Back the boss: Woodward must trust Mourinho in treatment of Eric Bailly

Eric Bailly’s had a tough time of it at Man Utd, and this season, things have gotten worse for him. He’s been subjected to harsh treatment from Jose Mourinho before, but it’s got a whole lot worst this season.

The Ivorian has been limited to just 5 league starts this term, with Mourinho opting against giving him regular minutes.

Naturally, this has led to exit rumours, and the Daily Record have reported over the last few days that the defender is unhappy at Old Trafford owing to his treatment under his manager.

This is sure to frustrate Ed Woodward, the man behind Man Utd’s transfer business, as it’s quickly looking as though Bailly is set to go down as yet another disappointing Old Trafford recruit.

However, the reality should be very different. Woodward needs to trust the manager – because he knows what he’s doing.

After all, you can’t exactly blame the manager for leaving our a player that has undeniably been below par ass of late. Despite impressing early on in his time at Old Trafford, since that point he’s been very poor. Injury problems have played their part, and that has contributed to his downturn in form, but the buck must stop with the defender.

He’s clearly got bags of quality, but he hasn’t shown it, and so what can Jose Mourinho really do? The manager can’t continue to pick someone based on their past form, as that sends a worrying message to the rest of the squad.

Is Bailly deserving of more game time? Certainly, but we’ve been here before at Old Trafford. A handful of players, including Luke Shaw and Anthony Martial, have faced this sort of treatment before, and they’re now starring in the Man Utd first team. Jose Mourinho is a divisive manager, and his methods can be controversial. However, the proof is in the pudding, and his style has been working even over the last few months.

Even another Man Utd defender, Victor Lindelof, has been on the bad side of Mourinho since he moved. But he got his head down, and he’s now emerged as a regular at Old Trafford – and deservedly so. He’s been fantastic, and he deserves all of the praise that has now come his way.

Mourinho knows what he’s doing, and Woodward must avoid intervening, either by deciding not to sell Bailly or by laying down the law to Jose Mourinho. If Bailly is good enough, he’ll make it at Man Utd.

Thoughts?