Former soccer pundit Souness has recently been sharply critical of United's declining status quo, pointing specifically to the fact that Martial's nine-year-long career at United ended with his departure, a fact that has become a perfect reflection of the Red Devils' plight in recent years.
Souness said that Martial's nine years at United have fully exposed the club's many problems in management, reinforcements and player development. "He is the perfect example of what went wrong at United," Souness said bluntly, "As early as four years ago, I asserted that the new season would be Martial's last chance at United, but unbelievably, it took him until this summer to finally leave the stage. "
Souness further analyzed Martial's performance at United and believes that he cannot handle the immense pressure and expectations that come with playing for a big club. "After several seasons of observation, it is clear that Martial is not the player United need at this level," he said, "He can't cope with the rigors of United having to win every game." Although Souness acknowledged that Martial has the potential to be a top player, he regretted that the French striker ended up being a burden to the team.
"When Martial first arrived we all had high hopes that he had the potential to be a very good player," recalls Souness, "but looking back now we can only lament the fact that he could have had a much more illustrious career. Success in the world of soccer often requires strong willpower and an indomitable spirit, and United should have given their players more nurturing and support in these areas."
Martial chose to join Greek powerhouse AEK Athens after his contract with Manchester United expired this summer, a decision that also marked his formal farewell to the Red Devils. For Manchester United, how to avoid the future similar to the "regrettable case" of Martial again, will be the club management need to think deeply about the issue.
