PETER SCHMEICHEL: Mourinho has changed; he's calmer and more mature... but it won't be enough to win Chelsea the title

By The Footballers' Column

Published: 01:30 EST, 26 August 2013 | Updated: 02:30 EST, 26 August 2013

Peter Schmeichel is the former Manchester United goalkeeper who won five Premier League titles, three FA Cups and a Champions League in his eight years at Old Trafford. In his debut Footballers' Football Column the former Denmark No 1 gives his views on the current United keeper, David de Gea, and assess the title race. Before you read his column, make sure you watch his video below...

 

Footballer's Football Column: Peter Schmeichel

There won’t be many fans doubting that David de Gea can be Manchester United's goalkeeper for many, many years, and I’m not one of them. I’m very impressed with his mental strength. He got hammered for six months when he joined the club. For David it was every day.

Every day he was watching on television, listening on radio, reading in newspapers that he was not very good, that he was the wrong choice and asking what is Fergie thinking about? Still he went out there and played. He came through that season smelling of roses. He made that big save at Chelsea that kept United in the title hunt.

There were still question marks last summer, but what he did last season was fantastic, it’s completely dead now. No-one doubts that David is the future Manchester United goalkeeper for many years.

United's No 1: David De Gea has established himself as one of the best goalkeepers in the Premier League

I admire the kid for having that strength. A lot of kids, a lot of footballers, a lot of people I’ve seen, heard of, played with, would’ve given up, said I’m not having this, let me go back to Spain or wherever. He stuck by it and he’s come out an even stronger goalkeeper. That’s half the battle won there. If you’re strong enough and have got the basic skills, you’ll make it. He’s plenty strong enough.

He can go on to achieve what I did at the club. He's got all the attributes a goalkeeper needs. He’s a young man and he can still improve. He should work even harder on his strength. I don’t see a problem in goal at Man United. I think he’s the guy that could carry on for many, many years.

Will he stay? Football is so unpredictable. You can imagine all kinds of scenarios, all the ones we don’t want to talk about which stop a football career. But also you could see Real Madrid come in with an absolutely ridiculous offer, something even Man United can’t refuse. You say OK fine, he’s given us so many years we’ll do that.

He’s 22 now, I played 'til I was 40. And I played in the old days, when we thought differently about training, didn’t have squad rotation, we had the same number of games but pitches weren't as good. A lot of external things that wear you down.

He’s playing in the modern era with modern technology, they get monitored for everything in training. They can see if you’re about to get a cold. There’s no reason for players not to play on for longer. David is 22, he could carry on nearly for ever, nearly for a lifetime.

For me the most important ingredient in goalkeeping is being able to recover from a mistake in an instant. David has made mistakes and you don’t see that effect him in the next situation he’s involved in. A lot of goalkeepers carry that with them throughout their game. That's what separates the best from the worst. You make mistakes all the time. No one is perfect.

Flying through the air: De Gea overcome his early mistakes

Tough times: De Gea had to endure some difficult spells at the start of his United career

David is brave enough to come for crosses, he will come for crosses and he will make mistakes. As time goes by he’s getting more and more things right. He’s learning more. But I don’t want him to lose that bravery. I want him to come for crosses because he can do that. The more he comes for them, the more experience he’s gained, the more right decisions he’ll make.

I think he’s an absolutely incredible shot stopper. A save is a save. I don’t care what he saves it with or how he saves it, as long as he saves it. He makes some incredible saves with incredible parts of his body in positions you don’t think are possible, but he does make them. That’s the whole point of being a goalkeeper. Perhaps he’s the best shot-stopper in the Premier League.

I hope so he goes on to win more than I did. I hope the club will win everything they play for. I won what I won in my time, I’m happy with that. I want the club to keep winning. Whoever does that I’m happy. If he can do that and make them win more I’m happy for him.

The early years: Alex Ferguson with signings Paul Parker, Schmeichal and Andrei Kanchelskis

Super save: Schmeichel leaps spectacularly to Steve Sedgley's header in the early 90s

Three and easy: Schmeichel helped United win the treble in 1999

The great Dane: Schmeichel is presented with an honour of service award by his manager Alex Ferguson

Chelsea and Manchester City are two of the main sides who could stand in United's way of trophies. It's up to them to bridge the gap from last season.

But I don't think the return of Jose Mourinho alone will be enough for Chelsea. Can you imagine him losing three games, how are the players going to take to him? How are the fans going to take to him? I think he’s one of the best managers ever, I’m a massive fan, he’s done so much good for football.

He comes into a Chelsea team who really need someone like him, but he’s still got to perform. He still has to get out of the players what other managers haven’t got.

The Changingman: Schmeichel says Jose Mourinho has matured since his first spell at Chelsea - but does not think that will be enough to win the league

He’s still got a lot of those players there, yes he’s going to have an instant impact but it’s still a long season, it goes on until mid-May. This is not something you win just because you’re you, you have to work really hard and you have to work really hard with the players everyday.

Mourinho has been at Chelsea before, but he’s changed; he’s matured, he's calmer, he’s a different person than the first time around. I think he's more humble now. He’s so intelligent, he’s so quick, he’ll spot the quality brought in by the previous couple of managers and see the potential.

I’m not scared of Chelsea, but I respect them more now with him being the manager and I can see that being a duel between Man United and Chelsea. And possible Man City as well.

Mistake: Manchester City's Joe Hart misses a free kick by Manchester United's Robin van Persie in the final minute of the derby as City lost 3-2

One of the best: Schmeichel says Hart is one of the best keepers around

With Joe Hart in goal, they one of the best goalkeepers England have ever had. He is a fantastic goalkeeper. He does make many mistakes, but people are looking for the mistakes rather than seeing how good he really is. He had 18 clean sheets last year – 18! That’s six more than Man United had. Eighteen clean sheets in a a team that wasn’t working. I think that’s pretty good. Be nicer to Joe.

Last season when he conceded Robin van Persie's winning goal in United's 3-2 win, he got the blame.

The manager went on the pitch afterwards and tried to defend himself by going out and blaming Joe.

The ball was going to the near post, as a goalkeeper you make your move then. It gets deflected and goes in at the far post. He gets so close to it, it would’ve been the best save ever had he got to it. But how can he ever save that?

England have got a great goalkeeper. He's one of the best you've ever had.