Wayne Rooney praises Jose Mourinho as 'great' manager with 'winning attitude'

The Manchester United captain was speaking ahead of his testimonial match against Everton next week

Samuel Lovett
Friday 29 July 2016 14:38 BST
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Rooney and Mourinho together in training
Rooney and Mourinho together in training

Wayne Rooney has praised Jose Mourinho as a “great” manager and believes he has brought back a “winning mentality” to Old Trafford.

The 53-year-old was officially announced as the Manchester United boss last May and has already set about introducing wholesale changes as he looks to build a Premier League-winning side.

Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Henrikh Mkhitaryan and Eric Bailly have all been brought in, with Paul Pogba’s arrival expected imminently, while a number of current players, Bastian Schweinsteiger included, have reportedly been told they are now surplus to requirements.

In contrast to the tame and subdued managerial approach adopted by Louis van Gaal, Mourinho has injected a higher degree of intensity to the United programme ahead of the coming season and fostered an obsession with winning that has “excited” everyone, according to Rooney.

Speaking to Manchester radio station Key103, the United captain said: “It's always exciting when you get a new manager but to get a new manager in the stature of Jose Mourinho... he's first of all great to work under and he's brought his way of working and a winning mentality back to the club.

“I think Manchester United as a football club need to win. We have to win and he certainly has that winning mentality.

“He has that stature of winning trophies wherever he goes and we have to deliver for him so there's pressure on players, of course there always is at Manchester United but we're ready, we're working hard and I think this season we'll give a real challenge on all fronts.”

Mourinho has left no stone unturned in preparation of the new season and has implemented a gruelling training regime to push United to the best of their abilities.

On their return from China, Mourinho put his players through their paces in a two-hour training session almost immediately after the squad plane had touched down.

But United’s players have embraced the methods and focused approach of their Portuguese boss.

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“The training is tough, of course, it's pre-season so you'd expect that but we've enjoyed it.

“He's come in and he's been great with the players. The training has been hard but enjoyable. The players are ready, we're working hard, we know it's a big season for us.”

Rooney also praised Mourinho for his signings as the club stands poised to announce Pogba as its latest player. "He's made in my opinion great signings, they've gelled in really well with the squad so it's exciting times," the 30-year-old said.

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