Manchester United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer spoke with unabashed pride about Marcus Rashford’s unstinting efforts in helping others and affecting positively affecting change in ameliorating the welfare of others during the lockdown.
The England forward had written an open letter to MPs urging the British government to make a U-turn in its decision not to award free school meals vouchers in England – for which nearly 1.3 million children are eligible – outside of term time.
He penned an impassioned follow-up letter detailing his personal experience of growing up relying largely on food banks and receiving free meals as a child, which helped prompt a government reversal resulting in the establishment of a ‘Covid summer food fund’.
United boss Solskjaer said: “As a club and me as his manager as well, it’s been fantastic to follow Marcus throughout the lockdown period as well.
“It’s not only that he got the Prime Minister to change his mind, but also what he’s done over the last few months.
“Marcus is such a top, top human being and he’s brought his own experiences as a kid into this conversation and will change the lives of so many kids.
“He’s already been captain of the club at such a young age and he’s proving all the time his human qualities, which is a main attribute for a Man United player – along with his quality as a player, of course.”
On another note, players took a knee during Wednesday’s Premier League matches as support for the Black Lives Matter movement – something the United boss himself fully supports ahead of Friday’s trip to Tottenham.
“I think it’s been an event in history that has changed people’s views and of course the movement now,” Solskjaer said.
“I think we all know that this shouldn’t happen in 2020, what has been happening.
“Players and Premier League teams have all made a stand and say ‘enough is enough’.
“I think that’s good and I don’t expect anything different from ours.”