Smug Mourinho aims disparaging comments at Scholes, Neville

Jose Mourinho TEAMtalk

Jose Mourinho has taken a swipe at Gary Neville and Paul Scholes for failing to succeed in management.

The former Manchester United boss, without naming the ‘Class of 92’ stars, has suggested that the United old boys were not “brave enough to take the pressure” after both pundits management careers ended prematurely.

Neville won three of 16 LaLiga matches at Valencia and was sacked in 2016 after less than four months, while Scholes managed just a month before quitting at Oldham recently.

Both pundits were heavily critical of Mourinho during his time at Old Trafford with Scholes claiming: “It feels like we’ve got our club back.”

Neville meanwhile was furious that Mourinho got a new contract less than 12 months before getting the sack.

“To give him an extended contract, knowing his cycle of every three years, was incredible. The minute he came back from pre season he was at it and the club was out of control,” said Neville in December.

Mourinho though has hit back and in an interview with RT Sport, he said: “But the experience to be there, we have even in England, former top players, amazing in front of the screen.

“They go to football clubs, and after two months, goodbye, let’s go home because this is not right for us.

“So there are things you have it, or you don’t have it.

“There is one part of it [management] that people sometimes forget, even some top pundits, they forget it, which is you have to be born with some talent adapted.

“It’s a little bit the same thing as what football academies can make with players.

“I think it’s a natural knowledge and understanding of the game.

“Leadership qualities, communication qualities, emotional intelligence because that is another thing that technology and experience at other levels can’t replicate which is the levels of pressure you are at.

“It is one thing us sat in front of a screen, analysing a game live, saying ‘I will take that one and I will put that one’.

“That decision when you are on the touchline, can you on the touchline have the same state of mind to be calm and be an analyst of the game? Can you be brave enough to take the pressure?”