Jose Mourinho even chose the players’ shoes at Real Madrid, reveals Aitor Karanka
Former Boro manager hails his former boss and says there's a fun side to United gaffer that he keeps well hidden from the cameras
JOSE Mourinho is such a perfectionist that he even changed the shoes players wore to matches when at Real Madrid, his former colleague Aitor Karanka has revealed.
Former Middlesbrough boss Karanka worked under Mourinho at Madrid during his spell as an assistant at the Bernabeu from 2010 to 2013.
And he has now opened up on their relationship, and told of a secret side to the Manchester United boss that is kept well hidden from the public eye.
Karanka, who has just been appointed Nottingham Forest boss, told The Times: "Jose has everything imaginable under control from the grass on the training pitch to the shoes the players wore.
“We were trying the suit of the team to travel in, and the shoes. Real Madrid had a brand of shoe but it wasn’t a top brand.
"Jose looked at the person at the club and said, ‘Oh, the players use this brand of shoe in their normal life?’ ‘No, I don’t think so.’ ‘Ah, so they have to use this brand before the game when they’re used to other brands?’
"Jose was thinking about the shoe, so the players would be comfortable before the game."
Karanka added: “He thinks of everything. Even for me, an assistant, I had to put every single cone in the right position and every single bib out at the right time.
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"He’s always demanding of the goalkeeper coach, the fitness coach, myself, the players. He wants everybody around the team to be fully concentrated in the work.”
Mourinho has come in for intense criticism of late with his United side trailing runaway Premier League leaders Manchester City and being accused of playing negative football.
And while City boss Pep Guardiola is being hailed for City's record-breaking start, Karanka believes the rivalry is good for his old pal Mourinho.
He said: "Jose is the same as Conte, the same as Pep, the same as Arsène, the same as Jurgen. Different personalities, different qualities, different style, but all of them want to win.
"Football and life is about winning. It was good for Jose when he arrived at Real that Guardiola was at Barcelona, because of the challenge. It is good for Jose that Pep is now here. Competition is good.”
Much of the criticism hurled at Mourinho of late has been down to his glum attitude and apparent lack of a sense of humour.
But Karanka says the Portuguese is a completely different character when away from the public gaze.
He said: "Ninety five per cent of the day, Jose is fun, and the other five per cent is just with the media.
"When my wife met Jose, she was surprised. He was not the person she was used to seeing on the TV. He’s funny, a very good father, very good friend.
"He’s very loyal. In my case, he transmitted me all his confidence and I gave him all my best.”
Mourinho will hope to be smiling this evening after his side have played Southampton at Old Trafford.
United trail City by 15 points and need to find form again after disappointing draws away to Leicester and at home to Burnley over Christmas.