Sunday Mirror (Northern Ireland)
A role model? Lingard must grow up first
JESSE LINGARD won’t miss an open goal because he put a classless video on his Instagram account.
He won’t misplace a pass or fail to make a tackle after posting something stupid on Twitter or Facebook.
But the Manchester United and England midfielder needs help and advice when it comes to organising his social media presence because the message he’s putting out at the moment is that he just doesn’t care.
And that’s something supporters don’t forgive.
The video footage of Lingard walking around a trashed luxury apartment, boasting about the exploits he’s been getting up to with United team-mate Marcus Rashford in Florida, is hardly X-rated viewing.
Footballers have certainly got up to a lot worse on their summer holidays.
But it just adds to the growing feeling that Lingard is a bit of a big-head.
Maybe that’s harsh. But it’s an obvious conclusion to make about a player who doesn’t seem to have a filter when it comes to parading his lifestyle on social media. Perception is everything. Back in 1996, when Liverpool lost to United in the FA Cup Final, we were branded the Spice Boys because we wore white suits (right) designed by Georgio Armani.
The myth that our choice of attire cost us that game has somehow become a fact in the intervening years.
The reality was that a tight, dour game could have gone either way and United edged it because they had the big-game experience to take the one chance that fell their way.
Twenty-three years later, most people probably only remember two things about that final.
Eric Cantona scoring the winner - and those bloody white suits!
Whenever I get reminded of that day, I always mention that Southampton’s players also turned out for the FA Cup Final wearing white suits when they upset all the odds to beat United in 1976. It doesn’t ever wash. Apparently, our flawed dress sense gave United the decisive edge. Even Sir Alex Ferguson has said so.
Which brings me back to Jesse Lingard, a player who came through the ranks at Old Trafford when Ferguson was manager.
I reckon Lingard would have been ordered to get on the first plane home to explain himself if Fergie had still been in charge.
Of course, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has more pressing things to worry about.
United have just finished sixth. Their squad needs a complete rebuild and the Norwegian will have to lean heavily on the goodwill of the club’s fans if he is going to get the level of patience he is going to need in the coming years. Solskjaer didn’t need one of his homegrown stars – a man who apparently grew up a United supporter – prancing around Florida like a spoilt brat.
I’m not suggesting that Lingard should have gone into hiding for the summer with the rest of his team-mates.
Win, lose or draw, footballers deserve to enjoy the fruits of their labour at the end of a tough campaign.
And, by all means, give fans an insight into your time away by using social media.
But don’t make a fool of yourself.
We have all done things when we were younger that we came to regret.
But Jesse Lingard is 26. He is approaching the peak years of his career and should now be a role model for the up-andcoming professionals following the same academy path he once trod.
I don’t think he should be posting stuff on social media that suggests he has lost touch with the millions of people who pay his wages, either through match tickets or TV subscriptions.
United play Chelsea on the opening weekend of the Premier League season. If they lose, there’s a good chance it won’t be Lingard’s fault.
But he could just find, after his summer escapades, that the fans will blame him anyway.
Solskjaer didn’t need one of his stars prancing around like a brat