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At Manchester United Is José Mourinho’s Third-Season Syndrome Arriving Early?

José Mourinho accused some of his Manchester United players of making ‘childish decisions’ in the final minutes of the draw with Leicester. Photograph: Oli Scarff/AFP/Getty Images
José Mourinho accused some of his Manchester United players of making ‘childish decisions’ in the final minutes of the draw with Leicester. Photograph: Oli Scarff/AFP/Getty Images
    Ed Aarons
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At Manchester United Is José Mourinho’s Third-Season Syndrome Arriving Early?

José Mourinho accused some of his Manchester United players of making ‘childish decisions’ in the final minutes of the draw with Leicester. Photograph: Oli Scarff/AFP/Getty Images
José Mourinho accused some of his Manchester United players of making ‘childish decisions’ in the final minutes of the draw with Leicester. Photograph: Oli Scarff/AFP/Getty Images

The question was harmless enough but the response was revealing. In the King Power Stadium, with the pain of Leicester City’s late equalizer still raw, José Mourinho stared incredulously at his inquisitor and snarled back without pausing.

“Do you think I’m worried with that now, in this moment? With captain and Paul and Paul and captain? No. Do you have any more questions about the game?”

“It’s related to the game,” came the reply.

“No, it’s not related to the game,” said Mourinho, rising from his chair. “What do you mean the armband? What is the influence in the game?”

“We’re just trying to do our job and get a line.”

“Which line? The line of the captain? Pfff. That’s not a line,” the Manchester United manager shrugged dismissively as he started walking towards the door. “Any more questions? Merry Christmas, eh.”

Even as Mourinho rants go, his reaction to being asked about Paul Pogba’s first Premier League match as United captain was one of the more bizarre matters over which to lose his temper. But this has been a month in which the 54-year-old has been involved in a tunnel bust-up at Old Trafford, walked out of a press conference accusing the media of a lack of respect for Bournemouth, and referred to Bristol City as lucky after a cup defeat. He is growing increasingly frustrated as Manchester City sweep all before them.

Accusing his players of making “childish decisions” in the dying moments of Saturday’s match was an indication that Mourinho is quickly losing patience with some of the senior members of his squad, with Anthony Martial, Ashley Young and Chris Smalling – forced to play on with an injury because United had no substitutes remaining – the potential culprits he had in mind.

It brought back memories of his bitter attack on his Chelsea side after their defeat at Leicester a little more than two years ago. On that occasion Mourinho accused his players of betraying him as they suffered a ninth league defeat of the season despite having won the title a few months earlier – he was sacked two days later. Although there is a long way to go before he reaches that scale of meltdown, there is compelling evidence that the early stages of his notorious third-season syndrome may have arrived way ahead of schedule.

For a manager who has never failed to win the domestic title in his second season at any of his clubs, it is easy to understand why. Even with United starting the second half of the season in their highest position since they won the Premier League in 2013, Mourinho finds his team cut adrift of Pep Guardiola’s City. A lack of professionalism against Leicester cost them, with Martial and Jesse Lingard spurning opportunities to secure a win.

But the withering assessment that there was a “lack of maturity” is unlikely to have been well received in the dressing room, especially by Young, whom Mourinho accused of failing to get his message across. The England international has emerged as one of his most trusted lieutenants, captaining the side on more than one occasion this season, so it was surprising to hear him singled out.

But, as Mourinho admitted so publicly, the armband does not mean much to him. In the absence of the club captain, Michael Carrick, Antonio Valencia has been the regular choice for most of this season along with Smalling, with Pogba stepping in on Saturday. Perhaps that is part of the problem?

It is difficult to imagine a United side containing Steve Bruce or Roy Keane succumbing to such a sloppy equalizer against 10 men with the last kick of the match and Mourinho’s inability to relay his instructions to his team via Young when Smalling was injured does not reflect well on the manager’s relationship with his team.

A trusted captain can provide the crucial link between players and manager that appears to be missing at the moment – a role to which Pogba should be perfectly suited. His suspension for the Manchester derby was a bitter blow to Mourinho’s hopes of taking the game to City but with the midfielder back in the side it would make sense to entrust him with the captaincy for the long term.

The home fixture against Burnley on Boxing Day provides United with the chance of immediate redemption, and the subsequent games against Southampton and away at Everton must be won to stand any chance of keeping the title race alive. As Mourinho himself once said: “As the coach and leader you must be the master motivator of your team.” Now is the time for him to prove that his methods can still have an effect.

(The Guardian)

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Flotilla on Seine, Rain and Celine Dion Mark Start of Paris Olympics

Members of delegations are seen during the opening ceremony of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games in Paris on July 26, 2024. (AFP)
Members of delegations are seen during the opening ceremony of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games in Paris on July 26, 2024. (AFP)
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Flotilla on Seine, Rain and Celine Dion Mark Start of Paris Olympics

Members of delegations are seen during the opening ceremony of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games in Paris on July 26, 2024. (AFP)
Members of delegations are seen during the opening ceremony of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games in Paris on July 26, 2024. (AFP)

French President Emmanuel Macron declared the Olympic Games open on Friday after a soaking wet ceremony in which athletes were cheered by the crowd along the Seine, dancers took to the roofs of Paris and Lady Gaga sang a French cabaret song.

