New Manchester United manager Eric ten Haag has a serious problem with captain Harry Maguire, whose form and influence in the locker room leave him under threat
Harry Maguire is a big headache for Eric ten Haag (
Image: Justin Talis)
Under normal circumstances, the new manager can turn to the club’s captain for guidance when he arrives at a new club, but this does not seem to be the case for Manchester United and Eric ten Haag.
United’s captain is Harry Maguire, but the uneven form of the England defender is already causing a headache for Ten Hag, just days after his tenure at Old Trafford. The Dutchman appeared before the media for the first time on Monday, and one of his answers hinted at the difficulty of his situation.
Asked if Maguire would remain captain, Ten Haag said: “Next season is a different season. He did a great job, he is a great player, he has achieved a lot by contributing to Manchester United. I look forward to working with him. ”
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This is a diplomatic response that leaves all possibilities open. After praising him, Ten Haag can keep Maguire as captain if he wishes. But most importantly, he also avoids giving a definite answer to the question, so he can still give up Maguire, either as a captain or completely.
Maguire’s problems during United’s miserable 2021/22 campaign were well documented. His personal struggles in the heart of the defense led to his coming as captain under surveillance . Mirror Football, meanwhile, lifted the lid struggle for power between Maguire and Cristiano Ronaldo in the locker room for influence.
Maguire also reportedly upset some of his teammates, according to Daily Mail, from calling them to individual mistakes on the ground and in front of the media. The times then reported that several team members believed Maguire should have been removed due to deteriorating performance levels. As Maguire’s injury problems gave him a ready-made apology, Ralph Rangnik eventually left the 29-year-old on the bench several times.
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Eric ten Haag kept his opportunities open with Harry Maguire (
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All of this adds up to a huge mess – and therefore it’s something Ten Hag just has to deal with. This is no time to hesitate. Ten Hag has a mandate to make big decisions: United have just released their worst Premier League score and finished their fifth consecutive season without silverware.
If recent reports it must be believed that Ten Hag is already planning changes. ESPN claim that Maguire is not guaranteed to start under Ten Hague due to his lack of pace and the tendency of the former Ajax boss to play with a high defensive line. If he wants to apply his tactics to Ajax at Old Trafford, then changes from behind will seem necessary.
Maguire, Victor Lindelof, Rafael Varane and Eric Bailey are not an elite set of central defenders. It is therefore not surprising that United are looking for a new central midfielder made them consider Ajax’s Jurien Timber and Villarreal’s Pau Torres.
Ten Hague was at Selhurst Park to watch United, with a central defensive partnership between Maguire and Lindelof, losing 1-0 to Crystal Palace on Sunday. He will have watched many shots of their constantly disappointing performances under Rangnik, so he has no illusions about how deep the mood is.
Fortunately, Ten Hag has not yet cornered, publicly announcing that Maguire will be his captain for the 2022/23 season. United are ready to support him in the transfer market and signing a central defender’s statement must be a priority.
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