At Manchester United, Erik ten Hag makes the final decision on Harry Maguire's captaincy.
Harry Maguire will remain Manchester United's captain after new manager Erik ten Hag backed the England defender to regain form after a disastrous season.
Erik ten Hag believes Harry Maguire will remain Manchester United's captain in 2022-23.
The 29-year-old defensive player has come under attack for leading the Red Devils to their worst Premier League season in history, with some claiming he should be stripped of the armband. However, after months of speculation, new manager Ten Hag has now confirmed that Maguire will remain United's captain, providing him with a huge vote of confidence.
"Harry Maguire is indeed the captain," Ten Hag said forward with of Tuesday's pre-season friendly against Liverpool in Bangkok. "He's an established captain with a lot of success, so I don't doubt this."
During the Red Devils' disastrous 21-22 season, Maguire was embroiled in a tug-of-war for the captain's armband with none other than Cristiano Ronaldo. Last week, the former Leicester City stalwart fueled the fire by liking an Instagram post claiming Ronaldo had decided to submit a transfer request after having his wages slashed due to United's failure to qualify for the Champions League.
Red Devils legend Gary Neville quickly agreed with the new manager's decision on Twitter, writing: "So the same United fans fuming with me for applauding the decision to keep Maguire as captain seem to be without knowing criticizing the new manager for his decision." Maybe you should stand up for Maguire and stop bullying him on here! The
Maguire was named captain by Ole Gunnar Solskjaer less than six months into his first season at Old Trafford, and he immediately stepped up on and off the field. Despite his poor form last season, the England international was an important figure in the club's charity work during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Victor Lindelof, a Red Devils center-back, recently praised his teammate, telling ESPN: "I believe he is an excellent captain. Harry is an outstanding player and captain. Off the field, he's a very nice guy who tries to talk a lot and communicate with the players. It's natural for people outside to speak when you're the captain of the world's biggest club. But I don't think it's an issue for him, and I believe everyone trusts him."
Multiple ex-players, including Arsenal legend Martin Keown, have jumped to Maguire's defense after being booed by both England and United fans in recent months. Keown slammed the criticism as "disrespectful," adding in his Mail column: "You hope Erik ten Hag will use him properly, noticing United concede less than a goal per game and have only lost twice when Maguire and Raphael Varane start together."
"When I made a mistake - which comes with the territory of being a centre half and playing for a big club - I was chastised, but I didn't have to deal with social media, which can be more impactful and personal. He has a supportive network of family and friends to help him deal with the flood of comments. Not the outside noise, but the people he needs to listen to. Maguire is more than capable of pulling himself out of this rut and resuming his career."
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