29 Mar 2022 22:07:11
I'm one of the people who doesn't rate maguire and don't want him as a captain and starter at united. that doesn't mean I hate him personally I just don't think he's good enough.

This week he's had pelters on social media and got booed tonight. I honestly think it's best for us and for him if he's moved on this summer, this situation continuing isn't good for any of the parties involved.

He's a decent premeier league player, nothing more, the longer he stays with us then I can only see his performances getting worse and his mental state becoming a real issue.

Let's be honest we won't recoup what we paid but if we get a reasonable offer I hope the board will show some sense and accept it. What's others thoughts on this?

{Ed014's Note - he should 100% stay. The lads class on grass!

1.) 29 Mar 2022
29 Mar 2022 23:00:27
Definitely I agree with you! If you can get 40 million for him for example you take the money and run. You could have signed the likes of Ben Mee, James Tarkowski, Lewis Dunk or Dan burn and for me they'd have done no worse than him in a United shirt.

2.) 29 Mar 2022
29 Mar 2022 23:30:36
Seems to do OK with England. Better players better defensive midfielders helps him and he doesn't let England down. Maybe give Maguire some slack.

3.) 30 Mar 2022
30 Mar 2022 00:53:51
Maguire is not my favourite player either, but what's happened to him this week on social media and being booed by so called England fans, is an absolute disgrace. In the main, he's performed very well for England. The **** booing him are rival fans being idiots. We don't exactly have Bobby Moore, Rio, or John Terry waiting to step in. It's pathetic and mindless.
Take the captaincy off him and let him stay at United, get Rice in front of him and the whole defence will look better.

4.) 30 Mar 2022
30 Mar 2022 02:09:16
He's not the sole reason our back 4 has been terrible this season. He has often been the strongest of the bunch. Shameful booing the guy.

5.) 30 Mar 2022
30 Mar 2022 02:24:56
He's never been the strongest of the bunch.

6.) 30 Mar 2022
30 Mar 2022 07:31:05
I think Southgate asked for that with his total football bolloxology. He started his England job by saying he would pick players on their form not their past performances or reputation. Then he picks the most out of form player in England.

He says he had to do it because he lacked the experienced alternatives. Well, here's an idea Gareth; why don't you use the friendlies to give some other players experience.

He also shows his football idiocy by not even including Tomori in the squad when the guy would bring a totally different approach from playing in Italy for the team which is current top of Serie A.

Stones is a decent player but if Southgate thinks his next best two players are Mings and Maguire (who he describes as 'phenomenal'!?!?!?!?!? ), then you would think the manager would have the sense to try and find a better alternative.

Sorry, but this one is on Southgate. Fortunately the England fans obviously know more about football than he does but unfortunately they don't pick the team so booing is the only way they can express their opinion about what an idiot decision it was to pick Maguire.

Hopefully Maguire will be so upset he will retire from football. Maybe go and run a bar in Greece or something.

7.) 30 Mar 2022
30 Mar 2022 07:33:18
People are entitled to boo. I'd rather boo a guy then come on here and call him all sorts.
If he can't take it too bad.
You won't be liked by all the people all the time.
I could understand united fans booing him not so much England fans as he has done OK for them.
Sticks and stones and all that. He is the one playing for united and england earning 150k if people boo him so be it he should be laughing at them for gods sake. They are jealous. It should make him stronger. He is a bit of a tit so he will be unpopular. Feeling sorry for him is pitiful imo.
I would say if its rival United fans booing him they must be mad. They should be celebrating the fact he is united captain.

8.) 30 Mar 2022
30 Mar 2022 09:14:50
Manc man Southgate is no idiot. He is Englands second best ever England manager.
Doing a great job for England.

9.) 30 Mar 2022
30 Mar 2022 09:24:56
Not great booing our own players, whether at club or international level, unless they've come out and said something. It's the same thing that generally happens with all high-profile Utd players when they're in the headlines because of who they are. I doubt if James Tarkowski was playing like a kipper and found himself in the England line-up that he'd get singled out.

10.) 30 Mar 2022
30 Mar 2022 10:47:07
I think it's a bit hypocritical for United fans to complain about a United player being booed by his national team fans when they themselves have booed the same player recently.

Maguire is in terrible form and there is absolutely no way Southgate could justify his selection on current form.

Southgate has previously said he would pick the England squad on form and not reputation.

Which leaves many England fans thinking is Southgate a liar or just a terrible judge of a players current form?

Personally I think Southgate has earned the right to pick whoever he wants, if that is someone who is a favourite of his who is in poor form but has never let him down then so be it.

However, Southgate has to appreciate when you say one thing but do another people will call you out for that.

Personally I think Maguire would have been best off saying to Southgate that he appreciates the call up but feels he needs to work on his game and try to improve his form and that for these international friendlies it might be best if someone in better form is called up.

When players like Kilman and Tomori who are playing excellently (one of which is a key player for the team top of Serie A currently) don't get a chance while Maguire does it looks very poor.

