IAN LADYMAN: Bruno Fernandes flunks what it takes to be a captain on ALL levels
IAN LADYMAN: Bruno Fernandes suspends what it takes to be a captain at EVERY level with his complaints to the refs and theatrical criticism of his teammates… he does NOT set the tone and Erik ten Hag should consider removing his armband
Erik ten Hag is a calm and dignified man. It’s one of the things I like about him. He also gives her an aura of power, control, and authority.
It’s easy to fear someone who is yelling and ranting all the time, but it’s harder to truly respect them. So Ten Hag scores high on body language, certainly.
What the Manchester United manager needs to do now is consider making another tough decision and this one revolves around the future of Bruno Fernandes as their captain.
Harry Maguire is the club captain at United but he rarely plays these days so, on match day, the responsibility passes to Fernandes, only the Portuguese player doesn’t seem to understand.
The captaincy matters in football, or at least it should. The player who leads the team and wears the armband must set the tone, not only in terms of his way of playing, but also in terms of behavior and attitude. Fernandes, for all his gifts as a creative footballer, fails on all those levels and this is not just an overreaction to what happened at Anfield during that miserable second half for Ten Hag’s side.
Erik ten Hag (right) must decide whether to hit or spin with Bruno Fernandes (left) as captain
The Portuguese star (left) is a good player, but he just doesn’t set the tone as captain.
Fernandes was embarrassing on Sunday, his extreme behavior.
But we’ve seen it before at a more micro level. Complaints to the referees, theatrical criticism of teammates, amateur drama in contact with opponents. It’s not the way any player from a top club should behave, let alone the captain.
Gary Neville, a former United captain, was quick to catch on in the comments on Sunday. He called his behavior in the second half a “disgrace” and it was not an exaggeration.
Not all players are made for the captaincy. Some are better focused on their own football and there’s no shame in that. Fernandes, from that point of view, has a lot to offer.
As for a replacement, there are candidates.
Casemiro (left) and Raphael Varane (right) are seen as possible alternatives as captain
Marcus Rashford wouldn’t be the most vocal frontman, but he’s an example on the field to others.
Casemiro, the Brazilian, may have language difficulties as he does not speak English confidently yet. Therefore, Raphael Varane may be a better candidate.
Marcus Rashford, quiet as he is, can offer something in the way of leading by example. Also Christian Eriksen, when he’s fit.
Ten Hag should look at all of this, at the very least.
Despite United’s remarkable progress in his brief spell, Sunday at Anfield showed him that the problems remain. Fernandes as captain is definitely one of them.
