Manchester United legend Rio Ferdinand has told the club exactly how they can defuse the tense situation brought about by Lisandro Martinez’s explosive remarks after the Atletico Madrid game.
Martinez remarks
Martinez stunned everyone associated with United when he launched a blistering attack against the hierarchy on Tuesday evening.
Incensed by his side’s humiliating loss to Atletico at the Wanda Metropolitano Stadium, Martinez slammed the owners for not sufficiently backing Michael Carrick during the summer window. He particularly hit out at director of football Jason Wilcox, stressing that he expected a lot more.
Martinez stressed that the United chiefs should share some of the blame for United’s woes so far this term. The Argentina international doubled down on his stance in a separate interview, in which he made it clear that he would not be silenced while things remain the same.
On Monday evening, Martinez released a statement explaining why he opted to speak out. A report covered by The Peoples Person relayed that United have been left bemused and shocked by Martinez’s outburst.
It is believed that United are weighing up which sanctions are appropriate for the defender. Martinez does not want United to extend his contract when his current terms expire at the end of the campaign. His preference is to leave as a free agent, as he eyes a switch to La Liga.
Speaking on the Rio Ferdinand Presents podcast, Ferdinand identified how United can begin to resolve the tense issue.
Ferdinand’s remarks
The six-time Premier League winner said, “I think there’s a couple of things you have to consider before you make a real detailed assessment. You’ve got to understand what the relationship he has in the changing room is.”
“Has this been discussed between the players before he goes out there? So the new signings like [Youri] Tielemans, [Carlos] Baleba, [Andre] Santos – and the guys are fully aware of the context of what he is saying.”
“And has he spoken to the management? Those questions, I think, you would need to have the answers to. And I think if I was a player, I would have liked him to come to me first, or to address the dressing room first before he went and spoke publicly like that.”
“These things don’t end well, man. They don’t end well. Roy Keane spoke publicly, there could have been no bigger player than him who was the captain at the time, and he left days later. Cristiano Ronaldo called out individuals within the club, the manager, the ownership. He left straight after.”
“Ralf Rangnick looked like he was going to be there for a couple of years as interim manager. Called out and said things needed to be done. And I’m not disagreeing with what some of these guys have said, by the way. I’m just saying this is what happens when someone talks out about the hierarchy at the football club.”
Ferdinand added, “I don’t think it’s cool for players to be hearing this firstly in the media rather than face-to-face with one of your team-mates, which makes it an awkward situation in the dressing room.”
“I’m just thinking about it as a player. How would I feel if I was one of the new guys who came in? And how it sounds in the media is that the players who have come in, one, I don’t know if they’re the level, but also, we haven’t got enough players to compete at this level.”
“I would definitely then be going, ‘What does he think of me?’ That’s the question I’d be thinking. But then I think it’s the reaction. He’s going to see this reaction and, you know what, Lisandro Martinez is a straight-up guy. This tells you that, and I think he’ll meet this head on. And I think that seeing the reaction, he will then go into the team and say, ‘Listen guys, this is how it is. This is what I said. If it came across differently to the way I really meant it because of the language barrier, then so be it. But this is what I really meant.’ And I think he’ll probably do that, I’ve got to be honest with you.”
On what happens to Martinez, Ferdinand remarked, “The club now have a decision to make. You look at it from the club’s perspective; if they do nothing then it looks like a weakness. It sets a precedent for other players to think if they have a problem they can speak out.”
“They can shout and say what they want publicly in the media. Or do the club take the stance that we show the rest of the squad, any young players coming in, any players that we sign in the future, that there will be consequences when something like this happens?”
“This is the big decision the club have to make. Or is it a big decision? Or is it simple for the club now, given what’s been said?”
United return to action on Sunday when they make their way to Elland Road to face old foes Leeds United.
Featured image by Dan Mullan via Getty Images
