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Cherry and get wild! Hello

1:06

and welcome along to the latest episode of the

1:09

Manchester Is Red podcast from the Manchester Evening News.

1:11

I'm today's host George Smith and I'm delighted to

1:13

say that I'm joined by our Chief United Writer

1:15

Samuel Lutkiss who's back from his week holiday. Samuel,

1:17

good to see you. How are you? Yep,

1:20

very well, thank you. Very well, not

1:22

bad at all. I feel recharged anyway.

1:24

It was nice to have a

1:27

week off. I think my work phone might have

1:29

only been left on for maybe a combined period

1:33

of an hour last week,

1:36

so it was very unusual, but

1:38

trying to get my

1:40

utmost to decompress. Oh,

1:42

that's very good to hear and obviously good to

1:44

sign off with a dramatic win the day before

1:46

you started your week

1:49

holiday. It was

1:51

a wrench not being able to cover

1:53

the immediate 24 hours after that. I'm

1:55

loath to not work in

1:57

Mondays, so yeah. Although

2:00

I was pottering about somewhere not

2:02

too far from where I live, I'd

2:05

have probably much rather been working on

2:07

that Monday and doing the follow-ups on

2:09

a pretty extraordinary game. Will Barron Yeah,

2:12

fully understandable after the drama that happened

2:14

a week last Sunday afternoon. But

2:16

moving forward and looking ahead to the restart of

2:18

the Premier League campaign this coming weekend, we are

2:20

going to discuss that upcoming game at Brentford when

2:23

a look at how things have evolved on the

2:25

international break, Coye Mayne, who would get his England

2:27

debut at the weekend and touch on a few

2:29

other subjects as well. I'm going to start with

2:31

a story that you've written this morning, Samuel, on

2:34

your return about Eric Tenhong's future

2:36

in the sense that Omar Barada is going

2:38

to potentially have a significant say in a

2:40

possible change that could come this summer at

2:42

Old Trafford. You wrote a piece a few

2:44

weeks ago that Eric Tenhong was in

2:46

a position of uncertainty ahead of the summer following the

2:49

change in the arrival of Sir Jim Ractive and the

2:51

Ineos Group. Omar Barada is

2:53

going to be coming in in the summer and

2:55

it sounds as though according to yourself he's going

2:57

to have a big part to play in a

2:59

potential change that could change the complete culture and

3:01

the direction of the club moving forward. Samuel

3:18

to the football experts which is

3:20

why they they want Dan Ashworth

3:22

which is why they get to

3:24

know Mar Barada and they will be

3:27

probably inevitably getting Dan Ashworth

3:29

as well. The difficulty of course

3:31

is that these guys, their start

3:33

date is in the case of

3:35

Barada he will start in the summer officially. He

3:37

has been conducting discrete

3:39

meetings, maintaining contacts

3:41

to ensure that he

3:45

hits the ground running when he is formally,

3:47

I don't know if

3:49

he'll be paraded or unveiled but ahead

3:51

of his official start date he wants

3:54

to be as prepared as possible for it and it

3:56

could be it could be quite a

3:58

hectic start as well at my Manchishin, I did it's,

4:01

it's very, very rarely quiet at

4:03

Manchishin, I did as we all know. But

4:06

where Barada has this, you know, as

4:08

an experience of dealing with football matters

4:10

at City, and the role

4:13

of a chief executive in a company, it's always

4:15

going to be very important, there's always going to

4:17

be an element of delegating. But in

4:19

comparison to Richard

4:22

Arnold, say, or or Ed Woodward,

4:25

he's he has got the football expertise

4:27

where he can have a big say

4:29

and a significant say on any managerial

4:31

change, should it happen. Of course, Woodward

4:33

was the kingmaker a number of times,

4:36

it came to the manager's position at United, but

4:38

he did not have a football background, which

4:40

is why there was always a lot of

4:43

constructive and justified criticism of him in

4:45

his role, whether he got things right,

4:47

whether he got things wrong, because

4:50

the structure wasn't right.

4:52

And the structure at United, they do

4:54

have a football director, they do have

4:56

a technical director. Those

4:59

roles are going to go

5:02

into change somewhat, of course, with a sporting

5:04

director coming in, it remains to be seen

5:06

if John Murtagh will actually stay

5:08

at the club, it remains to be seen

5:11

if Darren Fletcher will stay as technical director,

5:13

if he does stay, I'd imagine it would

5:15

be a different role or the

5:17

definition of that technical director

5:19

role would be tweaked because it's not

5:22

it's not your usual technical director

5:25

that people associate with with a

5:27

football club, he's he's almost like

5:29

a conduit between the first team

5:31

and the academy and he is

5:33

involved on match days. But going

5:35

back to the point of a

5:37

possible managerial change, what one of

5:39

the reasons, and I've never

5:41

thought there's been a point in the season

5:43

where Tim Harg should have been sacked, I've

5:46

said that there's been a credible case

5:49

in January to possibly have

5:51

done it there, but I didn't think they should

5:53

have done it. And I wrote that

5:55

as well. And I don't think any of the dedicated

5:57

correspondence of about right done a piece.

6:00

that the Manchester United manager should be

6:02

set and one of the

6:04

reasons for that beyond the results always been a

6:06

bit not a

6:08

bit inconsistent very inconsistent but there

6:10

was a power vacuum and

6:13

to an extent there still is even though

6:16

you've got Dave Brailsford go into the majority

6:18

of matches Ratcliffe is watching on Ratcliffe

6:21

has said an awful lot already I

6:24

thought it was quite interesting when he did his

6:26

podcast with Geraint Thomas last week

6:28

I don't think I even touched upon

6:30

the managerial issue which you'd

6:33

imagine that may have been something that

6:35

they discussed before they

6:37

went on air so that they wouldn't

6:40

dwell on that at all because I don't think I

6:43

don't think that really would have helped Tenharg

6:45

if you had one of Manchester

6:47

United's co-owners discussing his

6:49

position in great detail and he

6:51

was very reluctant to do that

6:53

with us when we

6:56

spoke to him at the Ineos offices in Knightsbridge

6:58

last month and

7:00

the way things have gone in the last few

7:02

weeks as I said to some

7:04

working who works at United before the before

7:08

the before the Everton game if you win the

7:10

next two games you go into the spring internationals

7:12

with a spring in your step and that was

7:14

a hell of an understatement given the manner of

7:16

that Liverpool win and

7:18

I'd hesitate to say that the position

7:20

in the Premier League table is auspicious

7:22

but since they last won it played

7:25

and won in the Premier League United

7:27

Villa have lost both their games Tottenham

7:29

were listless when they lost at Fulham

7:32

the other week as well when they got

7:34

beaten 3-0 at Craven Cottage and

7:36

United and nine points off four I think they

7:38

have a game in hand Villa are wobbling they've

7:41

wobbled for a fair old while as well they've

7:43

had some good results along the way but I

7:46

think since that Boxing Day game against United

7:48

they've they've been a bit thrown by

7:51

also they're not handling the pressure as well

7:53

as as Unai and Ray

7:56

would have wanted them to and Tottenham

7:58

are serial bottle jobs they've they've shown

8:00

that for decades. So there

8:03

is still an outside chance United

8:05

finish fourth and they're going

8:07

to be odds on favourites to reach a

8:09

second successive FA Cup final. And

8:11

as we've discussed throughout

8:14

the season and certainly in

8:16

more recent months, if

8:18

they were to finish in the top form

8:20

when the FA Cup trumps last

8:22

season because the FA Cup are more

8:24

treasured trophy than the League Cup.

