Manchester United fans would love to forget the 24/25 season, and the best way for that to happen is for the players to perform to potential this campaign.
Both Leny Yoro and Patrick Dorgu have spoken of the need to right the wrongs from last term, and now, Harry Maguire has spoken out as well.
“I just want to be part of a successful team this season,” Maguire told MUTV. “I think last season was a tough season for everyone individually, but also as a team, as a squad, as a club.
“This season, there are no excuses. We’re going to have a lot of time to prepare for the Premier League games, and we’ve got to make sure we’re ready.
Ready for the new season
“So, for myself, it’s making sure I’m available, I’m fit, I’m ready to go, and give everything I can to this team and this club.”
Interestingly, the former club captain reiterated his head coach’s words of using the extra time available this season on the training pitch.
Amorim had explained that last season it was difficult for him to get his ideas across due to the lack of training time as the games kept coming thick and fast as the Red Devils were alive in all four competitions when he took over.
But this time, United could be about to play less than 50 games, and that extra time is likely to be spent out on the training ground.
Tactical work
The centre-back explained how Amorim has spent most of pre-season getting his tactical instructions in, a sharp departure from previous seasons when the players usually worked on their fitness instead.
“It’s something that [Ruben Amorim] reiterated, that we didn’t have enough time on the training pitch. This pre-season, it’s been tough on the legs, but the majority of it has been tactical.
“So, it’s nice to do the drills that are tactical rather than running around poles and running around the pitch.
“It’s been an enjoyable pre-season, but a pre-season that we’ve all learnt from. We know the system a lot better, and we’ve just got to take that into the games now.”
It has not been all about work though, with the England international revealing bonding sessions and team meals have helped bring the squad closer together.
Team bonding
But all of this will not matter if the team does not start off well.
“We’ve had some team meals, some fun times together. But when we’ve been on the training pitch, we’ve worked really hard. We’ve been bang at it, so we feel in a good place.
“We’ve got to go and show that, obviously, when the season starts, because that’s when it kicks in and when we want to do really well and get the victories.”
Harry Maguire has not had as many minutes as in previous pre-season tours, but he will be hoping for his gametime to increase as the season wears on.
Like last season, Amorim will be counting on him at both ends of the pitch!
Feature image Clive Brunskill via Getty Images
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Ayantan Chowdhury
Ayantan has worked for 10 years in the Indian sports media industry, writing for the biggest newspapers and websites but his heart was always set on writing about his favourite club. Currently an editor at The Peoples Person. You can follow him on X: @ayantanc_25
