Yes you could very well be right because the alternative would be a little more shocking to believe he just isn't all that in footballing terms.
I suppose I could deduct the word 'professional' from my last line in the post you quoted and make it more generally about his own personal growth through this tough phase, whatever it may be. And again, it would take some significant change/cathartic process for it to be 'resolved' by next season because the likelihood is that, it just doesn't go away in a linear way. However, I look at Rashford's troubles on/off the pitch prior to this season and see some hope, especially with ETH in charge.
I’m noted as one of the most vocal supporters of the player, but there are some greater unknowns with him than Rashford that I can’t hand on heart vouch for him with - in fact, wherever his transfer thread is, I detailed his strengths and weaknesses as a player, but he’s gone way outside the weaknesses to the point I refuse to believe it’s just football related.
But:
- Rashford is a prime specimen of an athlete; Sancho literally looks like a boy in the men’s game out there. It was noted prior to him arriving that he was a circa 70min player in Die Bundesliga, let alone the PL, but the logical trajectory is of a player who gets fitter, stronger and more capable as he matures… not reverts to an even weaker and unfit version of himself. This is an oddity in itself and immediately alludes to something not being right.
- Rashford had a rougher ride of it coming up and out into the big bad PL; Sancho was a golden boy and star at a YWC and had had an immaculate trajectory… until he got here. Mentally, you have to wonder how this avalanche of scrutiny - he’s literally never experienced before - is impacting upon him. Has he plummeted because of pressure here, or is there more to it than that?
- Ole practically ruined Rashford continually playing him injured, but Rashford displayed a conviction of purpose in doing so at a manager’s behest; he literally put his body on the line and ended up risking his fledgling career in doing so. With regards to Sancho, his character has never bee questioned in that manner and there was never a time when his courage or appetite for physical warfare was examined. This isn’t about his size or being an idiot, but rather the dog in him; we’ve seen smaller, lighter players than him who are absolutely nightmarish to shake off, we only have to look at some of City’s frailer players and see how they put themselves about, or even Prime Barca’s techno midgets as examples. Not a single one of them ducks tackles or leaps out of 50/50’s; none of them can have a label of cowardice levelled at them. Sancho has really disappointed with what looks like an enormous character flaw.
It goes on to minutiae that doesn’t really need exploration, but all added together, paint a worrying picture to add to the bigger points above.
His talent simply isn’t in question, for me, but everything outside of it rightfully is.
I don’t think any of the above will matter ultimately if his head’s gone or not in it; I’m also not entirely sure what is to be done if the issue is as deep-seated as it seems to be. I reckon he gets another season regardless (FFP), so this time out and preseason are absolutely vital for him and his career as a big-time player. If he has to go elsewhere in ‘disgrace’ after what will have been 3 full years in the wilderness, his career trajectory will be absolutely ruined as we’re then talking him dropping to lesser clubs for at least a couple of years.
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