Smalling hits back at sacked Mourinho in candid Instagram post over pain threshold criticism

Chris Smalling, the former Manchester United centre-half and current AS Roma player, has responded to Jose Mourinho's criticism regarding his ability to play through pain.

This response comes after Mourinho, who was recently sacked as Roma manager, publicly questioned Smalling's pain threshold. Mourinho had made similar remarks during their time together at Manchester United, as per Daily Mail

In a detailed Instagram post, Smalling addressed these criticisms. He clarified that he never considered leaving AS Roma and emphasized his commitment to the club, despite his prolonged absence due to a knee injury. Smalling has been out of action for about four-and-a-half months due to a persistent knee problem.

He denied reports suggesting that he had gone against medical recommendations, refused surgery or painkillers, or requested to leave Roma. Instead, Smalling stated that he has always prioritized the needs of his teammates and the club, and that he has been following the advice of medical specialists, which did not include surgery as an option.

Smalling also reflected on his past experiences with Mourinho, noting that the coach had previously criticized him for allegedly being unwilling to play through pain. Back in November 2016, while Mourinho was the manager at Manchester United, he commented on Smalling's reluctance to play with pain, only for it to later emerge that Smalling had a broken toe.

Despite these past criticisms, Smalling expressed a positive outlook on working with Mourinho again at Roma prior to the manager's sacking. He acknowledged Mourinho's drive to push players to their limits and recognized the manager's successful career, indicating a readiness to move past their history.

This situation highlights the complex dynamics between players and managers, especially when it comes to handling injuries and player fitness. Smalling's response seems to aim at clearing up misconceptions about his injury situation and his dedication to his team, while also addressing the public criticism from his former manager​​​​.