Lindelof: "He's a great coach and a great person, whom I owe a great deal. It was he who gave me the chance here, who brought me into everything."
Wednesday 13 November 2019 21:50, UK
Victor Lindelof admits he misses his former manager Jose Mourinho being in football, following his departure from Manchester United last season.
Mourinho has been out of managerial work since being sacked by United in December 2018, after he oversaw the club's worst start to a campaign in 28 years.
The Portuguese, 56, has been linked to various roles in world football since then and Lindelof, who won the Swedish Golden Ball award for the second consecutive year this week, says he would like to see him back managing at the top level again in the future.
"He is, after all, one of the world's best coaches and he is supposed to have a job at one of the biggest clubs. I miss him in football," Lindelof told Swedish newspaper Aftonbladet.
"He's a great coach and a great person, whom I owe a great deal. It was he who gave me the chance here, who brought me into everything."
Speaking to Sky Sports, Mourinho was critical of Lindelof's performance in United's 2-0 defeat away at West Ham in September, claiming that the defender can be "bullied" by attackers and is weak in aerial battles.
The centre-half, who Mourinho signed from Benfica for £30m in 2017, was unfazed by the comments at the time, and maintains that he owes his ex-manager a debt of gratitude for bringing him to the Premier League.
"I have all the respect in the world for him and appreciate everything he has said and done for me, from scolding to a hug.
"Even if I did not agree, at the time… he has very great charisma, you had great respect for him.
"He's won everything. When he says something, you listen."
Lindelof missed United's 3-0 victory over Partizan Belgrade in the Europa League due to a back injury but played the full match in Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's sides' 3-1 triumph over Brighton in the Premier League.
The 25-year-old has featured 11 times in all competitions so far this term, establishing himself as a first-team regular at centre-back for United alongside record signing Harry Maguire
In September, Lindelof signed a contract extension at the club, which will keep him at Old Trafford until 2024.
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