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Manchester United legends Nicky Butt and Ryan Giggs have delivered a scathing assessment of their former club, claiming that, at present, the future looks far from promising.
United have endured another troubling season and are currently sitting in 13th place in the Premier League table with just 37 points gained after 29 games. Erik ten Hag was sacked last season and replaced by Ruben Amorim, who has struggled to turn things around while he attempts to implement his preferred 3-4-3 formation.
The Europa League remains United’s only hope of lifting silverware at the end of the season and gaining entry into Europe.
After years of mismanagement and poor recruitment, the Red Devils are also in dire financial shape and as a result, have had to bear several cost-cutting measures including making hundreds of staff redundant, cancelling free lunches and doing away with cup final perks.
Butt and Giggs spoke to The Mirror at the inaugural gala dinner for Foundation 92 on Thursday evening and spoke at length about the state of United and Ruben Amorim’s chances of success.
“Over recent years, United has looked like it’s a plaster on a gaping wound,” said Butt. “It doesn’t work. I think every single fan – and I’m one – has to understand we’re at the bottom of the mountain and there’s a massive, massive climb to get up to, probably four or five clubs above them. Not only on the pitch, but off the pitch.”
“I would never be naive and say it won’t take that long because we’re United, because big clubs have had it before, where they’ve had to wait so long. I hope not, but I wouldn’t bet against it. There are a lot of things I think they’re doing wrong, but we all know that and it’s sad to see, because I loved my time at United since I was six years of age and it’s not the United I know and loved.”
Giggs echoed Butt’s sentiments, adding, “I like Ruben, I think he comes across well, but he’s got a tough job. I think it’s a case of backing him and sticking with him.”
“It might be a long time before we bring success back onto the pitch but, from what I’ve seen so far, I believe he’s got a great chance if he is backed, so hopefully he will be. It’s such a big club and we had such success for such a long time, you don’t believe it can [go wrong], but it does happen.”
“It happened to us before we won the league, it happened to Liverpool and football always goes in cycles. But there’s a lot of work to be done because of what’s happened over the past 10 years or so. Recruitment-wise, bad decisions, both on and off the pitch, there’s a lot of work to be done. It’s not great to see, as someone who was there for so long and also as a fan.”
Giggs continued, “There’s been some harsh words and maybe some truthful words been spoken over the last couple of months by Sir Jim Ratcliffe and by Ruben, with some of the statements he’s come out with. He’s called a few people out when it’s needed.”
“Maybe it was needed, we’ll have to wait and see. I don’t think anyone’s got a crystal ball to see what’s going to happen in the future and it’s going to be really interesting to see how it goes in the next five, 10, 15 years. I don’t think Ruben has shirked away and I don’t think anyone knew how difficult his job would be until he’s actually gone into it. But he’s remained positive.”
“He’s had success, he knows what it takes to win leagues. He’s got that charisma, he’s got that personality, but he’s also got that bit of steel as well and needs to be backed.”
Two weeks ago, United announced plans for a new state-of-the-art 100,000-seater stadium. Ratcliffe insisted that the project could be completed in five years.
Giggs said about the new stadium, “I think everyone, if it was possible, would like to keep the stadium as it is, like what they’ve done at Nou Camp, what they’ve done at the Bernabeu. If that isn’t possible, then the next best thing is a new stadium.”
“United has always been at the forefront of technology, about having the best facilities, the best stadium, the best fan experience and we fell behind with that. On the pitch, off the pitch, we fell behind with a lot of things. If it’s going to be a new stadium, it needs to be the best and hopefully we get the best players on the pitch as well.”
A United player Giggs and Butt spoke about was Marcus Rashford – someone the two club icons know very well from their coaching stints.
Rashford fell out of favour under Amorim and joined Aston Villa on loan during the January transfer window. He has enjoyed an uptick in form at Villa despite the fact he has yet to score a goal.
Villa have an option of making his stay permanent for £40million but Giggs and Butt have insisted they’d like to see him return to United.
Butt told Manchester Evening News about Rashford, “I think it was the right thing for him to go. He was not looking happy playing football here. I’ve known Marcus since he was nine, 10, and I consider him a really good lad. He’s an unbelievable footballer, it just wasn’t working for him. and that happens with so many people when they get to a little bit of quicksand and they can’t get out of it.”
“It was sad to see Marcus struggling on a football pitch when for probably seven, eight or nine years, all I’ve seen him do is shine every time he went on a pitch. He’s gone to Villa, who are an amazing football club, they’re doing so well, they’ve got a really good manager as well.”
“They look like they’ve got their plan and what they’re doing is correct. I went to watch a game for them, against Cardiff in the FA Cup. He’s looking like, not quite the level he was at, but he’s looking like he’s getting to that level. He’s got his call-up again which will be a massive boost for him.”
Butt further stated, “Hopefully, who knows, if he comes back to Man United, you just don’t know. I went on loan to Birmingham from Newcastle, I never thought for one minute I’d go back. I ended up going back and was five years there and captain for three years. You never know what’s going to happen with football. I’d like to see him back in a Man United shirt, but who knows.”
Asked whether Rashford crumbled under the weight of expectations, Butt answered, “I think young players, when they go on a football pitch, they don’t think too much. They just play. The older you get, the more you worry about people not liking you or not performing well or the fans not getting their back. When you’re young, you get a bit of leeway as well.”
“You get a lot of leeway coming through the ranks. I got loads of leeway, the lads do. It’s a bit unfair to say you get a little bit, you get a lot. As you come through, you get quite fortunate with that. He’s definitely had issues at the football club. I don’t know what they were, I don’t know if it was off the field, on the field or what it was. Everyone can tell he wasn’t happy playing football.”
“When you see someone you’ve known since he was a boy, it’s sad to see. I’m glad he went, in a funny way. He’s hopefully going to do well at Villa and see what comes out at the end of the season.”
Giggs also admitted he would like to see Rashford in a United shirt again. The Welshman explained that Rashford seems to have the world on his shoulders and he may have forgotten to play with freedom.
Featured image Alex Livesey via Getty Images
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