Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho has dismissed claims that Wayne Rooney can ever play as a No.8 or No.6 under him, and even took a dig at the club captain.
Rooney was used in a central midfield role at the back-end of last season for the Red Devils, as Louis van Gaal’s side ended the campaign on a high by lifting the FA Cup.
Rooney impressed in that position and that prompted Roy Hodgson to utilise him in a similar role at Euro 2016, which reaped the dividends in some games and backfired in others.
However, when asked over whether Mourinho would be using the 30-year-old in a similar position to that of his predecessor, the 53-year-old tactician instead took a dig at the whole situation and insisted Rooney’s passing doesn’t make him suitable for the role.
“There are many jobs and the one that is more difficult to find is the guy that puts the ball in the net,” Mourinho said: “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 with me 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 will never be a six or eight for me.”
The comments from Mourinho at his first official press conference on Tuesday almost certainly rules out any thinking from supporters that Rooney could be positioned into midfield next season.
Mourinho’s press conference on Tuesday morning certainly lived up to the expectations, as the former Chelsea man discussed Henrikh Mkhitaryan, Ryan Giggs’ departure and even aimed jibes at Arsene Wenger, Pep Guardiola and Louis van Gaal.
Manchester United and Mourinho are currently preparing for their pre-season tour of the Far East later this month, before they have a friendly in Sweden and then return to the UK for the FA Community Shield.
COMMENTS