Rashford, Amorim and the clipping of wings
The separation is obvious. Make it permanent asap.
There’s a remarkable amount of noise around Marcus Rashford’s relationship with Manchester United and Ruben Amorim when it’s been obvious for months that separation suits all parties. Club and head coach want Rashford out. He knows and accepts that. United taking the No 10 shirt off him does rather highlight that. Rashford himself wants out, knowing he needs to play in a World Cup year, but the striker hasn’t asked to leave. He’s not needed to. The direction of travel was made very clear - towards the exit. So Rashford is obviously leaving Old Trafford, most likely overseas. So just get on with it, everyone.
When a player’s departure descends into a lengthy saga it becomes very wearisome. An inevitable divorce has become unnecessarily messy. Memories of the good times, including contributions to five trophies in a dismal decade for the club, threaten to be washed away by the bad blood.
It’s sad in a way. Rashford is home-grown, a United fan and brought additional kudos to the club for his work combating child food poverty. But he has become, depending on your perspective, either a poster-boy for player ego, greed and self-absorption or a whipping-boy for a poorly-run club’s myriad faults. With both sides accepting the relationship was over before Christmas it’s ridiculous that it has been allowed to fester this long. United’s neighbours, City, would have had a player in a similar situation out long ago.