'Don't rush to judge Rashford - hero needs our sympathy, not to be smashed up'

30 January 2024 , 22:37

891     0

Manchester United striker Marcus Rashford (Image: Offside via Getty Images)

It's all very well to warn Marcus Rashford to stop drinking and damaging his Manchester United future.

But has anyone thought to ask WHY he is acting so out of character? Has anyone sought to establish why such a role model to a generation suddenly finds himself in such a dark place? Sometimes the extent to which we build our sporting role models up to knock them down in this country really is sickening.

Anyone who takes a look at images and studies the detail of Rashford’s evening in Belfast can see a man in despair. A man a world away from the footballer familiar to millions for his work to ensure kids in this country get fed. A national hero who uses his platform to encourage kids to read. A man who is normally quick on social media to jump on his media portrayal in order to protect his image.

So far, in relation to this, nothing. Those images in the public domain from that Belfast night out showed no attempt to hide from the CCTV cameras. The detail made clear there was no sexual impropriety on Rashford’s part either. Just a man intent on doing something that he is not normally renowned for. Drinking.

Nobody knows why. From speculation over the state of his on-off relationship with his childhood sweetheart fiancée Lucia Loi, through conjecture over the relationships with his brothers, Dane and Dwaine, to the well-documented issues affecting his underperforming Manchester United team, and his own spectacular loss of form, there is so much that must be affecting him.

Marcel Sabitzer completes Man Utd transfer after last-minute deadline day dash

United should put an arm around him, shove football to one side and put him first. He needs sympathy, not to be smashed up. He needs empathy, not for everyone to be hammering him.

Darren Lewis