France's three-time Olympic gold medalists Marie-Jose Perec and Teddy Riner then lit the Olympic cauldron, suspended on a hot-air balloon, before Canada's Celine Dion sang Edith Piaf's "Hymn to Love", in her first public performance in years, drawing huge cheers from the crowd.

The 30-meter (98 ft) high balloon carrying a 7-meter diameter ring of fire took to the air and was hovering dozens of meters above the ground.

It will be in the air from sunset until 2 am local time every day, organizers said.

"We are so proud of this show, I'm so proud that sport and culture were celebrated in such a fantastic manner tonight, it was a first and the result was fantastic despite the rain," Paris 2024 organizing president Tony Estanguet told reporters.

A fleet of barges took the competitors on a 6 km-stretch of the river alongside some of the French capital's most famous landmarks, as performers recreated some of the sports to be showcased in the Games on floating platforms.

It was the first time that an opening ceremony has taken place outside a stadium, adding to the headaches for a vast security operation, just hours after a sabotage attack on the high-speed TGV rail network caused travel chaos across France.

"I invite everybody: dream with us. Like the Olympic athletes, be inspired with the joy that only sport can give us. Let us celebrate this Olympic spirit of living in peace," International Olympics Committee President Thomas Bach said as the ceremony came to an end at the foot of the Eiffel Tower.

More than 10,500 athletes will compete at the Olympics, 100 years since Paris last staged the Games. Competition started on Wednesday and the first of the 329 gold medals will be awarded on Saturday.

As the show started four hours earlier, a giant plume of blue, white and red smoke, resembling the French flag, was sent high above a bridge over the Seine as part of a show that included many postcard-like depictions of France, including a huge cancan line performed by Moulin Rouge dancers on the banks.

A more modern image of the country was on display when French-Malian pop star Aya Nakamura, the most-listened to French female singer in the world, sang some of her biggest hits, accompanied by the French Republican Guard's army choir.

Nakamura's performance drew some of the ceremony's biggest cheers. Rumors of her inclusion had sparked a row over French identity, with supporters saying she represented the vibrancy of modern-day France while her detractors said her music owes more to foreign influences than French.

POURING RAIN

While the celebration of French culture, fashion and history was warmly cheered by many of the 300,000 spectators lining the river, hundreds were seen leaving early as the rain fell.

"It was good other than the rain, it was nice, it was different, instead of being in a stadium being on the river, so that's always a good thing - interesting, unique," said Avid Pureval, 34, who came to the Games from Ohio.

"Once you're wet, it's fine," he said. Still, he was heading back to his hotel after the French boat passed, long before the ceremony ended.

"It would have been better with sun," said Josephine, from Paris, sitting beside her 9-year-old daughter and who paid 1,600 euros ($1,736) for her seat.

With many world leaders and VIPs present, the ceremony was protected by snipers on rooftops. The Seine's riverbed was swept for bombs, and Paris' airspace was closed.

Some 45,000 police and thousands of soldiers were deployed in a huge security operation in Paris for the ceremony. Armed police patrolled along the river in inflatable boats as the armada made its passage along the Seine.

WELCOMED IN TAHITI

A mix of French and international stars, including soccer great Zinedine Zidane, 14-times French Open champion Rafa Nadal, 23-times Grand Slam champion Serena Williams and three paralympic athletes were among the last torchbearers before the cauldron was lit.

It will blaze until the closing ceremony on Aug. 11.

At the start of the parade, applause erupted for the Greek boat - the first delegation, by tradition - and there were even bigger cheers for the boat that followed, carrying the refugees' team. The French, US and Ukrainian delegations also got loud cheers.

The two most decorated athletes in the Games' history, Michael Phelps and Martin Fourcade, unveiled the gold, silver and bronze medals.

At one point, there was a live crossover to the early morning welcome ceremony at the surfing venue, 16,000 km away in the Pacific island of Tahiti.

ISRAEL DELEGATION

France is at its highest level of security, though officials have repeatedly said there was no specific threat to the opening ceremony or the Games.

But since the last Games - the Winter Olympics held in Beijing in 2022 - wars have erupted in Ukraine and Gaza, providing a tense international backdrop.

Israeli competitors are being escorted by elite tactical units to and from events and are given 24-hour protection throughout the Olympics due to the war in Gaza, officials say.

The Israel delegation got some boos, but also a lot of cheers, as it sailed by spectators, Reuters reporters saw. Chants of "Palestine! Palestine! Palestine!" rose from the crowd as the boat passed.

Macron, who won a second mandate two years ago, had hoped the Olympics would cement his legacy. But his failed bet on a snap legislative election has weakened him and cast a shadow over his moment on the international stage.