Harry Maguire has characterized losing out on England’s journey to the European Championship final and Manchester United’s FA Cup success as “the toughest moment of my career”.
After Maguire experienced setbacks following a calf injury the week before United’s Wembley match against Manchester City, Gareth Southgate decided not to send the defender to Germany.
Despite United signing Leny Yoro and making proposals for Jarrad Branthwaite and Matthijs de Ligt, Maguire further stated that his future is at Old Trafford.
However, it is still clear how painful it is to be unable to support club and nation as they pursue trophies. “When I first did the injury, I thought I’d be fit for the FA Cup final,” Maguire revealed.
“So I pushed myself for the final, and then I had a setback in the week leading up to the final, which ruled me out of it. At that time again, it was no problem, I was going to be fit for the Euros. Then I went away with England and I had another setback, so yeah, it was so frustrating.
“When I look back, I wish I had no chance with all of them, so I could have got my head around it. But I thought I was going to play in the cup final or be involved at some stage and I thought 100 per cent I’d be involved at the Euros, but it just didn’t happen and maybe I just pushed myself to get back too early, but definitely it was the toughest moment of my career, definitely.”
Any argument that Erik ten Hag’s training played a role was dismissed by Maguire. “It was not because he was pushing us too hard in training. He actually backed off us in the end because there were so many injuries we could not afford to lose anymore. I don’t know why.
“For me, I have not had muscle injuries all my career and then last season I picked up two or three. A lot of teams last year struggled. It might have been with the World Cup in the middle of the season. From the start of the season there was all that added time that was making games 100 minutes long. It might have all added up but it is hard to put your finger on it.“
Maguire thinks he will stay at United through the upcoming season. He has one year left on his contract with an optional additional. Maguire stayed at United despite West Ham’s £30 million summer bid for him, and he believes he will play for Ten Hag many more times.
“Listen, until I get told you’re up for sale or ‘we want you to leave’, I want to play for this club and make it successful again. All the things I’m hearing and seeing from everyone involved is I’ll be part of this club for the future.
“Every summer and every transfer window at Manchester United, there are 15 players out of the door and we’re getting 45 players in.
“I think every player knows that’s what happens (written by media). I’m a player with only a year left on my contract with an option but if they come to me and say they don’t want me any more, of course I’ll look for options elsewhere, but that’s never been told to me.”
Maguire has expressed admiration for Yoro’s debut at United, but he has issued a warning. “We must remind ourselves he is really young, there are gonna be mistakes but he has every attribute of a centre back in the modern game, so I’m sure he’s gonna have a bright future.
“It’s our job as senior centre backs, my job, to help him along, communicate well, let him know what to expect.”
Despite Ten Hag’s decision to remove Maguire from captaincy, Maguire firmly supported the Dutchman’s continued leadership of United following serious concerns about his position at the close of the previous campaign.
“It was tough, some of the things that came out in the lead up to the cup final were really poor, I felt,” Maguire said.
“He handled it brilliantly, to be honest, he just took each day as it comes. From us players, we didn’t see anything different in the manager, so credit to him. To have the lead up in the way that he did and to produce a performance like we did in the cup final and turn things around was really impressive.
“We have a good relationship. There’s a lot of respect there.”
Maguire said United “definitely” made the right call keeping Ten Hag, adding: “He has shown we can beat the top teams and we have won two trophies in two years. The first season was really good, last season wasn’t. Last season was tough for Erik as well. There was so much uncertainty and the amount of injuries was freakish really and I am pretty confident that won’t happen this season.
“We have faith in the management team and the additions he has made are really good as well.”
August 16 marks United’s home opening match of the new Premier League season against Fulham.
(Ash Donelon/Manchester United via Getty Images)
