Bruno Fernandes has been named Manchester United’s new captain.
The club’s announcement on Thursday finally confirmed what became football’s most open secret after Harry Maguire announced days ago on Twitter that he had been stripped of the captaincy by manager, Erik Ten Hag.
The rise and fall of Maguire
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s decision in January 2020 to make the burly England defender his skipper certainly raised a few eyebrows at the time, with many fans suggesting goalkeeper, David De Gea might have been a better option.
But the Norwegian stuck to his guns, and it seemed to pay off as United, who had been largely poor in the first half of the season, came to life after winter, earning a third place finish behind Liverpool and Manchester City.
United’s improved defence, led by Maguire, played a significant role in this comeback. This form continued into the following season as United improved to a second-placed finish behind Man City. While United had not won a trophy yet, everything seemed to be on the up. However, Man United’s third season capitulation not only led to the end for OGS at Old Trafford but also the beginning of Maguire’s woes.
His own form didn’t help much, as a number of errors and generally unconvincing play led to many fans turning on him. What seemed like an 80 million-pound bargain was turning into a very costly noose. Maguire had become the butt of rival fans jokes, leading to even more Man United fans turning on him not because of his form but because their captain had become such an easy target for mockery.
Maguire’s ultimate fate was inevitable, especially after he started spending more and more time on the bench, leading to other players often starting United’s games with the armband. Him constantly being hounded and trolled on social media would definitely get in the heads of his teammates and while they might not overtly show it, respect for the captain in the dressing room, and eventually on the pitch would begin to dwindle. And for a manager, the last thing you want is for your leader on the pitch not to be respected by his teammates.
Changing of the guard
Bruno Fernandes’ evolution into Man United captain has been almost seamless. Becoming the primary wearer of the armband last season seemed natural for the Portuguese midfielder, particularly after compatriot, Cristiano Ronaldo’s tantrums led to a swift exit.
Like Maguire, his captaincy was called into question. But unlike Maguire, those concerns did not mainly come from the United fans themselves. Majority of the complaints came from pundits who considered him a bit too “whiny” but most United fans seemed to accept Bruno as captain without any complaints.
United fans know exactly how important Fernandes has become to their team. While his decision-making on the pitch might often divide opinion, leaving him out of the team is one thing supporters won’t even consider. Remember United’s mid-season surge in Ole’s first full campaign? While Maguire’s presence in defence was a huge factor in that recovery, no one would regard it as the main one.
Fernandes’ recruitment takes that crown. His eight goals and seven assists, along with some pretty impressive play, drove United up the table and into third place. He was United’s best player yet again the next season as, being able to play a full season, he improved to 18 goals and 11 assists.
Although he’s never been able to match his numbers from that season, he’s consistently been a good player for United, and the fans recognise that. As such it’s been easy for them to accept him as their leader.
So is Fernandes’ ability on the pitch the only reason Ten Hag picked him as captain? I don’t think so.
Whining pays off
As previously mentioned, Bruno Fernandes as earned quite a reputation as a bit of a whiner. He’s often see complaining to the referee when decisions don’t go his way, when his teammates are fouled or when he wants to draw the official’s attention to something.
While most neutrals might find it a bit aggravating, it’s actually endeared him to United fans. In recent seasons, the relationship between the fans and the club has deteriorated immensely. Fans have grown more vocal about how the club is being run and protests against owners, the Glazer Family have become commonplace. The fans also feel a number of the players currently at the club are apathetic about their fortunes and only care about their paychecks. Seeing a player constantly argue for their interests on the pitch and “feel the pain they do”, United fans were always going to latch on to him. Getting the fans onside, at least for a bit by picking a “true red” as their new captain, could potentially be a masterstroke for the club.
Not many other options
While many fans might not like to admit it, United are lacking quite a bit in the leadership department. The current team is a far cry from the ones that had Wayne Rooney, Rio Ferdinand, Nemanja Vidic, Gary Neville, Roy Keane, Antonio Valencia, Patrice Evra, Paul Scholes or Michael Carrick at one point or another.
The only viable options for the captaincy other than Fernandes were Raphael Varane, Luke Shaw, Casemiro, Marcus Rashford.
Varane has had too many injuries at Man Utd to fully settle and captain the side. Casemiro only signed for the club last season and his disciplinary record is a bit suspect. Rashford has had a love-hate relationship with the fans (a PSG move was even mooted not long ago, before he finally signed a new contract) and Shaw doesn’t really scream captain.
Bruno might be a whiner to some people, but for Man United fans, his qualities potentially make him a winner. He may not be the captain Man United’s fans are used to, but he might be the one they need right now to guide them back to the top.
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