Steven Bower

Licha Martínez #mufc He said what so many people want to say but are afraid to for various reasons. Players, managers, journalists and even some fans. Knowing Lisandro perhaps a little better than most, I can say that he’s a genuinely honest and brave man. In Argentina, he’s also described as someone with ‘conciencia social’ - social consciousness, which encompasses critical thinking, a sense of justice and social responsibility. He’s absolutely unafraid to call things as they are, even when it comes to those in positions of power. There are actually very few players like that in the Argentina national team, btw. But there are even fewer at United, where nobody wants to upset anyone or damage relationships. Martínez absolutely broke the internet by calling Manchester United’s leadership to account. Obviously, he won’t survive here after this. He even pulled a «Mourinho» by saying, “If I speak…”, although he seemed to be a bit more specific. Many people think he went too far, that this isn’t how you do things. Personally, though, I’m glad he did it. Perhaps he’s sacrificed himself (his contract is unlikely to be renewed), but if not him, then who? Licha is acting in a very Roy-Keane-esque manner, but in a situation that’s far more bleak for the club. Things are bad on every front. It turns out that Amad also posted a story after the game with an angry message: “f***g disgrace, I have no words.” The players clearly understand within the squad that the club has prepared the team poorly for the season. Of course, both Lisandro and Amad are in poor form, and the rest of the players don’t exactly have much to boast about either. But given the current situation, it’s easy to understand the players’ frustration. Over the past 2-3 years, the club has been veering from one direction to another, making it virtually impossible to establish any stability. Martínez actually highlighted this too: constantly changing managers (who also have radically different style) is hardly beneficial for the players themselves. Sometimes, when players get tired of a manager, they down tools and get him sacked. But the players didn’t do that to Ten Hag, Amorim or Carrick. Over these three years, the club has lost its way so badly that there’s no need for anyone to down tools - everything falls apart on its own. And for an active player to publicly voice his dissatisfaction with the club’s leadership is unprecedented. Martínez, De Ligt and Mazraoui came to work with Ten Hag, and back then, they still believed this great club could return to its former heights. Cunha and Mbeumo came to work with Amorim, when that belief in a revival was still there, but fading with every passing month. Now, it feels like that hope is gone - not just among the players, but the manager and even the fans. Licha clearly wants to win and play for a strong team, and he knows what this club is and what it should be. He also clearly has values that go far beyond money. But the current leadership and owners have no intention of taking the club “back to where it belongs”. Their goal is a new stadium and profit. And money is the highest value for the Glazers and Ratcliffe. Unfortunately, if none of the other players back Lisandro, club will simply get rid of him, and this whole storm will die down just like the recent #BoycottUnited movement. And I think that’s exactly what will happen. As we can see, far too many people have financial interests rather than sporting ones. But I admire Licha’s balls, and perhaps he’s one of the last players who still understands what Manchester United is supposed to be. Gracias, @LisandrMartinez ❤️ #GlazersOut #IneosOut