ALEXIS SANCHEZ BELIEVES he could have lived up to expectations at Manchester United if he had been afforded a long run in the team.
The Chilean has decamped to Inter for the rest of the season after finding himself an odd man out at Old Trafford.
Despite his track record as a consistent goalscorer for Barcelona and Arsenal, Sanchez failed to impress with United following a high-profile arrival 19 months ago.
He was recruited by Jose Mourinho to bring some much-needed pep to the Red Devils’ forward line — in a deal that saw Henrikh Mkhitaryan go to Arsenal — but struggled to nail down a regular place.
It was a similar story when Mourinho lost his job and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer stepped in, with Sanchez unable to force himself ahead of the likes of Marcus Rashford and Anthony Martial in the manager’s plans.
More recently, even teenager Mason Greenwood appeared to have edged ahead of Sanchez, leaving the 30-year-old with little option but to look elsewhere for first-team opportunities.
Sanchez says he remains “very happy” about his decision to join United and he feels he deserved more opportunities to make an impact.
“I think that I’m happy when I play for my national team,” he told BBC Sport. “I was happy at Manchester United too, but I’ve always said to my friends: ‘I want to play.’
“If they would let me play I’ll do my best. Sometimes I’d play 60 minutes then I wouldn’t play the next game — and I didn’t know why.”
Sanchez was earning wages that were said to outstrip those of all his United’s club-mates, making his decision to join the 20-time English league champions one that was bound to attract scrutiny.
He now joins another former United star at San Siro in Romelu Lukaku, who made a permanent switch in early August.
“I’m very happy I went to Manchester United,” Sanchez said. “When I went to Arsenal it was fantastic — I was happy there — but United were growing at the time, they were buying players to win something.
“I wanted to join them and win everything. I don’t regret going there.”
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This stinks of “Jobs for the Boys” to b honest. Has Micko done much at underage/schools/club level (genuine question)?
Denis.List’s his experience right there in the article. Leinster have made a similar appointment with Cullen next season
And Cullen will be working with the Senior squad, Micko is looking after the A side.
Micko hopefully can pass on his great technical knowledge especially lineout work. As you say thou the back’s coach appointment is the crucial one
With POC still in situ ,it’s really hard to see what MOD could possibly bring after a stint coaching at schools level. This smacks of a very Munster job for one of the boys
Not a fan of players that r just retired nd then fall in coaching same players….can cloud decisions., for example is mick goin to recommend a player that he was great friends with to be dropped if his form is poor….???
He is retired 2 seasons at this stage. A big turnover of the player’s at munster since then.
He is retired 2 seasons at this stage. A big turnover of the player’s at munster since then.
Yea retired two years but not too many guys he wouldnt have trained or played with.It could be a great appointment but personally I wouldnt agree.
The impressive Rob Penney was shafted by the Munster Rugby board in order to make way for their good old boy, Anthony Foley, to become head coach; who in turn is intent on employing his good old boys instead of seeking the direct input of those with an enlightened, outside perspective. Group-think will now prevail.
Munster will be the big loser because Foley won’t have the same progressive-minded outlook and plan that Penney has. Munster will regress into their shell under Anthony Foley, and the slack will be compensated for by utter blarney from Foley and the media.
As a Leinster fan I hope your wrong.
If insider knowledge points to foley knowing something that mod can bring then there’s nothing wrong with appointing the right man for the job. If he’s giving his old pal a leg up it will fall apart along with his own career.
I don’t believe Anthony foley wants to throw away his carreer to give his mate a job.
Penney wasnt shafted.
Micko is looking after the a’s. Not first team. Might have little to do with the seniors.
Must be a pisser for Penny to see next years coaching ticket been lined up , could this be announced by Munster after Pennys gone ..
They let the cat out of the bag early enough this year bout him moving. Why should nexus years coaching ticket be any different? I’m sure he doesn’t hold a grudge.
Hope I’m wrong but has a ” jobs for the boys” ring to it
Micko being linked to the A squad hints fairly strongly that Ian costello could be the backs coach for the seniors.
this time last year there was howls about the fact that not one province had a native head-coach, now there’s howls when a native is appointed head coach & opts to select another native to be part of his coaching team?
Micko was known as a top-notch lineout analyst in his playing days, he had a very large part to play in the strength of the munster lineout in the past as he analysed the opposition lineouts & ran those patterns in training.