Paul Scholes was \u2018bitter\u2019 and \u2018nasty\u2019 in an assessment of Marcus Rashford which captured a \u2018spitefulness\u2019 still holding Manchester United back.<\/p>\n
And why are Football365 trying to get Ange Postecoglou sacked?<\/p>\n
Send your thoughts to theeditor@football365.com.<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n
Scholes, Rashford and opinions<\/p>\n
Longtime reader, first time mailer. Naturally I decided to pop the cherry on a safe and non-controversial topic: Marcus Rashford.<\/p>\n
I think the problem with what Ian Watson and a handful of Mailbox ultras have been saying about the ongoing Scholes\/Rashford drama<\/a> is that they think that the reason why what Scholes said is problematic is solely because of the content. It\u2019s not. It\u2019s the very presence of the comment in a public space.<\/p>\n To explain: Paul Scholes is fully entitled to enjoy (or not enjoy) any opinion of Marcus Rashford that he likes. He can hate him for any number of reasons, including \u2013 and this is important \u2013 stupid, nonsensical ones. Furthermore, as a United fan it makes perfect sense for him to resent Rashford up and leaving them, and there is no sense in demanding that he or any United fan wish him the best.<\/p>\n The problem is that Paul Scholes is not just a United fan. He is a massively famous pundit who is paid, I imagine, a lot of money to talk about football. And what irks me about him STILL moaning about Rashford is just how utterly unnecessary it all is at this point. Love them or hate them, United this season are absolutely delicious narratively. They are either a sleeping giant about to awake or an old palace burning down, depending on your outlook, but the one thing that is totally not part of this saga is Marcus bloody Rashford. He is GONE. It is time to MOVE ON.<\/p>\n I guess what I\u2019m saying is that there seems to be an assumption from old pros that their every opinion deserves to be heard, all the time, no matter what. But I don\u2019t particularly give a monkey\u2019s what Scholes thinks of Rashford as a person. I\u2019m interested in what he thinks of him as a footballer, but modern pundits aren\u2019t quite as vocal on that subject.<\/p>\n There is also something so bitter and nasty about Scholes saying what he said<\/a>, because as much as it\u2019s fair to hold Rashford responsible for his performances at United, it\u2019s also important to bear in mind that the club wanted him gone. It was generally accepted that he had to go in the summer for his own good and the club\u2019s. So with that in mind, what is the point of seeing a young man finding a new lease of life after years of sullen, uninspired football, and then nastily snipe him from the pundit box? It smacks of spitefulness and is one of the many reasons why I think all the Alex Ferguson old boys \u2013 Scholes, Keane, Ferdinand and Neville \u2013 have been absolutely toxic for both punditry and United as an institution. If we must talk about United then let\u2019s talk about United, if we must talk about Barcelona let\u2019s talk about Barcelona, but swiping at Rashford for his bad performances last season just drags down the conversation. I would expect better from a man of Scholes\u2019 age.<\/p>\n Correct opinion? Maybe. I don\u2019t think so personally, but that\u2019s not really the point. Why does it actually need to be said, is the real question. Does it enlighten the fans? Does it explain United\u2019s struggles this season? Does it explain Barcelona\u2019s success? No. It\u2019s just meaningless negativity, like so much of modern football.<\/p>\n It also is yet another example of United old boys finding a way to tear down a young black man no matter the situation. Every single time. But let\u2019s not get ahead of ourselves, this mail is long enough as is. \u00a0<\/p>\n Dear Reader,<\/p>\n I hope you are all well (or at least caffeinated). I just read two recent F365 takes on Marcus Rashford.<\/p>\n Let me save you some time: I don\u2019t care whether Rashford sulked at Manchester United.<\/p>\n Before you throw a tomato at me for lack of nuance, allow me to explain:<\/p>\n 1. Sulking is a spectator\u2019s hobby<\/p>\n If a player is walking, moody, whispering dire oaths in the tunnel \u2014 I\u2019ll raise an eyebrow, maybe tweet (sorry X) about it, but I\u2019m not launching moral crusades. Football is messy. Players are people. Sometimes they sulk. Big deal.