Latest news with #post-Ferguson
Irish Examiner
4 days ago
- Sport
- Irish Examiner
Marcus Rashford claims Manchester United are stuck in ‘no man's land'
Marcus Rashford has offered a withering assessment of Manchester United's predicament, saying a lack of consistent playing principles since Sir Alex Ferguson stood down has left the club in 'no man's land'. The forward, on loan for the season at Barcelona from United, believes that despite repeated talk of transition, no transition has taken place and that the club will not be able to win the Premier League or achieve consistent success unless they make a plan and stick with it. Rashford was sidelined by Ruben Amorim, the sixth permanent United manager since Ferguson went 12 years ago. The England international came through the academy while Ferguson was in charge. 'Show me a successful team that just adapts,' Rashford told the Rest is Football podcast. 'When Fergie was in charge, not only the principles for the first team, the whole academy set-up so you could pick players from 15 years and over – that's a full generation. And they'd all understand the principles of playing the Man United way, right? 'You see it with any team that's been successful over a period of time: they have principles that any coach that comes in, any player that comes in, has to align to these principles or be able to add to these principles. Whereas at times I feel like United have just been … we're hungry to win, so we'll always try to adapt and to sign players that fit this system. But it's reactionary. 'If your direction's always changing, you can't expect to be able to win the league. Yeah, you might win some cup tournaments, but it's because you do have a good coach and you do have good players and you have match winners in your team – you're not there by accident. 'This is what some people forget. So yeah, we've been way below where we deem United to be. But then if you take a step back, which I've been able to do, especially over the last six months – what do you expect? People say we've been in a transition for years. To be in a transition, you have to start the transition. So it's like the actual transition's not started yet.' No United manager in the post-Ferguson era has been given three years. Rashford said the club could learn from Liverpool who, in 2020 under Jürgen Klopp, ended a 30-year wait for a top-flight title. Klopp joined in October 2015 and secured his first trophy in 2019. 'When Liverpool went through this, they got Klopp, they stuck with him,' Rashford said. 'They didn't win in the beginning. People only remember his final few years when he was competing with [Manchester] City and winning the biggest trophies – he certainly didn't win for three years. 'To start a transition, you have to make a plan and stick to it. So this is the thing that I feel – it's not easy. Because if it's not going well, the fans demand [change]. But this is where I speak about being realistic with what your situation is. "I feel like we've had that many different managers and different ideas and different strategies in order to win … you end up in the middle of – you end up in no man's land.' Guardian
South Wales Guardian
5 days ago
- Sport
- South Wales Guardian
Harry Maguire hopeful ‘fresh start' can lead to change in Man Utd fortunes
United's post-Ferguson malaise hit an all-time low after a 15th-placed finish – their worst ever in the Premier League – and not even a run to the Europa League final, where they lost to Tottenham, could paper over the cracks. But the big-name signings of Matheus Cunha, Bryan Mbeumo and Benjamin Sesko, as well as a £50million training ground upgrade, have given United a spring in their step to go into the new campaign. They welcome old rivals Arsenal in their season opener on Sunday and Maguire, appearing on the Rio Ferdinand Presents podcast, said: 'The lads are working hard and it's a great atmosphere in the place. 'We want to be successful, we're doing everything we can to be successful. Sometimes we know it's not been good enough for a recent (period) and we've not given our fans as much. 'I feel like it's almost a little bit of a fresh start and hopefully this start is a good start.' Maguire, who missed the start of a pre-season trip to the United States for a personal matter, joined United six years ago from Leicester in an £80million deal, a then world record fee for a defender. His signing is among a number of eye-popping sums United have spent but consistent success under any manager has eluded them in the last dozen years since Sir Alex Ferguson's departure. Maguire said: 'There has been a transition period, obviously, when Sir Alex was here and we had the best team by far and won all the trophies. But the reality is that we're not the best team. 'You've got to thrive off the pressure and you've got to play like you're playing in a playground. I think that's what we've struggled to find over the last 10 years.' Maguire has polarised opinion at Old Trafford and his days appeared numbered under former manager Erik ten Hag, who stripped the England centre-back of the captaincy and dropped him from the first team. A move to West Ham in 2023 collapsed as Maguire decided to fight for his place and he has found himself back in favour since Ten Hag was dismissed and replaced by incumbent boss Ruben Amorim last year. Indeed, a 12-month extension to his contract was triggered in January and United have reportedly rejected overtures from a number of clubs to keep Maguire, whose deal expires at the end of the season. Addressing the criticism he gets at United, the 32-year-old added: 'I think there's more scrutiny on Manchester United just because more people in the country hate them – and that's just a fact.' :: Listen to the full Rio Meets Harry Maguire interview on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.
