Manchester United might not be in action during the international break, but that hasn't kept them out of the headlines amid the unhappiness affecting more than one of their squad members.
Paul Pogba had already stressed how sad he is at how things have unfolded for him at Old Trafford, as his future remains unresolved. However, while the response of a player with just months left on his contract is one thing, some supporters will be more worried about the claims made by Luke Shaw.
The left-back had admitted it has been "hard to enjoy" the situation at Old Trafford, in contrast to the environment created by England manager Gareth Southgate. United went into the international break in sixth place in the Premier League, with their hopes of Champions League qualification hanging by a threat, whereas England took on Switzerland in a friendly after sealing their World Cup qualification back in the autumn.
While there will undoubtedly be concerns about Pogba's comments, some will feel they're easier to brush aside. It's not that Pogba shouldn't be desperate to win more trophies, but he's a player who will soon be in the club's past and, to a certain extent, no longer their problem once he leaves.
"I can decide tomorrow, as I can decide during the transfer window. I want to come back, finish the season well," the midfielder told Telefoot, stressing that nothing had been finalised regarding his future. Nonetheless, it would be a huge shock to see him extend his stay.
"The season is not over yet, but almost because we don't have any more titles to play for," he continued. "I want to win titles, to play for something and this year and the last few years we haven't won a title. It's sad."
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Shaw's reaction, however, shows things go much deeper. The defender scored his first England goal since the Euro 2020 final as Southgate's team took on Switzerland, and opened up about the United challenge after the game.
"It's always important to feel like you're wanted," he said. Especially here, I always feel that. I'm not saying I don't at United, but here the way things are, I feel wanted and enjoy my football.
"A big part of football is enjoyment. It's hard to enjoy it when we're losing and not playing well at club level. We have to face that. This season it's not been good enough so it's hard to enjoy it. We know we've got a lot to improve at the club. Right now we're here with England so we focus on that."
Shaw's comments echo those of Pogba, who added that "Sometimes when I wasn’t playing or the results weren’t good, coming here, it gives a boost, a breath of air that also helps me to come back well to my club." Put side-by-side, they demonstrate just how tough a task their next manager will have.
Frustration within the United squad had been boiling over long before the turn of the year, with David de Gea pointing towards the embarrassing football on show at Watford in what proved to be Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's final game in charge. Ralf Rangnick has been unable to lift the mood during his interim tenure, if the latest comments are anything to go by, and the first challenge for the next boss is to get players excited to represent their club once more.
During Sir Alex Ferguson's tenure, when the club was winning trophy after trophy, there was a feeling that - for some squad members - the international break could represent an unwelcome from the incomparable joy of club football. Now, if anything, the opposite is true.
The worry for United comes from the fact that this could simply be representative of their standing in the world right now. When the alternative is fighting for honours with England and France - both Shaw and Pogba have reached an international final since winning their last trophy with the Red Devils - it might be time to accept you're the poorer relation and work to fix that.
It's not a situation United are accustomed to, though, and this may be why the switch has yet to be flicked. The success of the next man in the dugout may well rest on understanding exactly what is at stake and exactly what is expected.
