New Manchester United head coach Ruben Amorim admits the club has “to set better standards” after Marcus Rashford and Casemiro were criticised for flying to the United States during the international break.
On the Stick to Football podcast, former United defender Gary Neville questioned the pair’s professionalism after Rashford watched the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden on Monday night and his team-mate took his family on holiday to Disney World in Orlando.
The new United boss responded to the criticism during a Sky Sports interview with Neville.
“The first thing is it was five days off. The second thing is they received information of ‘five days off’ and they are big boys, they have kids so they decide what to do,” said the Portuguese.
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The smile on both Gary Neville and Ruben Amorim's face when the Manchester United head coach said this ☺ pic.twitter.com/dpKnnE69Nm
“The main question here is the club have to set the standard and manage that.
“They receive the information ‘five days off’, do what you like’. We as a club have to set better standards and we will try to do that.
“It’s my decision if they can have five days as a coach, or three days. Or is three days to rest, you cannot fly. This is something the club has to decide.
“But you cannot put this on the players. They told them they have five days off so they can fly anywhere. Nobody in the club said they cannot fly.
“They have to live their lives because they are grown men and they have to decide these things. Us as a club have to change in these standards.”
We as a club have to set better standards
Amorim said it was not realistic for Neville to apply the standards he worked to under Sir Alex Ferguson, who retired in 2013, as the situation at Old Trafford had changed.
“In your time you had a great leadership at the club, very strong and the culture was already here when you start,” he added.
“So it was a long time with the same identity, the same way of seeing things and you felt that even if you do that, your team-mates will talk to you.
“Now it’s a different point, you have to acknowledge that. This must be started in the club, with us.
“We are responsible in that area. We cannot in this time put that of Rash or Case.”
