Sport
LUKE SHAW: SHOULD HE STAY OR SHOULD HE GO?
Unsettling Times
Luke Shaw was afforded a rare start in Manchester United’s victory at Sunderland last weekend. After Jose Mourinho’s public tirades about his poor attitude or lack of understanding of the game, it was quite a surprise to see the former Southampton man named in the starting line-up. Maybe this was because Sunderland have just been that bad this year that Mourinho thought even Shaw could do a job, or maybe it’s a sign of the ego-driven boss being willing to accept he misjudged the left-back.
Shaw is, despite fitness issues and time missed through injury, one of the most promising full-backs in the world. Still only 21, his career has stalled and taken a step or two backwards, but his ceiling has not necessarily lowered.
Glimmer of Hope
When signed by Manchester United, Shaw was in line to become England’s left-back for the next 10 to 15 years and had the potential to be an iconic player in his generation. Southampton’s academy boasts an extraordinary track record and Shaw was special, even by their own lofty standards of young player progression.
His outing at the weekend, though, was only his second Premier League start since the late October home draw with Burnley. Ashley Young, Daley Blind and Marcos Rojo have all filled the left-back berth in that time, while Shaw has struggled through injury and often been unable to even make the matchday squad.
Critical Boss
Mourinho’s comments about Shaw are rare from any manager. After the influential cameo against Everton, Mourinho said, ‘He had a good performance which was his body with my brain.’ Before adding, ‘because he was in front of me and I was making every decision for him.’
Quite an insult to a professional footballer, but a clear reflection that Mourinho does not feel he can trust Shaw. The fact he started at the Stadium of Light may give the left-back a glimmer of hope, but Mourinho’s public disapproval of almost everything that Shaw does clearly gives the England international little hope of succeeding under his reign. Those comments reflect the ego of Mourinho as much as anything, however.
The rawness of inexperience can be an issue and Shaw is no exception. Mourinho, though, is renowned for his lack of patience with such players. Anthony Martial has suffered criticism this season, too, while the Portuguese manager has often neglected to give young players, however promising, significant opportunities. Marcus Rashford is yet another case in point, with Manchester United’s 2015/16 boy wonder cast into a wide role or appearing from the bench.
Will Jose ever change?
At Chelsea and Inter, Mourinho built squads with a ‘win now’ mentality. He did just that, collecting an historic treble at the San Siro and three titles at Stamford Bridge, but Manchester United have a clutch of young players who he must not allow to stagnate or leave the club. Investment between the Alex Ferguson years and the arrival of Mourinho was poor from Manchester United, yet they still possess some exceptional young talent. The current pattern, however, is that Mourinho’s general approach to young players will be no different.
Manchester United have prided themselves on the output of their academy, but the longer Mourinho reigns the harder it will be for that to continue. Shaw is not an academy graduate, yet he suffers from a similar relationship with the manager. Whether personal spats have been had behind closed doors or not, Mourinho continues to publicly insult a player that cost a vast amount of money and has had to recover from rotten injuries: the signs for Shaw’s future at the club are not good.
What next?
An odd start here or there might give Shaw the faintest of hope that he can yet make it at Old Trafford. Last weekend’s outing will be one of the easiest he will experience in the Premier League, but it could yet to prove to be extremely significant.
In an ideal world, it was the afternoon he presented to Mourinho that he could be the left-back he craves. Mourinho’s comments suggest something quite different, unfortunately for Shaw. If Shaw has any meaningful future at the club, it must be demonstrated by the defenders they choose to sign this summer.
Having missed so much of the last couple of seasons, Shaw needs to be playing regularly. Manchester United does not look like a club that can offer him that at the moment, though. A move this summer has to be Shaw’s priority, whether on loan or a permanent deal, as he looks to rebuild his reputation.
Clubs will be clambering for a player with Shaw’s attacking and physical attributes, but deciding to leave a club like Manchester United takes a certain, self-assured character. This summer, one way or another, should be definitive to the following seasons in Shaw’s career.
