MANCHESTER UNITED coach Mick Clegg has revealed that ex-midfield maestro Paul Scholes ‘hated playing for England’ despite earning 66 caps.
The former United star represented the Three Lions at four major tournaments but wasn’t happy with his positioning on the field.
Elswhere, the Red Devil’s have PSG to battle with for the signature of Ajax starlet Antony this summer.
David De Gea was left furious at the decision to be axed from the Spain squad according to reports.
Manchester City defender Aymeric Laporte believes that his club’s resurgence is beginning to rattle their Manchester neighbours.
And Nottingham Forest defender Djed Spence could be available for as little as £20 million this summer.
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Stam says build the team around Ronaldo, Bruno and Pogba
“These are three players that I’m thinking okay if you can use them then you need to work the team around them and try to create the team around them so you can play very nice and attractive football.”
“You’ve got wingers, Rashford on the wing, with a lot of pace.
“There’s Sancho as well for the other side that you can use as well. With his right foot, he comes in from the left, on the inside with his right.”
“That means you need to have a full back who is very fit and very good on the ball and can go up and down the pitch for 95 minutes but not be injured occasionally.
“Trying to have somebody who can be up for it, week in and week out and play a lot of games.
“That’s what you need to have on the right side as well.”
Credit: Getty Jaap Stam talks on current crop
Manchester United legend Jaap Stam gave his thoughts on the current team.
Stam was speaking to bettingexpert about which players he’d build the team around.
He said: “When you’re looking at the squad now, there are a few players I think you work around in building your team.”
“That’s Cristiano if you want to keep him. I think Bruno as well, in the midfield. I would keep Pogba, also there is a big discussion, but I think you need to use him in a certain way because I like him as a player and what he can bring.”
How are Ajax doing this season under Ten Hag?
The Dutch giants are currently locked in a tight Eredivisie title race.
Ten Hag’s men lead PSV by two points at the top of the table, with their boss aiming to win his third league title as manager.
The Ajax boss is the now favourite for the Manchester United job, ahead of other contenders Mauricio Pochettino and Thomas Tuchel.
Speaking to broadcaster Sport1, Ten Hag said: “I’ve sat down with Ajax after every season – and this year again, I can say that Ajax and Ten Hag are very happy with each other at the moment.
“I need all my energy for final games. Anything else would just be a distraction.”
But when pressed further, he admitted: “In football you never know.
“I don’t want to rule anything out. I know that in football everything can change from one day to the next.”
Ten Hag pleads with Ajax fans
Erik Ten Hag has pleaded with Ajax fans to understand if he leaves the club.
He said: “My focus is currently only on Ajax. But in football you never know. I don’t want to rule anything out. I’m currently employed here at Ajax to perform.
“With the cup final against Eindhoven, we still have eight finals left, and I need all my energy for that.
“Anything else would just be a distraction. I know that in football everything can change from one day to the next. If at some point I should decide to take the next step, I hope that people here will understand.”
Rangnick’s Maguire vow
Ralf Rangnick insists the Old Trafford crowd will get behind Harry Maguire after he was booed by England fans in midweek, NEIL CUSTIS WRITES.
Rangnick said: “Harry has been a very valuable player for the team and the club as the captain.
“I didn’t understand what happened at Wembley, it won’t happen in our stadium with the Red Army.
“He’s been playing well for Manchester United and England in the last couple of years.
“For it to happen in an international game is unusual but I’m sure it won’t happen in our stadium.”
Ten Hag ADMITS United talks
Erik Ten Hag has called Manchester United a “great club” – and admits that talks are “always” ongoing with representatives from other teams.
Speaking to broadcaster Sport1, he said: “People know each other in our business.
“There are always talks with representatives from other clubs, that’s normal.
“Man United is a big club with great fans. But I can only repeat that my full focus is on Ajax.”
Fernandes wants to play with Garner
Bruno Fernandes has named the Man United youngster who he wants to play with the most.
