Ok, thank you for the balanced response but a few things on this.
1. I couldn't care less about his non-football ventures if he's not doing the job that allowed him to have the profile to achieve those things in the first place.
I've wanted the guy out for two years because his performances have been woeful even when he was scoring because he's detrimental to the way we play and in the long run it is going nowhere quickly.
2. On being on the same side. Are we really though? We've seen him barely move on the pitch this season in huge games, such as the Manchester derby. You can attribute that to injuries, mental health or whatever else but to me it was pretty obvious he couldn't be bothered.
On top of that, he's always been a very, very physical player and reliant on those characteristics. There's two issues here. If he's indeed crooked, we should get rid, as we don't need another Phil Jones. If he's still there physically, I still don't believe he fits in the way a team like us plays i.e. on the edge of the opponent's box (or how we should play...).
3. Finally, the double standards. For me, he's always looked a bit too clean for comfort and has been allowed way too much. I don't hear people supporting Martial the same way and they've basically been in the same form for 2 seasons (although Rashford was posting the numbers in the 2020/21 season).
It all comes down to the fact that I'm seeing another instance of Rooneyism. He looks done, the fans know it and can see it but we'll give him a new contract and he'll remain a toxic presence in the dressing room, just like he was last season (even if people like Neville would not say it outright).
This is all my opinion of course but I find it baffling how he's been given so much leeway for being poor at the start of his prime. If we were a serious football club, we'd sell this summer, like Mane and Liverpool and won't have to read any more of the bollocks after the Manchester derby where stories were coming out he was in huge demand.
Thanks for a more elaborate response than most. I’ll try to take it in point by point.
1. I agree about the football part being the bottom line for a footballer. I don’t want Ten Hag, Murtaugh and Arnold sitting like Woodward looking at the commercial usefulness or PR attractiveness of a player as a part of why we should aquire or depart with him. I like and reapect what Rashford and Mata have done for other people than themselves, but it should not be a reason to keep them on if it doesn’t aid the football. Though there are quite a few posters who go further than that, and morally condemn Rashford as something like a bad human being based on mostly guesswork. I’ll be extra careful with that based on the good stuff he’s done for others.
2. Are we on the same side? It’s a fair question. Do we know? Evidently we are, formally. Also, we have had several managers and coaches commending Rashford in particular for his professional attitude, his effort in training, his humility towards the club and his teammates. Are we to overrule their judgement based on rumours and layman body language interpretation? I’m not saying your impression is wrong, he might not be bothered. It might be other things as well, though. We know he was seriously by injury for a long spell, and it would be harsh, even strange, to accuse a player of lack of effort or attitude when he’s playing every bloody match for one or two years through injury, pain and risk of spoiling his carreer. The last five months may be another matter. We know several players struggled with understanding Rangnik’s ideas towards the end, and looked everything ranging from brain dead to sabotaging to apathetic during games. It might be attitude, but it might be attitude problems most of us would show, even the best of us. Maybe even experienced, professional and lovable guys like Edi Cavani. Just some food for thought.
3. What is his talent? What might he contribute? Perhaps the most fair questions. I don’t really think there’s any point in measuring out stick for a player to ‘even out’ what critique another has got. If anything, what the incredibly silly ‘Rashford vs Martial’ thread shows, it’s that there are plenty dishing out both criticism and vitriol for both, even when they play well. I don’t really see anyone being spoiled or let off the hook, quite the opposite. To me, just the idea of pinning to team mates against each other like that sounds like a blueprint for divisiveness. Then again, little over a year ago I predicted that Martial would soon turn a corner and become world class, so maybe I’m too supportive in general? I do question comparing a 25 year old Rashford with a 30 year old Rooney or Mane when it comes to carreer trajectory. For me, if a coach like Erik ten Hag looks at Rashford in training all summer and thinks: ‘He’s not physically spent, he’s technical level is useful for this team, he’s not a toxic presence’, I doubt any of us having input and competency even marginally as valuable as Ten Hag will regarding that question. Even Gary Neville (even if he’s not dead to me).
I’m very uncertain as to which version of Rashford we’ll see next season. I do think he is not physically past his best, and I don’t agree he’s technically limited. I think he needs to develop mentally and in regards to understanding of play amd decisions, and I think that’s very possible for a 25 year old. What I’m willing to bet, is that Ten Hag and the football people at the club won’t agree with you and won’t rate the cash of a potential sale above the potential of his talent. That’s my gut feeling and summation of the facts, and perhaps also the optimistic view. We’ll see.
