In his press conference following Manchester United's qualification for the quarter finals of the Europa League, Jose Mourinho complained about the fixture pile up that could threaten to derail United's push for glory in that competition, as well as a top four finish in the Premier League.
United do indeed have an enormous amount of games to play throughout April and May, and they have already played more games than any other team in the Premier League. But Jose's whinge has no real substance, and is not fooling anyone.
It is classic Mourinho. He talked about enemies, presumably those who organise the fixtures. He complained that Paul Pogba's injury is a result of the heavy workload, and he also said that United would probably lose against Middlesboro on Sunday. They didn't.
That is classic Mourinho also. His teams win. A lot. That is the main reason for United's huge number of games. The number of league games don't change, it's the same for every team, but progress in cups and you have to play more matches.
He wouldn't have it any other way, and it is credit to him that he has taken all competitions seriously. He hasn't made priorities, he has got on with the business of trying to win trophies, and has one in the bag already.
Deflection tactics are a throwback
But his complaints are only designed to take the spotlight away from the players and on himself. It is a tried and tested technique that Sir Alex Ferguson used to perfection. He creates the sideshow, the players can concentrate on the job in hand.
If he has any sort of point, then it is not the FA that his ire should be directed at, it's the TV companies. The Middlesboro 12.00pm kick off was a bit callous. Why the Europa League teams can't have a Sunday evening kick off. like the rest of Europe, is a mystery.
Then again, the TV companies allow the likes of United to spend £89 million on Pogba. Talking of which, if Pogba did pick up his hamstring injury due to the volume of games, again Mourinho has nobody to blame but himself.
Pogba has played in every competition and alongside Zlatan Ibrahimovic and has featured in the most games of any player for United. He didn't have to, and he shouldn't have.
Mourinho cited that he could not utilise Nicky Butt's charges in a game of such magnitude when United crashed out of the FA Cup against Chelsea. Given that the U=23's are struggling, he was probably right.
Big players allowed to leave
Yet that being the case, he must have still felt the squad was sufficient when he let both Morgan Schneiderlin and Memphis Depay leave in January. And now Bastian Schweinsteiger.
It is fair to say that Pogba is a cut above the central midfielders, but given his hit and miss season, then resting him in certain games may have been a wise thing to do. Schneiderlin and Schweinsteiger and Timothy Fosu-Mensah for that matter, could all have played more time.
Giving Pogba a rest may well have sharpened his performances also. You can't blame Mourinho for trying to persevere with Pogba in a bid to get him to gel and show his best form consistently. You just can't complain when something happens.
But Mourinho does complain. And his teams keep winning. Whether it's a smokescreen, or his genuine belief that there is a conspiracy theory against him, United fans will not care too much so long as he keeps the winning habit.