Give Marcus the chance to be perfect 10
THE first question United supporters usually want answered following a signing is: ‘What shirt number will he wear?’
Zlatan Ibrahimovic lasted seven games as United’s imperfect 10, the shortest stint since squad numbers became fixed in 1993. He will prefer to remember his number nine season at United and so will supporters.
Now Ibrahimovic has departed, attention will switch to whom will inherit the number 10. It was unoccupied for a season following Mark Hughes’s 1995 move to Chelsea until David Beckham wore it with distinction in 1996-97. So did his successors Teddy Sheringham, Ruud van Nistelrooy and Wayne Rooney.
An M.E.N. Facebook post inviting fans to suggest who should replace Rooney actually featured responses imploring United to retire the number, a gesture common in Italy. United have never done that and nor should they. The No.10 is not as fabled as the seven at United but it maybe the most
iconic number in world football and is synonymous with maybe the game’s greatest in Diego Maradona and Lionel Messi.
Ibrahimovic was a worthy recipient, albeit a short-term one. Paul Pogba started his Juventus career with six and ended it with 10, something which might not chime with purists baffled by Eric Bailly - a centre-back - getting a left-back’s number.
Ten was befitting for Rooney, a true playmaker in 2007, whereas Pogba’s stints in the hole at Anfield and Stamford Bridge last season were chastening and there were times where player and club seemed more intent on making him a brand than a world-class footballer. He is not worthy of the 10 on current form.
Perhaps Jose Mourinho should take a leaf out of Sir Alex Ferguson’s book.
Beckham and Rooney received the 10 because it was possible they would wear it for 10 years and a long-term candidate is Marcus Rashford, who United should not pigeon-hole as just a winger.
Rashford, still only 20, has played at 10 for United’s junior teams and Mourinho’s insistence there will be no attacking additions in the summer is a show of faith in the resurgent youngster.
It would also be another show of Mourinho’s faith in the United academy, having previously rewarded Rashford, Jesse Lingard and Timothy Fosu-Mensah with new squad numbers and promoted Scott McTominay.
Rashford was once told by his former academy coach Paul McGuinness he needed to be more like Ruud van Nistelrooy and this might be his chance.
It would answer the question.