The Manchester United Thread

INTERVIEW Brian McClair's 14 years at the MUFC academy left a legacy that lasts to this day. Talking Lingard, Rashford, McTominay & so many other playing careers that began at the club https://www.telegraph.co.uk/footba










Former Manchester United forward Brian McClair discusses working in the academy as youth and reserve team coach and academy director.

He talks about Rashford, McTominay and Lingard’s development & Ravel Morrison & Paul Pogba being misunderstood​
 
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From the Palace Presser-


HOW THE SNOW HAS AFFECTED PREPARATIONS
“Yesterday, [we trained] indoor and today, outside but [it has been] difficult. We tried, we worked. The atmosphere is positive and we can't complain because it's over. So, for the rest of the day, they [the players] can be at home.”

SCOTLAND OR ENGLAND FOR MCTOMINAY?
“My advice to him is not about national teams - it's not about that. My advice to him is to keep the way he is - very humble, very open to learn, intelligent and keep going in the same direction and the same profile, trying to fight to have minutes with Manchester United which is not easy. Then the national team will just be a consequence of his work at the club. But I can't confirm at all that both national teams [England and Scotland] have contacted him because I don't know.”

SCOTT IS STAYING GROUNDED
“I think the people around him are the right people. I have never met them but I have to believe that the kid with his attitude towards the others and towards football, the parents must be really good people that pass to him the right values. The kid is keeping his feet on the ground and is very calm. I think he passed some important tests - not from the football point of view but more from the mental point of view, with his maturity, calm, playing against the champions and knockout football in the Champions League. Two tests by the mental approach. So, I think there is a long way to go, obviously, but his feet are very much on the ground, very stable and I just hope he can keep the same direction.”

WE WILL FIGHT FOR THE BEST POSSIBLE FINISH
“First of all, the gap is a very short gap - six points between the second and the fifth teams is really short and really open for everybody. But all four are in the Champions League still, so we have other focuses and targets all of us. I have to say all of us are very good teams - in spite of some times the way I read, it looks like all the others are better than us. But I'm not so sure that is the reality. I would say four very good teams and one will be out of the Champions League. If you ask me second or fourth, I say by the financial point of view it doesn't make a difference, by the prestige point of view, it doesn't make a difference - you go to the Champions League and even the fourth team doesn't have to even play a last qualification match. But, from the personal point of view, second is better than third and third is better than fourth. So, we are going to try the best possible finish. Of course, the top four is very difficult and, at the moment, that's the main target for us. But, if you can finish third, we are not going to finish fourth. If you can finish second, we are not going to finish third.”
 

Jose Mourinho all but confirms Zlatan Ibrahimovic will leave United this summer: 'We all think it's his last season at Manchester United.' #mufc



"For Zlatan, we all think it's his last season at Manchester United and it will be a very personal decision for him to play or to stop," said Mourinho. "I think he won the right of choosing his life and his future - he's such an amazing player with such an amazing career that only that awful injury in the wrong moment broke a fantastic couple of seasons that he could, and should, have with us.

"This season has been really difficult for him. Is he injured? No, he's not injured. Does he feel totally happy and totally ready and totally convinced that he's in [the] conditions to help the team in this moment? No.

"But he's such an honest guy and such a champion that he only wants to be back with that feeling of 'I'm totally ready for it'. He's working hard and, hopefully, his evolution brings him to that level that he wants to have a positive answer.



Jose Mourinho on @Fellaini : "He will be back to play in a couple of weeks. For hypothetical CL quarter-final." No update on future.



“He's still a young player, his injury had a little surgery, but a minor surgery, and he will be back to play again in a couple of weeks,” the manager told reporters, before estimating when the player could potentially return to the pitch. “If we proceed in the Champions League beyond Sevilla, I think he will be ready for a hypothetical quarter-final. He will be ready for a hypothetical FA Cup semi-final. He will be ready for the last couple of months of our Premier League fight.

On the subject of Marouane’s contract running out at the end of this season, and what is happening regarding the player’s future, Jose continued: “Is he going to stay or leave? I don't know. I don't know. I want him to stay, the club wants him to stay. The process, the negotiations, the numbers, the distances between the offer and what he wants - I really don't know how things are going.”


