Ferdinand says Ferguson would have moved Martinez on after public criticism

Rio Ferdinand says Sir Alex Ferguson would have moved Lisandro Martinez on for publicly criticising Manchester United’s leadership, and questioned whether the defender had first raised his concerns with the dressing room. His warning followed United’s 2-0 Champions League defeat at Atletico Madrid, their fifth consecutive match without a win.

Martinez directed criticism at United’s technical director in a post-match interview with Amazon Prime’s Gabriel Clarke. He said he expected more from the club’s recruitment while accepting that the players also needed to improve.

“I expect more. I expect more from our technical director, but I have to be honest we as players have to do more,” Martinez said. He added that United needed “a strong squad” to be ready for matches like the one against Atletico, and called his team’s performance “annoying” and “disappointing”. Leny Yoro’s sending-off left United with ten men.

Ferdinand, speaking on his YouTube channel in comments reported by Metro, said the substance of Martinez’s criticism was not necessarily wrong. His concern was how it had been delivered and whether team-mates had heard the argument directly first.

“Has he spoken to the management?” Ferdinand asked. He said he would have wanted Martinez to speak to him or address the dressing room before going public. Ferdinand also named Youri Tielemans, Carlos Baleba and Andrey Santos as players who would need to understand the background to the criticism. If new arrivals first encountered those concerns through the interview, Ferdinand said, it could create an “awkward situation in the dressing room”.

Ferdinand pointed to Roy Keane and Cristiano Ronaldo leaving after public criticism, and cited former interim manager Ralf Rangnick’s calls for change. “I’m not disagreeing with some of what these guys have said by the way,” he said. “I’m just saying that this is what happens when someone talks out about the hierarchy of the football club.”

Martinez, meanwhile, defended manager Michael Carrick when asked whether changing the coach would solve United’s problems. “I don’t think so. He does his best,” Martinez said, before questioning the club’s repeated managerial changes and asking, “what about other areas?” He also argued that opponents know how United play and that failing to adapt is a problem.

Carrick was appointed permanently in the summer after guiding United to third place last season. Metro reported that he is under intense pressure ahead of United’s trip to Leeds this weekend. The match gives Carrick an immediate chance to respond on the pitch, while Martinez’s comments have put recruitment and the club’s leadership in the spotlight.