8:26

And of course, if they were to win the FA

8:29

Cup this season, the likelihood is that they would be

8:31

beating Manchester City in the final. That

8:33

said, Chelsea have gone so to

8:35

go with City twice this season and got two

8:38

creditable draws against them. But

8:41

City will, the chances

8:43

are it will be another all Manchester

8:45

FA Cup final and the success, whether

8:47

the season is a success or

8:49

not, it could well and

8:51

truly come down to that game. And that's

8:54

another reason why there won't be a managerial

8:56

change before

8:58

late May at the

9:01

very earliest. I think it's fair to say. Absolutely.

9:04

And I know you've said several times throughout the season,

9:06

as you've just said there, the

9:08

FA Cup is a much more illustrious trophy than

9:10

the League Cup. It is a bigger prize and

9:12

would undoubtedly count

9:14

for more for Manchester United.

9:18

Looking forward, though, obviously you've said as well in

9:20

that piece that United want to get a settled

9:22

structure in place, Dan Ashworth is more

9:24

than likely not going to arrive at some point in the

9:26

future. Omar Barada is going to come in in the summer.

9:29

So it's certainly clear that Sir Jim Ratcliffe

9:31

wants to get the house in order, get

9:33

the bedrock, get the foundations laid with form

9:35

committing to any decision that could

9:37

result in a big, big change in the club's

9:39

direction moving forward. Because me personally, I wrote this

9:41

in a piece over the weekend, Eric Tanhaga has

9:43

got far more right than wrong during his United

9:46

tenure. Yeah,

9:48

I wouldn't disagree with that. I

9:50

mean, this season until the

9:53

Liverpool win the of, what

9:55

was it, eight days ago now, You

9:58

had to say it had been a. The

10:00

season up until that point and that's

10:02

why there's so much riding on. not

10:04

that cool to find all in a

10:06

fight. It honestly hadn't turned and sacralized

10:08

with these right boot than a would

10:10

have been pretty tricky said see you

10:12

guys who work In Last week the

10:14

coven united because it would have felt

10:16

like the season at As had ended

10:18

because I don't think anybody would really

10:20

have had faith that United could. Protect.

10:23

Themselves often. From

10:26

those into Liverpool and and finishing in

10:28

itself for even the top five bucks

10:30

across as the possibility that fish will

10:32

secure chimp is a qualification. That's

10:36

the beauty of football in that.one moment that

10:38

one goal it change said a change the

10:40

game completely Liverpool were for sense to go

10:42

sweetie walk in extra time with that the

10:44

deflect go from all the other not just

10:46

because I'm flights if the United were planned

10:48

best than them. In extra

10:51

time and United as an extremely

10:53

strong ends to the ninety minutes

10:55

as well. So. About

10:57

how momentum swings in football and and

11:00

momentum swings in sport, I can be

11:02

extremely drastic, an unpredictable, and. Again,

11:05

that's why. That's why people

11:07

that are engaged by sport, why they

11:09

law school and at the moment and

11:11

Alex approval ratings at they'll be a

11:13

season high because you night shift his.

11:16

Face. And Liverpool and. Roka.

11:19

Circumstances One of the

11:21

silly. That. There was a video

11:23

in the Nineties release commenced night it's

11:25

Quests victories against Liverpool and this was

11:27

pretty much pre. Three. Premier

11:29

League era and done if they wanted to

11:32

do not day is a thought for been

11:34

streaming platform these days than that game at

11:36

the weekend it puts not going to be

11:38

it be one of the. One.

11:41

Of the top ten made one the top five.

11:43

Ease and it was spear. It's not a huge

11:45

and nuts in spite of of whether they. That.

11:48

They lose to Coventry somehow in the semifinals.

11:50

You never going to be upstate The. the

11:53

sheer more emotion of that days away from

11:55

the supporters who inside the stadium them in

11:57

it was pretty good quality of us again

12:00

excited in a professional capacity. I may

12:02

add still in the press box just

12:04

because of how exhilarating the

12:07

drama was. It was

12:10

a real privilege to be able to

12:12

cover it. And of course, if you're

12:14

the managing item manager and you're walking off after a

12:17

win like that, you're going to be reluctant to leave.

12:20

I think when I left and Haag was still lingering,

12:22

signing autographs, posing for pictures, and

12:25

you couldn't blame him. You probably

12:28

would not want to leave the stadium and he'd have

12:30

been at the stadium for about eight hours that day.

12:34

Of course, he goes off in the evening, he has

12:36

a celebratory meal with his son and

12:38

his agent in hail. But he was

12:40

done by 11pm. So he showed pretty

12:43

admirable restraint to have quite an early night, all

12:45

things considered. I'm sure a few United fans would

12:47

have had far later nights given that it was

12:49

also St Patrick's Day.

12:53

And when you win a game like

12:55

that, when you look at the position in the

12:57

league table, there's a reason why he is still

12:59

in charge. And I think Ty said on Friday's

13:01

podcast that I listened to that United have won

13:03

eight of their last 10 games. And

13:07

the two defeats, the Fulham one

13:09

was a worse defeat because it's

13:11

just Saturday, 3pm homekick off

13:13

against Fulham. Fulham can't even sell all their

13:15

tickets. That's a game that you've really got

13:18

to be winning. And it had

13:20

been a really good month for United up until

13:22

that point. That was why it was such

13:25

a galling setback to have lost

13:27

in that manner when they were in

13:29

such good form going into that game. Most

13:32

teams lose at City. There were some

13:36

worrying aspects about the performance, but United

13:38

were quite spirited on the day. They

13:41

executed a game plan pretty well for the best part of an

13:43

hour. Of course, you've got to do it for an hour and

13:45

a half at the very minimum. But

13:48

it wasn't the kind of derby that

13:50

we've seen in recent years where you

13:52

feel like there's got to be mass

13:54

inquests and it has an end

13:57

of days feeling about it with United. It

14:01

has been a very erratic season from

14:03

them in that they've had these wonderful

14:05

moments, these added time wins against

14:08

Brentford, Fulham, Liverpool,

14:11

Wolves as well. There

14:14

is some resilience about the team, even though there

14:16

have been other occasions where they've been totally devoid

14:19

of resilience. Of

14:22

course, Tenharg has spoken about injury

14:24

issues and he was

14:27

still going on about some refereeing injustices

14:29

against Arsenal after the Liverpool game, which

14:31

I don't think many people had much

14:33

time for. He doesn't really need

14:35

to stoop to that. The

14:38

way he's conducted himself at the moment, I

14:41

thought against Liverpool, although there wasn't

14:45

a great deal of strategy behind that win,

14:48

when you look at the gap between the defence

14:50

and the midfield in the third-second minute, when you

14:52

think of the 40-minute meandering in the second half,

14:55

where they can get anywhere against Liverpool.

14:59

United had that desire and that emotion

15:01

to win the game. It was a

15:03

game one on emotion and the adrenaline

15:05

of it, and just doing

15:07

your absolute utmost to get that win. If

15:11

the manager is able to extract that

15:13

performance level because of those reasons

15:15

from the players against a team as

15:18

formidable as Liverpool, that tells

15:20

you that he is still getting his message

15:22

to. He's still got more than

15:24

ample support in that dressing room, and that's

15:26

something else that

15:29

should also be pointed out because people

15:31

get very sensitive about dressing room leaks.

