Jose Mourinho: England’s Luke Shaw does not understand criticism by former manager

BBC
BBC
Shaw and Mourinho

England defender Luke Shaw says he does not understand why he continues to receive criticism from his former Manchester United boss Jose Mourinho.

In his role as a radio pundit, Mourinho said Shaw’s set-piece delivery was “drastically bad” in England’s win against the Czech Republic.

Shaw said even his international team-mates had asked: “What’s his problem?”

“Clearly I am in his head a lot and he clearly thinks about me a lot,” the 25-year-old said.

“There is no hiding that we didn’t get on,” Shaw added, speaking of his time playing under Mourinho.

“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.

“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.”

Shaw has been on an upward trajectory since Mourinho’s Manchester United sacking in December 2018.

The defender won just one England cap while he struggled to get into the United side, but has started the last two Euro 2020 fixtures at left-back.

He helped United finish second in the table and was named in the Premier League Team of the Year for 2020-21 after becoming a first-team regular under Mourinho’s replacement, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.

Mourinho followed his time at United with an 18-month stint at Tottenham before being named as Roma’s new head coach in May, but has been working as a pundit on Talksport during Euro 2020.

“What he says now is nothing compared to how it used to be if I am being totally honest,” Shaw said.

“I am so past it now. I have grown up a lot. The three years I had with him, I learnt a lot. I find it easy to ignore him now and even laugh about it. But it’s better just to ignore it and move on with my life.”

Shaw has turned his attention to England’s last-16 match against old rivals Germany on Tuesday (kick-off 17:00 BST), saying it “would feel unbelievable” to beat them.

The three-time European champions beat the Three Lions on penalties at both the 1990 World Cup and Euro 96, the latter of which was played at Wembley with current England boss Gareth Southgate missing a crucial spot-kick.

“Not just for us as players, but for the whole nation to see that would be brilliant,” he added.

“Of course what’s happened in the past is the past. But us as players, as a whole team, want to create our own story and you know what a perfect way to start that [than] by hopefully beating Germany on Tuesday and setting a tone for the rest of the tournament.”

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