Has Martinez criticism made things worse for Carrick and Man United? | "He's part of the problem"

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Has Martinez's criticism made things worse for Carrick and Man United?

After Man United's 2-0 Champions League defeat at Atletico Madrid, Lisandro Martinez publicly criticised Jason Wilcox and a lack of summer spending. The panel says his point has merit but the timing adds pressure on Michael Carrick, risks dividing the dressing room, and exposes deeper recruitment and strategy problems.

► Subscribe to Sky Sports News: http://bit.ly/SkySportsNewsSub ► Watch Sky Sports with NOW: https://bit.ly/NOWSkySportsYT Manchester United's Lisandro Martinez launched an extraordinary attack on the club’s hierarchy after their 2-0 Champions League loss at Atletico Madrid. In an astonishing post-match interview, the Argentina international criticised the lack of summer investment in the squad. The defender said he had expected more from "upstairs", singling out technical director Jason Wilcox, in the most recent transfer window in which they failed to improve their options at left-back and up front. Jamie O'Hara joins Sky Sports FC to discuss how Lisandro Martinez's comments could impact the club. SkySportsNews SkySports skysportsfc 00:00 -Intro 00:20 -Lisandro's quotes 01:00 -O'Hara's reaction 03:30 -Danyal Khan joins live from Madrid 04:55 -How will new signings react? 05:50 -United's performance against Atletico 06:50 -Carrick's post-match press conference 08:43 -How does this impact relationships at the club? 11:22 -What is Man Utd's strategy? 13:36 -United need to improve transfer strategy 15:56 -Wayne Rooney's comments ► For the latest developments on this story: https://qrcode.skysports.com/skysports/topstories ► For the latest transfer news: https://qrcode.skysports.com/skysports/TransferCentre More from Sky Sports on YouTube: ► Sky Sports: http://bit.ly/SkySportsSub ► Sky Sports Boxing: http://bit.ly/SSBoxingSub ► Sky Sports Cricket: http://bit.ly/SubscribeSkyCricket ► Sky Sports Darts: https://bit.ly/SubSkySportsDarts ► Sky Sports Football: http://bit.ly/SSFootballSub ► Sky Sports F1: http://bit.ly/SubscribeSkyF1 ► Sky Sports Golf: https://bit.ly/SubscribeSkySportsGolf ► Sky Sports Premier League: https://bit.ly/SubscribeSkySportsPL ► Sky Sports Retro: http://bit.ly/SkySportsRetroSub ► Sky Sports WSL: https://bit.ly/SubscribeSkySportsWSL ► TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@skysportsnews ► X: https://x.com/SkySportsNews ► Website: https://www.skysports.com…

Transcript

Manchester United beaten once [music] again last night, losing 2-0 away to Atletico Madrid in the Champions League. But all the focus has turned to Lzandro Martinez and his extraordinary post-match interview where he took aim at Jason Wilcox for the lack of spending during the summer transfer window. This what he had to say. We did a fantastic season last season and now we expect more from the top, more players to compete because many teams bring in many players as well. I expect more investment 100% I expect more from our technical director which was Jason Wilcox tonight. It is easy to blame the coach. It's easy to say the players but also we have to see other areas [clears throat] right Jamie O'Hara. Good morning. What were your immediate thoughts having seen that postmatch outburst? I thought it was stupid um considering that Man United are in a tough spot at the minute and they need everyone to be pulling in the right direction. You know that we know that they've had a tough start. Carrick's under pressure and Michael Carrick don't need his, you know, center half to be coming out and and slaughtering the ball. Now he he's kind of right, you know, he is kind of right. They haven't, you know, that they haven't invested properly. They haven't invested in the squad. They they've left Carrick out to dry, but you just don't need I just don't think is that now's the time. And it's like deflecting tactics from from Martinez because let me tell you now, Tom, Martinez has been poor. He's been shocking. He was he was at fault for the goal at the weekend. Sanki, >> he got that all wrong. He was at fault for the goal at Fulham. Gets all his feet mixed up. Cost him. So pretty much you could argue that he's cost him four four points maybe. So and then he comes out and he starts digging out Jason Wilcox and some of it's right. Yeah, they need to invest and they haven't got the same back four they've had for years but he's part of the problem. He ain't performing. It's always easy for players to dig out and and and look, I've been a player, right? We're quite selfish characters. We will try and deflect away from our own mistakes. Sometimes you got to look in the mirror and say, "Am I doing enough for Man United?" And it's Andre Martinez right now ain't doing enough for Man United. And it's easy to sit there and argue and and moan and complain and say, "It's not our fault." And it's that Jason Wilcox, they don't need that right now. They don't need that heat. They need to be pulling together. Do you think that this was something that he'd had on his mind for a while and he wanted to get out there or just spur of the moment? I'm being interviewed after the game. I'm going to say it's not my fault, it's theirs. >> I don't think that's a spur of the moment thing. And I think that's a thing that's probably going around the dressing room. And I think he's one of them people who will quite be quite happy to stand up and be counted and and go out and say it. I'm sure it's probably a conversation with the players in the squad