Manchester United manager Ralf Rangnick praises 'very valuable' Harry Maguire after midweek boos with England team
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Updated 01/04/2022 at 14:53 GMT
Manchester United captain Harry Maguire was described by his club coach Ralf Rangnick as a 'very valuable player' to the team, and suggested that players such as Maguire, Fred and Scott McTominay often come in for unfair criticism. Maguire was booed by England fans during the midweek friendly against Ivory Coast.
'It's difficult to understand' - Rangnick on booing of Maguire
Manchester United manager Ralf Rangnick praised captain Harry Maguire, describing him as "a very valuable player" after his difficult week with the England team.
Maguire has struggled for form for much of the last two seasons with both England and United, and Three Lions coach Gareth Southgate has refused to confirm his place in the first XI is safe for the Qatar World Cup.
The central defender was booed during England’s midweek friendly against Ivory Coast, and Southgate both defended Maguire and criticised the fans’ behaviour.
Maguire is back in training with United and likely to feature during the game against Leicester City - his former club - on Saturday.
Asked if he had talked to Maguire since his return, Rangnick said: “Not yet, but I speak regularly [with him] since I'm here, so he knows my position towards him.
“He's been a very valuable player and the captain of the team and the club and he is also my captain. I didn't understand what was going on actually at Wembley, but I'm pretty sure this will not happen in our stadium with the Red Army behind the team and the club, and also behind their captain.
“For me, he's a very important player, he's been playing well for Manchester United and for England in the last couple of years and therefore, I think Gareth Southgate said something after the game and Harry Kane, so for me, it was... I didn't watch the game actually, but I heard what had happened before the game there when they announced the starting line-up. Difficult to understand.”
Rangnick could not put his finger on why Maguire was the subject of such intense criticism.
“I don't think that this is a personal thing, it hasn't got anything to do with Harry himself,” he said. “We all know, or you know probably better than I do, that there were one or two other players who have been criticised in the last, not only months but also the last one or two years.
“For example, Fred, for me, a very important player for this team, a very valuable player, regularly playing in the starting XI for Brazil. And again, I also watched his two games, or his first game, he played in the first game from the start and did well.
“Maybe it's still got to do with the high expectations around this club, maybe people just tend to compare with former legends or former big players, I don't know, maybe it's got to do with that.
“I can only tell you both players, Fred, you can also speak about Scotty, and Harry, they are both important players and players with the right attitude.”
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