Glasgow Times
6 days ago
- Sport
- Glasgow Times
Harry Maguire hopeful ‘fresh start' can lead to change in Man Utd fortunes
United's post-Ferguson malaise hit an all-time low after a 15th-placed finish – their worst ever in the Premier League – and not even a run to the Europa League final, where they lost to Tottenham, could paper over the cracks. But the big-name signings of Matheus Cunha, Bryan Mbeumo and Benjamin Sesko, as well as a £50million training ground upgrade, have given United a spring in their step to go into the new campaign. Manchester United endured an abject 2024-25 season (Nick Potts/PA) They welcome old rivals Arsenal in their season opener on Sunday and Maguire, appearing on the Rio Ferdinand Presents podcast, said: 'The lads are working hard and it's a great atmosphere in the place. 'We want to be successful, we're doing everything we can to be successful. Sometimes we know it's not been good enough for a recent (period) and we've not given our fans as much. 'I feel like it's almost a little bit of a fresh start and hopefully this start is a good start.' Maguire, who missed the start of a pre-season trip to the United States for a personal matter, joined United six years ago from Leicester in an £80million deal, a then world record fee for a defender. His signing is among a number of eye-popping sums United have spent but consistent success under any manager has eluded them in the last dozen years since Sir Alex Ferguson's departure. Maguire said: 'There has been a transition period, obviously, when Sir Alex was here and we had the best team by far and won all the trophies. But the reality is that we're not the best team. 'You've got to thrive off the pressure and you've got to play like you're playing in a playground. I think that's what we've struggled to find over the last 10 years.' Maguire has polarised opinion at Old Trafford and his days appeared numbered under former manager Erik ten Hag, who stripped the England centre-back of the captaincy and dropped him from the first team. Harry Maguire, left, is back in favour at United under manager Ruben Amorim, right (Martin Rickett/PA) A move to West Ham in 2023 collapsed as Maguire decided to fight for his place and he has found himself back in favour since Ten Hag was dismissed and replaced by incumbent boss Ruben Amorim last year. Indeed, a 12-month extension to his contract was triggered in January and United have reportedly rejected overtures from a number of clubs to keep Maguire, whose deal expires at the end of the season. Addressing the criticism he gets at United, the 32-year-old added: 'I think there's more scrutiny on Manchester United just because more people in the country hate them – and that's just a fact.' :: Listen to the full Rio Meets Harry Maguire interview on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.
