Jose Mourinho sends harsh message to Manchester United players

Mourinho makes sly dig at 'spoilt' Man Utd players, suggesting they are not 'proper men'

Jose Mourinho appeared to take a thinly veiled swipe at his former Manchester United players - by suggesting they are not 'proper men'.

The 55-year-old was removed from his post as United manager just last month, with the club on a poor run of form.

Mourinho was criticised of shackling his players and playing an ugly, defensive brand of football, whilst ruining the confidence of his squad members.

However the Portuguse coach has hit back with a sly dig at his ex-colleagues, by using his ex-Chelsea player Didier Drogba as an example.

Speaking to ="https://www.beinsports.com/en/">Bein Sports< , Mourinho said: "Drogba was the kind of player that more pressure from the manager, more quality in his performance.

"He’s a man. He’s a proper man. He’s a competitive guy. He’s a mature man. He’s not a spoilt man.

"He’s a man that everything in his life he had to fight a lot to him.

"There are some players that when you try to squeeze them, they answer in the best way.

"There are other mentalities. There are other personalities. Of course, the reaction is not the best."

Mourinho was known for regularly criticising members of his squad in public, with Luke Shaw, Anthony Martial and Marcus Rashford often coming under scrutiny.

He also had a very public falling out with United star man Paul Pogba during his time at the club.

The Frenchman was heavily linked with a move away from the club after a video of the pair involved in a hostile altercation on the training ground emerged.

It is not known whether Mourinho was referring to anyone in particular, but he suggested players who are given an easy route to the top are often more sensitive to criticism.

Mourinho added: "There are players that were brought in in a different way, where possibly they have an easier social life.

"Probably they had an easier coming to the top level of football. Everything comes too easy to them.

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"Some of them they don’t react in the same way.

"Certain moments and certain decorations, and strong public words, some of them have some risk."

Of United's current crop, Pogba, Rashford and Jesse Lingard all came through the ranks at Old Trafford.

Mourinho's words will likely fall on death ears at Old Trafford though, as since his departure the club have recorded seven successive victories.