saying that we ain't got enough. We ain't doing enough and you know we have oh they've let we should have signed someone. We should have brought in more players. I reckon it's probably a squad conversation that's been going on for a few weeks and he's he's he's the one who's decided to come out and say it after a game, you know, where they've got beaten and it's just it's just adds more pressure to Michael Carrick's situation right now. >> We can bring in our reporter Daniel Kahn who's out in Madrid for us. Right, Dan, good morning. Fifth straight game without a win for Manchester United. this Lzandro Martinez postmatch uh comments that he made. Is that the last thing Michael Carrick needed? >> Yeah, good morning Tom. Good morning Jamie. I mean it just compounds even more uh attention, more pressure on a Manchester United team who are already under so much after what has been such a disappointing start to the season. And you know, there's so much to unpack with Martinez's comments there, not just at the hierarchy, but when he also talks about the squad, you know, not being able to compete against other teams, uh, top teams in and around them. I mean, look, it's there's no doubt Manchester United have been left short. Michael Carrick has been left short with this squad at left back, no doubt, up front as well. Not having a proper number nine with Benjamin Chesho out through injury for much of this season, a bit of last season as well. Well, it does make them very limited going forward and that will be such a big frustration, but I also think for Landro Martinez, a leader in that changing room to come out uh so uh on the offensive side of things, again, targeting the hierarchy, but also essentially saying the team and the squad aren't good enough. Uh Jamie, if you don't mind, I'd love to throw it back to you. If you're Andre Santos, Colossus Balaba, Yuri Tilman's, I appreciate he's probably talking about wanting more signings, but that isn't saying too much about the signings they did bring into the summer. I doubt those three in particular will be feeling all that great about those comments as well. >> Agree with you on that. That's that's what I thought when when you as a if I'm Andre Santos, I'd be well annoyed. I'd be saying, "What? You're saying I'm not good enough?" Basically, what you're saying? I've come in and you're digging me out saying that we haven't done enough. So, I I totally agree. It's a big problem this for Carrick because he's trying to he's trying to progress and I thought they done all right last season. They done all right last night by the way. They they weren't that bad. But they just look like they're going to get beat. You need players that are going to fight. You're going to have players who are on board with the project and moving forward. And it looks to me like none of them are. >> Yeah. Yeah, I mean the the interesting part actually was, you know, we were in waiting for Michael Carrick to come for his postmatch news conference and I was talking to some colleagues who cover United as well and we're all saying actually, you know, although it was frustrating and disappointing they lost last night, there were actually a few positives to take. I thought, you know, they created more than enough opportunities to get back into the game. I thought Lenoro probably had his best performance in a United shirt other than the red card, you know, in terms of playing center back looking very accomplished in that sense. But then Martinez comments just take it all away from you know any sort of positives of the performance Tom and then we're on to you know the attention on Michael Carrick wants to get on to the leadership Jason Wilcox as well who look I think there was attention on even before these comments on because look he's been in charge of the previous two appointments as well as head coach he's in charge of the transfer uh leadership as well and look for Michael Carrick himself he didn't really want to comment on Martinez's comments last night. He said, you know, probably predictably he hadn't seen them, but he also admitted his team are hurting, but then also it was put to him, does this show that the players are firmly behind him? And this is what he had to say. >> I think this a little bit on the emotions of the game as well if um coming here and being disappointed not to to get something from the game and um straight after a game for me is now is is not the time to to to talk about, you know, that interview cuz I've not seen it. So, um I can't really comment on that, but I think it's uh it's important for us to um to move forward quickly really. I think it's there's a big game on Sunday and it's really important that we move we move forward and we stay focused on that. There's disappoint within the group. I'm I'm bitly disappointed um in certain things and and the boys are as well as a group of players. >> D I'm just going to ask Jamie something. Jamie, in any way do you think those comments from Martinez, >> do you think that Michael Carrick might actually be thinking actually I'm quite glad he said that? Because maybe this is I'm asking a question rather than anything else. He might be thinking the same thing. He's thinking, well, someone said it for me. Well, of course he is. I mean, he probably does feel like he's been left short that 100%. And a part of him might go, you've done me a favor because the manager can't come out and say that cuz he'll get the sack. a player can come out and sack it because you can't sack Martinez. So maybe he can sit there and say, "Yeah, he done me a favor." But the problem he's got is