01/08/2025

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FRIDAY | AUG 1, 2025

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‘Toxic’ Devils Shaw makes honest admission about ‘stragglers’ in Man United squad L UKE SHAW has admitted the atmos phere at Manchester United has been “toxic” in recent years, and head coach Ruben Amorim won’t tolerate players “If they’re not toeing the line, then that’s how it should be, and rightly so. Whatever the gaffer demands, we as players need to deliver. So, yes, we’re fully behind that.”

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Shaw, 30, gave a brutally honest interview just after the Europa League final loss left United facing only their second season without European football in 35 years. He suggested United players needed to “question whether they’re good enough”. Despite a woeful 20 starts for United in two years, Shaw harbours no regrets about his post match frankness and confessed he had “an awful year”. “I think we have to be open and honest... I think none of us were good enough. Losing a final is never easy, especially after the season we’ve had.” Since joining United 11 years ago, Shaw’s time at club have been marred by injuries and public criticism from his managers. Louis van Gaal once bluntly stated Shaw was “not fit enough” during his first pre-season in 2014, while Jose Mourinho was frustrated with Shaw’s immaturity. In one instance, Shaw was late for training and innocently told staff that his mother had overslept and failed to wake him up on time. Now, Shaw is stressing the importance of being on time. “I think us as players, especially the more experienced ones, we need to be demanding more from a day-in, day-out basis,” he added. “The levels in training, keeping the times of when we’re doing this and doing that, making sure no one’s coming late or anything.” – Express Newspapers

who don’t meet his expectations. United suffered their worst season in 51 years in 2024-25, culminating in Amorim telling winger Alejandro Garnacho he was free to go after questioning the Portuguese’s decision to bench him for the Europa League final. Garnacho is still part of the “bomb squad”, those players banished from the first-team and instructed to train separately at Carrington. Marcus Rashford has jetted off to Barcelona on a season-long loan, but Antony, Jadon Sancho and Tyrell Malacia are still on United’s payroll as the transfer window enters its last month. In the midst of Amorim’s ruthless cull, Shaw admitted there were “no stragglers in this group anymore”. “A lot of the time I’ve been here over the last few years it’s been extremely negative. It can be quite toxic, the environment, it’s not healthy at all,” Shaw revealed. “We need an environment that’s healthy, that’s positive, that’s got good energy and happiness. I think when you have all those things, you feel free and you express yourself more on the pitch. “Things come together and I think, especially this pre-season, I feel like us as a team, I feel like the bond is growing and growing. “I feel like in my time here, it’s probably the closest I’ve felt with the squad since I’ve been here. “I think the atmosphere is

really good and extremely positive. Hopefully, that can continue. “The manager has to (take action) because at the end of the day, he’s going to be the one that has his job always on the line. “He wants to come in and do things his own way and stamp his own authority on the club. I think that’s the only way you can do it, especially at Man United.

“I think we need to just all up the level of demands. What I think Ruben definitely brings in, is the demands. Especially the mentality. “The mentality is a big thing on his lips, really. I think he talks a lot about it. Especially in day-to day things, with the training. “Ruben demands 100% and that’s it and he doesn’t want anything less. If someone’s doing 85-90%, it’s not enough for him. “I think, especially this year, if you’re not doing the right things, I feel like you won’t play. “And he’s not fussed. I reckon you’ve seen his actions over the past eight months with various players and such. He doesn’t give a toss who the player is.

Bournemouth’s Marcos Senesi (back) fouls Man United’s Rasmus Hojlund during the

Premier League Summer Series match at Soldier Field in Chicago yesterday. – AFPPIC

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