Jose Mourinho’s reign at Manchester United isn’t mentioned too much any more.
That’s likely an indication of how well Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has taken the club on from where he found it in December 2018 – as well as Mourinho’s underwhelming Tottenham spell so far.
Mourinho picked no shortage of fights and alienated plenty at Old Trafford but perhaps none moreso than Luke Shaw.
That spell in Shaw’s career came up again this week, when he spoke to the BBC about his recent improvement.
“It was a very hard time a couple of years back,” said Shaw. “When I wasn’t playing, wasn’t even involved. I always believed in myself.
“I wasn’t able to get my word across. A lot of people were behind me here so I knew I had that backing.
“I just needed to keep quiet. A lot of people were saying a lot of negative stuff about me and I just look back at it as a learning curve.
“There was a lot of changes in my lifestyle but the main thing was never to give up and believe in myself more.”
Shaw’s comments also show how well Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s contrasting management style has worked with him.
Mourinho publicly criticised Shaw harshly and often, but Solskjaer has simply shown faith in the Englishman.
He’s kept putting him in the team, kept backing him and even when Alex Telles came in, he hasn’t automatically put him ahead of Shaw in the pecking order.
That approach is paying off now. Shaw has put together by far his best run of form in a United shirt.
He looks fitter than ever, offering a real attacking threat as well as sharpening up on his defensive work.
As Mourinho once again toils to get the best out of a talented Englishman in Dele Alli at Spurs, Solskjaer’s management style has improved Shaw, as well as the likes of Scott McTominay, Fred, Paul Pogba and Aaron Wan-Bissaka.
Solskjaer isn’t perfect but he seems more attuned than Mourinho on how to get the best out of the modern footballer and Shaw’s recent form is proof of that.
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