15:34

I don't think any of us, the

15:36

dedicated correspondents have said that he's lost

15:38

the dressing room or the dressing room

15:40

aren't behind him anymore. I've

15:43

always stressed that it's been a minority of players

15:45

who have been unhappy or taken

15:47

umbrage with certain things

15:50

that he's done or felt wronged by

15:52

him. That was

15:54

evident during the Liverpool game, the

15:56

sheer performance level. I don't think

15:58

it was a

16:00

great strategy to that performance. I

16:03

mean the absence of a

16:05

defensive midfielder, it was vindicated with

16:07

McTominay scoring, but look how

16:09

United were exposed when Liverpool went at them towards the

16:11

end of the first half and they didn't really lay

16:13

glove on them in the second

16:15

half until the most unlikely of game

16:18

changes emerged in Anthony. And I

16:20

still go back to the one point that if you're

16:22

still able to elicit that performance level

16:25

and those players, particularly after they equalised

16:27

to make it 2-2 and that rip

16:30

roaring ends to the 90 minutes and then

16:32

how well they did in extra time as

16:34

well with that makeshift back four, that

16:37

tells you that you've got more than ample

16:39

support in the dressing room. Absolutely.

16:42

And I did mention in last Monday's podcast with

16:44

our colleague Tyro Marshall, where I didn't actually touch

16:46

on the late victories that United has secured in

16:48

recent weeks, it showed the character, it showed that

16:50

a lot of these players are willing to run

16:53

for a brick wall for the manager. And

16:55

speaking of Ty, he did a piece last week where

16:58

he said that no firm decision had yet been made

17:00

on Eric Tenhalt's future ahead of the summer. And

17:02

I think it's quite clear that there is no

17:04

obvious candidate out there to come in and replace

17:06

him. There's been several names linked with the job,

17:08

of course, Gareth Southgate, one of the main in

17:10

the last few days. But I

17:12

think United almost, they could

17:15

do more harm than good potentially with

17:17

replacing Eric Tenhalt, possibly. It's

17:22

an argument that a lot of

17:24

United supporters would certainly present

17:26

to those who feel as though

17:28

that there should be a managerial change at

17:31

the end of the season. I think the difference

17:33

on this occasion is that they've got

17:35

decision makers who won't act on

17:38

emotion. That

17:40

wasn't the case with Edward Woodwood,

17:42

with Oleg Onisolskyar, who essentially made

17:45

permanent manager because of two results.

17:47

The first beat in Tottenham, because

17:50

it saw off the threat of Mauricio Pochettino. And

17:52

the second was beating PSG to

17:55

qualify for the Champions League quarterfinals, which

17:58

was a result that beg of belief. That

18:00

United States that second. Like. To

18:03

know down I could get they had i

18:05

think ten. As a senior

18:07

players out injured or or

18:09

unavailable School Papa was suspended.

18:12

And somehow by they go through it. And.

18:15

It was difficult not to get swept up

18:17

in the emotion of thought. He saw it

18:19

from Gary Neville that nine rare sudden they're

18:21

not night if you a supporter. The.

18:23

Yudof! Top Something wrong with you? Not

18:25

sir. Absolutely. Russell in. Been. Such

18:27

a remarkable recovery. But.

18:30

If you a properly run football club

18:32

and you actually have a sporting director

18:34

or you've got some football knowledge on

18:37

the board or among the power brokers

18:39

you've got, have somebody takes a step

18:41

back and analyze is a situation objectively

18:43

in. I didn't have that said it

18:46

would would make in the decision. And

18:48

the following morning he was game moped it

18:51

Charles De Gaulle Airport from supporters who have.

18:53

Been. Urging him to a point on

18:55

the gonna Scarves is Pam, the manager and.

18:58

Less than three weeks later, He

19:00

was made the permanent United manager. And.

19:04

Is should should he have been. Clearly.

19:07

No, but I think they're Had he had

19:09

transition been delayed until the end the season,

19:11

he probably still would have got it. I'm

19:13

just by virtue of I don't think their

19:16

results would have been as bad as they

19:18

were. Awfully was made permanent manager. And

19:20

but them Clearly issues. They're. Coming.

19:23

Back to this situation you know can have.

19:26

Said. I browse federal Iraq three or four

19:28

I'm up or author or than us. worth it

19:30

and give you have too much in. There were

19:32

conversations going on there even though it's a

19:34

couple of those people just mentioned a know.

19:37

I know employed my bank by months cited

19:39

officially yeah, And not and

19:41

his decide right P E t stay

19:43

next season just because they pizza and

19:45

liverpool. And know act on emotion.

19:48

And that's the difference. Previously, not

19:50

always the case with Woodward's a

19:52

bit. Of course with the. And

19:54

there are certainly similarities with Ten Hard Look

19:57

Beyond. Beyond. Their run.

20:00

The on national but Van Gaal of

20:02

course was two days after the final

20:04

game. The season and twenty fifteen sixteen

20:06

and had been coming because doing it

20:08

been lined up for a number of

20:10

months without pulling. Back

20:12

this he added with potential had a

20:15

movie. Does feel like it's almost. It's

20:17

more in the parlance and I mean that

20:19

in in as a positive for ten hard

20:21

because others and peaceful and punched darby. It

20:24

was probably more against him that he was

20:26

gonna be in i to next season but

20:29

he has been able to restore balance. Then.

20:31

You go back to that. When against

20:33

Liverpool on the Manor Affair, how

20:36

extraordinary walls and resilience and eight

20:38

the get the sheer desire that

20:40

United showed that day. But.

20:44

To make a decision on the back as a

20:46

result like that and the way it plus played

20:48

out. You. You. You. Wouldn't

20:50

be worth his salt is your credibility as

20:52

someone running the football club would go down

20:55

the pants. Do that so in your song

20:57

can't do that if it is. It's

20:59

quite quite dry, lake and Hog will

21:01

get far in an absolute disaster the

21:03

com weeks he will see out the

21:05

season with United. And then you've

21:08

gotta look at the body of work. Or

21:11

over the course of this season. You. Can

21:13

factor in last season as well because

21:15

it is relevant undoubtedly but more rather

21:17

than is this season. And

21:19

then you have to come to have

21:21

a clinical conclusions to whether. He

21:24

deserves to beat his. They deserve

21:26

to stand by them. As

21:28

what he deserves to be tempted to

21:30

stay as United manager. Or. Whether

21:33

there's an alternative and the problem that

21:35

United has if they did one to

21:37

make Manju changes that That and I

21:40

both this weeks ago and is not

21:42

an obvious, the non obvious candidates replaced

21:44

and Hog and I think if any

21:47

or Switzer sucked and Hog and a

21:49

point Southgate they would lose credibility very

21:51

very quickly Southgate when he was actually

21:54

make minutes per month Jan two thousand

21:56

and six Sir Alex Ferguson. publicly

21:59

questions because he didn't have the qualifications

22:01

at the time. And

22:04

you could make an argument now that he

22:06

still didn't have the qualifications to be managing

22:09

at Manchester United. I think it would

22:11

be a very, very peculiar

22:13

move. And I know there's a clear

22:15

link there to Ashworth, and he has

22:17

these supporters. And obviously, Dave Brailsford is

22:19

a fan. But

22:23

this is not a golden age for English managers.

