the media in the hope it will produce a positive reaction on the pitch.
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