North Wales Chronicle
6 days ago
- Sport
- North Wales Chronicle
Harry Maguire hopeful ‘fresh start' can lead to change in Man Utd fortunes
United's post-Ferguson malaise hit an all-time low after a 15th-placed finish – their worst ever in the Premier League – and not even a run to the Europa League final, where they lost to Tottenham, could paper over the cracks. But the big-name signings of Matheus Cunha, Bryan Mbeumo and Benjamin Sesko, as well as a £50million training ground upgrade, have given United a spring in their step to go into the new campaign. They welcome old rivals Arsenal in their season opener on Sunday and Maguire, appearing on the Rio Ferdinand Presents podcast, said: 'The lads are working hard and it's a great atmosphere in the place. 'We want to be successful, we're doing everything we can to be successful. Sometimes we know it's not been good enough for a recent (period) and we've not given our fans as much. 'I feel like it's almost a little bit of a fresh start and hopefully this start is a good start.' Maguire, who missed the start of a pre-season trip to the United States for a personal matter, joined United six years ago from Leicester in an £80million deal, a then world record fee for a defender. His signing is among a number of eye-popping sums United have spent but consistent success under any manager has eluded them in the last dozen years since Sir Alex Ferguson's departure. Maguire said: 'There has been a transition period, obviously, when Sir Alex was here and we had the best team by far and won all the trophies. But the reality is that we're not the best team. 'You've got to thrive off the pressure and you've got to play like you're playing in a playground. I think that's what we've struggled to find over the last 10 years.' Maguire has polarised opinion at Old Trafford and his days appeared numbered under former manager Erik ten Hag, who stripped the England centre-back of the captaincy and dropped him from the first team. A move to West Ham in 2023 collapsed as Maguire decided to fight for his place and he has found himself back in favour since Ten Hag was dismissed and replaced by incumbent boss Ruben Amorim last year. Indeed, a 12-month extension to his contract was triggered in January and United have reportedly rejected overtures from a number of clubs to keep Maguire, whose deal expires at the end of the season. Addressing the criticism he gets at United, the 32-year-old added: 'I think there's more scrutiny on Manchester United just because more people in the country hate them – and that's just a fact.' :: Listen to the full Rio Meets Harry Maguire interview on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.
South Wales Argus
6 days ago
- Sport
- South Wales Argus
Harry Maguire hopeful ‘fresh start' can lead to change in Man Utd fortunes
United's post-Ferguson malaise hit an all-time low after a 15th-placed finish – their worst ever in the Premier League – and not even a run to the Europa League final, where they lost to Tottenham, could paper over the cracks. But the big-name signings of Matheus Cunha, Bryan Mbeumo and Benjamin Sesko, as well as a £50million training ground upgrade, have given United a spring in their step to go into the new campaign. Manchester United endured an abject 2024-25 season (Nick Potts/PA) They welcome old rivals Arsenal in their season opener on Sunday and Maguire, appearing on the Rio Ferdinand Presents podcast, said: 'The lads are working hard and it's a great atmosphere in the place. 'We want to be successful, we're doing everything we can to be successful. Sometimes we know it's not been good enough for a recent (period) and we've not given our fans as much. 'I feel like it's almost a little bit of a fresh start and hopefully this start is a good start.' Maguire, who missed the start of a pre-season trip to the United States for a personal matter, joined United six years ago from Leicester in an £80million deal, a then world record fee for a defender. His signing is among a number of eye-popping sums United have spent but consistent success under any manager has eluded them in the last dozen years since Sir Alex Ferguson's departure. Maguire said: 'There has been a transition period, obviously, when Sir Alex was here and we had the best team by far and won all the trophies. But the reality is that we're not the best team. 'You've got to thrive off the pressure and you've got to play like you're playing in a playground. I think that's what we've struggled to find over the last 10 years.' Maguire has polarised opinion at Old Trafford and his days appeared numbered under former manager Erik ten Hag, who stripped the England centre-back of the captaincy and dropped him from the first team. Harry Maguire, left, is back in favour at United under manager Ruben Amorim, right (Martin Rickett/PA) A move to West Ham in 2023 collapsed as Maguire decided to fight for his place and he has found himself back in favour since Ten Hag was dismissed and replaced by incumbent boss Ruben Amorim last year. Indeed, a 12-month extension to his contract was triggered in January and United have reportedly rejected overtures from a number of clubs to keep Maguire, whose deal expires at the end of the season. Addressing the criticism he gets at United, the 32-year-old added: 'I think there's more scrutiny on Manchester United just because more people in the country hate them – and that's just a fact.' :: Listen to the full Rio Meets Harry Maguire interview on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.
