Roy Keane never holds back on his opinions (Image: Getty)
Former Manchester United defender Paul Parker has blasted the club for not selling Harry Maguire and Luke Shaw. Both players were in the starting eleven for Michael Carrick’s inaugural game in charge on Saturday.
Maguire, in particular, received plaudits for his performance as United triumphed 2-0 over rivals Manchester City. His display, and that of the rest of his team-mates, ended up making Roy Keane look a tad silly, as a result of the criticism he had previously given to the Reds. However, it’s still not been enough to free Maguire from the fury of another ex-United star this week. Parker made it abundantly clear he has not been converted into a fan of Shaw and Maguire.
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Parker said: “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.
“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. 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. 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. I think when they are done playing football one day, they will realise that they made a mistake by staying for so long.
Shaw and Maguire still have many doubters (Image: Martin Rickett/PA Wire)
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.”
Parker’s critique is just the latest from a string of former United stars. A verbal spat has erupted between Paul Scholes, Nicky Butt and Lisandro Martinez in recent days, with another ex-defender, Rio Ferdinand, leaping to Martinez’s defence.
Ex-skipper Roy Keane also didn’t hold back in his evaluation of the situation at Old Trafford during a fiery tirade on Sky Sports ahead of the Manchester Derby. Maguire nearly departed United in 2023, with the club understood to have reached an agreement with West Ham United over a transfer fee.
The move ultimately fell through during negotiations over personal terms, with the defender staying put at Old Trafford. Reports suggest he has attracted interest this month, though Carrick is understood to be determined to retain the centre-half. The caretaker manager is believed to be keen for the club to turn down any approaches for Maguire before the transfer window closes.