Brendan Rodgers blames Man Utd fans for abuse of Harry Maguire as player’s Mum speaks out

Brendan Rodgers blames Man Utd fans for the abuse of Harry Maguire as the player’s Mum speaks out on the treatment towards her son.

England’s Harry Maguire said the reaction from the Scotland fans in the friendly at Hampden Park on Tuesday was just a “little bit of banter” and he “can deal with it”.

The Manchester United defender was mocked, jeers at his passes, with Maguire going on to score an own goal in England’s 3-1 victory. See more on what he said HERE.

🗣️ “The focus and noise that’s been around him has sadly probably been created by his own clubs supporters.”

Brendan Rodgers believes Manchester United fans are the original source that has led to the abuse of Harry Maguire. pic.twitter.com/7kuu18vu0d

— Football Daily (@footballdaily) September 14, 2023

Brendan Rodgers said: “Well, I know Harry well, having worked with him andI find it a real shame, if I’m honest. He’s a good guy. He’s obviously a top class player and the focus and the noise that’s been around him, sadly, probably has been created more by his own club supporters and that’s spilled out into other supporters.

“I was at the game the other night and this is a guy, if you remember, and I think it was last World Cup, he was in the team of the World Cup, so he’s not that bad a player. And I know having working with him, if you needed someone by your side when it’s tough, you’d want him beside you.

“He’s a great man, he’s very honest to the game. I know why Gareth picks him. He’s been fantastic for England, real soldier and a real leader and amongst the young players that’s coming through there. And I found it a real shame that a player who is a very good player and who at the time, when he went into Manchester United probably was needing leading himself, being a new player, but he found himself very quickly to be the Manchester United captain.

“But I can’t speak highly enough of him. He’s a fantastic man. I see the noisy that goes around him, which is a real shame. It’s just sad that where it was created from. But he’s tough, he’s mentally strong and he’ll prove throughout the rest of his career that he’s a very, very good player.

“And like I say, you don’t go from being in a team of the World Cup and so being recognised as a top international player to people making fun of you. And that’s something that of course you have to deal with as a player and sometimes a manager as well. But you’ll get through it.”

Interviewer: “What does it say about him? The fact that he’s willing to stay and fight at Manchester United, wants to prove people he is that player that you’ve just spoken about when he could have easily have left in the summer. He decided to say I’m going to stay and stick it out, even though that’s where, as you mentioned, the criticism emanated from originally.”

Rodgers: “Yeah, well, it tells you everything about his mentality, I think. It tells you everything about the depth of strength that he has. There may come a point whenever he decides that, listen, he’s not getting the game time that he wants and he wants to move on and play and play regular. And if he does that, then he’ll prove to be a very good player. But he won’t shook the challenge, that’s for sure.

“He’s a guy that he’s very proud to represent Man United when he went there, I know that the summer that he left, when I was at Leicester City, there was other clubs that were wanting to sign him. But that whole pre season, and I’ve dealt with lots of players in transfer markets when it’s tough and it’s hard and they can wobble.

“And this guy never once he was totally committed to Leicester City, to his teammates. And it was only right towards the end, whenever he moved, that I looked back and I thought his behavior was absolutely exceptional throughout the whole period. So for me, he’ll continue to fight there.

“His behavior as a man, his conduct. He’s a great fella and a fantastic player. And hopefully he gets the chance to show that at Manchester United. If not, and it’s too late for him, he’ll go and show it somewhere else.”

Harry Maguire’s mum has posted this on Instagram.

Nobody deserves that level of criticism/abuse he has gone through over the last couple of years. 😔 pic.twitter.com/2KeVUoFPaT

— Football Away Days (@FBAwayDays) September 14, 2023

On Instagram, Harry Maguire’s mum Zoe said she knew the game had “ups and downs” but the abuse went “far beyond” football.

“As a mum seeing the level of negative and abusive comments which my son is receiving from some fans, pundits and the media is disgraceful and totally unacceptable to any walk of life never mind someone who works his socks off for club and country.

“I was there in the stand as usual, It’s not acceptable what’s been created, over nothing.

“I understand that in the football world there are ups and downs, positives and negatives but what Harry receives has gone far beyond ‘football’.

“For me seeing him go through what he’s going through is not ok. I would hate to have to see any other parents or players go through this in the future, especially the young boys and girls breaking through the ranks today.

“Harry has a massive heart and it’s a good job he’s mentally strong and can handle it as others may not be able to. I wish this sort of abuse on nobody.”

Twitter users reacted as Brendan Rodgers blames Man Utd fans for the abuse of Harry Maguire as the player’s Mum speaks out…

@MikeLUHG2: And rightly so. He’s done nothing but humiliate and disrespect Manchester United since the moment he turned up. Why should that result in him being treated well by our fans? Hope this helps

@Colchesterviews: Start with Southgate, playing a player who can’t get a game for his club side. Southgate is fully conversant in facilitating this nonsense that Maguire is receiving.

@nathanswfc04_2: hope that twat goldbridge sees this, hes one of the main blokes that spreads the negativity and most of his fans just repeat whatever he says

@Cfc_optaseun: They started it and now Maguire has been a joke all round the world all thanks to Manchester United fans.

@RobertL84425044: Blame Southgate for picking him and starting him 😂

@TheHuddleYT: She’s not wrong… People like @talkSPORT presenter Mark Goldbridge have a lot to answer for starting and maintaining social media witch hunts, which served to fuel and exacerbate hatred toward HM.

@FTM1042: Exactly 💯 and the people who slam him and give him abuse know absolutely nothing about football. Criticism yes 100% you can take that as a player if you haven’t performed well but abuse NO! There’s no place for that in football and authorities need to ban these people!

@mancityneil: No sorry. Two people at fault here. Maguire himself. He chose to stay at united because of money. If he had gone to West Ham and been playing none of this happens. Southgate shouldn’t have selected and certainly shouldn’t have brought him on on Tuesday.

@onthemove555: Maguire turned down a move to west ham because man utd refused to give 7 million in lost wages because he’d be on less at west ham. He could’ve had regular game time. No sympathy whatsoever.

@mudeet4u: Now, I have always been against abuse towards Maguire and I stick by it, but how are managers irrelevant to the whole thing at present in the current scenario irrespective of their past associations are being asked about this as some sort of a PR exercise from his side?

@Gazwarrington: I know the intention is right but surely not going to help him, especially at away grounds now. It is a prime example of why I don’t watch England though. Either support them all or don’t bother. It’s weird as obvious be bias with some, but they still claim to support 🤦🏻‍♂️

@EnglishDon7: 100% this.. we can all have rivalry banter during football matches and footballers will be well drilled to accept it and deal with it, which they all do. However, the media and some fans abuse of Harry has been disgusting. Think about mental health people.