26 Aug 2020 10:08:21
Harry Maguire, you silly boy.

What we know so far is that Harry has a story about his sister being attacked and him defending her. Which on the face of it most people wouldn't condemn him for. Especially given the circumstances.

However, throwing around his status and repeated attempts to bribe police officers was extremely stupid, and not really something you can defend in any circumstance.

While a Greek court found him guilty of aggravated assault, resisting arrest and attempted bribery.

Harry Maguire hasn't actually denied that he assaulted someone, or that he attempted to bribe a police officer. What he has said is that he defended his sister. Giving justification for his actions rather than denying they happened.

That suggests that he did hit someone, however justified he felt in doing so. While he also attempted to bribe a police officer.

Which to me regardless of circumstances means he did commit an assault and he did break the law. Therefore, the court was right in their verdict.

This brings us back to his United future. While several United captains have had their indiscretions with the law, none have been found guilty and handed a custodial sentence suspended or not. There is no getting away from the fact that this is the most serious incident involving a club captain in our history. For me that very fact makes it impossible for Maguire to continue bas club captain and the public face of our team.

If his story holds any truth then I do feel sorry for him. He seems like a good lad. The assault can be a heat of the moment thing, while the bribery could be put down as a stupid decision made while drunk and in a state. Yet they happened, and their has to be consequences for those actions. He needs to front up, apologise to United fans for bringing their club into disrepute and offer to stand down as club captain.

At which point Ole needs to reluctantly accept, say they will continue to support Harry and appoint someone else as club captain.

This is a harsh lesson to others about the importance of being club captain for a club under such global scrutiny. As United captain their is no far flung corner of the world where you can escape you status and therefore you need to act accordingly. It's a heavy burden, one you don't get a break from, but that's part of the job.

1.) 26 Aug 2020
26 Aug 2020 10:23:35
Yes shappy. New captain and face for the team.

Maguire seems like a good guy just gone wrong for him on this occasion. Needs to get home, head down, concentrate on football and making amends.

2.) 26 Aug 2020
26 Aug 2020 11:58:30
It looks like he was targeted but what an idiot going to Mykanos and trying to be just one of the lads. Something like this was predictable, I'm surprised the club didn't tell him what a stupid idea it was. Don't they have player welfare officers to advise the players on stuff like where to go on holiday? Of all the beautiful Greek Islands, he decides to go to Mykanos and go out drinking! The report about what happened to his sister is disgusting but again, what an idiot Maguire is putting his friends and family in that kind of situation.

3.) 26 Aug 2020
26 Aug 2020 12:05:46
That just reads like a Tablet Newspaper article Shappy. Just making assumptions. Maybe just wait and see if there is an appeal and a proper hearing. If he's done what is 'alleged' then fair enough, but lots of things just don't add up. This one I'm sure will run for a while yet.

4.) 26 Aug 2020
26 Aug 2020 12:07:49
. on a side note, I heard this morning that when the Greek Authorities set Harry Maguire's bail conditions, the fee was set at 5000euros.
Apparently United offered 3000 plus Jones and Lingard🤣🤣🤣.

5.) 26 Aug 2020
26 Aug 2020 12:24:37
I think if anything happened to his sister it could explain an initial fight outside the bar, to continue any violence later in the police station is unrelated. As far as I understand, the sister never went to hospital and did not get a toxicology report which would have strengthened any case he has. Drugs don't disappear from a person's system over night, the fact his defence has no proof only allegations to this effect makes it all very dubious to me.

6.) 26 Aug 2020
26 Aug 2020 12:28:03
Shappy, complete conjecture without any fact attached. Note Harry has already lodged an appeal and until the result of that and pending a reliable statement from him this will remain as conjecture. Let’s all wait and see prior to conducting a press and soshul meedja lynching please.
Nice1 betty 😂.

7.) 26 Aug 2020
26 Aug 2020 12:32:30
The bribery for me is worse than the assault. You can get past the assault with the sister angle, but if he then hit a policeman and attempted to bribe them whilst stating that he's the utd captain, that's pretty hard to justify.

8.) 26 Aug 2020
26 Aug 2020 11:29:02
Shappy I believe Cantona was initially given two weeks jail but that was later reduced to 120 hours community service, he then went on to become the Utd captain!

But I do agree with your post, he has stupidly put himself in a situation where he could well be targeted.

Plus if he's drunk, he is paid a lot of money not to get in to that sort of situation, as a professional footballer never mind club captain.

9.) 26 Aug 2020
26 Aug 2020 12:43:21
If, if, if. Let's wait and see.

10.) 26 Aug 2020
26 Aug 2020 13:06:07
If he got found guilty of assault, if he got found guilty of resisting arrest, if he got found guilty of bribery.