In a separate interview with MUTV, the boss confirmed he will be without three defenders for the Selhurst Park encounter.

"No Phil Jones, no Marcos Rojo, no Daley Blind," he said. "We don't have them. So the situation hasn't changed. The squad is the same."
 

Leroy Sané on Timothy Fosu-Mensah, his toughest Premier League opponent: "I have played against him twice this season, and even last season, he had me really well under control and I told him how happy I was to play against him". [sky sports] :)
 
[h=1]Anthony Martial believes his Manchester United team-mate Paul Pogba is “probably the best midfield player in the world”, who could become a Ballon d’Or winner within five years[/h]
Is it April fools Day? :S
 
Anthony said:
Anthony Martial believes his Manchester United team-mate Paul Pogba is “probably the best midfield player in the world”, who could become a Ballon d’Or winner within five years


Is it April fools Day? :S
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Lol. No chance! Potential to be definitely. Modric for me.
 
Kroos for me. The orchestrator behind multiple CL triumphs, and World Cup success.

What I would say though, is Pogba is the most talented CM in the world, which doesn't mean the best.
 
RhQQ said:
Kroos for me. The orchestrator behind multiple CL triumphs, and World Cup success.

What I would say though, is Pogba is the most talented CM in the world, which doesn't mean the best.
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Yeah thought about Kroos just think he’s dropped a little the last yr and a half. Would love him at Utd though. Him with Pogba and Matic :)
 
Funny thinking how excited most of us was when we signed Blind, Basti, Morgs for midfield especially after yrs of neglect in that area. That didn’t work out lol. Glad Mourinho is looking to hopefully solving the problem this Summer. Need 2 at least.
 
RhQQ said:
Kroos for me. The orchestrator behind multiple CL triumphs, and World Cup success.

What I would say though, is Pogba is the most talented CM in the world, which doesn't mean the best.
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You're gonna' love Keita then. Or not given the rivalry haha.

Pogba who can also defend.
 
Tbh, in hindsight, we were signing someone from the Dutch league, a player who despite being a legend, had seen better days, and a mid table player. Even if it didn't feel it at the time.

Mourinho came in and signed top quality CMs in Matic and Pogba, reckon he'll sign a big name to complete the trident this summer.

Say what you like about him, he rarely has any risk factor in his signings (who aren't CBs, he is brave to try unearth CBs as it's his forte).
 
Scouseinthehouse said:
You're gonna' love Keita then. Or not given the rivalry haha.

Pogba who can also defend.
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He isn't. I know Liverpool love to build up every new signing but he's not Pogba, though he is excellent. He's a different type if player. He's not as devastating in the final third, but he's better defensively. One is a box to box mid, the other is an attacking centre mid
 
If you're going to compare Keita to any potential United mid, it would be savic if that signing happens
 
Scouseinthehouse said:
You're gonna' love Keita then. Or not given the rivalry haha.

Pogba who can also defend.
Click to expand...

I'd say Keita is the most complete CM in Europe, profile wise. He's a mix of Kanté and Pogba from what I've seen. However, I still think Pogba has more X factor, and Kanté is a better destroyer.

Zero shame in that though, the fact he even rivals those pair of specialists in both departments is a compliment, regardless of coming up short.
 
Mike. said:
He isn't. I know Liverpool love to build up every new signing but he's not Pogba, though he is excellent. He's a different type if player. He's not as devastating in the final third, but he's better defensively. One is a box to box mid, the other is an attacking centre mid
Click to expand...

I much be watching a completely different player at Leipzig (in so far as he isn't devastating the final third. I don't see a better all-round midfielder currently both ends the park with such range whomever I watch) and I'll leave it at that and enjoy him up close the coming years.
 
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Scouseinthehouse said:
I much be watching a completely different player at Leipzig and I'll leave it at that and enjoy him up close the coming years.
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I mean the stats and the performances bear out my point. They arent the same type of player.
 
Oh, I wasn't saying they were the same type of player. I was comparing skill sets and saying in my view Keita is as rangy, athletic and attack-minded threat as Pogba is and more as he's as good the other end of the park.

As complete midfielders go there's not many better. Just needs to temper his enthusiasm for the PL as the refs here are dickheads. (Still amuses me there's not one Eglish referee the WC this year but that's another subject.).
 
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