Louis Saha Exclusive: United need somebody as strong as Declan Rice
Louis Saha spoke to BettingOdds.com on Tuesday. The ex-Manchester United striker discussed whether Marcus Rashford can bounce back from missing out on England's Euro 2024 squad, the future of Erik ten Hag and whether France can emerge victorious in Germany this summer.
The 2023/24 season ended with FA Cup success for Manchester United. How would you assess their season?
I think it was contrasted in so many ways. The victory helped the manager and the players’ confidence, and they have a lot of things to work on. But there are things to be proud of. So there are mixed feelings, because before the game you may have said he [Erik ten Hag] is in danger and you don’t think they’re going to make it. But I don’t think it’s going to save his job.
There are a lot of games where you really question his ability and his mentality, or attitude in some way. It’s always very hard for any manager to survive after that. You could see that in some games they were really fighting, they really got going, especially when they have their full squad, when they don’t have injuries, when they have their centre-backs that we know are very important for the team.
So there are mixed feelings, because there is a lot of work to do to catch up to Man City on a regular basis. Obviously Man Utd can beat anyone on their day when they finish their opportunities. Any team can really do the job and Man Utd are capable of doing that. But is it enough to be consistent through the year to catch up at Premier League and Champions League level? I’m not sure. I think it’s been a difficult season, regardless of the victory.
It was painful to watch as a supporter, I’m sure that it was painful to watch as a pundit that loves football because you don’t tend to recognise the spirit of the team. And then one minute or another they recover and then disappear the next game. They then win an FA Cup and they blew us away with the Liverpool comeback. They make silly mistakes, there have been a lot of bad stories for the press to speak about with attitude and stuff. Those kinds of things should not be there next year, that’s for sure. Those mistakes should be addressed very quickly.
Despite winning the FA Cup, Erik ten Hag’s future is still in a lot of doubt. Do you think this is the right time to move on?
You could say that. I think if there was a moment for the club to decide to part ways with Erik ten Hag, this is the best moment. Because you can start a new project and do things the way you imagined as a new board, that’s for sure. To do that during the season is kind of a plan B. So if they decide to do something, it should be now. But at the same time, you can say that Erik ten Hag could be proud of what he has achieved at Manchester United. So he will leave at a high level as well. You saw in his interview, he was really proud and almost defiant in some ways. Nobody will really damage their reputation by parting ways because you think there is a new direction to take, it’s possible.
But I do feel he could improve as a manager, even if you think that he’s done everything right, I don’t think that’s the case. So that’s why he’s being challenged. And if he can assess his mistakes with humility, without the FA Cup win, and understand where he can do it alone or where he can do it with the team, you can’t control anything. So he may assess that and if you recognise that, and you want to improve in that way, I’m sure that he will have the backing of everybody because he made us proud.
Of the managers currently being linked with the Man Utd job, are there any that stick out as capable of taking Man Utd back to the top?
I don’t think so. I’m not too impressed with the shortlist. I’m expecting a new direction and a new height, and they seem to be choices that you think could be symbolic of ‘okay, this is a new era’, there is definitely a new objective and the shortlist is not that impressive. I’ve heard some other people comment and I don’t think I’m alone in saying this.
There are some good managers, that’s for sure. But in terms of fitting, depending on the stage of their career and what they have achieved, there is a mismatch with what the club may need now. There will be a lot of movement in the summer, a lot of players may stay or not. So it’s a difficult moment in terms of transition. If the board thinks that it’s going to be easy, and with a new manager again, I’m not sure.
What would be your minimum expectations for Man Utd next season, in terms of league finish or a cup run?
I would say that a Champions League spot is a must. Having a good run in the Europa League, getting good momentum and consistency, are the three main objectives. We need to show consistency. We need to show a pattern and not just look nice, or save results in the final minutes in three or four minutes that builds a sort of run, but it’s very fragile. But where I can see a very consistent and strong approach in every game. That’s the main target, and that’s the only way to reach the top.
