Just when you thought there could not be a more unpredictable Manchester United-related story, Isaac Adongo rose in Ghanaian parliament.
“There was a player in England called Maguire,” Adongo announces. The very mention of Maguire elicits an ‘ooh’ from a fellow parliamentarian.
“He was playing for Manchester United. Harry Maguire. He's a defender. He was tackling everybody and throwing his body everywhere (for Leicester and England). He was seen as the best defender in the world. Manchester United went and bought him.
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"He became the biggest threat at the centre of Manchester United's defence! Tackling Manchester players and giving assists to opponents.”
Cue cackles of laughter in a scene that could be mistaken for a Ghanaian remake of Yes, Minister.
“Mr Speaker, when even opponents fail to score, Maguire will score for them!” Six other MPs are visible in the video and start laughing like hyenas.
“Mr Speaker, you remember in this country we also have an Economic Maguire,” Adongo adds, referring to vice-president Mahamudu Bawumia.
It is difficult not to chortle at the video that went viral on Wednesday, although the analogy was as dubiously timed as Luis Suarez’s substitution against Adongo's countrymen. Maguire was the standout centre-back of the group stage at the World Cup and his partnership with John Stones one of the most commanding. Poor Maguire is still a figure of fun even when performing at the elite level.
Oddly, Adongo may actually have a point. However much Maguire excels with three lions emblazoned on his shirt he will always be judged on how he fares in the red of United.
2023 budget debate: Bawumia is like Maguire, scoring own goals. - Adongo #JoyNews pic.twitter.com/FO9A0ckDYx
— JoyNews (@JoyNewsOnTV)
Maguire's impacts at both ends in Qatar should not surprise anyone, save for the odd ill-informed columnist who suggested he be dropped from the 26-man England squad altogether. Maguire was near-flawless in England’s runs to the World Cup semi-finals in Russia and European Championship final 18 months ago. That enviable and recent tournament expertise ensured he would start against Iran.
The only England centre half who has reached such heights in successive tournaments in recent memory is Rio Ferdinand. His form at the 2002 World Cup secured a British record £29.1million transfer to United and his imperiousness in Germany four years later commenced his two-year status as the best centre-back in the world.
That is the glaring difference. Ferdinand maintained his reputation through two heady years with Sir Alex Ferguson’s last great United side. The captain's armband was strapped to Ferdinand’s bicep in the Moscow final. Captain Maguire entered this World Cup as fourth-choice centre half at United.
Maguire will be privately relieved Cristiano Ronaldo has trained at Carrington for the last time. Their curious power struggle last season left the United captain cowed and Erik ten Hag rendered it moot by dropping both.
As questionable as Maguire’s captaincy status is (disclaimer: this correspondent wrote he should be stripped of it early this year), he has accepted his peripheral status professionally. Ronaldo? He launched the pram with the toys. Hardly captaincy material.
Ronaldo expressed misgivings about Maguire to Ralf Rangnick and there was disappointment from Maguire’s side at an absence of solidarity from Ronaldo in the fallout. Ronaldo is so image-conscious he is advised by a woman who curated brand Beckham and the smart PR move was to maintain a distance from Maguire.
It worked. When an injured Maguire was sat in the directors’ box for the final home game of last season against Brentford, he rose from his seat to applaud the substituted Ronaldo but it was too muted for one fan, who shouted, “Show some f-----g respect!”
Many United skippers have struggled to keep their counsel when they sense they are nearing the end. Wayne Rooney’s private manoeuvrings were publicised in the latter days of Louis van Gaal's reign, Nemanja Vidic delivered his verdict on David Moyes before springtime by signing a pre-contract with Inter Milan and Roy Keane paid the price for playing the pundit.
Keane, one of Maguire’s most vocal detractors, might wonder why the defender has not played the captaincy card after one Premier League start in three months - and that was only because Victor Lindelof was unwell. Maguire is unlikely to rock the boat.
Unless Senegal surprise England or Kylian Mbappe denudes him next week, Maguire should return to Manchester with his reputation enhanced. After an exceptional Euros, it was fair to consider him world-class, also partly through his enforced absence from United’s run-in when Maguire’s strengths were more visible with him in the stands.
Sustaining tournament form across six months of a club campaign is a familiar challenge for Maguire and one he failed last season. The competition is more intense with the pit bull Lisandro Martinez United’s player of the season so far and such a cult hero with supporters he swapped his shirt for an Argentina flag with one during the celebratory scenes at Fulham.
Befuddlingly, Martinez has only started once for Argentina when his defensive interventions have been more decisive than any by fellow centre halves Cristian Romero or Nicolas Otamendi.
Raphael Varane can barely go a month without an injury or ailment and Lindelof is aerially suspect. There will inevitably be a chance for Maguire but whether he takes it is another matter. He was cumbersome on his recall against West Ham in October and Lindelof was reinstalled to the XI for both games the following week.
Win the World Cup with England and Maguire might be treated to a standing ovation in Parliament.
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