With his performances at the World Cup, Manchester United captain Harry Maguire has given Erik ten Hag exactly what he wanted as he seeks to put his well-documented Old Trafford struggles behind him..
Maguire, 29, and his selection in the Three Lions squad were major talking points leading up to the tournament. However, Gareth Southgate’s decision was vindicated on the field.
Despite making only three Premier League starts this season, falling behind Raphael Varane, Lisandro Martinez, and Victor Lindelof in the Manchester United pecking order, Maguire started all five matches in Qatar and impressed despite one or two difficult moments as England were eliminated in heartbreaking circumstances..
It was always going to be difficult for Maguire to overcome his pre-tournament injury and limited game time, but he did just that and more to prove his worth to Ten Hag and the United squad. Ten Hag threw down the gauntlet in August when he dropped his £80 million captain in favor of Varane and Martinez..
Maguire was told that it was up to him. After exchanging messages throughout the unique winter showcase, the ball is now back in Ten Hag’s court.When he was dropped, Ten Hag stated, “First and foremost, I have to coach him and I have to back him, but I back him because I believe in him..
Even when he wasn’t on the team, I could see his qualities because he trained well and, more importantly, the quality was there.
You can see from his career, almost 50 caps for England, [playing for] Leicester and Manchester United, that he has a lot of potential. It’s all about him; the players in the locker room, the coaches, and the manager all believe in him. That’s what I told him; I’m confident he can do it and will succeed. “I’m certain of it.”
He may be persuaded, but Maguire has a different perspective on what Qatar has done for him..
While admitting to a slump in form, the former Leicester City player also explained how World Cup support restored his confidence, which comes as a welcome boost to United manager Sir Alex Ferguson, who has never lost faith.
He stated earlier in the tournament: “I don’t believe I’ve made a point here. I have not retreated from the previous year.
It’s been challenging, but I’ve always known and had faith in myself that I’d find my form and regain my confidence and focus. I’m overjoyed that it happened at the biggest tournament. I’m in a good place right now. I feel good both mentally and physically.”
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