Former Manchester United right-back Rafael Da Silva has slammed the current squad for their mentality problems.
The position Manchester United finds itself in right now is a low that few fans will have experienced in their lifetimes.
To be 16th in the league is a standard that was unknown under Sir Alex Ferguson and even in the years of Jose Mourinho and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.
This season has now been good enough since the very beginning, but after losing the Europa League final, it has all come crashing down around just how far off the pace Ruben Amorim’s side are.
In the final, United had several underperformers, and with no European football, it looks as though the Red Devils are going to need to overhaul the squad this summer to shrink its size.
One player who looks set to leave is Alejandro Garnacho, who publicly questioned Amorim in the aftermath of the defeat. Now, this exact issue has been flagged by a former United player under Sir Alex, Rafael.
Photo by Jean Catuffe/Getty Images
Photo by Jean Catuffe/Getty Images
Rafael praises Bruno Fernandes for something the Manchester United squad lacks
It is an accepted fact that the United squad is not good enough, but also has mentality problems.
Well, speaking with The United Stand after the final defeat, Rafael touched on this problem in an interview, in which he admitted Bruno Fernandes is the one player who should be an example for players at the club.
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“Whoever signs for United in the future should take Bruno as an example. He fights, he plays well, he never makes excuses… I feel like players today think they know everything when they arrive at the club and no longer take their cue from the leaders.
“It seems like players just want to complain, not fight. As soon as they sign, they all have an excuse ready. They blame the coach, the club… And even those who arrive with the right mentality are dragged down by this culture.”
Rafael’s comments are similar in nature to Benni McCarthy’s big critique of United players, and show Ineos and Amorim exactly what needs to be fixed this summer.
Manchester United keeping Bruno Fernandes is pivotal
Hearing what former players notice as the big issues with United right now, it becomes absolutely clear that Fernandes must be kept by the club.
Fernandes admitted he would leave if the club didn’t want him, following the cup final defeat to Spurs, however the chances of this are slim.
Despite interest from Saudi Arabia, United have told Fernandes that there is no way they can sell him this summer, with the belief he is too important, which Rafael’s comments reinforce.
Selling Fernandes could see any culture and standards at the club demolished, with players having nobody to turn to as an example. United must, however, in recruitment, be looking for players who have similar personalities to Fernandes, as it is clearly the template.