Ander Herrera explains why Jose Mourinho can turn Real Madrid around: ‘He did it during his first spell’

Ander Herrera explains why Jose Mourinho can turn Real Madrid around: ‘He did it during his first spell’ Former Manchester United midfielder Ander Herrera has offered an insight into Jose Mourinho’s management style, drawing on his experience working with the Portuguese coach at Old Trafford as the current Real Madrid boss attempts to restore the Spanish giants to their former dominance. Speaking on the El Camino de Mario podcast (h/t SPORT ), Herrera reflected on Mourinho’s demanding approach, his relationship with players and the importance he places on character.  The Spaniard also assessed the challenge facing the manager at Real Madrid, where expectations remain enormous following two difficult seasons and the departures of influential midfielders Toni Kroos and Luka Modric from the club’s previous era of success. Herrera explains Mourinho’s demanding management style Herrera’s time under Mourinho at Manchester United gave him a close-up view of a manager who expects players to accept criticism and understand their responsibilities within the squad.  Rather than viewing confrontation as a barrier to building relationships, the midfielder believes Mourinho uses it to develop resilience and establish standards. “For me, Mou is a manager who builds character. He comes from a style of football where players weren’t easily offended.  “Criticism was accepted, understood, and the pecking order was respected,” he began saying. Herrera played under Mourinho at Manchester United. (Photo by Alex Livesey/Getty Images) Herrera also recalled an incident that showed how Mourinho could be brutally honest with his players without allowing a difficult conversation to damage their relationship.  Reflecting on the aftermath of a Europa League match against Saint-Etienne, he described how the manager confronted him publicly before their relationship quickly returned to normal. “I remember a match after the Saint-Etienne game in the Europa League when he came up to me in front of everyone and told me it had been a disaster and so on… and well, the next day we had a hug.” Real Madrid face a difficult transition under Mourinho Mourinho’s return to Real Madrid has brought a fresh set of challenges.  The club is attempting to re-establish consistency while going through the pressure associated with their recent difficulties and the transition away from the midfield foundations provided by Kroos and Modric. Herrera believes the scale of the task should not be underestimated.  “I can see he’s got a tough nut to crack.  “Real Madrid are coming off the back of two difficult years with a lot of noise surrounding the team, and a lot of noise surrounding their stars too, in a post-Kroos, post-Modrić era – it’s not easy. It’s tough.” Herrera has backed Mourinho to succeed at Real Madrid. (Photo by Marcelo Endelli/Getty Images) Real Madrid’s recent improvement, including victories in the Champions League and El Clasico, has offered encouragement.  Their 2-1 victory over Barcelona , secured with a brace from Kylian Mbappe, provided an important result against their fiercest rivals, even if the performance was not entirely convincing. Herrera backs Mourinho to challenge Barcelona again The task becomes even more complicated when Real Madrid’s ambitions are measured against Barcelona’s ability to compete at the highest level.  Under Hansi Flick, the Catalan side has presented a formidable challenge, making the rivalry between the clubs a defining test for Mourinho’s latest spell in Madrid. Despite acknowledging the difficulty of the assignment, Herrera believes Mourinho possesses the personality and determination required to change the direction of a team.  “And then, against a Barça side that’s unbeatable. It’s a case of everything coming together, but if there’s one person who has the charisma and—I’d even say—the drive to turn things around, it’s him.  “He already did it during his first spell, when he managed—I don’t know if he turned things around completely—but he certainly rose to the level of that Barça side, he concluded.