Forget Ratcliffe’s comments on Greenwood – Man Utd have already made a decision – Footymercato.com
[ad_1]
It would be easy to take pot-shots at Sir Jim Ratcliffe for certain things he said during a round of media interviews on Wednesday but, overall, he came across as genuine in his noble mission to bring the glory days back to Old Trafford.
It is one hell of a tough mission and if his briefing ahead of his chat with the BBC and with newspaper reporters was not exhaustive, that is fully understandable. Ratcliffe cannot be fully across everything United this early into his co-ownership and the world’s richest business tycoons tend to be busy people.
So, let’s give Ratcliffe the benefit of considerable doubt when considering his response to the Mason Greenwood question. When he was asked about Greenwood, Sir Jim’s rambling answer sounded like someone playing for time until he was properly informed of all that preceded the striker’s loan move to Getafe.
And when he has been properly informed, Ratcliffe will surely arrive swiftly at the conclusion that Greenwood cannot play for United again. When he spoke about Greenwood last week, Ratcliffe said: “Is he the right type of footballer? Is he a good person or not?” Well, the club conducted a six-month investigation into whether Greenwood was ‘the right type of footballer’ for Manchester United – and decided he was not.
Watch the Premier League title race with the best Sky Sports deals
Mason Greenwood scout report: How Man Utd loanee performed during his Barcelona trial
When it was mooted the club might reintegrate him into the Old Trafford fold after charges of attempted rape, assault and coercive control were dropped, there was considerable discomfort and anger amongst many members of United staff. And it would have been no surprise if that had been the decisive factor in sending Greenwood away.
It should be a decisive factor in not bringing him back to the club. The time he has spent away at Getafe should make no difference. If the club thought he was not suitable to wear the shirt back then, it should be exactly the same now. Nothing has changed.
Is Ratcliffe really going to read up on the background and tell people who might still be there that they were wrong and Greenwood IS suitable to play for United? No, surely he is not going to do that. Instead, the more contentious decision Ratcliffe and the newly-formed United boardroom hierarchy will have to make is over the financial nature of Greenwood’s permanent departure.
(
PA)
If you are a buying club, why offer big money for a Manchester United player who has no future there? Greenwood might have done half-decently at Getafe but there is unlikely to be a bidding war for him. And it would hardly be the most dignified look for United to start playing hardball with a transfer fee.
The best way out all round would be for Greenwood to stay away on loan somewhere and then walk away for good when his contract ends in the summer of next year. But, however he goes, he has to go.
“It’s quite clear we have to make a decision,” Ratcliffe said. No, that decision has already been made … and it would be the first big mistake of Sir Jim’s noble mission if he went back on it.
(
AFP via Getty Images)
Pre-season calendar puts Klopp views in focus
There will be an awful lot of things that Jurgen Klopp is missed for but his annual moan about the fixture schedule will not be one of them. No doubt, though, whoever takes over at Anfield will share Klopp’s negative views on the calendar because most club managers bemoan crowded fixture lists.
But as injuries and games come thick and fast, it has just been announced that Manchester United will play Liverpool and Arsenal in Los Angeles and South Carolina this summer. That is after the four-week Euros.
Chelsea and Manchester City will play each other in Ohio while Pep Guardiola’s side will also play fixtures in North Carolina, New York and Orlando. So, the next time the managers of these clubs bang on about player welfare, remind them of what they do in the summer when their players should be at home having a rest.
Have Liverpool missed a trick with Lijnders?
(
Getty Images)
As has been customary during Liverpool’s Carabao Cup campaign, Pep Lijnders took responsibility for the club’s main media duties ahead of the final against Chelsea. And as has been customary, he spoke extremely well, giving great insight into factors that have contributed to Liverpool’s exciting season.
He also spoke about the club’s prospects for next season and beyond, pointing out that they don’t necessarily need a Jurgen Klopp doppelgänger. To reinforce his point, Lijnders highlighted the stark difference in character between Bill Shankly and his successor Bob Paisley.
Paisley, of course, had been Shanks’s assistant, just as Lijnders is Klopp’s. And when Lijnders was talking on Friday – and when considering his contribution to the way this Liverpool squad plays – it was hard not to think the club have missed a trick when overlooking the Dutchman for the big job.
Legia Warsaw out after ‘surprise’
The section of Stadion Wojskan Polskiego that normally houses the Legia Warsaw ultras was closed by UEFA following fan trouble at a tie against AZ Alkmaar. But ahead of the Europa Conference League play-off second leg against Molde, the serial troublemakers unveiled a giant banner in another part of the ground that read ’SURPRISE, MOTHER*******’.
What was not a surprise was that Molde won 3-0 – making it 6-2 on aggregate – and Legia are out of Europe … hopefully to not return for a very long time.
Hart deserves to enjoy send-off
(
Getty Images)
Joe Hart has had a few setbacks during his long career but his time at Celtic has been something of a very nice swansong and, at the age of 36, he is retiring this summer while still in excellent form. Good on him.
Sure, his career at truly elite level had its ups and downs but this was a player who made it from humble beginnings at Shrewsbury Town, not at some gilded Premier League academy. He deserves to go out on a high at Celtic.
Saudi hopes still high
There are suggestions clubs from the Saudi Pro League will try and tempt Kevin de Bruyne. They are unimaginably rich … but surely not that rich.
Tweet of the week
@NFFC “Just look at what it means. Lifelong fan Vera Hill, 92, gave up her season ticket when she started to lose her eyesight 15 years ago.
We invited Vera pitchside to fulfil her greatest wish of hearing Mull of Kintyre one more time.” If you can, check out the video clip that accompanied this post. Lovely work from Nottingham Forest.
Join our new WhatsApp community and receive your daily dose of Mirror Football content. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don’t like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you’re curious, you can read our Privacy Notice.
[ad_2]
