Jose Mourinho Says EPL, FA Don't Care About English Club Success in Tournaments

Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho believes the Premier League and the Football Association "don't give an 'S'" about English teams succeeding in European competition.

The Special One took took issue with the scheduling of the Red Devils' clash with Middlesbrough on Sunday lunchtime after facing FC Rostov in the UEFA Europa League on Thursday, per The Telegraph's James Ducker:

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I can understand if you don’t have any help in relation to the Premier League, but I don’t understand not having any help in relation to European football. I am saying this for many, many years. I’ve said this even from my first spell between 2004 and 2008 [at Chelsea]. I don’t ask for me, I ask for everyone.

I think they don’t give an 'S'. They don’t give an 'S' about English teams in Europe. They simply don’t care.

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United beat Rostov 1-0 to advance to the quarter-finals of the competition, where they will face Anderlecht—adding at least two more matches to their remaining fixtures this season.

Mourinho pointed to other top European leagues and believes they give their sides more flexibility with the scheduling of their matches in relation to playing in Europe: "In Portugal, every team in Europe plays on the next Monday. So every country is doing that. Germany is doing that."

The 54-year-old isn't exactly correct—for example, Sporting Braga played on the next Monday after only three of their six Europa League group matches, while FC Schalke haven't played on a Monday once this season—but there has been some evidence to suggest other leagues are making schedules more amenable for their European contenders.

Porto played on the Friday prior to both of their UEFA Champions League last-16 legs with Juventus, and the Bianconeri did the same, while Lyon have also played on Fridays ahead of European ties this season.

United and Leicester City are England's only representatives in the Europa League and Champions League quarter-finals respectively this season, despite entering seven teams in the two competitions at the start of the year.

Rui Vieira/Associated Press

The Independent's Miguel Delaney offered further damning evidence of Premier League sides' struggles in Europe:

DW Sports' Stefan Bienkowski gave his take on why English teams have failed to have a significant impact in Europe in recent years:

Bienkowski undoubtedly has a point, though the fixture pile-up brought on by the Champions League and the Europa League is likely also a factor.

The latter is particularly guilty of that—advancement to the final means an extra 15 matches over the course of the season, not including any qualifying or play-off rounds prior to the group stage.

As a result, balancing the two can be difficult, particularly when a team is expected to play on a Thursday night and again on a Sunday lunchtime, and competing in Europe can often end up being sacrificed in order to better focus on domestic duties.

United legend and ITV pundit Roy Keane believes Mourinho is wrong to complain about the scheduling, however, per the Daily Mail's Oliver Todd:

Mourinho perhaps has a point, though, with the Red Devils—who still have two Premier League fixtures against Manchester City and Southampton yet to be scheduled—now facing a possible eight matches in April and six in May if they reach the final.

While English sides' progression in Europe is of little consequence to the Premier League or the FA, it's clear they're struggling.

While there are more factors at play than simply scheduling, if more managers follow Mourinho's suit, it could prompt changes in the future.