Mourinho Slams Gareth Southgate for Phil Jones Medical Treatment & Hopes Smalling Avoids Call Up
Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho has discussed his unhappiness at Gareth Southgate and the FA regarding Phil Jones, claiming that he was not informed that his in-form defender had received injections during the international break.
Jones has been in red hot form under the Portuguese boss this season, and understandably, the centre-half has been relied upon by both club and country this term. However, with United having to pay particular attention to Jones' fitness (nursing a thigh injury for a number of weeks), the defender was then forced off halfway through England's recent international friendly against Germany.
When Mourinho was asked whether he'd spoken to Southgate regarding Jones, the United boss responded bluntly:
“No," said Mourinho, according to Football 365.
“I think it’s a conversation between doctors because I’m not a doctor.
“I just get information from my doctor, and the information from my doctor was that they consult him in relation to Phil Jones with a little problem in the knee when the national team starts working."
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The 25-year-old Jones was said to have received six injections by England in order to play for the team - but having left the field early against the Germans, he was then ruled out of his club's weekend victory over Newcastle.
“But then no more contact. The local injections before the match, we were not informed (about).
“Apart from that, I don’t have to speak with Southgate. I just wish (him) good and want him to be successful.”
Mourinho then decided to take another swipe at the England boss when discussing Chris Smalling - the Portuguese manager has obviously been left with a bitter taste in his mouth:
"I hope he doesn't get an international recall because they always come back injured, I mean real injuries. Not injuries that keep people out of friendly games and then they start on the Saturday." He said, according to Chris Winterburn on Twitter.
