Ashley Young gives honest take on Jose Mourinho's 'disappointing' Man Utd tenure as he admits certain players didn't give their all under Portuguese coach

Young, who was a guest on Sky Sports' Monday Night Football, reflected on Mourinho's time at Old Trafford, spanning from the summer of 2016 to December 2018. The full-back admitted that despite the initial anticipation surrounding Mourinho's appointment, the reality fell short of expectations, especially the Portuguese manager's brand of football.

Young remarked that the playing style under Mourinho did not align with the traditional ethos of Manchester United, a sentiment echoed by many fans and pundits during his tenure. However, he did admit that the players could have taken more initiative in adapting to Mourinho's methods and exerting themselves more on the pitch.

"I think everyone was really excited about Jose coming in," Young said. "When you see what he did in his career you thought this is an appointment that could have happened years prior to when it did. I say a little disappointing, as to what was to come.

"You knew Jose from the Chelsea days and then he went to Real and then he's come back and you see the style of football that's being played. I don't think it was a style of football that suited the Manchester United way."

When asked if the players chatted among themselves about Mourinho's tactics, Young said: "Yeah of course players always talk and even then us as players we could have taken it on a bit more. I think there was too much surrounding the club and at times there were players who had been brought under the boss (Ferguson) it was sink or swim. And it was difficult times where I don't think players gave as much as they could."

Mourinho's departure from Manchester United in December 2018 followed a string of disappointing results and reported rifts within the squad. However, he did win the Carabao Cup and Europa League and went on to claim that finishing second in the Premier League in the 2017-18 season was the best result in his managerial career. His subsequent stints at Tottenham Hotspur and AS Roma yielded mixed results, with the Portuguese tactician failing to replicate the success he enjoyed earlier in his career. Nonetheless, he is reportedly eager for a second coming at Old Trafford to replace the under-fire manager Erik ten Hag.