Ten Hag Committed to Helping Maguire Return to Finest Form

Football - UEFA Nations League - Group C - England v Germany - Wembley Stadium, London, Britain - September 26, 2022 England's Harry Maguire reacts. (Reuters)
Football - UEFA Nations League - Group C - England v Germany - Wembley Stadium, London, Britain - September 26, 2022 England's Harry Maguire reacts. (Reuters)
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Ten Hag Committed to Helping Maguire Return to Finest Form

Football - UEFA Nations League - Group C - England v Germany - Wembley Stadium, London, Britain - September 26, 2022 England's Harry Maguire reacts. (Reuters)
Football - UEFA Nations League - Group C - England v Germany - Wembley Stadium, London, Britain - September 26, 2022 England's Harry Maguire reacts. (Reuters)

Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag has revealed measures are in place to protect players’ mental health at a time when club captain Harry Maguire has been the subject of intense criticism.

England international Maguire has been dropped at club level and is fighting for his place at the World Cup following an alarming dip in form.

It has seen him suffer growing abuse on social media and raised questions about his future at United.

But Ten Hag is adamant protections are in place for all players and committed himself to returning Maguire to his finest form.

Addressing concerns over the 29-year-old defender's mental health, the United manager said: “But it’s an aspect of top football. It’s an aspect of our work. We set conditions for that, to manage it.

“We also have experts around to help, to coach the players, the team in the right direction.

“I think he is doing quite well, but every player has room for improvement and if he believes in his skills he will quickly be back on the level and even more than he did. I am convinced of that because I see his capabilities and it’s really high.”

Maguire has endured a miserable start to the season – losing his place to Raphael Varane at United, before making high-profile mistakes in England’s 3-3 draw with Germany on Monday.

It prompted the center back to publicly apologize on Instagram, adding: “The tough times will make us stronger.”

Fellow defender Luke Shaw aired his own concerns for his club and international teammate.

“He’s taken a lot of stick - probably more than I’ve ever seen before in football,” Shaw told BBC Radio 5 Live.

“Everybody knows he’s an unbelievable player. At the moment the confidence might not be there because it could feel like the whole world is against him.”

United legend Rio Ferdinand tweeted: “Feel for Harry ... every mistake being punished and scrutinized - comes with the territory though.

“Needs to be strong mentally to get through this!”

Maguire is out of Sunday’s derby against Manchester City with a thigh injury – but is unlikely to have started even if fit after being dropped following the 4-0 defeat to Brentford last month.

Ten Hag had initially shown faith in him when retaining him as captain after taking over the club at the end of last season.

And he insists he still has belief in the player.

“First of all, of course I have to coach him,” he said. “I have to back him. But I back him because I believe in him.

“In the period I worked with him in pre-season was good. Really good, training and games. So, then he fell out - but it’s also to do with the good performance of the center backs who are playing now. But I can see even after he wasn’t in the team he trained really well, but more important, the quality was there.

“You see his career, almost 50 caps for England. For Leicester and Man United he’s performing really well. What you see is he has a high potential. Then it is about him.

“The players in the dressing room, the coaches, the manager, we all believe in him. Now it is about him. That’s what I told him. I’m sure he can do it. He will turn around this. I am really convinced of that.”



Iraq Decline to Play Palestine World Cup Qualifier in Jerusalem or Jordan

FILE PHOTO: Soccer Football - World Cup - Asian Qualifiers - Third Round - Group B - Iraq v Palestine - Basra International Stadium, Basra, Iraq - October 10, 2024 Palestine fans inside the stadium before the match REUTERS/Thaier Al-Sudani/File Photo
FILE PHOTO: Soccer Football - World Cup - Asian Qualifiers - Third Round - Group B - Iraq v Palestine - Basra International Stadium, Basra, Iraq - October 10, 2024 Palestine fans inside the stadium before the match REUTERS/Thaier Al-Sudani/File Photo
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Iraq Decline to Play Palestine World Cup Qualifier in Jerusalem or Jordan

FILE PHOTO: Soccer Football - World Cup - Asian Qualifiers - Third Round - Group B - Iraq v Palestine - Basra International Stadium, Basra, Iraq - October 10, 2024 Palestine fans inside the stadium before the match REUTERS/Thaier Al-Sudani/File Photo
FILE PHOTO: Soccer Football - World Cup - Asian Qualifiers - Third Round - Group B - Iraq v Palestine - Basra International Stadium, Basra, Iraq - October 10, 2024 Palestine fans inside the stadium before the match REUTERS/Thaier Al-Sudani/File Photo

Iraq want their World Cup qualifier against Palestine next month moved from the Jordanian capital of Amman, having also knocked back a Palestinian proposal to stage the match just outside Jerusalem.
The last soccer international played in the Palestinian territories was in October 2019 and Palestine have since staged their "home" fixtures at neutral venues in Qatar, Jordan, Kuwait and Malaysia.
Palestine are due to host Iraq in a Group B match in the third round of Asian qualifying on March 25 and, after the proposal to play the match in the Palestinian territories was turned down, FIFA proposed Amman as the neutral venue.
According to Reuters, the Iraqi Football Association (IFA) said in a statement on Thursday that it had written to soccer's world governing body asking for the match to be moved to another city as playing in Amman would breach FIFA's own rules on neutral venues.
"This decision raises serious questions about the integrity and fairness of the competition, given the highly competitive nature in Group B," the IFA statement read.
"Iraq, Jordan and Palestine are direct competitors in the group and the gap between Iraq and Jordan in the standings is currently very close."
Iraq are in second place in the group with 11 points, leading Jordan in third by two points and trailing leaders South Korea by three points. The top two teams in the group progress directly to the 2026 World Cup finals in North America.
The Palestine Football Association (PFA) released a statement on Thursday regretting Iraq's decision not to allow the match to go ahead at Faisal Al-Husseini International Stadium in Al-Ram, Jerusalem.
The PFA said FIFA and the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) had inspected the stadium and agreed the match could be played there, but only with the agreement of the Iraqis.
"We were surprised to learn that our colleagues in the Iraqi Football Association had unilaterally decided to decline playing in Palestine and directly communicated this to the AFC and FIFA without consulting the PFA," the statement said.
"Despite this decision, we reaffirm our unwavering commitment to reclaiming our right to host matches on our home soil -- a right we have fought tirelessly to secure and uphold over the years."
The IFA said "despite our keenness to hold the match in beloved Palestine, and to stand with Palestinian sports at this time", the body had decided to refuse because of the lack of VAR technology in the stadium.
Reuters has contacted FIFA and the AFC for comment.
Palestine are bottom of Group B with three points after six matches. Neither Palestine nor Jordan have previously qualified for the World Cup finals, while Iraq lost all three games on their one appearance in Mexico in 1986.