Rio Ferdinand has stated that he would have preferred David de Gea over Harry Maguire as Manchester United’s captain.
Rather than analyzing the current group, the former defender was reminiscing about when the Englishman was first given the armband.
Harry Maguire, who has been frequently handed the captain’s armband, has failed to justify his poor performances in recent games. Meanwhile, David de Gea has been the best performer for United this season, with his world-class saves helping us grab every vital point.
Former Manchester United center-back Rio Ferdinand believes that David de Gea has the caliber and potential to be the captain of the club at this moment and he should immediately take the captain’s armband from Harry Maguire.
As reported by The Mirror, he said:
“The fact that he [Maguire] has had the armband has given him that grace [not being dropped], which it would do. I think he was given it too early. It’s a hard enough job coming into Manchester United, getting your feet under the table, and starting to feel comfortable as it is without the added pressure of being captain.
“Being captain is a massive responsibility, there is history that goes with it, a big weight on your shoulders. You need to experience being there for a period of time to carry that weight. It was more important for Maguire to come in and concentrate on becoming a Manchester United mainstay than being captain.”
“The thing you can counter that [Maguire criticism] with is that there weren’t many captains at the club – who else are they going to pick?
“David de Gea would have been my choice because of the time he’s been there and he knows what it takes to win. This is all with hindsight but you have to got to think about these times that might come with someone like Harry Maguire, new at the club in that sense. And that added pressure is weighing on him heavily at the moment.”
The captaincy issue has remained even now, as some fans believe there are better choices at the club right now who can lead the team better.
Players have praised Nemanja Matic as a leader, and it has been revealed that he is the one who issues fines to those who break the rules. As a result of Cristiano Ronaldo’s return to the club, some fans have voted for him to lead the team instead.
Bruno Fernandes’ talismanic performances have propelled him ahead as a natural leader since his arrival from Sporting Lisbon. There are others who are fan favourites, such as Raphael Varane and Edinson Cavani, but the fundamental issue is that many believe Maguire is unfit for captaincy.
The former Leicester City player’s dismal form doesn’t help matters, but even when he was given the armband, questions were raised.
Nonetheless, Ferdinand is effectively arguing that the club must shelter Maguire from the current responsibilities on his shoulders, as it is apparent that he is sinking.
