Gary Neville receives fierce backing over ‘scandalous’ Man Utd development as heat rises
Jan Aage Fjortoft has backed up Gary Neville after the former Manchester United star slammed the current group for their social media activity.
Neville has proved a vocal critic of the current plight at United. While he has criticised the Glazer family owners, he has also hit out at the players’ actions on the pitch.
However, the Man Utd stars’ off-field presence has thirdly come in for flak. Numerous dressing room leaks have emerged from Old Trafford. A particularly high-profile leak compared interim manager Ralf Rangnick to fictional coach Ted Lasso.
Neville branded that development “disrespectful” and insisted that players’ “PR teams” and agents are briefing information.
And after United went into the international break sixth in the Premier League following a Champions League exit to Atletico Madrid, Neville branded the players’ subsequent social media activity “tone deaf”.
When challenged on his opinion, he replied: “They can go on holiday, relax, take time off. However, if you’ve been knocked out of the Champions League, FA Cup, League cup and floundering in the league I wouldn’t think it’s too much to ask to lie low a bit!”
Speaking to ESPN FC, former Premier League star Fjortoft threw his weight behind Neville.
The Norwegian said: “I understand Gary’s point in that it’s ok to do [that] when you’re doing ok. “I think that when you’re going in the direction of Manchester United, slipping out of the top four, I don’t see the strategy.
“All these players have strategies saying that you can do this and you can do that, we will help you with your posting.
“Some of these postings are scandalous. If you lose a game 4-0, you should not post anything before the next game, that is good advice.
“All these kind of things is one point, but as well this is a consequence of footballers, football clubs, numbers and earnings.
“I had an ok wage, but the space now between normal people and footballers is so enormous that it will provoke some people and you will end up where we are now, where we are discussing which country can own a Premier League club.”
Among the social media snappers are Jadon Sancho, who has gone to Dubai. Meanwhile, Avram Glazer was spotted at the Bahrain Grand Prix.
Man Utd must refocus
United can still salvage something from their season with a top-four finish in sight.
Rangnick’s side are four points off Arsenal in fourth, with both sides facing games in hand.
The Red Devils will play their rescheduled match away at Liverpool in mid-April.
Arsenal, meanwhile, have to face Tottenham and Chelsea in their games in hand. As such, the race for fourth could yet go either way.
Tottenham boss Antonio Conte feels that his side have vastly improved. He thinks his side have a great chance of finishing fourth.
Pundit Martin Keown also stated last Saturday that he thinks Spurs will finish fourth above Arsenal and Man Utd.
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