Manchester United legend and former skipper Roy Keane has seen it fit to label the players that the club has released as ‘energy-sappers’ and given the credit to gaffer Erik Ten Hag\u00a0for bringing back the feel-good factor at Old Trafford.<\/p>\n
Ten Hag now has a good opportunity to further prove his credibility and win a trophy in his first season at Old Trafford after United comfortably beat Nottingham Forest 2-0, with a convincing aggregate of 5-0 over both legs. Second-half goals from substitute Anthony Martial and then Fred \u2013 assisted by another sub, Marcus Rashford \u2013 saw the Red Devils seal their passage to Wembley, where they’ll face Newcastle United at the end of the month.<\/p>\n
The former Ajax boss\u2019 reign had begun with teething problems besides having had to deal with the massive ego of Cristiano Ronaldo and the ensuing saga but, with all the problems seemingly having been firmly put to bed by the wily and resourceful gaffer, there now seems to be renewed vigor at the club, especially among the current crop of players.\u00a0Voicing his thoughts with an obvious tinge of enthusiasm and approval after the victory, former United captain Keane said the positive, feel-good vibes have come as a direct consequence of a number of high-profile names exiting the club, which has opened the door for Ten Hag to exercise his influence on the team. The former United skipper not known to mince his words also did not hold back in criticising ‘fringe players’ who did not give enough under interim boss Ralf Rangnick last season.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen the manager came in, United were rock bottom and we had to talk about the recruitment, but what I think was key as well was the five or six players that left,\u201d Keane told Sky Sports.<\/p>\n
\u201cI’m not knocking all these players, Pogba, Mata, Matic, Jesse Lingard, lads who’d been around and knew they were leaving. They knew they’d be leaving and their contracts were up for most of them and I think that wasn’t helping.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere definitely feels around the club a new energy, the new manager has put a few markers down after a bad to start to the season, and that momentum and that feel good factor is back at the club. The energy levels are different.\u201d<\/p>\n
Noticeably, one name that Keane had omitted from that group of ex-United stars that he had singled out was Cristiano Ronaldo, who had left the club unceremoniously in December, following his over-the-top interview with Piers Morgan and now plays for Al-Nassr in Saudi Arabia as a consequence of the fall-out.<\/p>\n
Yet to be fair to the former United skipper, when asked if the Portuguese star was one of the players Keane was referring to despite not having mentioned his name, he was no bashful adding CR7 to his list of \u2018energy-sappers\u2019.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think that’s helped (Ronaldo’s departure) the manager and the club,\u201d Keane added.<\/p>\n
\u201cNo one wanted that to be hanging over the second half of the season and it should have been dealt with in the summer. That whole Ronaldo situation, he obviously wasn’t going to sit on the bench and be happy with it.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey’ve now dealt with it and now it’s now hanging over the club anymore. But also the other five or six lads that left, Cavani another one. Those who were fringe players, coming off the bench, and when they were coming on they weren’t bringing anything because they felt they should have been starting.<\/p>\n
\u201cThose subs and fringe players have to come on and be ready, where as the fringe players last year, you just felt they were energy-sappers.\u201d<\/p>\n
Pogba \u2013 one of the more prominent ones on the list \u2013 returned to Juventus but has yet to make a single appearance for the club following an injury whilst others like Lingard and Mata moved to Nottingham Forest and Galatasaray, respectively, though not without experiencing difficulties transitionally.<\/p>\n
The rest who have enjoyed some measure of success after their departure from Old Trafford are Nemanja Matic \u2013 who is now with Jose Mourinho’s Roma \u2013 and Edison Cavani, who has managed seven goals for Valencia this season.<\/p>\n
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