{"id":287547,"date":"2023-09-13T23:34:12","date_gmt":"2023-09-13T23:34:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sportsloveme.com\/?p=287547"},"modified":"2023-09-13T23:34:12","modified_gmt":"2023-09-13T23:34:12","slug":"harry-maguire-looks-on-the-bright-side-amid-opposition-fan-abuse","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sportsloveme.com\/soccer\/harry-maguire-looks-on-the-bright-side-amid-opposition-fan-abuse\/","title":{"rendered":"Harry Maguire looks on the bright side amid opposition fan abuse"},"content":{"rendered":"
Harry\u00a0Maguire says at least the abuse he receives from opposition fans relieves the pressure on his team-mates – and insists he is not suffering mentally.<\/p>\n
The England and Manchester United defender was barracked mercilessly by Scotland supporters after coming on at half-time during Tuesday\u2019s friendly in Glasgow, and he duly scored an own goal.<\/p>\n
The visitors went on to win 3-1 but Gareth Southgate condemned the \u2018ridiculous\u2019 treatment of Maguire afterwards, claiming some of the media criticism is a \u2018joke\u2019.<\/p>\n
The 30-year-old has addressed being targeted by fans on the back of that, as he said: \u2018Well, it pretty much takes the pressure away from my team-mates and puts it all on myself! It makes them play better, for sure.<\/p>\n
\u2018I would not say I am a person who struggles with pressure mentally. I have been through a lot in the last couple of years and I have been Manchester United captain for nearly four years. You take a huge lot of responsibility and everything that comes with it – and that is a lot of bad as well as good.<\/p>\n
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Harry Maguire swatted away claims that he was struggling mentally with taunts from opposition fans after featuring for England against Scotland<\/p>\n
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The out-of-favour Man United defender scored a calamitous own goal in the second half<\/p>\n
Your browser does not support iframes.<\/p>\n
\u2018But it was a huge honour (to play for England against Scotland). It was a hostile environment – when you hear the national anthem and the way they disrespect that – and they piled pressure on myself. I would not say I am used to it, but I can deal with it.\u2019<\/p>\n
Maguire has played just 23 minutes for United this season and was on the verge of a summer move to West Ham before it collapsed. Why did it not happen?<\/p>\n
\u2018How can I put this? We just didn\u2019t come to an agreement and they were happy for me to stay and I was happy to fight for my place,\u2019 said Maguire, who had wanted to negotiate a compensation package to leave United. \u2018I want to do that and every time I train or play I will give everything.<\/p>\n
\u2018I considered everything (in the summer) and I know, at the moment, when I have not started a game in the first four of the season, the story comes to me.<\/p>\n
\u2018I finished off last season with two very strong performances for England and I have played in all five matches to help put us where we are in qualifying, so I need to keep performing when I get chosen.<\/p>\n
‘Listen, at club football, I want to play games, I want to play football. The first four weeks were hard because it was one game a week and the manager (Erik Ten Hag) didn\u2019t select me, but we have lots of games coming up now and I am sure I will play lots of games.\u2019<\/p>\n
It’s All Kicking Off\u00a0is an exciting new podcast from Mail Sport that promises a different take on Premier League football, launching with a preview show today and every week this season.<\/span><\/p>\n It is available on MailOnline, Mail+, YouTube , Apple Music and Spotify<\/span><\/p>\n Your browser does not support iframes.<\/p>\n