‘Sir Alex had a different opinion’ – Mourinho responds to Solksjaer comments

Jose Mourinho has admitted that he does not see eye to eye with Ole Gunnar Solskjaer regarding the Manchester United boss’ trophy comments.

Solskjaer claimed last month that trophies sometimes merely act as an ego boost for managers and that league position is a better indicator of progress.

Former Spurs boss Mauricio Pochettino also said something similar back in 2019 when asked about the North Londoners’ failure to win silverware.

Mourinho won the Carabao Cup and Europa League during the two and a half years he spent at Old Trafford while Solksjaer is yet to win any silverware since replacing the Portuguese coach at the helm.

When asked about the Norwegian’s comments, the Tottenham boss told Football.London: “It’s his opinion. I’m pretty sure his big boss Sir Alex [Ferguson] had a different opinion about it, but I respect what Solskjaer thinks.

“I think different. Freedom of thinking, freedom of ideas, and if that is what he thinks that is fine by me.

“It’s not a problem for me, he’s not being disrespectful to anyone, but I repeat I believe his big boss, and the biggest in Premier League history, has a different view in relation to that.”

It was revealed this week that Manchester City have a wage bill for their players and staff of £351m which is the highest in the history of the Premier League by a long way.

It emerged that City’s wage bill had actually increased by 11.4 per cent from last year despite the financial impact of the pandemic.

When asked what he made of the kind of financial muscle he was competing against, Mourinho responded: “I’m very happy to do it. My career is long, I’ve worked in club’s with different history, with different economical resources, with different ambitions and I’ve always enjoyed it.

“Of course, I am in England for so many years and I know how things are so that’s okay. If Kevin [De Bruyne] signed contract of x million I would love him to sign a contract of three times x million. Fantastic player.

“If Pep – or any of the coaches of the top teams – has x million to spend good for them, no problems.

“I enjoy to work in my club. I enjoy to do what we are doing and I am not jealous of the ones that can do other things. I would love my players to get the same contract as David de Gea or Kevin de Bruyne. I would love them to get that money.”

Spurs Web Opinion

With respect to the trophy debate, I have always felt that finishing in a higher position in the league is a better measure of consistency over the course of the season than winning the FA Cup or the Carabao Cup.

However, as a Spurs fan, I would take winning the Carabao Cup this season over finishing in the top four, purely because of the fact that it has been 13 years since I have seen us win silverware.

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