Rashford: United ‘in no man’s land’ amid managerial churn

TDT | Manama

Email : hussainm@newsofbahrain.com

Marcus Rashford has delivered a blunt assessment of Manchester United’s struggles, accusing the club of drifting “in no man’s land” due to years of chopping and changing managers.

The 27-year-old forward, currently on loan at Barcelona after a spell at Aston Villa, has not played for United since December following a fallout with coach Rúben Amorim. Speaking on The Rest is Football podcast, Rashford said his time away had given him clarity on why the team, who finished 15th in the Premier League last season, remain in decline.

“People say we’ve been in a transition for years, but to be in a transition you have to start the transition,” Rashford said. “We’ve had so many different managers, ideas and strategies to win that you end up in no man’s land. Liverpool stuck with Klopp, even when they weren’t winning. We’ve never had that stability.”

Since Sir Alex Ferguson retired in 2013, United have been through a carousel of managers, from David Moyes to Erik ten Hag, each with contrasting styles. Rashford argued that under Ferguson there were club-wide principles, from the first team to the academy, that ensured continuity regardless of personnel changes.

United’s recent cup wins, he added, were more down to “good coaches, good players and match-winners” than a coherent long-term plan. “If your direction is always changing you can’t expect to win the league,” Rashford said. “You might win tournaments, but it’s reactionary.”