Manchester United

Manchester United boss Jose Mourinho defends record with youth players

By Danielle Joynson, Staff Reporter | 05 July 2016

Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho rejects suggestions that he does not bring through enough youth players at clubs that he has worked at.

Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho has rubbished suggestions that he does not bring through enough young talent.

The Portuguese coach, who was appointed United boss on a three-year deal in May, is not known for giving academy players a chance during his spells at various clubs.

In Louis van Gaal's two years at Old Trafford, Marcus Rashford, Jesse Lingard and Timothy Fosu-Mensah impressed in the first team.

There have been suggestions that Mourinho will not promote from the academy, but he has rejected claims that he does not turn to youth.

When asked about his youth policy in today's press conference, Mourinho told reporters: "How many minutes do we have left? I have not time to answer it. It would take 10 minutes to answer it. I knew this question was coming. Do you want to know how many players I have promoted from academies? 49. Do you want me to list them out? I promoted 49 from the academies at clubs and two factors that are important for these records.

"Sometimes you have no other choice but to promote them because you have injured - that is one factor. The second is when you are not playing for big targets, it is easier to bring them up, outside the pressure of the big moments. My record with injuries is very low – even from the UEFA studies, there were many times the team with the least injuries in the whole of Europe was mine.

"Last year the only season of my only career that I was not fighting for the title - every other season I was winning or finishing second, or finish third once but still fighting for the title. I still did 49 and some of them we are speaking about big names - players that today are Champions League winners, playing for national teams. Forty nine is a lot. Once more, it's one lie repeated many times. Sometimes it looks like it might be true but it is always a lie. The names, if you want them, I'll give them to you."

Meanwhile, Mourinho has ruled out playing captain Wayne Rooney in midfield.