"I wouldn’t think twice."
That was Jose Mourinho's answer when questioned about England's first choice left back prior to the Euros. That statement wasn't aimed at arguably Europe's best left back since the turn of the year, in fact he wasn't even a consideration for his ex-boss.
The relationship between Luke Shaw and Jose Mourinho certainly never blossomed, and there is one key word: agenda. Two and a half years on from the Portuguese's departure from Manchester, he clearly cannot accept the fact that Luke is excelling - without him.
Mourinho, still to this day, remains on the back of Shaw. “I found a boy after an incredible injury that put his career at risk; a boy with some fears and scars from that awful night," Jose exclaimed. "I was trying to improve mentalities and make ambitions and responsibilities to grow up - it was not easy for him. I push players to the limit and, sometimes, players aren’t ready to follow me in that mentality."
One could definitely ridicule the questions Jose has raised of Luke's mentality, given the mental fortitude shown to enhance the resurgence over recent years following the trauma of his double leg break against PSV. The agenda is belittling, but something Luke claims he has now moved on from. It probably doesn't take much of a genius to realise the lack of sense often uttered by the former United manager.
"I don’t really understand it, to be honest," Luke said a few days ago. "I don’t know why he is still going on and wanting to point at me. I am used to him saying negative stuff about me now so I just pass it by, I leave it be, I ignore it. I just focus on what the coaching staff say here, what Gareth Southgate says and that’s that really. He just needs to move on. Hopefully he can find his peace with that and finally move and stop worrying about me. Clearly I am in his head a lot and he clearly thinks about me a lot."
He's right, the obsession is rather strange. Ignorance is definitely key as a professional footballer, and is certainly something that Luke has often spoken about when it comes to dealing with criticism. Nowadays, social media is a hub of negativity when it comes to elite sport. Consequently, it's something that is often avoided by Luke amongst so many others. To then have this unnecessary disapproval provided by none other than your own manager cannot be ideal, and the improved environment under Solskjaer is plain to see. The ability to filter comments to only those from a trusted inner circle is most definitely integral in sport and life in general, and to have the support of staff at the club in Luke's case has allowed him to thrive.
"I don’t think any of you realise the two or three years I had with him and how bad it was then, what it was like then," Luke went on to say. "What he says now is nothing compared to how it used to be." He continued, "It’s different with different players. He likes some, he doesn’t like others. I think I fell into the category where he didn’t like me. I tried as hard as I could to get back on his side but it never worked out, no matter what I did. There is no hiding that we didn’t get on. I think he was a brilliant manager but, you know, the past is the past. It is time to move on. I am trying to move on, but, obviously, he can’t."
It became blatant that Jose was never going to be a long term managerial solution, and this shows exactly why. It's similar to the scenario to with Pogba - an ability to break players rather than offer support. Though silverware has marginally eluded us thus far under Ole, the entire aura surrounding the club is wholly more positive. It was latterly evident that Mourinho was losing the grasp of a hefty quantity of his players, down to nobody other than himself. To single out players who he particularly disliked is vile, and to call them out in the press is completely outrageous.
"I think it can have an effect but the way he was with me - that was him and he had his personal agenda - but I think everyone I had around me at the club was fully with me 100%. So, whatever went on between me and him was our own thing. I knew I would be able to outlast him and I have, and I can just focus on getting better and improving." Luke further stated, "He continuously talks about me, which I find quite strange. Even some of the lads have said, 'What’s his problem?' and, 'Why does he keep talking?'. He just needs to move on. I find it easy to ignore him now and even laugh about it, but it’s better just to ignore it."
As disparaging as the comments were and still are, you can certainly say it only made Luke stronger as a person and player. Here he is at the Euros, heavily contributing to England's first major tournament victory over Germany since 1966. Some certain person said it wasn't even a debate that he shouldn't start for the Three Lions...
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