22:27

In Graham Potter, Gao Sathgate, they've

22:29

done laudable work, but not laudable

22:31

enough to be managing the most

22:33

scrutinised sporting institution on the

22:36

planet. It just won't wash. It

22:38

would be the one managerial appointment United have

22:40

made post Ferguson that wouldn't have

22:42

general approval from the fan base as well.

22:45

And the term

22:47

of the

22:49

admiration of figures at INEOS and

22:51

obviously come out during a news

22:53

vacuum. Essentially, it filled the

22:55

void of the news vacuum of an international week.

22:58

It was bound to get tongues wagging

23:01

and sparked debates and gave, I'm

23:03

sure gave you guys a hell of a lot

23:05

to write about. But

23:07

when you just look at

23:09

it, the prospect of Gao Sathgate managing

23:11

Manchester United, that is

23:13

a site that cannot be allowed to happen.

23:17

No, I fully agree with that. And I say that

23:19

as a supporter of Gao Sathgate still in the England

23:21

job, I think he's done a good job over the

23:23

last six or seven years or

23:25

so done well in the tournaments he's managed

23:27

a very good job, very good job. The

23:30

starting point for England when he came in

23:32

when what in the

23:34

summer they'd had that humiliating defeat

23:36

to Iceland, he'd had the Sam

23:38

Allardyce incident

23:40

where he lasted one game and then he

23:42

was sacked. Sathgate was the under 21 manager,

23:45

given that starting point and the disconnect

23:48

between England supporters and the

23:50

national team, he reconnected them

23:52

to the point that there's

23:56

there's a play about his

23:58

timers. as the England

24:00

manager because he's been that popular,

24:03

even though there was still a lot of

24:05

fans who do not find

24:07

him to be particularly popular, but that's

24:09

the polarizing element of managing England. I

24:12

completely agree with you, George. He's done a very, very

24:15

good job managing

24:17

a national team that hasn't won anything since 1966.

24:21

And that's certainly not the criteria. He

24:24

doesn't have the criteria to

24:26

be then stepping into Manchester

24:28

United. Absolutely not. No,

24:30

definitely not. And that was going to lead me

24:32

into my next point in the sense that, yes,

24:34

he's done a good job with England. There's no

24:36

doubt in that he's restored the national pride in

24:38

the national team, reconnected the interest, essentially, in the

24:40

England squad. Ultimately, he's not won anything

24:42

as of yet. Obviously, the Euros coming up this summer.

24:45

Obviously, club football is a completely different kettle

24:47

of fish. But managing a club

24:50

of Manchester United statue is an even bigger,

24:52

different kettle of fish. So I think you're

24:54

right, Samuel, in the sense that he's not

24:56

really got the credibility to take this job.

24:58

And Ineos have... They've gained a lot

25:00

of credibility so far. So Jim Rappler's hit a lot of the

25:02

right notes. But appointing Gareth Southgate, he's

25:04

going to lose support, isn't it, if he decided

25:06

to do that? Absolutely.

25:10

Omar Barada works at Manchester

25:13

City, who are best in

25:15

class in terms of running a football club. Dan

25:18

Ashworth has done brilliant work

25:20

with Newcastle Brighton, the

25:22

FA as well, in terms

25:24

of supporting directors. He was always going to be

25:27

high up in the list of the ones that

25:29

they would want. And then just

25:31

the notion that Gareth Southgate would be the manager,

25:35

it just doesn't tally with the

25:38

appointments they've already made or they are

25:40

going to make with Ashworth. And

25:43

if you want best in class in international

25:45

management, that still isn't Gareth Southgate. That is

25:48

Didier Deschamps. And he'd be even

25:50

more ill-suited to managing Manchester

25:53

United. I don't think the

25:55

prospects of taking any manager

25:57

from any of the national teams... should

26:01

just not be entertained. There's

26:03

a very specific criteria

26:05

that is required to

26:08

manage United. And in terms

26:10

of the permanent appointments

26:12

they've made since Ferguson,

26:14

I'd say only

26:17

maybe three at the

26:19

very most of, you know, have

26:22

tipped those boxes. And

26:24

that'd be Van Gogh, Al Marino and 10 Hugg,

26:27

Royce and Selzkal, certainly. When

26:30

you look at those appointments in isolation, there

26:34

wasn't a great deal of logic about them. No, there was a

26:38

lot of context to it. And of course,

26:40

Selzkal was initially the caretaker manager before he

26:42

was made the permanent manager and he did

26:45

very well as caretaker. I think Royce was

26:47

always a mistake. And I said that at

26:49

the time, I just couldn't fathom why someone

26:52

was being considered for such

26:54

a huge, role on the

26:56

strength of them also being

26:58

Scottish and also an association

27:01

with longevity. But that was the

27:04

mistakes from Alex Ferguson made. And

27:07

now we come back to the

27:09

current possible predicament of into

27:12

a point United manager. And

27:15

you look at the options or who could

27:17

be available and the standout

27:19

candidate who would be available in the summer

27:21

is not going to get anywhere near that

27:23

role. And that's Jurgen Klopp. And

27:26

the only is that when he came in the press

27:28

conference room after Liverpool

27:31

lost, there was literally,

27:33

he saw a sheet of

27:35

paper that said contract on

27:37

it above the Manchester United

27:39

crest beckoning someone, anyone to

27:42

sign it. And he said, is that for

27:44

me? So unfortunately for Manchester

27:46

United to ignore, cause I suspect there

27:48

were quite a lot of United fans

27:50

that wouldn't mind having Jurgen Klopp

27:52

there, but he's not

27:54

going to become this century's field

27:57

chisnall and make that, make

27:59

that. switch from

28:01

one of those two clubs to the other

28:03

club. That's, I think that's probably going to

28:05

be Phil Chisnall's record for a long time.

28:07

Yet, left to come. Yeah, I

28:09

think we can definitely rule that one out

28:11

before it even. Perhaps whispers of that begin

28:14

to start. But that does conclude part one

28:16

of the Manchester is Red podcast. Do rejoin

28:18

us in part two, where we have a

28:20

little look at United's midfield and reflect on

28:22

Coimbatore's England debut. Welcome

28:34

back to part two of the Manchester is

28:36

Red podcast, myself, George Smith and Samuel Lucas

28:38

with you. And obviously

28:40

Samuel, the Liverpool game marked an injury

28:42

concern. Another one before kickoff with Casimir

28:44

ruled out with the recurrence of a

28:46

hamstring issue. It

28:48

felt logical at that time that Sofia Namarova would

28:50

come into midfield and replace him as the most

28:52

likely defensive candidate to take

28:54

that void that he'd vacated. Eric

28:57

Tenharg went with Scott McTominay, as you mentioned, and he

28:59

did score the opening goal in that game. And

29:02

of course, it does raise a few questions about

29:04

where United go with their midfield ahead of Brentford,

29:07

but more likely than not, McTominay is probably

29:09

going to keep that spot in midfield

29:11

most likely alongside Bruno Fernandez and Bobby

29:13

Mayne, who Sofia Namarova's move is quite simply

29:15

not worked out at all. No.

29:19

And it was, it was

29:21

an ambitious position for Tenharg to be in

29:23

because there were, there

29:26

were cases for Amrabbat or McTominay. And in the

29:28

end, look, McTominay was, that was a vindicated calling

29:30

that he got a goal and he got an

29:33

assist and he was involved in two

29:35

other really good goal scoring chances. I mean,

29:37

McTominay is a moment's player. He's

29:40

won, his fitness is won the best in the

29:42

squad. And you knew that

29:44

on that pitch, if it did go to

29:46

extra time, he's, he's a player to keep

29:49

on for the full two hours. I

29:51

thought it was quite telling when you look to the

29:53

five players who, who weren't substituted

29:55

the outfield players, three of them have

29:57

not, are the only three outfield players.

