Manchester United Manager Justified in Criticizing Rashford, with Ferguson’s Support

There’s value in speaking plainly, even if it can sometimes lead to controversy. As a manager, I’ve experienced this firsthand on a couple of notable occasions.

For instance, when I was managing QPR, I candidly stated I couldn’t select Adel Taarabt because he was significantly overweight. You can imagine the uproar that caused.

Another memorable incident occurred when I was at Tottenham and Darren Bent missed an easy opportunity against Portsmouth. In the post-match interview, I joked that my wife could have scored it. That comment caused quite a stir, upsetting both the player and his agent.

While my remarks were critical, they weren’t meant maliciously. It was the kind of offhand comment you’d hear fans making in a pub. In my view, it’s important to be able to laugh at yourself – I’ve never shied away from that.

That’s why I have no issue with what Ruben Amorim has said about Marcus Rashford not being in Manchester United’s team. He’s simply being honest about the situation.

What’s he supposed to do when asked why he’s not selecting a player on £325,000 a week? Make excuses or be dishonest? He’s been straightforward in saying Rashford isn’t playing because he’s not training well, and will be back in the side when he does.

The fans and those who pay Rashford’s wages have a right to know the truth. There’s too much obfuscation in football these days.

You get managers whose teams have been heavily defeated claiming they played well but were unlucky. That’s nonsense – it’s better to admit when the team performed poorly.

Amorim has my respect for his approach, and I know Sir Alex Ferguson thinks highly of him as well. You can’t ask for a better endorsement than that.

He’ll give the job his all, that’s for certain. He has energy and won’t fail for lack of effort. He simply wants his players to give their best as well.

I’m sure he wants to select Rashford. He wants a pacey player who can take on defenders and score goals. A couple of years ago, Rashford was one of the best at that.

If Rashford applies himself properly in training, the manager will have no hesitation in playing him again. We all know what a threat he can be when on form – he’s undoubtedly a top player.

But until Amorim is convinced, Rashford won’t be selected. In that case, Rashford has a problem and may need to move on.

Credit to Amorim for his honesty. Too many managers coddle players these days, but clearly not this one. And that makes him alright in my book.