<\/p>\n 2. Would you want to play in the current Manchester United team?<\/p>\n Let me ask you this, dear reader: if someone handed you a contract today to play for this Manchester United \u2014 the board, the chaos, the constant managerial churning, the pressure to be more myth than person \u2014 would you take it?<\/p>\n Because spare me the nostalgia of \u201cUnited would have done this\u201d \u2014 the United of today is a far cry from the Fergie glory years.<\/p>\n 3. Rashford is doing well at Bar\u00e7a<\/p>\n While some are busy flinging \u201cdisgrace\u201d accusations, Rashford has started making noise in Barcelona. He\u2019s scoring, contributing, adapting. He\u2019s quieting critics the best way \u2014 by playing. And (whisper it) I happen to think that\u2019s more compelling than being praised from my cheap seat at Old Trafford.<\/p>\n 4. Even Alex Hunter wouldn\u2019t want to play for Manchester United<\/p>\n Yes, I just dragged a FIFA video game character into this. But hear me out: Alex Hunter (from the FIFA story mode) has tons of dramatic options. If the script handed him the chance to play for Man Utd \u2014 under the current regime, under the weight of expectation and instability \u2014 I reckon he\u2019d look at his agent and say, \u201cNah, I\u2019ll play for a mid-tier side and enjoy my life.\u201d<\/p>\n Because even in fantasy land, there\u2019s an escape clause.<\/p>\n So here\u2019s my bottom line: you can publish\/ podcast a hundred think-pieces dissecting Rashford\u2019s body language, demeanor, or public statements. But unless you\u2019ve walked in his boots \u2014 including the ones he\u2019s now laced up in Barcelona \u2014 you should STFU and don\u2019t get to claim moral high ground. \u00a0<\/p>\n Ange under pressure?<\/p>\n Long, long time reader of 2 decades. Occasional letter writer.<\/p>\n I wrote in last year about how the site is actively trying to generate managerial sackings and drama, to create negative narratives about clubs, managers and players. For clicks I assume, and instead of analytical articles that are harder to write. The standard of writing has fallen a long way.<\/p>\n I have a 15 year old daughter who has a longer concentration span, and is less fickle and emotional,\u00a0 more mature . The knee jerking and need to create a story is a far cry from earlier years, where there was mature reporting and genuine humour.<\/p>\n Now we have a site that is essentially a list of top 10s. \u201cNext manager to be sacked<\/a>\u201c,\u00a0 \u201cTop 10 replacements for Ange\u201d. A couple of bad results and the narrative begins \u201cX is under pressure\u201d.<\/p>\n Ange has had 4 games. 4 away games. He had a couple days before the Arsenal game, so essentially 3 games. All away. 2 draws where they dominated. Let\u2019s start building an Ange out narrative<\/a>, spread it across social media until it reaches fans who put pressure on the owner and he pulls the trigger so you can say \u201cwe were right\u201d.<\/p>\n He won a major trophy, got Spurs into the CL. Recruited a large number of excellent players. Such is the poor attention span and need for instant gratification people are now disregarding a 5th place finish in his first season. He got lucky at the start of the season apparently. Trying to paint him as though he\u2019s a village idiot. There was a zero percent chance of Spurs going down at any time, and he knew it, so switched attention to CL qualification.<\/p>\n Would fans rather win a trophy or finish 8th? Who had a better season last year, Spurs or Villa? One won a trophy they\u2019ll be talking about for generations, qualified for the CL. Would you rather finish 6- 8th every year, play conservatively and have a cup run?<\/p>\n Oh, and now apparently Emery, the golden boy of the last 2 seasons is now under pressure after a slow start<\/a>, according to 365. His last 2 seasons don\u2019t count anymore because of a few poor games.<\/p>\n Jesus. \u00a0<\/p>\n The Potter shambles<\/p>\n
Samuel, Fulham fan till the end<\/p>\n
Gaptoothfreak, Man. Utd. fan with too much time, New York<\/p>\n
Fadida<\/p>\n