Bruno Fernandes, Manchester United’s captain, faced criticism for much of last week. Following Manchester United’s 2-1 defeat, the Portuguese playmaker was chastised for shouting at the referee and seemed to be play-acting at times. Troy Deeney is the latest to call out the Red Devil.
The ex-Watford man spoke of why the United skipper needs to change how he conducts himself. He revealed that he does not think Fernandes is as good a captain as John Terry and Vincent Kompany, who exuded leadership. He stated that while captaincy may operate differently these days, there are great captains like Odegaard who other captains, like Bruno, could look up to and learn what it takes to lead by example.
Deeney said in The Sun: “When I think of the best captains I played against, men like John Terry and Vincent Kompany, they had an aura, an in-built respect, which meant when they spoke, world-class players in their team would know they had been spoken to and would react positively.
“And you don’t have to be an old-school leader to be a good captain. Martin Odegaard leads by example. I know he is one of Arsenal’s best players, and I know he is highly regarded by his teammates as an excellent skipper. I don’t think Fernandes commands that sort of respect.”
It’s encouraging to hear that an Arsenal captain is now being regarded as an excelptional leader. Before Odegaard, the Gunners had some tense interactions with their captains. We’ve all seen how players like Granit Xhaka and Pierre Emerick Aubameyang struggled to handle the pressure of being Arsenal captains.
But Odegaard, who cost just £30 million, has excelled and played a significant role for this resurgent Arsenal team by setting an excellent example as the team leader. Years from now, when they list some of the best Premier League captains in this era, I guarantee the Norwegian will be mentioned.
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