Obviously to have good runs in the Europa League and claw back the places we lost this year, and the Champions League is so important for such a big club. Maybe the extra cherry on the cake will be to have a kind of protection from the press and all the bad stories, the things that may sometimes disturb the concentration of the players, the concentration of the manager. All these bad stories we’ve seen about whatever, infrastructure, management, attitude of players, we need to get rid of all of this. Maybe we have an attitude and we want to win, and everybody individually wants to reach new heights, but it’s time to focus on how to get back to the very top of this league. And it will need humility from everybody.
Regardless of who is in charge, there is work to be done at Man Utd. Which position do you think they most need to strengthen in the summer?
I think it’s very important that you can see that defensively and in midfield, it’s so important that we get it right. So because of that, this is where those strikers and forwards can express themselves. It’s where those guys can have like a two-second advantage and create with speed, with a lot of creativity. We need that physicality in midfield, we need people who can break the line, we definitely need some players who can play one-on-one at the back.
I think we’re okay on the wings. (Diogo) Dalot has had a brilliant season and I’m very happy for him, he still needs competition to make sure he doesn’t rest on his laurels. I think that the competition on the left side is open. Centre-backs, we need something. (Lisandro) Martinez showed his class again, coming back from injury. You can very quickly see the sense of confidence that he brings to the squad, it’s important.
We have seen that (Andre) Onana has [improved], I’m not going to say drastically, but enough to actually show he can be a big asset for the club and for his team, that’s for sure. Striker-wise, we need someone who can lead the line. Maybe a more experienced player than what we have at the moment. (Anthony) Martial is going to leave, we have a young boy, still a very young striker [Rasmus Hojlund]. He has proved that he can score when he gets the ball, but he can’t create his own chances as much as some other players. So we definitely need someone to link up with him at the very top.
And we need wingers and players that are more impactful on a daily basis. We have quality, and I don’t know what (Jadon) Sancho is going to do, we have (Marcus) Rashford who is going to rest and hopefully come back stronger. Antony has his character and I think he’s mentally prepared to work hard, because I think it will be the best moment to sell him.
Who knows, if we start with the right defence and the right midfield, those guys can have a better foundation to actually create. At this moment in time, they tend to not find the right balance between defending or helping the teammates, instead of creating and thinking that they can do damage to anybody facing them. They need to find that right balance at the moment, I don't think it’s right for them. They’re low in confidence and at the same time don’t exactly know where to go. That’s not helping.
Are there any realistic transfer targets you'd want to see Man Utd go for this summer?
It’s a difficult one. I would love to see somebody in midfield who is as strong as Declan Rice, or someone who has that kind of presence and you know is very consistent and is going to really impose himself in midfield. We have the emergence of (Kobbie) Mainoo and I think he’s good, but I don’t think he’s physically that strong. Yes, Scott (McTominay) can do a job there, but we need more legs, we need more strength and power in midfield. We had (Christian) Eriksen who is an enormous creator, but I think he’s lacking legs now. We have some decent players, but we need that power.
I look at (Victor) Osimhen as a striker. I think he’s a terrific player and he loves Man Utd as well, I’ve said that for many years now. I see some prospects like this who have consistently proved that they are capable of scoring goals, that’s very important. And it will give enormous confidence to the youngsters who can learn from these players. So we need experience, we need power, we need more legs in a way that those guys are quicker to break the line, because we need speed. I think Rasmus is a player who is, let’s say, okay with pace but he’s not Kylian Mbappe for example. So he needs a one or two-second advantage coming from the wings. And at the moment it’s really difficult in terms of service to him.
So I do think that it’s more about the balance as well, so when we look at the players that we need to bring in, I think we need a rebalanced squad. We need at least 15 players who are really very quiet, hard-working, and very reliable that are going to do the job pretty much every day. And then you have the five or six who are unpredictable, bring a bit of craziness sometimes but who can work all day. I used to say that (Alejandro) Garnacho was a bit like this, but now I think he’s become a very consistent player, he’s reliable and can have an impact on the game for the manager. So this is the kind of mentality we need. We don’t need 10 players who think that they are so big or don’t need to be questioned about their attitude and things like this. We need to have warriors who are very consistent and express their talent pretty much every game. This is more important than just bringing quality, it’s about the right characters.
