Manchester United’s stars are more obsessed with how they look on social media than winning football matches, a former player has claimed.
He believes they are have plenty of clothes and nightlife adventures to show off but no trophies or medals to post about.
Gordon Strachan won the FA Cup with United in 1985 and spent five seasons at Old Trafford, finishing as high as second in the First Division in 1987-88.
By contrast, Ruben Amorim’s side are on course for the club’s worst-ever Premier League season as they sit 13th in the table. That said, they have won two trophies in the last two seasons – more than Strachan did in his half-decade stint.
‘There’s no players spreading a winning mentality,’ Strachan told GentingCasino. ‘They’ve been spreading Instagram. I know what they’re doing, I know what clothes they’re wearing, I know what clubs they’re at. I can see what boat they’re on. But I don’t see any Premier League or Champions League medals.
‘Over the last six years in particular, that winning culture has been eroded. United probably have a few people, good ones like Fernandes, who’s not the perfect captain but a good player, and he’s surrounded by this waste. For so many of them, it’s just been good enough to be a United player. That has to change.
Manchester United’s stars are more bothered about social media than winning trophies, says Gordon Strachan
The stars are settling for just being United players, the former Scotland manager has said
Strachan won the FA Cup with United in 1985 and played five seasons for the club
‘Where do you find these players and people? I really don’t know. Because there are probably a lot of people in that dressing room who are desperate to be led just now, because everybody can’t be a leader.
‘Amorim and whoever is in charge of recruitment has to find the new ones. The club has always had win-at-all-costs players – Jaap Stam and Nemanja Vidic, Wayne Rooney and Cristiano Ronaldo: it’s all about winning.
‘I don’t think it’s all about winning at that club just now. It’s a culture that needs to change.’
Mail Sport has revealed how United’s players are beginning to doubt Amorim’s 3-4-3 system.
In our all-seeing Manchester United confidential column, our reporters exposed how some players have even discussed whether a change of plan is necessary.
However, the Portuguese has been adamant that he will not compromise on the philosophy that saw him win two league titles with Sporting CP.
‘I have to sell my idea,’ he said. ‘If I change all the time it is going to be even worse.
‘I understand they have a lot of difficulties because they spent two years playing one way and now they are playing another. With a lot of losses, it is really tough on them. You can feel it, during the game I can feel it but I have to sell my idea because I don’t have another one.
‘When you have a change of coach, especially in this type of club, it is because they were not winning. They played in the system they were bought for and were chosen perfectly for that system. After two years, working in pre-season, they were losing.
‘So am I going to change to that system to something that I don’t believe in? That doesn’t make sense.’
That said, former Scotland manager Strachan hinted that Amorim should be open to adapting his ways.
‘It’s not the same, but when I went to Middlesbrough, I tried to play the very same system that I did at Celtic,’ he added. ‘I didn’t have the players for that but I kept persevering, which didn’t help and doesn’t help the confidence in the club.
‘So I can see similarities in that and he keeps playing this system. But you might not have players who are suited for that. That’s the thing I would say. If I was giving any advice, it would be – are you sure about this? He’s put his hat on it now.
‘It’s like stubbornness. We’re stubborn, managers. There’s no doubt about that, but you might need a rethink. When I went to Coventry, I thought “Yeah, I’ve got this, I can do this.” After five games I was like “I’m rotten at this.”
‘Then my coaches said “Listen, why don’t we change it to three at the back and put Dion Dublin right in the middle?” and we won four games on the trot.’
