Pranav Nair
Andrea Stramaccioni backs Bruno Fernandes to become Manchester United captain
According to Sky Sports, Manchester United star Bruno Fernandes has been backed for captaincy by his former manager Andrea Stramaccioni.
The Portuguese superstar has been nothing short of a revelation since his move to Old Trafford last January. His 12 goals and 8 assists in 22 games propelled the club to two major semifinals and a third-place finish in the Premier League.
Apart from his individual performances, a striking point has been his ability to galvanize those around him. This is perfectly illustrated in the post-restart form shown by the previously underwhelming Paul Pogba.
Having managed the plater during his formative years at Udinese, Stramaccioni has a high opinion of the midfielder.
“He can certainly captain Manchester United, he is a really talismanic player. He is loved by the fans, respected by his team-mates – even from opponents.”
Although he has vouched for Fernandes’ leadership qualities, he has advised his former protege to not focus on it.
However, given his impact on the pitch, it will be hard to keep the demand silent for long. Fernandes appeared to be the only player to take the United defence to task during the Europa League loss to Sevilla.
“To be captain of Manchester United is something really, really important. I hope he will be.”
Add to it his ability to lead using his performances, Fernandes has a real case for taking the armband.
Is Maguire’s head on the chopping block?
United’s current skipper is defender Harry Maguire. The Englishman took the armband from Ashley Young, who left for Inter Milan in January.
Maguire was involved in a brawl while on holiday in Greece. He was arrested and later released. It remains to be seen what the outcome of the trial will be.
Regardless of the circumstances, the incident has portrayed the player and the club in a bad light. It can be argued that his conduct was unbecoming of a United player, let alone the captain.
Whether United will take any action remains to be seen. And if they do, will Fernandes get the nod? Only time will tell.
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There may be a number of players who are senior to Fernandes at United. However, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has shown captaincy need not be decided by seniority.
His action of giving Maguire the armband just six months after he joined United is a testament to that. Whether Fernandes will follow the same route remains to be seen.
