Marcus Rashford has spent this international break undertaking private coaching with Ryan Hopper, a former Manchester United academy player.
Social media posts show Rashford looking sharp, taking part in shooting, first touch and dribbling drills. While some fans will view the posts as Rashford stating his intent to regain his goal-scoring form, others who are more frustrated with the player would question why such posts are necessary given his status as one of Manchester United’s highest earners with a minimum expectation that, it’s his job to ensure he is doing all he can to get himself and the team in the best position possible to attack the 2024/25 season. Those more cynical would also question why the same training cannot be provided in Carrington.
With the exception of his outstanding 2022/23 season and an impressive debut season under Louis van Gaal, some would now argue Rashford has made more impact off the pitch than he has on it. No one can question his remarkable work during COVID, in ensuring no child in need went hungry, resulting in the UK Government changing its policy on free school meal vouchers and he was deservedly rewarded with an MBE for that movement. Some might also accept such a worthy program impacting his football negatively from time to time given its societal importance for the greater good.
But it’s more so the detached social media posts and his body language on the pitch that is irking the United faithful. We can even forgive his lack of potency in front of goal if the rest of his game was up to the standard expected. The United way demands that belief and work ethic that drives players to give us everything on the pitch and consistently leave on your shield. Rashford gets a lot of criticism for this as a local lad, and as one of our best players (on his day). You can have all the social media posts in world showing you working at Nike HQ or with Ryan Hopper, but it all counts for nothing when the basics of the game are overlooked. All United fans can accept a dry spell in front of goal, what we can’t accept is not tackling, harassing, chasing, and challenging for every ball, why? – because that’s the bare minimum expected in a United shirt. As Ole Gunnar Solskjaer said in 2021 “There is no hiding place, I want players who can outrun the opponent – that’s a demand”.
Throw in last season’s Belfast debacle and Rashford’s displeasure at Steve McClaren’s efforts to motivate him during training sessions, it’s now becoming very difficult for United fans to have any affinity with a player who seems so unhappy with representing the club. The only way he can turn this around is with big performances on the pitch. The McClaren clash is telling and disturbing. Reports suggest Rashford got upset when McClaren offered encouragement to score the winning goal in a 5 aside training game. Rashford was astonishingly irritated by the pressure his coach was putting him under (in training!!). There isn’t a juvenile or junior player in Ireland or the UK who doesn’t hear this same motivation in local clubs week in week out. It begs the question – if Rashford sees that as pressure, what is his mentality when playing in a full Old Trafford every home game or into a bear pit like Anfield?
In 2022/23, Rashford enjoyed his best season in front of goal. It was also Erik ten Hags’s first season at the club where the academy graduate scored 30 goals in 56 games mostly at left wing (17 goals in 32 appearances) or at centre forward (11 goals in 19 appearances).
With the rise of Amad and Garnacho, Rashford may be forced to play centre forward more frequently this season which may help him regain his confidence. A stint closer to goal could be the answer for a player so out of form. The question is – can we attribute Rashford’s form to confidence or just application? Let’s hope his recent private training sessions prove it’s not the latter. It’s now time to deliver.
He’s going to deliver: worry ye not.