Fernandes’ scathing comments about the team’s tactics after the capitulation at Como were apparently directed towards Steve Holland and not just manager Michael Carrick
Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes clashed with outgoing first-team coach Steve Holland behind the scenes, according to new reports.
According to Roundtable, Fernandes’ scathing comments about the team’s tactics after the capitulation at Como were directed towards Holland and not just manager Michael Carrick. Both Carrick and Holland left the club yesterday following a dismal start to the season, along with most of the coaching staff.
While a highly regarded coach, Holland is said to have become unpopular in the dressing room with one source describing him as “extremely arrogant”.
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However, not all of the coaching staff were judged in such a manner. Reports state that Travis Binnion was respected and goalkeeping coach Craig Mawson was well liked.
After United were defeated 4-1 by the Italian side Como, Fernandes gave an explosive post-match interview. It now appears that Holland was the catalyst behind the club captain breaking ranks.
He told TNT Sports: “It’s a decision from the staff to not press man-to-man and sometimes leave a little space in behind and try to get the ball in the first moment, to wait for them, to give them the ball.
“But sometimes when you give too much of the ball to these teams they get confident, they have so many bodies behind the ball that make you run a lot, make people get frustrated and then obviously when you recover the ball the legs are, and the brain, much more difficult to make it work.”
Questioned about the tactics, Fernandes then opened fire and said: “That’s on the manager and on the staff to see it. It’s not on me. I just said, I think sometimes we have to be more brave on the pressure, trying to take a risk of getting that press very high and making them uncomfortable – as they did to us.”
The Carrick era ended just 174 days in the permanent job, which he earned by guiding United to third in the Premier League last term. But this season United sit 18th in the league, wallowing in the relegation zone, and have won a single top-flight game.
Mauricio Pochettino will now be the man to step in and attempt to turn things around.