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Football News: Some Fans Have a Funny Way of Supporting Manchester United Players

Some Fans Have a Funny Way of Supporting Manchester United Players
Image from: freelargeimages.com

So Jesse Lingard is the next in the long line of Manchester United academy prospects to become a target for fans frustrations.

For a club that prides itself on producing players some fans have a funny way of supporting those players. Fletcher, Evans, Cleverly, Welbeck, Rashford, McTominay and now Lingard.

All have been accused of not being good enough, blamed for defeats or in some cases have had comments like they only get picked because they share a nationality with the manager or they are being played to teach another player a lesson.

I think most people miss the point of these players. Not every player the club produces will become world class.

But they are amongst the most vital members of a squad. Most see them as just the players who fill in when the first choice players are out injured or suspended, and yes that is most often their playing role. However, the most important role they have is to keep the club identity, they are the club players. Players who have been at the club since they were children, supporters of the club as well as players. They are the closest link in the playing squad to the fans. They care more about the club and they give more. They create the atmosphere in the dressing room, their hard work and dedication on the training ground pushes the other players.

Sir Alex knew the importance of these players and where would the club have been without the hard work and dedication of players like Wes Brown, Nicky Butt, John O'Shea and Darren Fletcher?

These players were never world class but they were able to step into the team and replace a world class player with hardly any drop off in overall team performance.

I agree that a team made up entirely of these sort of players isn't going to be able to compete. No team can win the league with hard work alone. Talent is also needed.

It seems Jesse Lingard's biggest flaw is there not being a better player to play ahead of him.

Yes his end product is inconsistent and he doesn't get huge numbers or goals or assists (although no player in our current squad has scored more winning goals in semi finals than Lingard), but he works hard, he gives his all and it is that attitude we want to see rub off on all our players. If Pogba had Jesse's attitude he would be the world's best midfielder. If we had more homegrown players with an attitude like Lingard's then there might be enough pressure to make players like Pogba knuckle down.

I feel sometimes that fans get on the back of the homegrown players more because they blame them for denying the fans a chance to see another big name signing come in.

We saw it over the summer, fans annoyed at Rashford as it was him stopping the club buying a big name striker for the fans to cheer about.

In the world of fantasy football and football manager fans are more interested in the next shiny new signing than seeing the development of their own homegrown players.

For me seeing Rashford fulfil his potential this season or Greenwood make the jump up to the first team is far more thrilling than the club spunking another 70m on a new striker. I don't want the next Lukaku or the next Pogba I want the next Giggs or the next Scholes.

And we will only see that by giving homegrown lads a chance. So let's support the lads in our squad who are passionate fans of the club just like us. Let's support the players who love the club. They can't all be world class but all of them give 100% for the club all of the time and who can ask for more than that?

Written by Shappy August 21 2019 09:50:54

 

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