Amad Diallo has poured more petrol on the fire after Lisandro Martinez‘s mutinous jibes at Man United‘s hierarchy.
Diallo took to Snapchat in the wake of United’s 2-0 Champions League defeat by Atletico Madrid, writing: ‘F***ing disgrace, I have no words,’ alongside a picture of himself on the pitch.
It’s not known whether Diallo was referring to the United performance, Martinez’s comments or any other grievance at a club veering wildly into crisis mode.
Diallo came off the bench and played the last 25 minutes of another dispiriting defeat for Michael Carrick‘s men but the most extraordinary development arrived after full time as Martinez conducted his post-match interviews.
The 28-year-old Argentine centre-back took the opportunity, unprompted, to attack the Old Trafford hierarchy and director of football Jason Wilcox over the club’s transfer policy.
Asked if Carrick was backed enough, Martinez said: ‘I don’t think so. He does his best. You can’t keep changing, changing, changing the manager.
Amad Diallo wrote ‘f***ing disgrace’ on Snapchat in the wake of Man United’s defeat
Diallo’s comment followed Lisandro Martinez’s extraordinary post-match rant
‘What about other areas? Tonight it is easy to say the coach and easy to say the players, but also we have to see other areas.
‘I expect more (investment) 100 per cent. I expect more from our technical director. I have to control myself a lot but sometimes is a reflection of the mirror of how is our club at the moment.
‘We did a fantastic season last season and now we expect more from the top; more players to compete because many teams bring many players as well.’
Martinez’s brutal comments have sent shockwaves through the club and Man United legend Wayne Rooney fears they have the potential to rip the already-fragile dressing room apart.
‘I think it’s a bit disrespectful to his team-mates as well because he’s disrespecting his team-mates, he’s saying they’re not good enough,’ he said on Amazon Prime.
‘I think Bruno is probably the only one who has any right coming out and saying something like that, if I’m being honest as captain.
‘And even then it should be behind closed doors if there are issues, which does happen. Players have conversations with the manager, the manager then has a conversation with the board. But that interview there, it’s not going to help the situation the club is in at the minute.
‘Now all that’s going to bring is more noise around it, the players are unhappy, they’re unsettled, they don’t trust in their own team-mates, that’s not going to help at all.
‘I think it looks like a player trying to look after himself in my opinion. He’s probably disappointed he hasn’t been offered a new contract and there’s reasons he’s not been offered a new contract.
United were beaten 2-0 by Atletico Madrid on Tuesday night in another poor display
Wayne Rooney says Martinez’s attack on United bosses risks ripping the dressing room apart
‘I think the Martinez interview was very premeditated. Why is he doing the interview after this game? Has he put himself forward? I very rarely hear him speak. It looked a bit premeditated and something he spoke about with his team to get out there.
‘It’s sad because when you need everyone to stick together as players, you can’t be told what’s going on above you, so you need the players, the manager, and the coaching staff to stick together when you’re having a difficult time; otherwise, something like that will rip a dressing room apart.’
Jamie Carragher also reflected on Martinez’s rant during CBS’ coverage of the Champions League.
The ex-Liverpool defender agreed with Rooney and pointed out that Martinez’s own form at the start of this season has been poor, branding the comments ‘awful’.
He said: ‘It doesn’t do anybody any good at all, and they (the quotes) will be the story now for the next few days, all about this.
‘Every set of supporters don’t like the suits, the guys upstairs, so United fans will lap this up and think it’s great.
‘I think it’s awful that he’s come out and said that right now, I do. When he’s saying they had a fantastic season last season, they didn’t. A manager got sacked last season. Sacked.
‘They finished third because they had no cup games, they weren’t in Europe, got knocked out the cup competitions very early. Man United third. The reason they finished third is because Liverpool and Chelsea were that bad as well.
‘Now we’re seeing the real Manchester United this season. The reason why they didn’t buy players in the summer is because the last four or five years since Martinez has been there, I think they’ve been in the Champions League once – this season (sic).
‘So if every season you don’t get Champions League money and every season Manchester United are spending £200million in the transfer market, sooner or later it has to stop because the money’s not there.
‘So this summer, the money Manchester United are paying out, it’s for players they bought years ago, the next instalment of it. That’s why there isn’t that money there, you can’t just keep going with it.’
Carragher continued: ‘There’s a squad of players with different managers, they haven’t achieved anything. They’ve been awful, awful again tonight.
‘And him as well when he’s talking about the start of this season – I think he’s a good player, by the way, he’s a World Cup winner, I get that – he’s had an awful start to the season. Awful, really poor.
‘People will lap it up, Manchester United fans will, that doesn’t nobody any good at all… This will just be the talk of the town now. This will blow up, explode and I think he’s out of order.’
Martinez’s rant has put his manager in an even more uncomfortable position and the club must now decide whether the defender will be punished.
When asked about Martinez’s broadside at the hierarchy, Carrick was reluctant to be drawn into the situation on Tuesday night.
‘I think it’s a little bit the emotion of the game,’ said the United boss. ‘I need to find out a bit more about it before I can say if and what is going to be done.
‘As a group, I don’t doubt the togetherness. But the boys are hurting. They’re passionate, they want to do well, they’re definitely hurting.’
