PRIDE AND GLORY
Rashford on the magic of the derby
MARCUS Rashford is aiming to upset a few family members again in tomorrow’s derby.
Last season the teenager scored the winner at the Etihad Stadium in the Reds’ 1-0 victory.
Once again he is set to be the only Mancunian on the park for the local dust-up.
And he is hoping to upset the City fans in his family once again.
“The derbies have a special atmosphere and effect on the fans and players so there is always a little bit of added pressure. It is about dealing with it,” he told M.E.N. Sport.
“There is a bit more pressure for me in that I am a Manchester lad. A lot of my friends and some of my family members are City fans so it is a massive game. You never want to lose to City.
“On my uncle’s side of the family there are a lot of Blues, but my side are all Reds. My City friends and family want to get revenge now so it is important to win it!
“But I have to be relaxed and play football as normal. That can be difficult, sometimes you can let your emotions get to you.
“It’s a good period for me now. As a team we want to get in the top four and we want to stay there.
“Of course we want to win the Europa League. We look at it as three games now to win a European trophy so I don’t see any bigger motivation than that.
“Everyone is completely focused on what we need to do, in the league as well as Europe. So it’s about doing it now.”
WHEN Marcus Rashford sidefooted his debut United goal against Midtjylland 14 months ago, few will have noticed his lack of flashy footwear.
Everybody was caught up in the glorious moment as the 18-year-old Reds academy product resurrected a flagging campaign.
When Rashford dragged back his right foot in front of the Stretford End against Anderlecht last week for his left-foot extra-time Europa League winner, his boots were a slightly more eye-catching white and turquoise.
A golden pair may be more appropriate for him these days.
Everything has changed for the Mancunian teenager.
But then again nothing has changed.
And that is why Rashford, still six months away from exiting his teenage years, is a dream. A credit to his Withington and Wythenshawe upbringing with mum Melanie and brothers Dane and Dwain.
A credit, also, to his football education at Old Trafford.
His career since stroking home Juan Mata’s cross against the Danes last February has seen another double against Arsenal, an unforgettable derby winner at the Etihad, an England call-up, a trip to the European Championship in France and a new United contract.
Once again, Rashford is the toast of Old Trafford and back in scoring form.
But those original boots tell the full story of a kid with his feet on the ground in a glamorous head-turning world.
“Growing up here at United there was a black boot only policy (in the academy). From being a kid here at nine-yearsold there has always been that black boot policy,” Rashford told M.E.N. Sport.
“At the start you don’t really buy into it but by the end you learn to love it as well.
“Probably, I would always wear them if it was my choice!
“Nowadays with sponsorships it is a case of ‘there is the boot, you wear it’ and there is not much you can do about it.
“However, if it was my choice they would always be black.”
Rashford has been surrounded by role models at Old Trafford, equally there have been examples of wasted talent who had the ability but squandered it. It is safe to say the Mancunian won’t be in the latter category. “Whatever you want to happen is going to happen. If you want to throw it all away and go and start messing around then nobody is controlling you. It is down to the person,” Rashford added. “People can advise you and do what they can to try and help you, but at the end of the day it is down to you. You know what is right and wrong. “It is important I have to do the right things. “You see it more often now with young players after they first get into the first team, there are a lot of distractions all over but, especially at United. We have a lot of examples of people ignoring all that and keeping to their football. “It was important to have my brothers instilling all the good things into me when I was young to the point where it was second nature. “They were an influence when it
At home I’ve always got a football, playing with my brothers. So we break at lot? Yeah, and by mum always shouts!
was needed. Now I know what is right and wrong.”
When Rashford leaves United’s Carrington training complex or after a match he’ll still hook up with the same pals he’s had since the self-confessed ‘street footballer’ was playing in the road, on wasteland and the school playground.
“My group is quite closed. I don’t bring new people in, maybe that is a bad thing, but I don’t leave myself open to giving anyone an opportunity to tarnish me,” he said.
“I have kept it quite closed. The same lads I have been with since I was 7,8, 9, 10 are the same friends now.
“We used to play everywhere when I was a kid. Parking lots over the road, the number of times we got told to come off the school field when school wasn’t open is amazing.
“All of my friends have always loved football and still do now.
“If we could we’d still do all those same things, but it’s a bit more difficult now!
“We still go to a quiet field every now and then, though.
“But the opportunities are a little less now!
“It’s just your nature. It’s what you’ve always done. You want to play football all the time. Why change? Even at home now I get that urge to go out and play football. It’s something you can’t do as much any more obviously, but I’m always getting those urges. At home, I’ve always got a football. Playing football with my brothers, in the garden, in the house, anywhere. Do we break a lot? Yeah. And my mum always shouts.”
At least he can pay for the damage these days.