11.) 26 Aug 2020
26 Aug 2020 13:14:28
Yes Angel - IF. What doesn't sit right with me is the actual charges. Assaulting a Police officer and, in particular, trying to bribe a Police Officer are very serious crimes. Yet Maguire is "supposed" to have done both, yet is only up on a "misdemeanor"? Just doesn't ring true for me. If I am being naive and he did all of those things, then I take it all back, but I think there is more to this.
Just my view, based on very little fact, admittedly.

12.) 26 Aug 2020
26 Aug 2020 13:43:37
Betty, was he or was he not found guilty in a court of law?

That isn't up for conjecture. He can and is appealing it.

But an appeal could take months, I'm not sure how strong a case he has. No evidence that his sister was drugged, and even if there was that doesn't excuse him hitting a police officer and then trying to bribe his way out of trouble.

I don't think it's the worst thing in the world and many have done much worst. But his actions have been stupid to the extreme given his position. It shows a lack of forethought and appreciation for his position.

I can't see how the club can start the season with a convicted criminal (which he is unless he wins his appeal) as club captain.

13.) 26 Aug 2020
26 Aug 2020 13:36:36
At this time he is guilty but has an appeal pending.
As far as I'm concerned I've the club issue his punishment if any The matter is closed untill the result of his appeal.
The club may wait for the result of his surreal to issue a punishment.
Either way its a closed matter imo.
The courts have dealt with it so its over as far as I'm concerned.
Its far from ideal either way he has been an idiot.
No doubt there was extreme provocation but there are ways to conduct yourself on this occasion harry made several poor choices but its not a hanging offence. If his appeal is not successful he needs to take his punishment apologise and move on and never get into that sort of situation again.

14.) 26 Aug 2020
26 Aug 2020 14:04:24
Snappy

Everything you’ve put about his charges etc is from taking the verdict at face value. We are still yet to see any actual proof be released of body cam footage, recordings, CCTV or anything. As someone that’s admittedly been in a holding cell in Greece they might be a country that’s struggled financially but they still have cameras etc.

For me the club and Maguire wouldn't have had the reaction they did yesterday with their press releases.
There must be some confidence there to still insist on appealing and remaining innocent. I would have expected Maguire to come out publicly apologise etc if this wasn’t the case and the club to have a different public stance.

Let’s see what happens and keep the knives in the drawers for a little while.

Although I do agree for the better of the player and the club in the mean time the captaincy does beee to be moved to another player.

15.) 26 Aug 2020
26 Aug 2020 14:12:47
Yesterday - innocent until proven guilty.

Today - you’re only taking the verdict at face value.

What’s the longest river in Africa?

16.) 26 Aug 2020
26 Aug 2020 14:29:07
Betty if the Greek Authorities were offered Jones and Lingard as part of the bail, Harry would still be inside.

17.) 26 Aug 2020
26 Aug 2020 14:56:30
All we are getting here is headlines from the trial- headlines designed for clicks. The same happened in the case of the Ulster rugby players like I mentioned yesterday. The judge was critical of the reporting as the full story was never given and public opinion was swayed massively. Bear this in mind. Anyone who knows anything about that case will understand exactly what I mean.

The hearing had several faults which would not be allowed in this country, I think a full proper hearing where both sides have adequate time to present their cases will determine 100% guilty or not.

If the appeal proves him innocent then good for him, if it goes the other way then he has to deal with it. This issue with this case so far is there are two different stories, very little evidence (from what I can see, if anyone can point me toward something that’d be appreciated) from either party.

Let’s just see how the appeal plays out, before branding him a horrible monster etc etc. Idiot for placing himself in that situation, but it’s happened and whatever will come of it will come.

18.) 26 Aug 2020
26 Aug 2020 14:59:56
Love it Danny.

19.) 26 Aug 2020
26 Aug 2020 15:13:32
Shappy, pointless going round in circles. Let's just see what happens. We just have different views. The difference is I made it quite clear it was just my opinion based it little fact, whereas you as usual make it seem like you have the first clue about the case and put it across as 'fact'.

20.) 26 Aug 2020
26 Aug 2020 15:38:23
Shappy: “
Harry Maguire hasn't actually denied that he assaulted someone, or that he attempted to bribe a police officer. What he has said is that he defended his sister. Giving justification for his actions rather than denying they happened. ”

Correct me if I’m wrong but I am given to believe pleading not guilty is to deny the allegation as opposed to justifying it.

21.) 26 Aug 2020
26 Aug 2020 15:53:21
RedD, I bet the policeman thought the assault was worse!

22.) 26 Aug 2020
26 Aug 2020 15:55:04
Spot on, Scoobs.

23.) 26 Aug 2020
26 Aug 2020 16:43:21
Bang on scooby.