Jose Mourinho claims he put the needs of Manchester United first during his final season at the club, and hinted some players could have made a similar choice prior to his dismissal.
Mourinho left Old Trafford in December, having overseen one of the team’s worst starts to a campaign in Premier League history.
Much was made of an apparent falling out between the Portuguese coach and star midfielder Paul Pogba late in Mourinho’s tenure.
And the former Chelsea, Inter and Real Madrid boss, speaking during an appearance on beIN Sports, expressed his belief individuals need to prioritise the collective good during a difficult period.
“If you tell me that in the past season that I had some problems … I don’t want to speak about [that] for obvious reasons,” he said.
“I will not deny to you that some factors had an influence in that the last period was not a good one. It’s impossible to win trophies without a good relationship with players.
“What you need sometimes is to accelerate some process, what you need to be is to be a club man and sometimes to be a club man you need to forget yourself a little bit.
“I think I always did it, sometimes for the good of the immediate needs of the club and group.
“I put myself in situations that in the eyes of people from the outside are not the best position, but I don’t regret that at all because I always give my all for the club.”
Mourinho won the Carabao Cup and Europa League at Old Trafford, and guided the team back into the Champions League, leaving the 56-year-old to defend his record at the helm, and his interaction with the squad.
“It’s not possible to win trophies without a good relationship with the players,” he said.
“In Real Madrid I won trophies, in Chelsea I won trophies, a lot of them, three Premier League trophies, which is a lot in England.
“In Manchester United I won trophies too, it’s not possible to win trophies without good [player] relationships.”