United starlet James Garner will be happy to hear that the senior first-star Fernandes picked him in a Q&A on Twitter.
And Fernandes will most likely get his wish as he’s just penned a new six-year deal with the Red Devils.
United want Pogba stay
Man United are reportedly waiting on the appointment of a new manager before offering Paul Pogba a new long-term contract.
Now italian football journalist Gianluca Di Marzio has offered an update on Pogba’s situation during an interview with wettfreunde.
He said: “I know that Manchester United would like to keep him.
“They are waiting for the decision to be made on a new manager before they make a final decision. Maybe the new coach wants him to be the centre of the new project.
“They will try to renew his contract. But I think that Paul at this moment prefers a change.
“He will listen to offers in Ligue 1 and LaLiga that can give him some new ’emotions’.”
Ukraine want friendy with Prem club
Ukraine manager Oleksandr Petrakov wants to play a Premier League side to prepare for his nation’s play-off tie with Scotland.
Petrakov’s got his eyes set on a game at Wembley, preferably with a London club.
He told the Guardian: “We could play at Wembley, for example, against a London club.
“It could be a good exhibition game, a response for the Ukrainian army, as well as preparatory work for the Scotland game.”
Liverpool urged to buy Kane
Ian Wright has urged Liverpool to sign Man United transfer target Harry Kane from Tottenham.
Wright said on his podcast: “Imagine Harry Kane at Liverpool… If I had the capability of getting Kane and putting him in Liverpool’s side with [Mohamed] Salah, or [Sadio] Mane or [Luis] Diaz and playing as the number nine, dropping deep and doing his stuff…
“It won’t be how Firmino does it, those lovely bit of skills and stuff, but Kane can drop in and help create because the two could run behind.”
De Gea’s anger
David de Gea is reportedly furious at being axed from the Spain squad by Luis Enrique.
According to AS, the Man United stopper didn’t take Enriques decision well and was incensed by his omission.
They also added that De Gea didn’t think Enrique’s choice was justified.
Rush on Man United
Ian Rush thinks Man United have to take a leaf out of Liverpool’s book to become successful once again.
He told Gambling.com: “You need the commercial success if you’re to sustain results on the field.
“Jurgen Klopp and Liverpool seem to have it down to a tee.
“Klopp is well aware of Liverpool’s commercial appeal and the need to have that in modern football, but his job is to win matches and that feeds commercial success too.
“If United are to get back up to the top table again they’ll have to learn how to strike that balance too.”
PSG want Arsenal/Man United target
PSG have joined Manchester United and Arsenal in the race to sign Ajax winger Antony, according to reports.
He has 12 goals and 10 assists across all competitions this season, with six of his goal contributions coming in the Champions League.
Premier League duo Man Utd and Arsenal hold an interest in signing Antony.
But according to Le10Sport, PSG has joined the pair in the race to sign the Brazil international.
In fact, PSG have “upped their pursuit” in recent weeks and are currently in the lead to capture Antony’s signature.
‘We need to win every game’
Nemanja Matic has admitted that Man United have to win every single game from now until the end of the season to clinch fourth spot.
He told talkSPORT: “We need to finish in the top four, that is our aim and we will do everything we can to achieve that.
“I think we can make it, but, of course, we will need to win almost every game until the end of the season.
“I think it’s possible and we will do everything for that and never give up.”
Hodgson on Maguire’s treatment
Watford manager Roy Hodgson blames Man United fans for Harry Maguire’s boos on England duty.
Hodgson said: “But maybe you will tell me something that has been going on with Harry Maguire that I have missed because I don’t follow every single thing that is being said or written so maybe I am being naive.
“But if having seen nothing to warrant any criticism of Maguire, other than the fact that the Manchester United fans are unhappy that their team is losing, in which case I would have to tell all fans to grow up because if you want to support football sometimes your team is going to win and sometimes they are going to lose.”
