- An ex-Premier League manager laid gave a brutal verdict on Man United’s squad
- He argued that Bruno Fernandes would be laying out cones for the Class of 92
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A former Premier League manager issued a brutal verdict on Man United’s struggling squad this season, arguing that none of them would get anywhere near the starting XI during the club’s golden years under Sir Alex Ferguson.
He singled out Bruno Fernandes as the closest to making it, but argued that even he would only be fit to put cones down and hand out bibs.
The Red Devils are set to blow almost every Premier League ‘worst’ in club history out of the water this season.
In Erik ten Hag‘s final full season at Old Trafford, his side logged their lowest finish in the rebranded top-flight (eighth). But that record is set to be broken one year later, with United languishing in 14th under Ruben Amorim.
Veteran manager Harry Redknapp argued that United are only a big club in name nowadays, as they continue to ride on the coattails of their previous success.
He compared United’s stars of the past to their current group of players and argued that Amorim does not have the personnel he needs to turn the fortunes around at Old Trafford.
Harry Redknapp argued Bruno Fernandes would only be fit to put cones out for the Class of 92
The midfielder has come under heavy fire in the past two years as Man United’s club captain
The Red Devils are set to log their lowest finish in Premier League history this season (14th), beating their previous record (eighth) set under Erik ten Hag in 2023-24
‘I like the manager Ruben Amorim but it will take years to turn [Man United] around, if it can be done at all. It has become a great club in name only,’ Redknapp told The Sun.
‘You’d look at the United of Fergie’s day and see superstars everywhere. Amorim would love just one.
‘Bruno Fernandes is the closest and even then no more than a place in the squad. He wouldn’t have a prayer of making the team.
‘Who would you drop? Giggs, Scholes, Beckham, Roy Keane, Paul Ince, even Nicky Butt or Darren Fletcher? Not a chance.
‘If Teddy Sheringham and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer struggled to get a game, Fernandes wouldn’t get beyond putting the cones down and handing out bibs.’
Redknapp – who managed nine different sides across his 30-year managerial career – went on to note that he would have a much better record against United if he were to face the current team, led by club captain Fernandes.
He added: ‘And I tell you what — if Bruno and Co had been at United when I was managing, I’d know all about winning at Old Trafford.’
Fernandes is United’s top goalscorer and assist provider in the Premier League this season (six and seven respectively), and has won them some vital points in recent months.
No United player has scored (6) or assisted (7) more than Fernandes in the league this season
Redknapp argued he would have no chance of making the starting XI under Sir Alex Ferguson
Nevertheless, the Portuguese midfielder has come under heavy fire from fans and pundits alike, with Roy Keane most recently taking aim at Fernandes a couple of weeks ago.
Keane accused the 30-year-old of not being ‘a fighter’ and claiming that ‘talent is not enough’ to captain the club.
But Amorim leapt to Fernandes’ defence even though he acknowledged that the player can sometimes get under people’s skin.
Asked about Keane’s comments, he said: ‘I heard about that, I have a different opinion. Roy Keane has big standards from his time. I think my opinion is more important than Roy Keane because I am the coach.
‘Bruno is really important for us in the club, especially for me. He is playing well in a difficult context. He wants always the responsibility.
‘I know as a captain he does things sometimes with his arms, criticising the teammates. Most of all it is a bit of frustration. He wants to win and sometimes it is difficult to deal with that frustration.’
