Manchester United’s Harry Maguire was in attendance at Old Trafford last week as the club’s U18s hosted Nottingham Forest in the FA Youth Cup final. Maguire was supporting the academy while others were on vacation.
Maguire was also present for the Youth Cup semi-final at Old Trafford and he gave a dressing room speech ahead of that game. This season has shown that there are only a handful of players at United who really care and Maguire is one of them.
After a nightmarish season, some will be hesitant to give credit to Maguire, but the centre-back’s consistent support at the academy is commendable. Maguire acts like a worthy player to captain Manchester United away from football, it’s just a shame he doesn’t do it on the pitch. The defender appeared overwhelmed by the weight of the armbar at United and there is an obvious decision to be made.
ALSO READ: Two Manchester United stars ‘separated’ in training ground ‘scrap’
Maguire endured the worst season of his career. His performances haven’t been good enough this season and he seemed to lack confidence. Maguire looks broken and chained as he takes on the responsibility of leading United.
The centre-back can only improve next season. Erik ten Hag will tackle United’s porous back line in training and Maguire should benefit from playing behind a specialist defensive midfielder. Maguire will also benefit from playing under a tactically competent manager for the first time in his United career. It is hoped that he will put this season behind him after a summer break.
It remains to be seen whether Maguire can get his career back on track, but he needs to be given the best chance to do so and that means stripping him of the captain’s armband. This decision has seemed inevitable all season and Maguire will be aware that it is coming. The armbar brings more scrutiny and Maguire doesn’t need it as he seeks to rediscover his form.
Maguire was never an £80m signing but this season hasn’t been a true reflection of his ability and he should improve without armbar pressure. He insisted he didn’t pay attention to criticism, but his actions contradict his words.
The 29-year-old kept his hands over his ears after scoring for England in November in response to his criticism, but was sent off as United lost 4-1 in the game just after the international break. It is highly likely that Maguire now regrets this celebration.
However, there is a problem with the removal of Maguire’s captaincy: there are currently no players at the club worthy of taking responsibility. United’s dressing room has been called a ‘disaster’ and that’s probably nice.
Bruno Fernandes is vice-captain and he may seem like the natural successor, but he’s not the kind of player who should captain United. Although Fernandes is a talismanic force and has been sensational since joining the club, he can often be found rolling on the floor and complaining about stupid things instead of getting on with his job. Fernandes’ petulance is embarrassing.
Cristiano Ronaldo and David de Gea could be the other armband contenders, but Ronaldo turns 38 next season and Ten Hag may prefer another goalkeeper to De Gea. While the Spaniard has been United’s best player in a dismal campaign, there are doubts over his distribution. De Gea is a world-class shooter in an era that demands more from goalkeepers.
Raphael Varane once captained Real Madrid and he could be considered for the role, however, he’s clearly not tough enough and his injury record is concerning. There are no obvious candidates to succeed Maguire as club captain and that should probably come as no surprise.
United’s players have been weak this season and there is a serious lack of character in this dressing room. They failed to play for professional pride and they threw in the towel months ago. Ten Hag has to supervise a cleaning upon his arrival.
The lack of suitable candidates to succeed Maguire doesn’t mean he should stay on as club captain. It’s been apparent for some time that a decision needs to be made, but the decision of who will be United’s next captain is certainly not that simple.
Sign up to our United newsletter to never miss an update from Old Trafford this season