Bruno Fernandes came under criticism across the season, especially for his performances as Man Utd captain, but he stepped up in the FA Cup final. Has he shown that he is the right kind of captain Man Utd need right now?
If you look at all the interviews I’ve done, I have always defended Bruno Fernandes. So many people who know football tend to forget some parameters that they can’t see. It’s only expressed on a day. Yes, in the team he may raise his hand, he may say no, but nobody’s perfect. And I was always defending him. At this moment in time, he’s the only one who remains very creative, very consistent, he never hides, never complains. He’s playing his guts out, to try to do his best with the quality that he has and the kind of control that he can have on the pitch, it’s 200%.
This is the material of a captain and whatever people might say, ‘yes back in the day it would have been like this or like that’, but as I said before, the team balance is not the same as it was 10 or 15 years ago, it’s nowhere near. So we can say whatever we want, but we are not in the dressing room every day and don’t understand how to socialise with the boys or how to gel with what the manager or assistant manager is going to say, and try to speak to the key players. All those things are captain materials that people tend to forget. And I think that some parts are expressed in the game where, individually, you have to prove yourself and be good on the day, but you can’t do everything alone.
And there is a lack of help sometimes. Yes, it helps when Martinez is there, when (Raphael) Varane is there, when Casemiro is there, when all those characters get together and perform how they should perform, that’s all fine. And we can simply ask Bruno Fernandes to play well on the day, as many captains have done during the best times of Man Utd. They didn’t have to do the amount of interaction and try to redress the bar every time. It is the difference I had with Bruno Fernandes. I think everyone can look at this situation very easily and criticise, but they don’t know all the facts. And I am being very defensive of Bruno Fernandes because I think he’s been terrific. I accept people not playing well, it happens. But when you have pretty much 150 chances created, as a striker, believe me, that’s a beauty. I know that I’m going to have chances and I have to convert them, that’s it. So that’s part of my job to only focus on how to finish his creativity. And as a defender, I’m sorry, look at his work-rate, he’s one of the hardest workers. And, of course, you could maybe blame his attitude sometimes, but I’ve seen other captains doing that in a different way. It’s not as easy. I think that he’s a brilliant lad, forget about captaincy, he gives his all. He’s a great example.
You mentioned Rashford. There once again seems to be some speculation about his future at Man Utd, and whether he will leave this summer. Do you feel it is time for a change, or can he rebuild himself at Old Trafford?
Yes, he can rebuild, that’s for sure. He can prove people wrong, he can enjoy his season that he probably has a lot of material to learn from. There are definitely mistakes that he has made, and he should recognise that, and go on holiday, rest, because I think he really needs it. Try to find the right spot with peace, with confidence and be as he was as a kid of 17 or 18, trying to prove a point. Yes, he’s got kilometres in his car now, but you have to forget about that. [He needs to] really enjoy his holiday, party as much as he wants and do a camp, come back at the very highest level physically , and with the highest standard in terms of mentality. Not trying to forget what happened, but in some way use his imagination and try to get his brain to not be able to tell the difference between what is imagination and what is reality. So just provide the feeling where everything is positive, everything isn’t war or very negative or coming to an end.
I think he can rebuild his confidence and score 30 goals or even more, because he’s capable of doing it and being clinical, and having a bit of a different strategy in terms of communications with fans. This fanbase asks him to express what he showed in the final, the tears that he’s shown, the passion that he’s shown. This is the type of interaction that the fans need because he’s a local boy. And you have to understand that you have to reconnect, as much as he wants to protect himself. And I totally respect that, but he’s too much of a talent, so he will be asked away more. And I keep saying this, he will be asked to be out of his comfort zone, because he’s such a talent. And he has to understand that. Nobody is (Lionel) Messi in his own country or his own town. It’s really, really hard. People tend to be a bit more aggressive or demanding of him, on those types of profiles. So he has to accept that and just enjoy his football again. We’ve seen that this guy loves his football, loves his fans and just wants the club to be at a very high standard. And I’m sure he can do it.
