He was supposed to be giving out awards at his youth club this summer... now prodigy Rashford has world at his feet
MARCUS RASHFORD could have been spending this weekend in Dubai, taking a relaxed and well-earned break with Manchester United pals Jesse Lingard and Will Keane.
Instead, he has been to Sunderland. Less glamorous maybe but historic nonetheless. On Friday, Rashford became England’s 10th youngest international and has enjoyed a more meteoric rise than anyone else on the list, including Wayne Rooney. After 138 seconds, he also become England’s third youngest goalscorer — and the youngest ever on debut.
How ironic then, that he should have been shaped by Dutchmen. Firstly, Sir Alex Ferguson’s No2 Rene Meulensteen, whose belief in allowing youngsters freedom sparked Rashford’s development. Then Louis van Gaal, who brought him into the first team.
United’s gain is now England’s gain. Roy Hodgson was considering taking him to Euro 2016 for the experience, whether in the final 23-man squad or not. But that goal and calf problems for Daniel Sturridge mean he now looks certain to go on merit.
One unexpected casualty is his first junior club, Fletcher Moss Rangers. They had pencilled in Rashford to do a presentation for the new generation on July 10 — the day of the Euro 2016 final — but that has had to be scrapped.
‘The world is his oyster,’ says Meulensteen, who was at United when Rashford first walked in as a seven-year-old. ‘I know Marcus. He’s very solid and down to earth and, with experience, he will only get better.’
Comparisons between Rashford and Rooney are obvious but in many ways, Rashford’s progress has been more startling.
Whereas Rooney had played in an FA Youth Cup Final and scored senior goals for Everton before his famous one against Arsenal, Rashford was completely off the radar when he scored twice on debut against FC Midtjylland in February.
Now he has scored for the Three Lions after 18 first-team appearances and eight goals for his club. Even the prodigious Rooney had played 26 times for Everton, scoring five times, when he first represented his country.
It is a story that has stoked the interest of another former teen idol. ‘You can see he has the tools. His strength, movement and nose in front of goal. He knows where to stand and all this at 18,’ says Dutch legend Patrick Kluivert, who scored a Champions League final winner for Ajax at the same age. ‘There are similarities in our styles. I was proud when Louis van Gaal compared us. I loved it.’
Kluivert has a point. It is Rashford’s versatility that pricked Hodgson’s interest so late, having bypassed the England Under-21s.
His pace and trickery make him a natural winger. Yet he sniffs goals like a top-line centreforward. All of his goals for United have come from inside the area. The volley against Australia after Sterling’s shot had flipped up in the air was pure striker’s instinct. Like Danny Welbeck, the player whose injury has given Rashford his chance, and Wes Brown, the road to England began at Manchester junior club Fletcher Moss.
Aged nine, he had the choice of signing his first formal contract for United or Manchester City, after training with both. City were closer to his new family home in Fallowfield but United’s practise on Sunday mornings excited him more.
Fletcher Moss coach David Horrocks, who ferried him to training, said: ‘United developed individual skills. The ethos was laid down by Meulensteen. It suited Marcus because he was allowed to have the ball rather than just pass-pass-pass. Marcus decided he wanted to go to United. He could see himself being a better footballer.’
Like all United’s promising kids, Rashford was educated from the age of 13 at Ashton on Mersey School in south Manchester and now attends its Sixth Form. Living in nearby digs, he did his secondary school work until 2pm followed by three hours’ training each day. Mum Mel used to come and watch when there was a game. She was there again, in tears, at the Stadium of Light on Friday.
Quiet by nature, Rashford’s older brother Dwaine is the vocal one in the family and has guided his career to date even though leading agents, including Jorge Mendes, are now knocking at his door. There have already been many highlights in his short career. The winner in the Manchester derby. An FA Cup cracker at West Ham en route to winning the trophy at Wembley.
He does, however, remain shy. Lingard, has taken on the role of big brother at United and chauffeurs Rashford when they need to be at a station or airport for away matches. ‘It’s become a running joke — we ask Marcus if he’s old enough to drive because we always see him with Jesse,’ says an insider.
Team-mates and the club have been supportive and Rashford has been protected from even doing in-house interviews due to his age.It was also only after his winner against City in March that he was allowed to change in the first-team dressing room before training. No, not another example of Van Gaal eccentricity but more to do with the culture maintained by Ryan Giggs and Nicky Butt, who do not think kids should be rewarded too soon.
He belongs now because of his talent. ‘It’s unbelievable to see a really young player score many goals like that,’ says United’s goalkeeper David de Gea.
And if Hodgson is deliberating where to play Rashford, Juan Mata has some advice. ‘He has to be in the box because every time he is in the box, he scores.’
The big question is whether he can take the next step for England at a major tournament. Alan Shearerthinks so. ‘He has energy, pace and when he has been given the chance in front of goal he hasn’t let anybody down. He’s a breath of fresh air.’
Horrocks added: ‘Marcus has more pace than Danny [Welbeck]. And he has the same mentality to training that Eric Cantona had. He’s hungry for the ball and is built like an athlete. I’ve seen him cracked in the face and bounce right back up.’
It is already difficult to believe that the highlight of 2015 for Rashford was scoring his first and only goal for United’s U21s against Leicester on December 14. That same night, Leicester’s first team were ending the career of Jose Mourinho at Chelsea.
Six months on and the pair are about to work together at Old Trafford. For now, that can wait. Rashford’s focus is all on England.