Former Manchester United midfielder Phil Neville says that his old club will now be hated under the management of José Mourinho.
The Portuguese is only managing his second English club in his career. After being associated with Chelsea for a long time, Mourinho came to Old Trafford in the summer. He has always stated that managing United was his dream job. Upon his arrival, though, there is a consensus that the hatred for United will only grow with the presence of the Portuguese. Even though there was widespread discontent against United even during the days of Sir Alex Ferguson, Mourinho will bring a new level of hatred according to Phil Neville.
Neville, though, says that it would be a good element at this moment in time since opposition seem to have lost the fear factor surrounding United in the last couple of years. Poor seasons under David Moyes and Louis van Gaal have meant that United are no longer challenging for titles. In fact, they are even struggling to finish in the top four. Mourinho’s first task will be to qualify for the Champions League, but he has already claimed that winning the league title is already on his minds. Neville says that United needed this mentality in order to get back to their best.
“I’ve not enjoyed the last couple of seasons when a few people were laughing at us and people were thinking, “oh, we’re only playing Man United.”When United play against teams at Old Trafford, there hasn’t been the trepidation there has been in the past. Now that trepidation is back.I want us to be hated again, I want people to be hating Man United. To be growling at us, to be snarling at us, to be jealous of us again. That had gone for the past two years,” said Neville.