Stam Endorsed By Mourinho
Like millions of football fans, Jose Mourinho admired Jaap Stam as a player, yet the Manchester United boss admits he is equally impressed by the Dutchman’s early managerial work.
Stam took charge of Reading in June and his team is currently flying high in the Championship, sitting in third place behind only Newcastle United and leaders Brighton & Hove Albion after 24 matches played.
The Royals visit Old Trafford on Saturday for an FA Cup third-round tie against United and Mourinho has been busy analysing their style, tactical approach and eye-catching attacking play, bringing him to the conclusion that Stam’s men will pose a bigger threat than some Premier League teams.
During a pre-match interview with MUTV, Jose was asked about his respect for Stam as the fearsome defender that won the Treble with United, but instead he chose to praise his work as a boss.
“Jaap will be happier if I say he looks a very good manager because as a player everybody knows who Jaap was,” Mourinho told interviewer Stewart Gardner at the Aon Training Complex. “He doesn’t need people to remember how good, how strong and how successful he was in his career.
“He is in the beginning of his career as a manager and it is important that I say, after analysing the way Reading play, he has to be a very good manager because they play really good, really positive football without having big names like some other clubs in the Championship have.
“The team plays so well that I think Old Trafford will enjoy a good match and probably a better match than we had against super defensive opponents in the Premier League. Reading are very positive. They play really good football, they are dangerous in attack and they score lots of goals, so Jaap has to be a very good manager. I think that is the best compliment I can give to him.”
Stam spent three trophy-laden seasons with United from 1998 to 2001, playing a vital role in winning the Treble and three consecutive Premier League titles. He retired in 2007 and later worked as a coach in Holland with Dutch clubs FC Zwolle and AFC Ajax to gain something of an apprenticeship.
Mourinho feels Stam benefitted from that period of education. “Some guys, because of their name and their stature as players, they immediately get jobs and good jobs. Some are ready for it, some aren’t. He made this choice. He was at Ajax and probably was studying and thinking about things.
“He has come to the Championship, which is a very difficult competition to play in and to be a manager in, and again in the last week I watched three or more matches, I analysed them with my people and the way they play, I repeat, it is impossible to do it without a very good manager.”
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