Modern footballers can’t take criticism, says Lukaku

Manchester United striker Romelu Lukaku has claimed modern footballers cannot take criticism. 

The Belgian forward was speaking in relation to his club manager Jose Mourinho’s recent and perennial accusations of having a divisive management style.

 

“People know a side from him which is he’s a winner,” Lukaku told Dion Dublin on Football Focus, via BBC Sport.

“But what I like about him is he’s not going to fake his emotions. When he’s mad, you know he is mad. When he’s happy, you see he is happy.

“I don’t understand why people don’t like the realness about him. When he’s mad at me I know he is mad at me, and I try to do what he wants so he is happy again.”

“Sometimes footballers, we get soft a little bit,” added Lukaku. “If I listen to players from back in the day and now, a manager cannot say what he wants to a player because you feel attacked.

“But I don’t feel attacked, because that’s who I am – I am a tough man, but that doesn’t come from football, that comes from my background.”

United have had a mixed start to the season, winning two and losing two, placing them 10th. After their loss against Spurs at Old Trafford, Mourinho demanded “respect” from the journalists at his press conference, with the general mood around the club leading some to speculate whether the two-time Champions League winner would stay at the club until Christmas.

But Lukaku has been quick to dampen any suggestion his manager is a difficult presence, insisting he is simply an honest person with zero pretension.

“My relationship with him is cool. He makes me laugh, he makes the players laugh, he’s a real family guy,” he continued.

“He fights for his players, but he’s real. When you’re not happy, you don’t need to fake your emotions.

“People need to appreciate that, at least there are people who are real in this world like him. Because most of the managers in the league, when they are not happy they try to find a way to seem happy.

“You should respect that he wants to keep his own personality and not shy away from confrontation. Here, he really wants us to improve. He is a normal guy, we get along well. He is cool with everybody.”

United face a surprisingly crucial game away in the league against Watford on Saturday, with the Hornets currently four wins out of four after beating Tottenham Hotspur in their last fixture.

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