When we last spoke, you tipped Ivan Toney to be named in England's Euro 2024 squad. He's in their provisional squad, do you think he will make the final cut?
I think so. (Ollie) Watkins is definitely the second striker in my head, with Harry Kane being the number one for sure. That’s a tremendous strike force. I do think that he’s got that kind of flair, a bit of a number nine but also a number nine-and-a-half. He can really play with players. He has proven since he came back that he’s a terrific player, and he’s got this very stable mentality as well. He must be a joy to play with, and I’m sure that Harry Kane can just look at the players around him, with Jude Bellingham on top form, they have a good prospect for the Euros.
Kylian Mbappe needs six goals to overtake Thierry Henry in terms of international goals for France. Do you think he’ll do this at Euro 2024 where he is the favourite to be crowned the Golden Boot winner?
Of course. I’m confident that it’s something he’s looking for. He’s done it at the World Cup, he can do it at the Euros for sure, even if they are two different competitions. I think that he’s an animal, he wants trophies, wants individual trophies. When he looks at the types of top scorers that put their names on the records, he wants to catch (Olivier) Giroud I’m sure, and I have no doubt. The guy has still got at least 10 good years in the national team, can you imagine that? It’s scary, it’s unbelievable. Yes, he has to represent his team more because he’s got the role of captain now. But as we’ve seen at the World Cup, when the attention is really on him, he’s capable of playing very simple and for his team. So I just can’t wait, this competition is going to be a real joy to watch.
France are among the favourites to win Euro 2024 this summer. How do you rate their chances of winning the tournament?
Very highly. Even if, as I said, it’s a very difficult competition. There’s a different atmosphere with European teams. Maybe it’s a tougher competition, with all the respect that I have for the World Cup. But it is quite difficult to predict and you’ve seen all the teams, you have Portugal, England, Germany, Netherlands and Belgium. You name them and you say there’s going to be a hell of a competition.
Yes, France could have a bit of an advantage because they’ve been playing with this manager for a while, they’ve been winning trophies. They have still refreshed the squad, but it seems like those players are very experienced in some way. It’s very impressive. You can pick out one talent after another, it’s unbelievable. The talent in that squad is great, but they can be surprised by anybody.
Moving back over to Everton, Ashley Young said recently that Jarrad Branthwaite is good enough to play in the Champions League. Do you think Branthwaite is ready to make that step up at this stage of his career?
I think so. I think he’s got a similar trajectory to (John) Stones, who left Everton for Man City and from that he’s just grown and grown. I remember that Stones had a year, a year-and-a-half where he was criticised for sometimes making mistakes and all that. And he just improved because when you have the right manager and the right setup, you improve. And now he’s a terrific player. I think it can be similar for Jarrad. I do think that he definitely has the quality, and if you pick the right club, I’m sure that he can have a tremendous career.
Everton quite comfortably avoided relegation from the Premier League in the end, despite their points deductions. Just how good a job has Sean Dyche done? And does he get the credit he deserves for his work?
I think he does, I think he’s received a lot of respect. I’ve seen, from last year, a bit of foundation, some players who seem to really understand exactly what he wants and haven’t had a run where they were really, really inconsistent - or, they were at some point of the season. But with the fact that they were deducted points, it’s really difficult to maintain that focus, to maintain that no excuses and no blame mode.
And he was always away from it, he just kept going and fighting and they deserve the credit, the staff were unbelievable. I’m seeing a bit of light back, like back in the days of David Moyes because the spirit was there, the connection. I came to a game, and I commentated, I think it was Everton against Arsenal, I can’t remember exactly. But I’ve seen it seems like sometimes the fans were a bit upset, but I still think that he reconnected with a few of them along the way. And definitely, throughout the season, they can only say that he’s done a brilliant job. He’s been very patient and confident that he can do it, and he’s done really well.
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