it causes more upheaval at Man United. They don't need it right now. The transfer window's shut. You can't do anything about it. This is what you've got. Go out and play. Go and deal with it. So I feel for Carrick in a way because it's hard for him. And and you know Martinez is I think he wants to say something. He's come out and said it, but I don't know if it does more harm than good. >> Well, Dan, Jason Wilcox, I'd imagine he was not expecting to be making the headlines this morning. So, Jim Radcliffe, I believe he was in attendance last night, wasn't he? How will this criticism affect relationships at the club? >> Look, I'm not quite sure how it impacts relationships, Tom, but I think what it does is just puts more pressure on everyone inside the walls of Carrington. Look, I I think in terms of the leadership, they're firmly behind Michael Carrick to turn things around, but what it does cause is a bit of friction perhaps between the playing squad and the leadership there. I mean, Will Cox is someone who canvases the players opinions throughout uh you know, the season to see how they're feeling around the management day today at Carrington. That happened quite a lot under Ruben Amarim. And look, they were very patient with Ruben Amarim. They tried to give Eric Tanhog a bit more of an opportunity as well. So I don't think there's in terms of Michael Carrick any immediate pressure on him. But I think the attention now does go on to Will Cox and even the CEO Omar Barada who was stood next to Sjim Radcliffe at the game yesterday because ultimately they have been in charge of these last few years uh at Manchester United with very limited success. they have been in charge of the head coach appointments for example and I think you know uh objectively and I'm not just saying this as uh people in the media not having an opportunity to speak to them face to face but there has been a lack of uh seeing them on the front foot really trying to talk about Manchester United's strategy I speak to so many fans Jamie Tom and that's what they want to see more of they see it with other clubs leadership coming out at least once a season talking to the media really talking about the club strategy the players the head coach coach and there has been a lack of that in recent years other than maybe the stadium development or any internal club media that they do. I think that's what fans want to see more of. And I think with Landre Martinez's comments, whether you agree or not, I think it just confirmed whether he's speaking on behalf of the squad or not, confirmed a lot of people's worries, skepticism on the outside. And that is the issue with this story is it just feeds in to that narrative. And bear in mind, this team, the players are already under so much pressure after what has been such a slow start to the season. Bear in mind, there's also a documentary being filmed since pre-season about how this season is unraveling. That's another pressure onto this squad and team as well. So at the moment it just feels like a lot for Michael Carrick to have to steer through and that's without even talking about the football matters before they go away to leads United on Sunday which was Ruben Amarim's last game in charge last season. Already narratives are being compared and drawn with the with the two head coaches. So it doesn't get much easier for Michael Carrick and his Manchester United team. >> No, it doesn't Dan. Thank you. Wow. you you winced a little bit at the documentary and and also when Dan was saying about the fans want to see some of the hierarchy come out and >> talk about the strategy. I don't think Man United got a strategy, Tom. I don't know what their strategy is. Their their strategy, what it looks like to me is just do it on the cheap. Get get someone in who that the fans were all on side with. Car done all right last season. But there was no strategy. Yeah, he's done all right. All right, let's give him the job. But what was the strategy after that? What's the plan? Where are Man United going? What's the future look like? Because it doesn't look great, does it? It really doesn't. They're not spending enough money to to compete with the the the big teams. The recruitment's been shocking. And and and let's be honest, Jason Wilcox has failed. He has failed at Man United. They're not they're not any better than they were five, six years ago. >> The the summer before was praised with Kuna and Whmo. I mean, Cesco doesn't play that much, but when he has played, he's he's been all right. I'm missing I'm missing another signing they made that was that was a positive one but oh Lmon's the goalkeeper so the summer before he did get a lot of praise the summer before it's it's not been all >> okay it can't be one transfer window Tom if you have a plan over five years >> that you know and and a future and a strategy it can't just be one transfer window we go we signed them when we signed Kuna all yeah decent players have done all right you've got you've got to continue that that process you got to continue the project left back's a problem for them Luke Shaw he gets injured He's been there for ages. You got Martinez and Harry Magguire playing playing at the back. Diego Darlow, he's still playing for Man United. Like it's unbelievable. But what we've been told throughout is that last summer sought out the forward line which again he got praised for this summer the midfield which he's tried to do. Then next summer is the defend. It sounds like you don't like that strategy. >> What? >> Do you want to talk about the midfield or the strategy of defenders next