Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho has been a big fan of the 'tough love' during his time at Old Trafford and he was again having a little dig at his players earlier this week.
The United boss claimed Luke Shaw, Anthony Martial, Jesse Lingard and Marcus Rashford lack "character, personality" during an interview with Bulgarian legend Hristo Stoichkov for Univison Deportes (via Manchester Evening News).
The criticism of Shaw in particular was the latest in a long line of broadsides aimed at the Manchester United left-back. We take a look back at some of the best/worst...
September 2016
Mourinho didn't even bother referring to Shaw by name following United's 3-1 defeat to Watford at Vicarage Road...
Today for the second goal, [Nordin] Amrabat is on the right side, and our left-back is 25 metres distance from him, instead of five metres. But even at 25 metres, then you have to jump and go press. But no, we wait.
November 2016
Poor Luke wasn't even in the squad for United's win over Swansea but he was still hammered for missing the game through injury...
There is a difference between the brave, who want to be there at any cost, and the ones for who a little pain can make a difference.
If I were to speak with the many great football people of this team, they will say many times they played without being 100 per cent. For the team you have to do anything. That is my way of seeing.
February 2017
Despite a lack of playing time, Shaw was an unused substitute during United's FA Cup clash with Blackburn Rovers and was derided for "small injuries".
He has had a couple of small injuries this season and needs to adapt. He knows what I like in a defender, he knows that I like stability, that I don’t like mistakes, that for me it is to trust a player totally and he has to work to get it
April 2017
The end for Shaw as a United player appeared to be nigh when Mourinho said this in the wake of a draw with West Bromwich Albion...
It’s difficult for him to be on the bench because I cannot compare him with Ashley Young, with [Matteo] Darmian, with [Daley] Blind.
I cannot compare the way he trains, the way he way he commits, the focus, the ambition. He is a long way behind.
Even when Shaw played well against Everton later that month, Mourinho still wasn't satisfied...
He had a good performance but it was his body with my brain. He was in front of me and I was making every decision for him.
The communication was possible because we were very close. I was thinking for him, when to close inside, when to open, when to press the opponent, I was making every decision for him.
March 2018
Shaw appeared to have worked his way into Mourinho's first-team plans but was hauled off at half-time during United's 2-0 win over Brighton...
I wanted to defend better, I want my defensive line to be more solid in relation to a few, not many.
October 2018
It is a credit to Shaw that he earned a new contract that will keep him at Old Trafford until 2023. Maybe the tough love works!
Since then, Mourinho still managed to have a pop at Shaw and a few other teammates during his interview with Stoichkov though...
When we talk about Luke Shaw, [Anthony] Martial, [Jesse] Lingard, Marcus Rashford, we’re talking about young lads but who also are still missing a word that I can’t use but you like to use. They are missing a bit of that.
Character, personality, as they say in Spain as well, bad blood, that natural aggression that you [Stoichkov] had.
