Jose Mourinho blames Manchester United boss Erik ten Hag for Jadon Sancho struggles at Old Trafford, In a blistering interview with Spanish media, the Portuguese manager did not hold back in laying the blame for Jadon Sancho’s faltering career at Old Trafford squarely at the feet of the Dutchman as he sends strong words to Erik ten Hag. Mourinho, who is never one to shy away from controversy, claimed that ten Hag’s failure to properly integrate Sancho into the United setup had been a key factor in the player’s decline.
Jose Mourinho has openly criticized Erik ten Hag’s handling of Jadon Sancho at Manchester United.
Mourinho, a former United manager, believes that Ten Hag is largely to blame for Sancho’s difficulties at Old Trafford. Sancho, who returned to Borussia Dortmund on loan in January after two and a half challenging seasons with United, recently played in Dortmund’s starting XI for the Champions League final against Real Madrid at Wembley.
In an interview with TNT before the Champions League final, Mourinho commented on Sancho’s situation, saying: “We all know his talent. We saw what he was capable of; there’s no doubt about that. What happened at Man United… reflecting on my own experience, sometimes I failed with players. I couldn’t always create the right connection, understand the player’s mindset, or help them grow properly. Mostly, I succeeded, but there were times I didn’t.”
Mourinho emphasized the importance of learning from these experiences, noting, “We have to learn from experiences, which I always tried to do, to understand a player’s nature. Sometimes they have the talent but lack the mindset you want. Sancho definitely made mistakes, but his manager also couldn’t bring out the best in him.”
He also pointed out the complexity of a player’s performance, saying, “It’s usually multi-factorial. It’s not just the manager, the player, the family, the agent, or the club.” Reflecting on his coaching career, Mourinho admitted that while he often succeeded in helping young players reach their potential, there were times he failed. “Even if it’s multi-factorial, we are part of it. Experienced coaches, having seen many similar situations, try to guide players in the right direction.”
In Sancho’s case, Mourinho believes a thorough analysis is necessary. “I think they need to analyze what happened at Man United and what he found in Dortmund,” he said. This analysis could shed light on why Sancho struggled at Manchester United and thrived upon returning to Borussia Dortmund.
Mourinho’s comments highlight the challenges managers face in developing young talent, especially when players have great potential but may not fit perfectly into the team’s dynamics or the manager’s vision. His remarks suggest a need for introspection and adaptation among managers to better understand and support their players’ unique needs and characteristics.
