Marcus Rashford and Erik ten Hag meeting crucial to Man Utd future after England blow
According to one onlooker - quoted in a report a few days ago - not making the England squad for Euro 2024 did not seem to ‘bother’ Marcus Rashford.
And exactly how did the onlooker deduce this? He or she had spotted Rashford relaxing in an expensive restaurant in Cannes.
Ah, right. Come on, Marcus. You should be at home, not daring to crack a smile, eating only bread and drinking water, self-flagellating. How dare you take a holiday on your time off.
Like the rest of us, Rashford is, of course, entitled to a break from work and, hopefully, enjoys his vacation. But if he is watching England’s game against Serbia on Sunday night, not being in Gareth Southgate ’s squad should ‘bother’ him.
If you had said a year ago that the European Championship would take place without a fully fit Rashford, you would have been laughed out of town. Rashford is in the prime of his athletic life and is one of the most exciting footballers of recent Premier League times.
It is still a touch difficult to fully understand how he did not make a 26-strong England squad but that he is not out here is a damning indictment of his contribution to Manchester United ’s cause last season. Had Erik ten Hag not been spared, Rashford would have been culpable.
That Sir Jim Ratcliffe seems to have sounded out other coaches suggests Ten Hag - new contract or not - is a bad start to the season away from being replaced. Rashford can help avert the danger for the Dutchman.
Marcus Rashford has been left out of Gareth Southgate's Euro 2024 squad
There have been suggestions the relationship between the two is ‘strained’. If it is, it needs to be sorted. And wherever it may be - whether the south of France or the south of Manchester - Rashford, 26, needs to have a rethink. He can brush off nonsense about him not looking bothered on holiday, obviously.
But consistently being told he does not work hard enough in games has to hurt. Being ditched by Southgate after 60 caps and three tournaments has to hurt.
Being made aware that your beloved boyhood club might be open to offers for you must hurt. Being repeatedly reminded about the alarming statistical contrast between the period leading up to signing a new contract and the period after must hurt.
In the 2022-23 season, 35 Premier League appearances brought Rashford 17 goals and five assists. In the 2023-24 season, he scored seven times and had two assists.
He had more successful take-ons in the 2022-23 campaign than he had in 2023-24 and more key passes. If you are into this sort of thing, in 2022-23, his xG was twice the number it was last season.
Apparently, Rashford has had talks with Ratcliffe’s right-hand man, Sir Dave Brailsford, which is positive. But the most important talks will be with Ten Hag.
Wherever he is on Sunday night, if Rashford does watch England, hopefully he will be bothered. Because Rashford is so brilliant, he should be an important player for his country… and an even more important one for his club.
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