Agent Lingard and Gnabry
Man United fans are hoping “agent” Jesse Lingard can help lure Bayern Munich ace Serge Gnabry to Old Trafford.
Lingard has spent some time in Milan during the international break.
And he has been snapped with Arsenal academy graduate Gnabry, who has made a name for himself in Germany.
Man Utd have been tracking Gnabry for some time and Bayern are yet to tie the winger down to new terms.
Sky Germany are reporting that Bayern have so far failed to meet his salary demands – leading an array of clubs to begin circling.
And fans are hoping that lifelong Red Devil Lingard can put a good word in.
One fan said on Twitter: “Agent JLingz bringing in a RW before he leaves.”
Another said: “Agent Jesse!”
Merson questions Fernandes’ new contract
Paul Merson doesn’t understand why Man United have decided to hand Bruno Fernandes a new contract.
The Arsenal legend told Sportskeeda: “Bruno Fernandes’ contract situation is an interesting one and pretty much sums up where Manchester United are as a club at the moment.
“I’m not saying he’s a bad player by any stretch of the imagination, but how can they give someone a five-year contract when they haven’t even got a permanent manager?
“What if a new manager comes in and doesn’t quite fancy Fernandes, because there’s every chance coaches won’t like the way he throws his hands up in frustration or his style of play.
“He’s a good player and I like him, but he hasn’t set the world alight at Manchester United this season.
“I just find it a bit strange that they’ve given a massive long-term contract to a player when they haven’t sorted out their managerial dilemma, it’s a big call by the club.”
Ronaldo’s career plan
Cristiano Ronaldo wants to continue playing for Portugal beyond 2024 – by which time he will be 39.
And team-mate Jose Fonte reckons there is still plenty left in the tank to see him represent Portugal at Euro 2024 in Germany.
The veteran Lille defender told talkSPORT: “I think he’s left it pretty clear in his last interview, he’s the one who decides his future.
“I think that physically he feels good, he feels great.
“If he had the chance to win it and the chance to keep performing at the highest stages then he’ll keep playing, as he said.
“Nobody knows exactly what he has in his mind, so only he can decide his future.
“He wants to play and keep playing so I would assume that he will be in Qatar, and not only in Qatar but in the next Euros at least.”
Fernandes extends Man United contract
Man United plan to give their fans the perfect pre-match boost today by officially announcing Bruno Fernandes has signed a new contract, writes NEIL CUSTIS.
They certainly need a pick me up, with Leicester the visitors tomorrow, having dropped to sixth in the Premier League and been knocked out the Champions League.
Fernandes helped fire Portugal to the next World Cup with both goals in their 2-0 midweek play-off victory over North Macedonia.
Now he wants to finish the season by getting United back into those Champions League places ahead of a new managerial appointment at Old Trafford.
The new deal will see the Portuguese star will more than double his salary to £240,000 a week after the club hierarchy convinced him of their plans for the future.
Fernandes, 27, was uncertain about staying at the club during this season.
But United have moved to get Ajax coach Eric Ten Hag and start a rebuild towards challenging for the title again, convincing Fernandes to commit himself to the club.
Rush slams Maguire critics
Ian Rush has slammed England’s boo-boys for jeering Harry Maguire – but praised his Three Lions comrades for supporting Man United ace.
He told Gambling.com: “England’s win over Ivory Coast was overshadowed by some supporters booing Harry Maguire. In my eyes, they’re not real England fans.
“I don’t understand what type of supporter shows up to a game with the intention of booing their own player without them having put a foot wrong.
“It’s a disgrace, really. Those responsible are the type of people who go to games to cause problems for no reason. Maguire has had a few bad games for Manchester United but he’s never let England down, so for him to get booed for nothing is embarrassing really.
“Also, the fact it was only a friendly in which England won comfortably and kept a clean sheet only makes it all the more ridiculous. I’m happy Maguire was able to stand up to it, he didn’t seem fazed by it at all and put in a good shift.