30:00

who have not got into this

30:02

season, Jadallo, Fernandez and Garnaccio. The

30:04

other two, Tomany, who as I said is

30:07

an athlete, you just look at him,

30:09

he's well built. I think doesn't Fernandez

30:12

call him McDermott-ator and there's good reason

30:14

for that. And the other

30:16

one is Rashford who in recent years

30:18

physically has filled out even more and

30:21

is a really strapping presence and I'm

30:24

sure some United fans are hearing, listening to this

30:26

and thinking, well, he doesn't run enough. So he

30:28

should have been able to conserve enough

30:30

energy for it, but he put a hell of

30:32

a shift in and he is an actual athlete.

30:36

So going back to the midfield issue, when

30:38

it emerged that Casamero was

30:40

out of the Brazil squad and that meant he was obviously

30:43

going to be out of the game, you

30:45

do think logically, well, I'm right back to the

30:47

number six and that's what Tenhag said. We didn't

30:49

have an alternative number six last season so

30:52

he can come in and play. But

30:54

if you're going on form or contributions this

30:57

season, then it's a no brainer, it has

30:59

to be McToomany. And

31:01

of course, McToomany came in, got his goal,

31:04

should have made it 2-0. Then

31:06

of course, and I even

31:08

noted the time of it and before I'd

31:10

even pretty much noted it, I think the

31:13

screenshot was going viral, of that gigantic gap

31:15

that a jumbo jet could have fit between

31:17

of the defence and the midfield in

31:19

the 32nd minute. And

31:22

that was the sizeable con to

31:24

not having a defensive midfielder. Because

31:27

I think at that point, Dallow even

31:30

went into, came

31:33

in as a makeshift midfielder, even a centre bat

31:35

to try and keep Liverpool at bay and Fernandez

31:37

had gone at right back. And that's what I

31:40

meant early about, there not being that much of

31:42

a strategy to that win, even though I'm sure

31:44

your Tenhag and his staff would have poured through

31:46

a lot of tactics with the

31:48

players and there'd have been specific remits for the

31:50

players, but watching it, it Just

31:53

looked like United wanted to do, as Jamie

31:55

Carragher said, press high, but have a low

31:57

block and it was exposed in that one

31:59

moment. And I didn't

32:01

I didn't heed the warning shot either.

32:03

an. That was supposed to that

32:06

one male of course. and at the

32:08

first half to one down. And it

32:10

does the paradox of United midfield when.

32:13

The customer who suppliers not had a

32:15

good season. Is not that

32:17

because there's nobody unless you put number

32:19

by in there. And let's

32:21

face it, that's not necessarily advisable going

32:23

off his form the United, but there's

32:26

nobody is going to occupy that specific

32:28

role. Not was a problem. That

32:31

came to add last season. Against

32:33

Manchester City when they were six one down

32:35

with about ten minutes to go to the

32:37

midfield was Erickson met so many is too

32:39

gung ho. They were of

32:41

steamroller.day the following week customary. Came in

32:44

for his full debut and we'll know

32:46

how influential he was the United last

32:48

season and as wine of of said

32:50

it before. When it comes to recruitment

32:53

in the summer, the most important position

32:55

United sign for the team will be

32:57

the midfield. It's goes copy mainly. Because.

33:00

That is gonna have a huge huge bearing

33:02

on how they. Do. Next season is

33:04

gonna be some one of these durable

33:06

who's disciplined. Who. Can.

33:09

Have him he can hit the ground

33:11

running Who can develop quickly and very

33:13

good rapport with my name is my

33:15

new is absolutely got to stay. In

33:18

the team as a starter. But.

33:21

For the running it is a bit of

33:23

the that it is a bit of a

33:25

pixel. They got that because a sense is

33:27

another player who. Is is

33:29

going to be missing just for his

33:31

presence because casimir the season at a

33:34

said he's he's not a good season.

33:36

He slipped isolated far too often. A

33:38

lot of good games he's had you could probably

33:41

count on one hand is shown his age. If

33:43

there's no for the Thompsons him in the summer,

33:45

that's acceptable a thing United have to accept it.

33:48

But. Without him. They

33:50

have that dollar more as to. What

33:52

books that balance the midfield guns look

33:54

like now? maybe Mitt Romney in my

33:57

new can. You can get there,

33:59

they can. to address

34:01

it in circumstances that are

34:03

maybe not as taxing as the Liverpool game.

34:06

But we're in a run-in here where there's a

34:08

lot at stake in every match and United have

34:10

got to be at the

34:12

top of their game if they're to finish in the top

34:14

four and if they're to win the FA

34:16

Cup as well. And with

34:18

McTumminy, it seems that

34:21

he's, and I still think it is the

34:23

case, Tenharg has decided he

34:25

is an attacking midfielder and

34:27

he's got nine goals this season

34:29

and he's done terrifically to get

34:31

that hall, particularly when he was

34:33

essentially up for sale in the

34:35

summer. But then you go to

34:38

the Liverpool game and you look at it and you're thinking,

34:40

well, is he going to be the

34:42

one who has to sit back here? Because as

34:44

we saw when Casamiro was starting with Kobe Manu,

34:47

Manu was starting to take up a

34:49

more advanced role. He got his first

34:51

goal against Newport and then he scored

34:53

against Wolves a few days later. So

34:56

Casamiro acting as that sentry that did

34:58

allow Manu to get forward and start

35:00

to chip in with a couple of

35:02

goals, one which was

35:05

particularly important a way to Wolves.

35:08

But you're not going to necessarily have that balance

35:10

with Manu and McTumminy and it's likely that Manu

35:12

will be the one who has to take more

35:15

of a backseat, but he's not

35:18

a defensive player. I look at Kobe Manu

35:20

who's still only 18, I think he turns

35:22

19 quite shortly, maybe

35:25

next week is it? He turns 19. But I look at him

35:27

and I see

35:29

someone who could very very easily develop

35:32

into a playmaker later

35:34

on in his career, maybe not even

35:36

that later on in his career. The

35:38

play he reminds me of is Iniesta.

