July 19th 2023.
Wayne Rooney, the Old Trafford legend, has voiced his opinion on the decision to strip Harry Maguire of the Manchester United captaincy. According to Rooney, this shows that Erik ten Hag has no faith in the centre-back and he should now leave the club.
The England international confirmed his demotion on Sunday, with United later releasing a statement saying a new captain would be announced ‘in due course’. Maguire's stock has fallen dramatically at Old Trafford in recent times, as he is now fifth-choice behind Raphael Varane, Lisandro Martinez, Victor Lindelof and even left-back Luke Shaw.
Speaking to The Athletic, Rooney said: ‘To have the armband taken off you, how does he move forward with the club? That shows the manager really doesn’t believe in him. It leaves Harry in a position where he has to think on what he does moving forward. The manager has shown he is not part of the plans. I’m sure Harry will want to go and play -- for himself, for his England career -- to put himself in the best position to be as successful as he can. The best thing now is probably for him to move.’
Rooney has encouraged Maguire to find a new club this summer, and hailed Ten Hag's impact at Old Trafford. He said: ‘There were huge improvements. Some really good signings and some good experienced players who helped the team. They’re competing with one of the best teams, probably, of all time in Manchester City. United are trying to get back challenging for the league title and I do believe they’re on the right path. There is a lot of work to be done but they are taking the right steps to do it.’
Finally, Rooney expressed his views on the ongoing saga surrounding the sale of the club. He believes the time has come for the Glazers to step aside. He added: ‘They have been very successful but it has probably got to a place where the fans really want a change. They want to maybe go in a different direction. It needs that excitement back, not just for the first team but to develop the academy and behind the scenes. I’m sure they will get the credit they deserve for the job they have done, but also they’re going to get the negativity from fans who never seem to acknowledge what they’ve done for the club. I’m sure it will be split, but I think a change is needed.’
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