While a big problem under previous England managers was the fact that the national side almost became a closed shop with the same players being picked every time regardless of form. That eventually drags down competition for places which in turn drags down performance levels and form.

11.) 30 Mar 2022
30 Mar 2022 11:41:48
Southgate did touch upon the dilemma of picking out of form players earlier in the week, rightly stating that he has a lot more options up front with there being various 'like for like' players who can slot right in. He's not quite so blessed at the back, although as you say Kilman is playing quite well. The thought of Coady or White (or indeed Maguire atm) against Mbappe sends shivers down my spine.

12.) 30 Mar 2022
30 Mar 2022 12:21:40
Good point spenno and well said Shappy.

Ken, the bar is set very low when it comes to England managers. I don't think Southgate is an idiot, he comes across as an intelligent and likeable man. However, i do think he is a football idiot who makes very questionnable, weird decisions with the England team and so far he has failed when it really matters at the top level.

13.) 30 Mar 2022
30 Mar 2022 12:17:24
Strongest of the bunch? Haha, give over.

14.) 30 Mar 2022
30 Mar 2022 15:06:12
Manc man he has over achieved. Emfs are not ranked to do a well as he has done. In what way has he failed?

15.) 30 Mar 2022
30 Mar 2022 15:51:39
Ken, WC semi final against Croatia and Euros final against Italy.

England should have won both of those games but lost because of Southgate's lack of action and bad judgement.

16.) 30 Mar 2022
30 Mar 2022 16:24:20
MancMan, personally I think that's a bit harsh. Germany, Italy, France, Belgium, Portugal all have better squads than England. Arguments could be made for Spain, Brazil, Argentina and the Netherlands.

How many of those have made a semi final and final appearance in their last two international tournaments?

I think it's easy in hindsight to say Southgate could have done this or that to change the game.

You could say the same thing about Sir Alex in the UCL finals we lost.

Three finals in 4 years and only one win.

The reality is that there is no guarantee that any changes he could have made would have affected the outcome. Maybe the opposition manager counters his changes. Sometimes substitutions can be a case of who blinks first.

You go first and you give the power to change things to your opponent.

Maybe he could have done something different to alter the outcome, maybe nothing he could have done would have ultimately made any difference.

Fact remains only one England manager in history has done better. So it's probably only fair to judge him on what he has done and against what other have managed in the same role. Rather than our expectations of what we think he should have done.

For me England at no point in my life time have been either the best international team in the world or the best team in Europe.

Not close, ever.

So why should there be an expectation that the current England manager should have won either a world cup or a Euro's?

If you're not the best team in it, then you shouldn't have any expectations to win it. Hope fair enough, but I hope to win the lottery. I don't phone Camelot after every draw demanding why I didn't win.

At best England have had a good chance (one in five maybe) of winning a tournament IF fortune favoured them.

It hasn't, and as such Southgate has over performed during the last 5 years.

17.) 30 Mar 2022
30 Mar 2022 17:00:14
That's not why they lost manc man imo. But you have in your expert opinion decided otherwise. I suppose that's your perogative and with all your training and expertise as apro football manager you have drawn your conclusions.

18.) 30 Mar 2022
30 Mar 2022 17:34:20
His expertise got them to a final if rashford or saka score a penalty they win. But you see he is useless because they didn't score a pen.
My oh my.

19.) 30 Mar 2022
30 Mar 2022 18:04:44
Shappy, Ken, at the key moments in the biggest of games when it really mattered he froze and England lost because of it.

He failed to make changes to counteract Mancini's reaction to England's start. Italy equalised as a result. He also chose the penalty takers, some whixh were very inexperienced and ultimately missed because the occasion got the better of them.

He failed to react to Croatia's domination of midfield and control of the game. England lost because of that.

Sure therecare lots of teams arguably better than England but England haven't played any of them when its really counted. You can only judge southgate against who he has played in serious competition. Its not that an impressive list.

20.) 30 Mar 2022
30 Mar 2022 18:37:37
MancMan, who exactly in the England squad do you think was capable or winning the midfield against Modric, Brozovic and Rakitic?

Three midfielders who are amoungst the best in the world, and all far more gifted than player in that England squad.

England was never going to be able to win that game by controlling the midfield. Anyone who thinks we could is in my opinion showing their tactical naïvity. The way to win that game was to sit deep, block off any space in front of their midfield then look to bypass the midfield when attacking. Which for the most part is what England attempted to do. If England avoided making defensive mistakes or made more of their chances they would have beaten them. They didn't and they were beaten by a better team on the day. That's football.

Italy were the in form team heading in to the Euro's. Defensively compact, a midfield that included players like Jorginho and Verratti two far more technically gifted players than any of our midfielders, while actually it was a creative and offensive Italian side that could score fairly freely.

They had better player, in better form. To beat such a combination you need a fair degree of luck.

England's options were to open up more to try and put more pressure on an excellent Italian defence. But doing so risks them taking advantage of that space.