35:41

Iniesta of course, a lot

35:43

of people still associate him as a midfielder,

35:45

but he played in the front three quite

35:47

a few times for Barcelona. And

35:50

you could see Manu eventually making

35:52

that transition. He's that

35:54

forward thinking, his dribbling ability is

35:56

phenomenal. That great chance McTumminy had

35:58

at 1-0. That was procured

36:01

through Maynew's footwork, mainly. He

36:03

took two or three Liverpool players out

36:05

of the game, played Rashford in, Rashford

36:08

gives that pull back to McTominay. So

36:11

Maynew playing higher up, in

36:13

time, I think that's going to be in

36:15

United's interest to have someone who's going to

36:18

be sitting and allowing Maynew to

36:20

get forward. But for the running,

36:22

depending on how long Casimir is out for, it

36:25

may be that Maynew is the one who has to take a

36:28

backseat, particularly if McTominay is starting. And

36:30

as I said, the ends

36:33

justified the means against Liverpool in that he

36:35

got a goal, he got an assist, he

36:38

was in thick of it. His

36:41

athleticism was key as well in terms

36:43

of ensuring that they had some

36:47

robustness for extra time,

36:50

despite a lot of players around

36:52

him flagging, understandably so, given what

36:55

a taxing day it was. So

36:58

it will be quite fascinating to see

37:00

how United managed this period,

37:02

again, depending on how long Casimir

37:04

is out for. But

37:07

it's not great that Casimir has

37:09

succumbed to this injury

37:12

again, having spent the best

37:14

part of three months out, I think it was, with

37:16

a hamstring injury between November

37:18

and late January. Yeah,

37:21

definitely. I think the thing

37:23

as well that was quite interesting, Bruno Fernandez said

37:25

during this international break, I

37:27

think over the weekend while he was away with the

37:29

Portugal squad, that he could actually imagine himself in the

37:31

future playing in a more deeper role a

37:33

lot more often. We saw it

37:36

quite a few times last season when Eric Tenharb, besides

37:38

sort of pulling back a little bit, he

37:40

played in the number six role against Everton recently and

37:42

he described it as what he thought was one of

37:44

his best performances of the season. Obviously

37:47

like you've said, United are in a position where every result

37:49

matters now between now and the end of the season. So

37:52

there probably isn't a position where United

37:54

can afford to take too many risks and trial that. So

37:57

United, as you've said, may not quite rightly use a

37:59

progressive. four thinking player in the future is

38:01

likely to be a dominant figure in that number

38:03

eight position, perhaps pushing into a 10 role. So

38:06

it just leaves that difficulty of the number six

38:08

for now. So, and it's awkward

38:10

because obviously Mason Mount is looking to come back into

38:12

the team as well. And thinking

38:14

long term on Mason Mount, there may not

38:16

necessarily be a role for him in what

38:19

could be Eric Tenharg's first choice midfield three,

38:21

presuming Fernandez stays at 10, Meilou

38:23

plays an eight and United get that defensive specialist.

38:27

Yes, with I've read the Fernandez quotes,

38:29

think Stephen did our version of them.

38:31

And when he referred to that Everton

38:34

game, I couldn't I assume he was,

38:36

as you said, George referring to the

38:38

last league game they had. But

38:41

he was he was excellent against Everton last

38:43

season at home. And I think they clearly

38:46

looking at it on paper for this recent game,

38:48

you'd have had him down as the probably

38:51

on the right, I think would it have

38:53

been because I think Rekhauland was still out.

38:57

Just looking at the team now, Kissamira main in the

38:59

Tom Niel start in the city probably thought that Tom

39:01

and he attend Fernandez on the

39:03

right. But he did

39:06

start definitely as one of the two central

39:08

midfielders against Everton last season and was brilliant.

39:10

And there were times in the recent game

39:12

where he was taking up that position

39:14

clearly because they knew they had a lot of

39:16

joy against Everton at home last

39:18

season. And they were managed by Sean Dyche that time

39:21

as well. It wasn't like they were coming up against

39:23

Frank Lampard's Everton. And they just

39:26

essentially it was like do what he did last season. And

39:28

of course he did and he was one

39:31

of United's best players in a pretty

39:33

unmemorable game that that win recently against everything.

39:35

And it was mainly remembered for Don Apto

39:38

his performance and getting the

39:40

two penalties. But there

39:43

have been times recently where discussing

39:45

with colleagues about Fernandez

39:48

and there was merit when they had

39:50

issues in midfield to putting him back

39:52

there and maybe playing Tom Niel's the

39:54

10. And that's something that of

39:57

course is an option for them the

40:00

run in Fernandez, I thought

40:02

he produced another captain's performance against

40:04

Liverpool, just to share the

40:08

selflessness and again,

40:10

the durability of him never missed

40:12

a united game through injury, which

40:14

is absolutely remarkable. And he's gone

40:17

away on international duty. And did

40:19

he get a goal for Portugal last week

40:21

as well? I think he did. Yeah, his

40:24

his mentality and his mentality

40:26

and desire to if you're doing word association

40:28

with Bruno Fernandez, those are two words that

40:31

come up. But I would, I

40:33

would be certainly, you know, open to seeing

40:35

him playing in in a deeper

40:37

role in certain games and

40:40

the running when that will

40:42

happen imminently is difficult to I

40:46

don't think there's necessarily a game coming up where

40:48

you'd say, yeah, put a circle

40:51

around that that fiction, the calendar for

40:53

Bruno Fernandez to play there on that

40:55

day, he's, he's

40:57

one of the fittest players in the squad has

40:59

said he's never missed a game through injury for

41:02

United, they don't have an out and out alternative

41:04

at number 10. And when they

41:06

did have options earlier in the season, nobody thought,

41:08

well, okay, you know, give

41:10

Hannibal Mejbril another go Mejbril kind of

41:12

failed his audition, Donny van der Beek,

41:16

he's still a Manchester United player, technically, but

41:18

he's not a Manchester United player. So

41:20

it does have to be Fernandez there. But

41:23

if he can work, you know, if

41:25

they can if he if some

41:27

telepathy develops between him, and

41:29

a teammate who can, who he

41:31

can switch with possibly, and I know it

41:33

sounds very easy in principle, and it probably

41:35

isn't. I

41:38

don't see any reason why he him

41:40

and Mayneu can rotate possibly, because I've

41:42

said Mayneu is very good

41:44

when he's got further forward. And

41:47

I think he will become a much

41:49

more attack minded midfielder for the time

41:51

being in his role. It's absolutely right

41:54

the way he's playing, just operating

41:58

United are a team that really struggle to have

42:01

control of the ball. And when Maine is

42:03

on the ball, you feel like they've got

42:05

control. And that's remarkable for

42:08

an 18-year-old to have that

42:10

poise. But we're

42:13

talking about someone who could, should,

42:16

hopefully, develop into

42:18

a world-class player from

42:20

Antish United in England. But

42:23

United have got to, I

42:25

don't say it's a problem for United, even

42:27

though Casimir injuries are a problem. But in

42:29

terms of Fernandez and the option of McTominay

42:32

or Fernandez or Maynoob or

42:35

Christian Erickson, I thought did very well when he came

42:37

on against Liverpool and Rabat as an option as well,

42:40

Mason Mountain signed to Central Midfielder. They have

42:42

got a lot of options there. And

42:45

among those options, there must be a solution

42:47

for the upcoming games if Casimir isn't

42:50

available for them. If Casimir is

42:52

available, then you maximize him and

42:55

you make the most of the balance that he

42:58

should offer as a defensive midfielder.

43:01

But in a season where United

43:03

have had more than 50 separate cases

43:06

of injury or illness that have contributed

43:08

to players missing games,

43:11

it's a good position for them to be in

43:13

where they've got five or six Central Midfielders still

43:16

to choose from. Yeah,

43:18

they definitely spoke, scope rather for

43:20

Eric Tenharg to work his way around this

43:22

particular puzzle and find a solution. But speaking

43:24

of Coimbaté, we of course got that England

43:26

debut on Saturday evening, that 1-0 defeat to

43:28

Brazil at Wembley, stored 15 minutes under his

43:31

belt, didn't do anything too flashy when

43:33

he came on but looked quite composed, quite comfortable

43:35

and could quite easily back a first start with

43:37

England play Belgium on Tuesday night. I thought

43:40

he equates himself really well. England seems

43:42

to have the staffing knocked out

43:44

of him when

43:46

they went 1-0 down. And after

43:49

that, I think Brazil just assumed control

43:51

and England kind of waved

43:53

the right flag. It was almost as if

43:55

they didn't have anything left in them to

43:57

try and salvage anything from the game.

