Tribal Football

The end? Why Amorim and Man Utd dressing room will no longer indulge Rashford

Chris Beattie, Editor
The end? Why Amorim and Man Utd dressing room will no longer indulge Rashford
The end? Why Amorim and Man Utd dressing room will no longer indulge RashfordAction Plus
COMMENT: It's all caught up to him. Marcus Rashford has just hung another manager out to dry. But this time, at this moment in Manchester United's cycle, he's dispensable...

Give or take a few weeks, but it's almost to a year since Rashford's infamous Belfast bash. A two-day bender, which he failed to come clean to Erik ten Hag at the time. Instead, telling his then manager he had fallen ill the Friday before an FA Cup tie. When the truth emerged, it was left to Ten Hag to clean up the mess and address the controversy, all the while appearing publicly undermined.

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Almost a year on and the Dutchman's successor let it be known what he thought of Rashford's very public transfer request. It's old news now, but on Tuesday, without any warning, the striker gave an unauthorised flash interview at a primary school function. The striker effectively declaring a wish to leave United and abandon the plans of new manager Ruben Amorim.  

“I think I’m ready for a new challenge and the next steps,” he declared, with Henry Winter, the journalist in question, making it very clear what the intentions were behind Rashford's words.

"There's going to be a parting of the ways," Winter would say 72 hours later, "and I hope he gets a good send-off because he's done a lot for United." 

Between then, Amorim - like Ten Hag - was forced to mop things up. Rather than previewing a crucial Carabao Cup quarterfinal against Tottenham, the Portuguese's presser was dominated by Rashford's comments. 

And quizzed whether he'd have done the same as a player, the former international was emphatic: "I would speak with the manager."

Amorim then went on: “It’s hard to explain what I am going to do. I’m a little bit emotional.

“I need to prepare for the game and then we will see. Let’s focus on the team, not individual players.” 

As we say, just as he did with Ten Hag, Rashford dropped his manager - his new manager - right in it. But there's a difference this time around, unlike Ten Hag, Amorim isn't playing the soft touch.

Indeed, there's no need to. Not with Amad Diallo flying as he is currently. Not with Alejandro Garnacho responding as he has to his derby omission. And also not with Antony - of all players - also winning praise from the new manager.

The Antony situation is significant. A real scapegoat of the Ten Hag era, the Brazilian has been publicly granted a clean slate. And along with that, the praise and appreciation of his manager.

“He needs more confidence," declared Amorim. "If you remember Antony and I played against him in Ajax. He lacks a little bit of confidence to go to one against one so he will improve.

"But he's working really hard and he's trying in displaying more inside than outside, especially in this game. And he just has to do that, to work really hard and I will happily help him to be a better player.”  

Working hard. Trying to adapt. Being receptive and open-minded. Antony is doing everything Amorim has asked from him. In contrast, Amorim has also laid it all out why Rashford hasn't been getting a game.

In the immediate aftermath of Sunday's win at Manchester City, the manager explained Rashford's omission: “We try to evaluate everything training performance, game performances, engagement with teammates, push their teammates up. Everything is on the line when we analyse and try to choose the players. It is my selection. Simple."

There was no need to read between the lines for this one. The explanation ringing true of the general criticism of Rashford over these past two years. Disinterested. Demotivated. Basically a passenger needing to be picked up by teammates. And it's clear, for many who share the same dressing room, their patience has run out.

Without referring to Rashford by name, a bullish Diogo Dalot, fresh from victory at the Etihad, really let it all hang out:  "If you want to succeed at this club, you have to suffer.

"If you’re ready to do that with us, we are going to be a good team. If not, there is no space for you." 

It's clear Rashford will no longer be indulged. The form. The impact. He no longer warrants it. It's all worn very thin. And last week's episode could be the last major headline Rashford makes as an active Manchester United player.

For beyond all the debate those comments sparked, in the end, Rashford's actions again undermined his manager - and his teammates. It wasn't intentional. It wasn't out of spite. But he did it... again. Only this time, his manager and the dressing room are ready to leave him behind.