Who would you have brought on that would have definitely changed things without risking us being more open?

Maybe going more offensive meant Italy beat us in normal time.

As for the penalty takers, ultimately unless Italy miss one every player in the team potentially has to take one. Sometimes the younger lads are more confident, it's a trait of youth after all. If there is one England manager who knows what its like to take a penalty and the pressures involved it's Southgate. Ultimately England players weren't good enough, lacked a little mental resilience and lost on penalties because of that. It happens.

However, it's all if, buts and maybes.

England lost to a stronger team, full of better more technical players, who were in better form.

I'm still bitter about it as well, it stings to see England miss out on their best chance in my lifetime.

On the other side though our best chance was still as underdogs. It would have been an against the odds win. It didn't happen.

21.) 30 Mar 2022
30 Mar 2022 20:58:35
Southgate has done an amazing job as far as I’m concerned for England. Much better to watch than the dross we’ve been served up in many years. A young, exciting and uniform squad. I hope he stays in that role for many years (also because I think he’s well suited to it and not manager of our club) .

22.) 31 Mar 2022
31 Mar 2022 00:56:32
Just to play devils advocate Ken, Ole would have won the UEFA Cup but for an extremely tight 11 pens closeout. But still got pelters from you for not winning anything.

23.) 31 Mar 2022
31 Mar 2022 07:51:51
Db. He under achieved united were fans. We were only in that comp because he failed in a superior comp. Don't be an idiot and try to compare the 2.
One is a club mananager that failed and destroyed every principle the club ever had spent more than any other manager ever and destroyed the reputation of the club and ruined players careers.
The other has done better than any previous coach since records began bar 1

Don't show your ignorance it makes you look stupid and petty.

24.) 31 Mar 2022
31 Mar 2022 10:45:39
Guys; you got me. I have to admit that I have reached the limit of what I recall from those games. I struggle to remember what I had for breakfast yesterday and I did have a few drinks while watching those matches.

Which means I can't remember specifically what Southgate might have done differently to combat Croatia's midfield, just that he didn't do anything effective. The same is true of the Italy match to counter their momentum at the end of the first half.

I don't agree with your assessment that the Croatian and Italian teams were better, stronger and more technical. England had and have a fantastic group of players which is why my expectations are so high and why I get so frustrated when I see Southgate freezing when he should be acting and making weird decisions such as Maguire the other night.

25.) 31 Mar 2022
31 Mar 2022 15:03:00
MancMan, against Croatia England's starting midfield was Henderson, Alli and Lingard. Up against Modric, Brozovic and Rakitic.

Are you suggesting the England midfield was anywhere as good as the Croatian one?

On the bench the other midfield options to bring on was Dier, Delph and Loftus-Cheek.

England didn't have the midfield options to out play the Croatian midfield which contained two key players for Barcelona and Real Madrid at the time.

You said he didn't do enough to change things but he brought on Rashford AND Vardy his two best attacking options from the bench.

Maybe he could have brought Vardy on earlier, but then we would have been more open in doing so.

The England team for the Euro's looked stronger than the world cup side. Players like Mount, Sancho, Saka, Rice, Philips and Grealish had replaced Lingard, Young, Alli, Welbeck, Dier and Delph.

However, the England midfield of Rice, Philips and Mount while good, in reality aren't better than Jorginho, Verratti and Barella.

Italy's defence of Donnarumma, De Lorenzo, Bonucci, Chiellini and Emerson is so much better than Pickford, Trippier, Walker, Maguire, Stones and Shaw.

England on paper probably had better fire power up front with Kane, Rashford, Sterling, Sancho, Saka and Grealish. Compared to Immobile, Insigne, Chiesa, Belotti, Berardi and Bernardeschi.

Although Rashford was recovering from injury and needed an operation, Grealish, Sancho and Saka were at their first tournament, while the Italian forwards were no slouches.

On paper the England team looked better, while on grass the Italian team were the top scorers in that tournament. While they also had the most attempts at goal with 128 across the tournament, Spain were second with 111, England trailed in 5th with 64 behind both Denmark and Switzerland.

So over the course of the Tournament Italy took more than twice as many shots as England so can we really say the England team had a better attack?

So we came up against an Italy team that had a better defence, a better midfield and over the course of that tournament an attack that was twice as good as ours.

So where does this expectation that England should have won come from?

In truth we probably weren't even the second best team in that tournament with Denmark having a fantastic tournament and Spain doing well. We lost to the first side that was better than us, if we came up against a better side earlier in the tournament we probably wouldn't have made it to the final.

England have a good group of players, but in truth we are probably one of the top 10 teams in the world, probably somewhere between 5th and 7th. Despite that Southgate has got us to a semifinal of the world cup and the final of the Euro's. I wouldn't bet against him doing well in Qatar either. If he can make another semifinal then he'll have done very well.

But if we come up against a Germany, France, Portugal, Spain, Brazil, Belgium or Netherlands in the last 16 or the quarter finals then we could easily go out to one of them and still say we did about par.