44:00

and they didn't really create many chances during

44:02

the game either. I thought Brazil, it

44:05

wasn't the

44:07

glamorous Brazil performance that many might

44:10

have expected or might have hoped for, but

44:12

I thought their game plan

44:14

and the way they executed, it was very

44:16

impressive. They created the better chances as well

44:19

by far. They were worthy winners. But

44:21

I thought it was quite telling that given

44:23

the relationship between Manchester

44:25

United fans and England fans and how

44:28

catchy it can be in how a

44:30

lot of United fans don't care about

44:32

England. There's always been antipathy towards the

44:34

national team. When Maynu came on, it

44:37

sounded like it was possibly the loudest

44:39

cheer of the night from the England

44:41

fans. That's because people want to watch

44:43

him. Before,

44:46

I loved watching him play. He's

44:49

such an exciting player to

44:52

be present for at

44:54

games and seeing the flesh and just admiring

44:57

his footwork and admiring his

45:00

development. I've said

45:02

it before, I've ignored him, but from the

45:05

Amiens' perspective, I haven't watched him since

45:07

he was 16. You invest

45:09

in sending reporters to

45:12

Youth League games, to EFL

45:14

Trophy games, to Youth Cup

45:16

games. You essentially track the

45:18

development of special players. Maynu

45:21

certainly caught my eye a couple of years ago watching

45:23

him in the Youth Cup. I've

45:25

been fortunate to see all

45:27

of his first team games so far. Even

45:30

though you have no direct

45:33

relationship with him, there is a

45:35

sense of pride and

45:37

joy at just seeing such a young player

45:41

fulfilling his potential and

45:44

doing so well. I've

45:46

not come across the quotes as to

45:48

why Southgate bumped him up to the

45:50

senior squad after the Liverpool game, but

45:52

Asinik might suggest well if he's been

45:54

linked with Man United's manager's job, then

45:56

he'd best get copy Maynu in the

45:58

England squad. and he'd memorize himself with him.

46:02

But I understood Southgate's original

46:04

rationale for not picking him. Yet

46:07

if you look at England's midfielders, it's

46:10

Coby Main who's one of the three best

46:12

England midfielders he is. He's one of the best

46:15

midfielders in the country at the moment and he

46:17

has been for a few months. And

46:21

what was so significant

46:23

about his performance against Liverpool was that that

46:25

was one of the quirks about his,

46:27

the quirk about his form was that he

46:30

wasn't really producing

46:32

memorable performances at Old Trafford. And

46:35

then was it worth the wait? It was worth

46:37

the wait. He did it against Liverpool and then

46:40

the FA Cup tie. And it really does him

46:42

a disservice that he came off the pitch with

46:44

United to one down

46:46

in the final 10 minutes because

46:48

it almost gives the illusion that

46:50

he was sacrificed because he wasn't,

46:52

wasn't cutting it at all. But

46:55

he was terrific. And I

46:58

did, I had a slight concern when he

47:00

was coming off that just

47:02

because of what had happened earlier in the season with Hoyland

47:04

coming off a couple of times and there being boos that

47:07

there might be boos at Maynew coming

47:09

off. But fortunately, he got a standing

47:11

ovation and there was understanding that this

47:14

kid is just an f-good. He needs a

47:16

rest. And

47:18

we need, we need another forward on

47:20

the pitch to try and salvage the

47:22

game. So there was, you know, there

47:24

was progress made there in the sense

47:26

that United fans completely understood why

47:28

this great white hope of theirs was being

47:30

taken off even though they were to one

47:33

down in the game. And

47:35

that I'm all on scene in

47:37

terms of the England game on Saturday. I

47:39

very, very rarely sit through England

47:42

friendlies from start to finish. But one of

47:44

the reasons I did watch it the weekend was

47:46

because there was a good chance that Maynew

47:49

was going to come on for his debut. And it'll

47:51

probably be the reason why I am, why

47:53

I watch tomorrow night's game against Belgium. So

47:56

hopefully, hopefully for us, he does

47:59

start. Yeah, fingers crossed and from

48:01

our point of view, we're obviously really keen for

48:03

him to express himself with England and develop quite

48:05

quickly. But I think there is a legitimate case

48:07

provided he finishes this season in the form he's

48:10

been in recently for him to be part of

48:12

that England midfield three at the Euros with Jude

48:14

Bellingham and Declan Rice. I think that number eight

48:16

position is up for grabs and he is tailor

48:18

made for it. Well

48:21

on form, I think he's

48:23

probably the best candidate to go

48:26

in there because Gallagher's playing further

48:28

ahead for Chelsea, he's playing behind the striker

48:30

there. I don't think he

48:32

had a particularly good night against Brazil. Bellingham

48:35

of course is going to be

48:38

the playmaker, Rice is an absolute

48:40

certainty. Calvin Phillips is now out of the

48:42

picture, which is quite ironic since

48:44

he left to play regularly and in

48:47

playing regularly, he's regularly

48:49

made mistakes and that's seen him

48:53

get dropped by Gareth

48:55

Southgate. Who else? Jordan

48:57

Henderson, he's

49:00

probably as unpopular as that cross on the

49:02

back of the England shirts at the moment

49:04

with England fans. He shouldn't be

49:06

in the squad for a myriad of reasons

49:09

and that dates back to the start

49:12

of the season. I don't think

49:14

that playing in the Saudi Pro League

49:16

and the Eredivisis over the course of

49:18

the season is good preparation for

49:21

a major tournament. So I

49:23

think there's actually infinite logic

49:25

in going with Maynu and I

49:28

don't think his rawness really comes

49:30

into it either. If anything,

49:32

international football is easier.

49:36

Certainly in terms of playing it, it's easier

49:38

for the best players because it's

49:40

a little bit more sedate, it's not as

49:42

frenetic as the Premier League and

49:45

this is the kid who, Everton

49:47

away, passed the test, Liverpool

49:49

away, passed the test, Liverpool

49:52

at home passed the test,

49:54

Istanbul away. Junior's cameo, really

49:56

impressive. He's gone to Wolves away, Villa

49:58

away, all these are all good. way grounds

50:00

all these tests, some

50:03

real bear pits as well. As I said,

50:05

I know this and balling that in with

50:07

a lot of with a lot

50:09

of state for United. Nothing phases him.

50:11

So and we know how

50:13

sanitized the atmospheres are at

50:15

international games, particularly tournament games

50:17

where it's not it's

50:20

not out of the ordinary to see fans

50:22

from both teams sat or stood among each

50:24

other. It's quite it's quite

50:26

cordial. This goal music

50:28

that goes on, which I don't think either

50:31

of us would be fans of. So although

50:33

there's a lot you're playing for and there's

50:35

a hell of a lot of pressure, of

50:37

course, playing for England. I

50:40

don't think there's as much pressure or would

50:42

be as much pressure that as

50:44

as Mayno is under when he plays for Man

50:46

United and look how phenomenally well

50:49

he's he's doing playing for United. He's one

50:51

of the he's won

50:53

the Player of the Year award

50:56

nominees and that's in spite of him

50:58

missing the

51:00

first three months of the season. So I

51:04

have no problem with him doing

51:06

straight into that team just because who you're

51:08

three best in the English midfielders, but it's

51:10

Bellingham, it's Rice and it's Mayno.

