Harry Maguire getting exactly what he deserves after standing up to Erik ten Hag
Playing for the badge isn’t enough to survive in the Premier League - but Harry Maguire is now reaping the rewards of the loyalty he has shown to Manchester United.
It would have been easy for the centre-back to pack his kit-bag and look for another challenge away from Old Trafford when Erik ten Hag stripped him of the captaincy and dropped him unceremoniously from United’s team.
Maguire had not only fallen behind Raphael Varane, Lisandro Martinez and Victor Lindelof in Ten Hag’s plans, the Dutchman even brought 35-year-old Jonny Evans back to the club when the Irishman was out of contract. The writing wasn’t just on the wall for the England international, it had been written in 20-foot capital letters: YOUR TIME IS UP.
I am sure Harry was devastated. At £80million, he was the world’s most expensive defender - and here he was being told by his club that he wasn’t good enough.
Just as hurtful would have been the humiliating taunts he was subjected to by other fans. Maguire really ran the Hampden gauntlet when England beat Scotland in Glasgow in September and suffered the embarrassment of scoring an own goal.
Marcel Sabitzer completes Man Utd transfer after last-minute deadline day dash
It was cruel - but football supporters have never been the most sensitive of souls, have they? But Maguire refused to sulk - and he buckled down with a determination to prove his manager and his detractors wrong.
Join the debate! What have you made of Maguire this season? Let us know here.
Harry Maguire has been one of Manchester United's standout players this season (Ashley Western/Colorsport/REX/Shutterstock)Now, with United’s season, plunging up and down like a rollercoaster, he is still there for the ride.
Varane, a World Cup winner who 12 months ago was in the France team beaten by Argentina in the 2022 final in Qatar, has taken his seat on the substitutes’ bench. Yes, Martinez and Evans have been sidelined though injury, but Maguire’s renaissance has been one of the good-news stories of the season so far.
Being named Premier League player of the month for November would have given him tremendous satisfaction - and rightly so. Maguire is putting himself on the line for Ten Hag at a time when the attitude and application of some of his team-mates is being questioned.
Maguire was expected to leave Old Trafford after losing the club captaincy to Bruno Fernandes (Mike Owen)You would think giving your all is the minimum requirement when you’re a professional. But even when players are being paid handsomely, it is still a challenge to fight for the shirt when you know the manager doesn’t rate you.
United were apparently ready to let Maguire join West Ham in the summer. A move to help his former club Leicester recover from relegation was also mooted.
But the centre-half never lost his belief that he would eventually force himself back into the fold. Perhaps things may have panned out differently if Maguire had lost the faith of Gareth Southgate. The England manager has stuck by his principle that he will always back players who have never let their country down.
So Maguire has not only kept his place in the squad, but remains one of the first names on the team-sheet.
Southgate has pretty much done the same with Kalvin Phillips, despite his problems forcing his way into Pep Guardiola’s plans on the other side of Manchester.
Man Utd deadline day live updates as Sabitzer completes loan move
It was some gamble by Maguire not to leave United with the Euro finals coming up at the end of the season, but he was right to back himself. Southgate will hope that one of his first-choice central defenders can continue to get regular game-time at Old Trafford.
But it will be interesting to see whether he keeps his place when Ten Hag’s squad is back to full-strength, especially when Martinez returns. But so far this season, Harry Maguire has been one of the few winners at Manchester United.
Read more similar news:
Comments:
comments powered by Disqus
