‘Marcus Rashford would not have to take a seat at dwelling and cry as a result of Man Utd are thirteenth’
Gary Neville going on the attack about Marcus Rashford and Casemiro jetting to the US while on time off was bizarre.
The former Manchester United player obviously knows his stuff about the game but the reaction was way over the top. His argument stemmed from the fact his old club is failing miserably so far this season and those two players have been struggling so going on a long-haul trip is not good preparation.
Casemiro may argue that case, given that he’s been much improved this season compared to last. Neville’s gripe appeared to be that they shouldn’t be travelling that far because of jet lag with a new manager waiting for them to return but also because the club is 13th in the Premier League.
Maybe he can argue the jet lag case but when these guys are flying private or in business class it is hardly the same as being stuck in economy at the risk of deep vein thrombosis. And they probably think if the clubs drag them around the US and Asia during the summer in pre-season then long haul travel can’t be that bad?
But the point he mentioned about where the team is in the league? What’s that got to do with it? Should they sit at home and cry because United are struggling?
Yeah, they’re paid extortionate amounts of money and are underperforming but they should just put their life on hold? Neville claimed it was not the best way to “recharge”. Maybe going to a beach in Dubai might have been better?
That’s hardly round the corner, either. But Casemiro took his family to Orlando. A few days in Disneyland with his kids would have been a nice mental recharge I’m sure.
If he was selected for his national side he’d have travelled just as far – or further – and played two games of 90 minutes. While Rashford enjoyed an NBA game in New York which is obviously something he likes doing.
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The game has changed but international breaks used to be a time players would go away with their countries and go on nights out. Neville could have asked Roy Keane on the other side of the table when filming their podcast about the boozy nights before and after Ireland games.
Hardly ideal preparation to come back to club football in fine form but it worked for them. Rashford and Casemiro both trained while they were away and probably had advice from nutritionists and more.
Both were back for Ruben Amorim’s first training session as United head coach and, unlike Rashford’s boozy trip to Belfast last season, they had permission to be away. It was very much a faux outrage from Neville.
The Nations League gets a bad name in England.
Many fans and pundits try to dismiss it as a nothing competition. But tell that to San Marino. The tiny nation has never had the joy of achieving something in international football.
Now it has after they won promotion to League C in the Nations League. Many here scoff at it as – rightly so – England have their eyes on bigger prizes with their squad worth 100s of millions.
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But football is not all about the top teams and there needs to be competitions to improve other nations. Instead of just getting battered every game in qualifiers, the likes of San Marino now get to face teams of a similar level in competitive matches.
They’ve won twice in their last four games. That’s double the victories in the previous 20 years. They can be proud of their team and the Nations League format has helped them to be.
ONSIDE
Curtis Jones. Showing the rest of the country what Liverpool fans know with his England display.
OFFSIDE
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