Pallister: We need leaders
EXCLUSIVE
NEW Manchester United boss Erik ten Hag has been urged to recruit leaders so he stands a chance of healing a fractured dressing room and launching a Reds’ revival.
The no-nonsense advice comes from Old Trafford legend Gary Pallister, who admits he was shocked by what he saw from his former club last season.
They finished sixth, 35 points behind neighbours City, while Pally won four Premier League titles, three FA Cups and a European Cup Winners’ Cup during his nine years at the club.
He said: “There were problems in the dressing room and that came across in a lot of performances.
“The new manager has to get the place firing again, make us united again. The dynamic must change and all those issues which dragged us down have to be resolved quickly.
Thrash
“We won’t start competing with City and Liverpool until everyone pulls in the same direction.”
Pallister was a member of Bryan Robson’s legendary drinking school, when players used to retire to the pub to thrash out their problems over a pint or ten. While not advocating a return to the booze culture, he reckons United could do a lot worse than take a few leaves out of the old school manual.
“I accept the days when lads spent hours down the local are gone,” he added.
“But what I would say is that the team I played in had four or five captains – Robbo, of course, Steve Bruce, Paul Ince, Roy Keane, Eric Cantona.
“Every one of them a natural-born leader who would have worn the armband every week if they were anywhere but United. There are no leaders of that ilk now.
“Harry Maguire is probably the closest but he’s just come out of a very taxing season.
“That’s what this current team needs more than anything else.”