Maguire has created an unnecessary problem for club and country
United captain has put Solskjaer and Southgate in an awkward position, but the truth needs to emerge
At the very least it is not a good look for Harry Maguire to be spending a second night in Greek police cells on the day he had hoped to lead his club, Manchester United, in the Europa League final. But it clearly could be far more serious than that and even with ramifications for Maguire’s career if, after allegedly striking a police officer, he is charged and convicted of aggravated assault.
It does not help England manager Gareth Southgate, either, given he is set to name his squad on Tuesday for the Uefa Nations League fixtures against Iceland and Denmark.
It may well be, although unlikely given his importance, that Southgate intends to leave Maguire out, given United will start the new season a week late following their European participation.
But having come through the lockdown, and with England having not played since last November, then being asked about the alleged behaviour of his main defender is certainly something that Southgate will not appreciate.
While the manager will not rush to judgment and the Football Association no longer has a code of conduct outlining what is unacceptable behaviour for players, there will be one mantra Southgate preaches that Maguire should be aware of. “High performance, low maintenance,” is what Southgate has told his players he expects from them and this incident does not fall into that behaviour even if, as with such allegations, now is the time to act with a degree of caution and wait for the full facts to emerge, especially given the colourful nature of some of the police statements as to what is claimed to have happened following an altercation on Thursday in a bar in the Greek island of Mykonos.
Footballers, especially highprofile players are perennial targets for provocation and aggravation and sometimes have to show extraordinary degrees of tolerance and restraint. They are rarely left alone. Not that that condones his behaviour if Maguire has done wrong.
While some will claim Maguire has already brought criticism upon himself by partying in such a popular destination as Mykonos, that is a harsh judgment after months of lockdown, and an intense and pressurised few weeks to complete the season and under strict protocols.
There naturally comes a time to be allowed to let off steam, even if there was not much social distancing going on in the videos that have emerged, and maybe Maguire should have thought more carefully about the places he and those with him were going to.
Meanwhile Mykonos, because of its exclusion from the UK’S quarantine list, has been a magnet for Premier League footballers this summer although, as from yesterday, it has changed with a clampdown and a ban on parties and large gatherings following a spike in coronavirus cases.
If Maguire is convicted then clearly he will deserve the criticism that will come his way and may affect his career and, possibly, his status as the captain of one of the biggest clubs in world football.
Southgate, who will ascertain the facts, even if it is a matter for United to deal with, dropped his best player Raheem Sterling after a training ground clash with Joe Gomez and was displeased with James Maddison when he was spotted in a casino three days after being sent home with flu.
At the same time, goalkeeper Jordan Pickford was involved in a brawl outside a bar in Sunderland last year. He was not arrested, however, and kept his place.
If Maguire’s involvement is what reports have claimed, then it is clearly far more serious than those incidents if it ends with a conviction. United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer also has a big call to make on how he treats one of his most senior players.
For club and country, Maguire has caused an unnecessary problem. He may have been an innocent, unwitting victim, caught up in something simply because of his fame, or it may be a defining moment his career. Either way, it has to be a sobering incident.
Wait for the full facts to emerge, especially given the colourful nature of the police statements