"It’s nonsensical criticism that we ruined the team culture."
The British 'Mirror' reported on the 23rd (Korea Standard Time) that "Jesse Lingard, who previously played for Manchester United, responded to criticism that he and Paul Pogba were responsible for destroying the locker room culture at Manchester United," adding, "He argued that they simply did their best to play."
Lingard, who came from the Manchester United youth system, has been playing for FC Seoul since last season. Upon his signing, Lingard garnered significant attention with the strong titles of 'Manchester United alumni' and 'England national team.' However, he struggled to adapt to Korea easily. Coach Kim Gi-dong even criticized him, saying, "He is not even a player."
Lingard, who adapted from the middle of the season, has changed significantly. Taking on the role of captain for Seoul, he has grown in responsibility. 'The Sun' explained, "Lingard went through significant difficulties in Korea last year. It seems he is enjoying life in Korea now." In an interview with 'The Independent,' Lingard expressed, "After scoring a few goals in Korea, requests to take photos together flooded in. I always oblige. I want to enjoy every moment."
Although Lingard is playing joyful football, he has recently been embroiled in absurd criticism. The criticism is that he ruined the team culture during his time at Manchester United, which has led to the team's struggles to this day. It is said that the loss of Manchester United's winning mentality was due to two players from the Manchester United youth system, including Lingard and Pogba.
While it might seem reasonable at first glance that Manchester United has consistently performed since the retirement of Sir Alex Ferguson, many criticize that the very notion that the atmosphere has been ruined due to two youth players from Manchester United is a problem. In fact, Manchester United has not been able to find its footing with various coaches and players.
Lingard directly responded to a recent criticism from a fan on social media, who wrote, "You and Pogba, the two youth players, ruined Manchester United." In an interview with the 'Mirror,' he emphasized, "We did our best to play at the world’s best club at that time. We learned from our mistakes and grew little by little."
Lingard stated, "I like Pogba. We are really good friends. Our styles might have differed from the team culture. However, I cannot agree with the criticism that we ruined the team culture," adding, "We always aimed to win. We laughed and enjoyed, but we played our best to win. Is that what ruined the team culture at Manchester United?"
He continued, "Sir Alex Ferguson always supported us. He always believed in me. That was the most important thing to me," adding, "I hope my friend Pogba can play again soon. We’ve talked about a lot of things, but I won't reveal the exact details."
[OSEN]