51:12

So if he keeps it up for the rest of the

51:14

season, if he does well against Belgium, that

51:17

could well be his place in the team. I

51:19

certainly can't disagree with that and that does conclude

51:21

part two of this Manchester is Red podcast. We'll

51:24

be back in part three to very briefly look

51:26

at the latest injury news ahead of the weekend's

51:28

trip to Brentford. Welcome

51:40

back to part three of the Manchester is Red podcast.

51:42

As I said a few moments ago, we are going

51:44

to quickly gloss over the latest on the injury front

51:46

ahead of that trip to the capital at the weekend

51:49

and Samuel Lissandro Martinez could be a

51:51

potential candidate to return this weekend. He

51:53

went away with the Argentina squad during

51:55

the break, didn't play, but did

51:58

go and train with them which bodes as a positive.

52:00

ahead of this coming week in preparation for the attributes

52:02

of Brentford. If he returns, that is a very, very

52:04

significant player to have back to the running for Eric

52:06

St-Harg. Yes,

52:08

he went away with them in September

52:11

as well, even though he came

52:13

off against Arsenal in United's last

52:15

game before the September Internationals with

52:17

an injury, which turned out to

52:19

be a complaint related to his

52:22

metatarsal that required

52:24

a second round of surgery in late

52:27

September. So the United

52:29

version at the time was that it's good

52:31

for him to go away and be with

52:33

his countrymen, be with the national team, be

52:35

in that environment. As it

52:38

is for the English players, clearly the English players

52:40

really buzz off rendezvous with

52:42

the staff and their teammates at

52:44

international level at St George's Park.

52:46

And sometimes in recent

52:48

years, it's been escapism for United players

52:51

when things have not been too

52:54

good, closer to home.

52:56

And I think

52:59

if Martin Eze is, if

53:01

he is fit, then logically you put him

53:03

back in the team. I mean, Rafa Varan,

53:05

of course, will start this weekend. Johnny

53:08

Evans has been carrying a knock, whether

53:10

he's recovered or not, will probably discover

53:12

on Friday. Harry Maguire has now come

53:14

out of the England squad with

53:18

an injury, so he won't play against Belgium.

53:20

Again, the extent of it, I don't think

53:22

that's emerged

53:24

yet. Lindelof is an option.

53:27

But if you've got Martin

53:30

Eze who's fully fit and

53:32

fully recovered, then it's

53:34

a no-brainer. He has to start. And

53:36

it would be interesting to see how

53:39

he would cope, because of course last season at

53:42

Brantford, he was hooked after

53:44

a half with United 4-0 and

53:46

I think it was the third

53:48

goal. He was a little bit all over the

53:50

place at the corner when Ben Meese scored. And

53:53

he was a real culture

53:55

shock for him. And then, was

53:58

it nine days later, he was... He

54:00

was herculean against Liverpool and that

54:02

was his breakthrough performance. So the

54:05

sooner he's back in the team, the better. But United

54:07

have done very well without him. When you look

54:09

at their results, he got injured in that West

54:12

Ham game. So they've what?

54:14

Is it eight games he's missed, I think?

54:17

And they've won six and lost two, got

54:19

to the FA Cup semi-finals. It's

54:21

just the one full. The one game

54:23

that really sticks in the craw is the

54:25

full one because they really should have been

54:28

they should have been winning that game for

54:30

a number of reasons. And just noticed that

54:32

to full a move, of course, had a

54:34

very, very good result against Tottenham quite recently.

54:38

But United have by and large done pretty well

54:41

without Martinez. But they are a

54:43

better team with Martinez, and they've

54:45

not had him anywhere near enough.

54:48

Not just this season, but pretty much over

54:50

the last year nearly. It must be coming

54:52

up to a year since he fractured his

54:54

metatarsal against Sevilla in the

54:56

Europa League. And his

55:00

absence has probably been the

55:02

biggest absence all season because

55:05

he's he's as much of an asset in attack as

55:07

he is in defence with his with

55:09

his passing. And he improves players around him

55:11

as well. I think that was apparent a

55:14

couple of times last season when the

55:16

leads away game really sticks out when

55:19

I think Luke Shaw started since half

55:21

with Harry Maguire. Masters came on

55:23

at Neil, Neil Shaw went to left back. Masters

55:26

was obviously at centre half. His

55:28

passing was excellent. His passing range was excellent.

55:30

Shaw crossed in for Marcus Rashford to win

55:33

in goal that day. And

55:36

that's that's just what

55:38

another pro of having Martinez in your

55:40

team, in that he he does

55:43

radiate confidence. He's not just a very confident

55:45

footballer, a very good footballer and a very

55:47

good defender, but he does improve those next

55:49

to him. Yeah, he certainly

55:51

does. And we saw a prime example of that

55:53

certainly in recent weeks when the United 1-4-3 at

55:55

Molyneux, when Marcus Rashford and Luke Shaw started down

55:57

the left, Martinez in that left side of centre.

56:00

half position. Those three, the combination play

56:02

was very impressive. But of course,

56:04

Luke Shaw still absent. So Martin is like you said there,

56:06

Samuel, he does bring a hell of a lot more than

56:08

just defensive trades to this team. Yes,

56:12

yeah, there's I

56:14

think maybe in his first few games,

56:16

I remember when I went to his

56:19

first appearance was against Ray of I cano

56:23

in the friendly. And then of course,

56:25

it was Brighton and

56:28

then obviously after that it was the Brentford game and

56:31

I was I was sat with three different different

56:33

colleagues for those games and all of

56:35

them said exactly the same thing, which

56:37

was Martin is tiny. And that it

56:40

was difficult not to be taken aback

56:42

by his height when

56:44

he first started games for United.

56:46

But since that Brentford game, his

56:48

his height hasn't been mentioned whatsoever.

56:51

And of course, Brentford will have

56:53

almost certainly Adam Tony

56:55

starting and Neil Mopay who I

56:58

don't I don't remotely rate as a striker,

57:00

I think he's probably the worst Premier League

57:03

striker I've ever seen. But he does try

57:05

and make himself a nuisance and he he

57:07

does is quite a trochulan

57:09

character as well. But that's the

57:11

kind of character that you want to hit against

57:14

Martinis because Martin says we'll hold his own against

57:16

anyone he's not going to be intimidated. So

57:20

as I said, United are a better team with

57:22

him. And he's whether

57:25

it's Saturday or whether it's next week,

57:28

his return should be imminent.

57:31

Hopefully fingers crossed he doesn't have another setback.

57:35

Fingers crossed that would be a huge blow for United

57:37

to lose him again or is obviously already without Luke

57:39

Shaw and Martin is of course as a mislage chunks

57:41

of this season. But that does bring

57:43

an end to this episode of the Manchester is

57:45

Red podcast. A big thank you to Samuel for

57:47

joining me. As always, if you've enjoyed listening to

57:49

this episode and would like to watch it as

57:51

well, we are now on YouTube, of course, just

57:54

search Manchester is Red and make sure you subscribe

57:56

to the channel. We'll be back again on Friday

57:58

to build up to Saturday's trip to Brentford. Before

58:00

that though, make sure you check out a special

58:02

episode with darts player Nathan Aspinall, who was once

58:04

scouted by United as a youngster as he pursued

58:06

a career in football. Stephen Raelston, our colleague, caught

58:09

up with him last week and that podcast will

58:11

be coming your way on Wednesday. But until then,

58:13

have a great week and we'll catch you again

58:15

very, very soon. you