summer? >> Believer in Andre Senzos. Come on. That Man United, Tieman's, we're talking about Manchester United here. We're talking about Roy Keane, Paul Scholes, Michael Carrick. We're talking about the best of the best. If you want to play for Man United, you have got to be a top quality player. They brought in a bench player from Chelsea. Tilman's at Aston Villa. He looks like his legs are gone. Believer, he wasn't even playing last season. He got injured and he fell out and who knows if he's going to be any good. Like, we're talking about Man United. We're talking about the best players who are meant to be in the world. This and and they their recruitment ain't good enough. >> So this was it from the from the summer then believe 17 million who we we've barely seen yet because he was injured. Andre Santos from Chelsea. Tielemans you've mentioned and Carl Darlow was a free from lead. So they were trying to improve that midfield. If we go the top spenders uh in the in the Premier League uh they are 10th there and 163 million pounds. Okay. So so well behind the miles off it. >> Well, well, Rich and Hull have just been promoted and >> and miles spent more. Hull only a little bit more. >> Something I want to ask you there, that is the it's not the net spend that, but the net spend isn't so different for Manchester United because they only sell only made 10 million pounds in sales. >> Is that a problem? Specifically, >> Lesandro Martina, if they wanted to raise money to spend more, >> Martinez for instance is out of contract at the end of the season. He might go for free. >> Yeah. Could they have sold players like that with a year left or two years left to actually raise some money, reduce those wages to bring in more players with that money? >> Well, yeah, potentially like clubs are good sellers. >> I know, but who wants Landro Martinez? >> Who wants Landro Martinez? I don't know what sort of contract he's on, but I guarantee he's probably 150 grand a week. He's been bang average for Man United. He's not a top player, is he? You know, so the problem that Man United have is they bring in these players on big wages who are still there. Can't get rid of him. Marcus Rashford, he's on 370 grand a week. He hadn't played for Man United for two seasons. He was at Aston Villa and then he went to Barcelona. Now they got to now they got to play him again because no one wants him. They couldn't get rid of him. So this is the problem you have. It's all right saying we want to get rid of players, but people got to want them players. No one wants Man United players because they've failed. They haven't been good enough. You know, no one wants them. So you're stuck with them. So when you're stuck with them, you got to try and get a tune out of them. Michael Carrick's got to try and get a tune out of Rashford. Michael Carrick's got to get a tune out of Martinez. Darlow, Luke Shaw, who's still there because no one wants them. So then you're stuck with players that you don't really want. You want to move on, but you can't. They lost Casemiro as well who was was very important last season. >> Um well, yeah. Yeah, true. Wayne Rooney had some quotes about the Martinez comments at the end of the game. This is what he he said. said Wayne Rooney said it's a difficult one because I always used to think I was outspoken as a player and you want to have your opinion. I think he has maybe gone a bit too far. That's for the manager and that should really stay internal. The fans want to hear the players speak. They want to hear the players care. So you can clearly see he cares and he wants the team to invest more money and more players. It looks like a player trying to look after himself. It's sad because you need to sit together apart and it's ripping the dressing room apart. >> Uh yeah, because you got new players coming in who basically are trying to, you know, come on to a massive football club and and state their claim. And you got Martinez who's been there for a while and there there's obvious and he's not happy saying that we ain't got enough decent players. And yeah, it can cause problems because if I was a player, if I was Andro Santos, I'd walk into the dressing room and say, "Oi, who are you talking to? Don't be mugging me off like that. I've come into this football club to try and do well." You're basically turning around saying, "I ain't good enough." So, I would I would be I would have a massive problem with it. And I and and then I'd start pointing the finger at him and say, "Who are you to say anything, by the way, because you've been absolutely crap. What have you done for us? You cost us You've cost us four points already this season." So, you know, it's self-preservation from Lisandro Martinez. Let's deflect away from the fact that I ain't been playing well and start blaming the ball and the owners. If if if they did if Jason Wilcox's done what he should have done, he should have signed a center half to replace Martinez. That's what he should have done cuz Martinez ain't been good enough for Man United. Is it does it does it surprise you that all through this show at the start of the season when the transfer window was still still open all through the transfer shows that we do throughout August as well the viewers were saying >> Manchester United need to look at their defense and and they didn't. I've just said how the strategy was to do it next summer but did they need to do it this summer? Did they need a major overhaul in defense even rather than just bring in a left back for instance? >> Yeah, 100%. I mean, you can say like they sorted out the front line. We s