Marcus Rashford is Manchester United's future - but we've seen before the damage too much, too soon can do
The likes of Joe Cole, Michael Owen and Wayne Rooney all had the world at their feet at the same age but paid the price for it later in their careers
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference."There were two times before when I got on a one-v-one with him [Martin Demichelis] and he just nicked the ball off me. I knew what I needed to do the next time I got the ball, so I did it.
"Then I was against the keeper [Joe Hart] and it was just about relaxing, composing myself and that was what I did.”
Marcus Rashford remembers it well. And who can blame him? It’s arguably the highest high of his fledgling career to date, albeit in a journey already crammed full of storybook moments.
The derby winner against Manchester City was almost exactly a year ago – and what a 12 months it has been for the young man from Wythenshawe.
A first-team debut, FA Cup and EFL Cup wins and an England call-up for an international tournament thrown in, few could’ve predicted the boy’s own road the 19-year-old has travelled.
But fast-forward nine months and what has followed has been a whole lot less fairytale. As we head into the season’s final straight Rashford has made only 11 starts in all competitions this term. The goals have dried up too with only one in his last 18 matches.
It has not gone unnoticed either. “Rashford is in trouble to score a goal, it's really difficult to score a goal for him,” Jose Mourinho observed after yet another blank was drawn last weekend against Middlesbrough.
But Rashford needn’t worry – in Mourinho he has arguably his biggest fan.
The United boss, infamously, isn’t famed for, as Alan Hansen put it, winning things with kids - he has actively appeared to try and do the opposite at times down the years – but you can’t fault his handling of Rashford both on and off the pitch since he arrived at Old Trafford last summer.
"His dynamic [play] is second to no-one,” Mourinho said at the Riverside. “He's so intelligent and so sharp. The first touch is to put the ball in the best position to attack the space and to attack the goal. For me, he played phenomenally.”
This is by no means the first time the Special One has reserved special praise for his youngest star either. Mourinho knows what a talent he has on his hands. And he knows, too, that talent must be nurtured, not rushed.
There are cautionary tales all over. Any number of rising stars have burst on to the scene only to fizzle out after being exposed to too much, too soon. Joe Cole was thrown in at 17, Michael Owen too. Both had the world at their feet only to have it slip away as the incessant wear and tear on their young bodies eventually took its toll on their older selves.
Another, more prescient, example is even closer to home. Rashford need only look across the United dressing room and see Wayne Rooney, a player who could’ve had it all only to now be out of form, out of the team and all but certain to be out back to where he came from this summer, albeit as United’s record goalscorer, of course.
Maybe, then, having his meteoric rise checked, even just a little, is just what Rashford needs. After all, he could not even remotely hope to recreate that astonishing eight-goals-in-12-games ascent of last term. Even approaching that would’ve been remarkable. He needs to play, clearly, but starting every week for a club of United’s stature and standing is much too much for still such young shoulders to bear.
He starts tonight for his country in a move which probably says more about the state of England’s current capabilities than it does Rashford’s. One day he’ll truly belong on such a stage, tonight he’ll merely be the understudy.
In Mourinho, though, he has the perfect mentor to ensure he will indeed get there eventually. Rashford isn’t one of the “brat” modern young footballers his manager spoke of this week. He’s grounded and hungry and ready to work and Mourinho knows it.
"The goal will arrive, no problem at all,” he said.
That priceless moment against City is where Rashford will dream of returning to but is by no means the ceiling of how high he can aspire to go. Too much, too soon is a trap all too many have fallen into never to be seen again – waiting in the wings now may well be Rashford’s best route back to centre stage.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments