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Ruben Amorim is absolutely right to slam Marcus Rashford – and Man Utd boss has Sir Alex Ferguson’s backing
Managers need to tell the truth, there's too much b******t these days
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IF THERE’S one thing in life I love, it’s a straight talker — even though it can’t half land you in trouble at times.
There were a couple of famous occasions it did just that in my managerial days and I’m sure you know where I’m going with this.
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Once was when I was QPR boss and was asked why I had left out Adel Taarabt, I could have come out with all sorts of excuses.
Instead, I said I couldn’t pick a player who was about 3st overweight and you can imagine the fallout from that.
Then there was probably the most memorable of all at Spurs, when Darren Bent missed a sitter from about a yard against Portsmouth.
In the interview afterwards, I said my missus could have put it in and it all went off. The player wasn’t happy, neither was his agent, it went berserk.
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As much as I was having a pop, I didn’t mean it in a nasty way.
It was a joke, a throwaway comment every bloke watching in the boozer with his mates would have said.
In my book you’ve got to be able to laugh at yourself — I’ve never been afraid of that.
Like the times I made a substitution which turned the game for us.
If anyone said it was inspired, I’d tell them, "I’m not that clever or I’d have had him in from the start... I obviously picked the wrong team!"
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Although it was annoying when Benty missed, I was only having a laugh.
And it certainly wasn’t on my mind when I pulled up at Derby a few years later.
Transfer guru David Ornstein breaks down Marcus Rashford situation at Man Utd and gives prediction on future
The chairman had asked if I’d help out (interim manager) Darren Wassall and I’d totally forgotten Benty was there as well, to be honest.
When I realised, I was like, “Oh my God, this could be embarrassing” and I’m sure there was plenty of mickey taking in the dressing room when the other lads heard I was going in.
Anyway, literally within a minute of me walking onto the training pitch, Darren hit this absolutely blinding 30-yard volley that flew into the top corner.
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I looked at him and shouted, “Hey Benty, my missus wouldn’t have scored that one!”
And that was it, he burst out laughing, all the lads fell about, it was all forgotten.
I’ve seen him plenty of times since, at Soccer Aid and stuff, and we get on fine. He knew it wasn’t meant maliciously — I was just telling the truth as I saw it at the time.
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Which is why I’ve no problem with what Ruben Amorim has said about Marcus Rashford not being in Manchester United’s team.
He’s done exactly the same — said it as he sees it.
What's he supposed to do when people ask why he's not picking a guy on £325,000 a week? Say, “He’s training great, I just went with someone else”, or claim Rashford's got the flu?
He’s been honest and said he’s not playing as he’s not training well and when he does, he’ll be back in the side.
Those who pay his wages have a right to know. Tell the truth... there’s too much bulls**t these days.
You get managers whose teams have been beaten by four or five saying, “We played well, we were just unlucky.”
Who faces who in the Europa League?
Here's a look at the ties across the competition...
Teams who finished from ninth to 24th in the Europa league phase will play off to decide who reaches the last-16.
PLAYOFF ROUND
Bodo/Glimt vs Twente or Fenerbahce
Anderlecht vs Twente or Fenerbahce
FCSB vs Royale Union Saint-Gilloise or PAOK
Ajax vs Royale Union Saint-Gilloise or PAOK
Real Sociedad vs AZ Alkmaar or Midtjylland
Galatasaray vs AZ Alkmaar or Midtjylland
Roma vs Ferencvaros or Porto
Plzen vs Ferencvaros or Porto
Winners of playoff ties will then face the teams who finished in the top eight of the league phase in the last-16...
LAST 16
Lazio vs Roma or Plzen or Ferencvaros or Porto
Athletic Bilbao vs Roma or Plzen or Ferencvaros or Porto
Man Utd vs Real Sociedad or Galatasaray or FC Midtjylland or AZ Alkmaar
Tottenham vs Real Sociedad or Galatasaray or FC Midtjylland or AZ Alkmaar
Frankfurt vs FCSB or Ajax or Royale Union Saint-Gilloise or PAOK
Lyon vs FCSB or Ajax or Royale Union Saint-Gilloise or PAOK
Olympiakos vs Bodo/Glimt or Anderlecht or Twente or Fenerbahce
Rangers vs Bodo/Glimt or Anderlecht or Twente or Fenerbahce
B******s — say it is as it is: “We were crap and got turned over.”
I’m telling you this, Amorim is all right in my book and I know Sir Alex Ferguson likes him. You can’t have a better man on your side than that.
He'll give it a right go, for sure. He’s got a bit of life in him and won’t fail for lack of trying.
He just wants his players to give it their best shot as well.
I’m sure he wants to pick Marcus. He wants someone with pace, who can run at people and score goals and a couple of years ago Marcus did that better than most.
If he applies himself in training, the manager will have no problem sticking him in again because we all know what a handful he can be — he's a real player, there's no doubt.
But until he's convinced, there is no chance. In which case Marcus has a problem and probably will have to move on.
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Fair play to Amorim for being honest. Too many managers soft-soap players these days, but clearly not this guy.
And that makes him all right in my book.
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