IMAGINE if, 18 months ago, you had told Manchester United fans that Harry Maguire would be handed a new contract and Marcus Rashford would be frozen out.
They’d have wanted to burn down Old Trafford.
Marcus Rashford must knuckle down and get on with it
Harry Maguire changed his Man Utd career by being a perfect pro
Which just goes to show you the importance of showing a good professional attitude in times of adversity.
So my message to Rashford would be this: Stop talking, certainly stop posting on social media, knuckle down and prove to Ruben Amorim and your team-mates that you deserve to be a United player.
And remember what it was like for Maguire a year or two ago — which is far worse than anything that’s happened to Rashford.
Erik ten Hag humiliated Maguire by stripping him of the club captaincy.
Every time Maguire was partly responsible for a United or England goal, entire press conferences would be dominated by questions over his form.
Yet Maguire was a perfect pro, he stuck to the task of proving himself and here he is now as a key member of United’s first team and with a contract extension until 2026.
Maguire never said he wanted a transfer. He didn’t go on social media. He didn’t act like a baby.
Remember the timeline. When Amorim took over at United, Rashford started the first two Premier League games, scoring three goals.
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Two weeks later, he was left out of the squad for the Manchester derby, which United won, along with Alejandro Garnacho.
Within days Marcus was conducting an interview in which he said he was ready for a new challenge elsewhere.
APAlejandro Garnacho worked his way back into the first team after being dropped for the Manchester derby[/caption]
Meanwhile, Garnacho worked his way back into the first team, which shows what can happen if you don’t act like a prima donna.
If Rashford remains at Old Trafford beyond Monday’s transfer deadline, he needs to follow Maguire’s example.
People keep telling me I’m harsh on Marcus but there is nothing personal. Marcus needs to realise that there is no agenda against him.
When he was doing great things on and off the pitch, he was lavished with praise. He even got an MBE!
I’d love it if in a year’s time I was writing an apology here, saying that I’d got it totally wrong about him. But I doubt if I will have reason to.
If I do sound harsh then it’s because I know from personal experience that far worse happens to footballers who have done nothing wrong.
Players get singled out by managers, frozen out of teams and bombed out of clubs all the time.
Harry Maguire has worked his way back into United’s first XI
I’ll give you a few personal examples.
One was when the Italian coach Walter Mazzarri came to Watford and rarely started me, frequently suggesting in public that I wasn’t giving enough in training.
This was entirely unjustified. You could accuse me of having a bad game or a bad spell but never a bad work ethic.
But at least Rashford can have arguments with Amorim in English.
Mazzarri could barely speak a word, so we often found ourselves trying to have blazing rows via an interpreter.
We’d rant and rage at each other — with this poor interpreter stuck between two big blokes with big egos with steam coming out of their eyes — and by the time he’d translated what either of us said, the sting had gone out of the argument.
It was like if you’re having a row with your missus on the phone and just as you’re getting to your best point, you lose phone reception — you can never really start the argument properly again!
Then, after Watford were relegated in 2020, I was one of five senior pros who were frozen out of the first-team squad and made to train away from the main group because they wanted to off-load us for financial reasons.
We didn’t like it but we always turned up on time, trained properly and didn’t complain publicly.
I ended up staying that season, because a move to Tottenham couldn’t be finalised, and I played my part in winning promotion.
The previous season, Nigel Pearson arrived as manager and challenged me — just to prove to the rest of the dressing room that nobody was safe.
I respected Nigel and on that occasion, a combative approach worked.
When I managed Forest Green Rovers briefly last season, I did publicly criticise my players.
I want to manage again and, if I do, I’d keep that sort of criticism in house.
Thierry Henry recently told me that he’d had a go at his players in the media while managing Monaco.
He said players of our generation could take it but that times have changed. I agree.
Now players are rewarded with £300,000-a-week, five-year contracts for half-decent form, then think the world owes them a living and that they’re above taking any stick.
So I have no problem with Amorim calling out Rashford — even last weekend’s jibe that he would rather have his 63-year-old goalkeeping coach on the bench, rather than a player who didn’t give his all.
Amorim is setting standards, building foundations.
He’s the sort of manager I’d have loved to work for and he’s United’s best hope in years.
Rashford was once United’s great hope but not any more.
I don’t foresee a future for him at Old Trafford and he will never go down as a club legend, merely a decent player who came through the ranks but lost his way.
Maybe I’ll be proved wrong. Maybe I’ll write that apology. But I’m not holding my breath.
Man Utd ratings vs FCSB as Mainoo shines in new role but one team-mate struggles
KOBBIE MAINOO ran the show as Manchester United marched on in the Europa League in Romania.
SunSport’s Henry Tomlinson has given his ratings of the United players against FCSB…
Altay Bayindir – 6
He was often a bystander during the game despite the hosts often getting up the pitch.
Did show that he needs to work on his ball control with his feet with a few sloppy clearances.
Noussair Mazraoui – 7
Battled well at times as he took up the third centre-back role.
Did very little wrong throughout the match.
Matthijs de Ligt – 7
Solid showing from the Dutchman in Romania who provided the muscle in the backline.
Lisandro Martinez 70′ – 6
Did well to help out in defence and keep the ball moving forward.
Although, he should never have been allowed to take a decent free-kick opportunity in the first half that he blazed over.
Diogo Dalot – 7
Out on the wing, Dalot struggled to have a good impact on the game and was caught out on occasion when needing to defend.
But proved crucial as he netted the opening goal with a tap in after making a good run at the back post.
Toby Collyer 45′ – 6
Made up one-half of Man United’s academy midfield duo and looked composed throughout the clash.
He did not let the occasion get to him, as he showed plenty of strength when required.
Harshly hooked at half-time.
Kobbie Mainoo – 8
Excelled in a slightly more advanced role to Collyer in the midfielder.
Mainoo set up the opener with a cracking low cross to Dalot before scoring himself with a composed finish.
Tyrell Malacia 45′ – 5
Provided plenty of width in the left-wing-back role and whipped in a couple of decent crosses.
Was replaced at the break
Christian Eriksen 70′ – 6
Forced a decent save inside 20 minutes and linked the play between the midfield and final third.
Fell off during the second half and was replaced by Casemiro.
Bruno Fernandes – 6
Had a couple of moans at the referee in the first half and was largely quiet.
Benefitted from the changes at the break as he had more natural attackers to link up with.
Rasmus Hojlund 80′ – 5
The misfiring striker put in plenty of effort as he was often making runs.
Had a decent chance with his head but failed to get enough power on it to trouble the goalkeeper.
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Amad Diallo 45′ – 6
Added a bit more threat on the wing after replacing Malacia.
Alejandro Ganracho 45′ – 7
Almost made an instant impact as he latched onto a loose ball but his effort hit the wrong side of the post.
Picked up an assist with a decent pass to Mainoo.
Leny Yoro 70′ – 6
Slotted into the backline to help see out the game.
Casemiro 70′ – 6
Dropped deep into the midfield and gave himself as an option for defenders to pass to do move the ball forward.
Joshua Zirkzee 80′ – 5
Did not get much of an opportunity to grab a goal.
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