Mueez Ajao
– Fred has called on Manchester United to come up with a long-term plan for success at Old Trafford while suggesting the players are keen for clarity on the identity of the club’s next permanent manager.
– United are looking for a coach to succeed Ole Gunnar Solskjaer after placing Ralf Rangnick in charge temporarily when the Norwegian was sacked in November.
– Brazil international Fred said it was “strange” to be working under an interim manager with aims which extend until the end of the season.
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– “I know in football it’s important to get good results as soon as possible, but it’s also important to have a long-term plan,” Fred said.
– “I think it’s a little bit bad for us not to have one, at the moment it’s all about the short-term goals. We don’t know how it’s going to be after the end of this season.”
– Rangnick has said publicly his top priority this season is to finish in the Premier League’s top four and secure Champions League football next season.
– United face Atletico Madrid in their Champions League round-of-16 first-leg in Spain on Wednesday and Fred said, despite a disappointing campaign, the team are capable of winning the competition.
– “I know we’re not playing our best football but we have a lot of quality names in our squad,” he told TNT.
– “I see many other teams playing far off from their best as well. [To win it] it wouldn’t be crazy, it could happen, but we have to work our socks off because we’re far away from being one of the favourites in this competition.”
– Fred is closing in on 150 appearances for United since arriving from Shakhtar Donetsk in 2018. The 28-year-old has been on the receiving end of criticism from some fans since his move to England but is enjoying a new lease of life under Rangnick.
– “I think it’s a mixed bag, some fans like me and others don’t,” he added. “At the end of the day, it’s all about the results and they will dictate the supporters’ mood. But sometimes even with good results you’ll be criticised as well. But football is like that, you need to learn to deal with criticism.
– “I know I’m not the best player, the most technical, but I give my blood and my life every time I’m on the pitch. As we say in Brazil, I carry the piano for the artists to play.
– “I listen to constructive criticism, for sure. When I hear I’ve missed too many balls in a match, I listen, analyse the match and pay even more attention to correct this aspect of my game on the next chance.
– “But there is a lot of criticism just to humiliate you, it’s easy to go on social media and write anything full of hatred. I don’t listen to these ones, but I praise constructive criticism, it can be helpful sometimes.”
