Manchester United’s struggles over the last few seasons have been well documented, and former Red Devils defender Paul Parker believes the issues at Old Trafford are reflected in two long-serving players: Luke Shaw and Harry Maguire.
Speaking exclusively to MyBettingSites.co.uk, Parker did not hold back when discussing the pair, questioning their long-term presence at the club and whether they truly fit into United’s future plans.
Maguire and Shaw symbolise what has gone wrong at Old Trafford
Parker believes Shaw and Maguire have come to represent a wider problem at Manchester United, insisting neither player should still be at the club.
“I think Maguire and Shaw are a symbol of what has gone wrong at Man United, and I can’t get my head around people thinking they are the solution. Both of them should have been offloaded a long time ago, but they are still here collecting their paychecks.”
According to Parker, their continued presence is baffling, even if they are not the worst players in the squad.
“The fact that they are still here is a joke. Are they the worst players in the team? No, but they have been here for so long, taking up space in the squad and performing below what you expect from a Manchester United player.”
He also questions whether a lack of ambition has played a role in their decisions to stay at Old Trafford.
“Has it been impossible to get rid of them? It is definitely a possibility that they just like being part of Manchester United and earning a lot of money, but that tells me a lot about their ambitions. If they had real ambition, they would move on to a club where they could make a difference. They can play at Manchester United, but they can’t make a difference.”
Maguire & Shaw have no long-term future at Man United
Parker feels time has caught up with both players and insists neither has a future at United.
“None of them are getting better. At their age, they have to realise that it is time to move on. They have no future at the club. Listen, it is hard sometimes, I know that. I was told I didn’t have a future at Manchester United, but Gary Neville did. That’s life, and you just have to move on.”
Looking further ahead, Parker believes both players may eventually regret staying at Old Trafford for so long.
“I think when they are done playing football one day, they will realise that they made a mistake by staying for so long. Can I blame them? Yes and no. They were offered a contract and they took it, which is completely fair, but at some point you have to look yourself in the mirror and accept that you have nothing to offer.”
While Parker does not completely rule out short-term success under Michael Carrick, he doubts they suit the direction the club should be heading.
“Can they do a good job under Carrick? Maybe, if he changes the playing style drastically, and he might have to if he wants to keep his job. But the way Manchester United should be going forward, being attack-minded, just doesn’t suit them.”
With no cup games left this season, the full focus for Carrick and the squad is on the Premier League. United will be hoping that this could help them finish in the top six and the pressure is on them from both fans and the board to achieve this.