“I can’t really relate to how it must have felt for him – I never got booed in my career – but it was nice to see his England team-mates stick up for him with support from Harry Kane and Jordan Henderson, who have quite rightly urged fans to get behind the team in what is a World Cup year.”
Ten Hag’s Fergie comparision
Erik Ten Hag shows the tactical and real-time analysis of Sir Alex Ferguson and is “ready” to take on the Manchester United job, according to Steve McClaren.
McClaren told The Telegraph: “His great strength lies not just in his attention to detail and organisation.
“He has a clear philosophy of how he wants to play football, the environment he wants to create.
“In terms of changing games, he is second to none.
“He had carried on with that work ethic and he’s a far better coach and manager now. He was way ahead of his time. Even in Holland.
“The only other one I would have seen do that? That would have been the gaffer.”
Laporte’s Man United dig
Aymeric Laporte taunted Manchester United by saying City’s success is ‘annoying our neighbours’ – especially as the Red Devils ‘haven’t won anything’ in years.
And Etihad defender Laporte believes City’s dominance is rattling the Red Devils.
The Spain star told the Guardian: “Maybe it’s not that they’re tired of us but they don’t think it’s normal we always win.
“If I’m not mistaken, we’ve won 11 trophies in four years [it’s 10, including two Community Shields].
“That can annoy people, like our neighbours who haven’t won anything.
“They have a lot of supporters, we’re in the same city. It’s hard [for them] to understand.
“But there’s only one winner. They’ve spent a lot of money too.”
Good morning, Man Utd fans
Manchester United coach Mick Clegg has revealed Paul Scholes once told him he “hated playing for England”, writes GIACOMO PISA.
Scholes won 66 caps for the Three Lions, representing his country at four major tournaments.
But Clegg recalled a tell-all chat between himself and the Manchester United legend back in 2004 in which Scholes laid his feelings bare.
The midfielder was often deployed on the left side for England in order to accommodate Steven Gerrard and Frank Lampard in the middle.
And bosses Sven-Goran Eriksson, Glenn Hoddle and Kevin Keegan never really managed to get the best out of Scholes, who won 11 league titles, three FA Cups and two Champions League trophies at club level.
Clegg wrote in his new book, The Power and the Glory: “Paul said he hated playing for England, which came as a bit of a shock.
“I asked him why he kept turning up and he said ‘Well it’s England, that’s what you have to do’.
“Paul was worried about the reaction he would get from the rest of the country if he stopped playing for England.”
Clegg went on to reveal that he advised Scholes he was being “bullied” into playing for England.
And soon after the chat between the pair in 2004 Scholes retired from international football, seven years after making his England debut.
‘Ronaldo, donate us your….’
Two Portugal fans took bizarre measures to show off their Cristiano Ronaldo fandom when they watched him play this week, writes ETIENNE FERMIE .
The Manchester United ace lined up for his country against Italy conquerors North Macedonia with a place in this winter’s World Cup on the line.
Porto’s Estadio Dragao was packed with 48,000 fans desperate to help their team get over the line to Qatar.
And two supporters arrived with a weird pre-prepared sign.
The female duo held up a piece of card with a message directed at Ronaldo on it.
It read “Ronaldo doa-nos o teu” in Portuguese – meaning “Ronaldo donate us your…”
After the written message appeared a crudely drawn sperm.
Attached to the banner was a Portuguese flag, as well as a Brazilian one.
It didn’t appear to grab CR7’s attention, as Portugal eased through to the World Cup by winning 2-0.
United next five fixtures
With Manchester United out of the Champions League, here’s a look at what’s on the Premier League agenda for April.
How many points are you expecting, Red Devils fans?
There’s a couple of easier contests against relegation-battlers but no game in this league is easy.
Then there’s certainly some tricky fixtures towards the end of the month…
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
