Superunknown
Full Member
- Joined
- Aug 4, 2019
- Messages
- 9,477
The transfer fee was one thing, but the captaincy is another. He’s really going to be tough to budge any time soon.
A really, really smart thing for Ole to do would be to shift the captaincy onto Bruno in the near future, and gradually lessen Maguire’s status to gradually allow the replacement (or at least possibility of it). But I don’t think he’s Machiavellian enough to do that.
I'm not suggesting at all that Maguire should be cut out completely or that I desperately want/need him out...and he could still become part of the solution if we partner him up with the right player or if he elevates his game somewhat. Maybe even another play coming in and threatening his place forces him to improve his game, perhaps. That said, in his current state, he is still upgradeable and if that dream Vidic/Ferdinand style CB becomes available, then we need to go for it.
There's an argument there already that Bruno already is the captain, just not wearing the armband. I don't think Ole is confident enough to do that to Maguire, especially when it doesn't look like we've got an obvious centre back replacement on the horizon. We spent big on him and I don't think we'll be in a hurry to spend big again any time soon.