Exclusive: Manchester United Legend Sammy McIlroy Calls for ‘Real Characters’ in Modern Football
Manchester United legend Sammy McIlroy reflects on the club’s struggles, calling for “real characters” and leaders in today’s game. He discusses the lost art of leadership and passion in modern football, and the unique pressures of playing for United.
Image Credits: Pete Norton/Getty Images
Manchester United great Sammy McIlroy believes the club – and the Premier League – are crying out for characters, leaders, and a ‘real’ hard man.
Man Utd’s Struggles
United have suffered a horror start to the season with thumping defeats to arch-rivals Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur, as well as a loss to Brighton and a drab draw with Aston Villa.
And twice in European games this season, Eric ten Hag’s misfiring side have worryingly squandered leads and been forced to cling on for battling draws.
The Lost Art of Leadership
“We look at the squad now and everyone is looking for leaders,” McIlroy told SportsBoom.com.
“They’re looking for a Roy Keane, a Bryan Robson or someone like a Paddy Crerand or a Nobby Stiles to lead, players like that who would let people know if they weren’t playing well.”
“Unfortunately, those days have gone now!”
“I look around every top team now in the Premier League, and it’s not just Manchester United, and I seriously struggle for leaders and real characters.”
There’s no characters now in the modern game or leaders. You can’t even try for a comparison.
Sammy McIlroy
Hard Men of the Past
“Going back to my day when we played against Liverpool you’d come up against a Tommy Smith and even further on you’d have the likes of Ron Yeats.”
“Every team had a hard man, every team had a leader or two leaders who rolled their sleeves up and got people playing.”
“We haven’t got those characters at Manchester United, but it’s throughout the Premier League. I don’t think we’ve got them anywhere amongst the top teams.”
Lack of Characters Across the Premier League
Former skipper Keane’s angry tunnel bust-up with Arsenal’s Patrick Viera is stuff of legend.
Ex-United Gary Neville refusing to shake his brother Phil’s hand in the tunnel when he switched to Everton, as well as keeper Peter Schmeichel following his shock move to derby rivals Manchester City, showed the passion supporters used to love to see at Old Trafford.
“You don’t see that now, it’s such a shame,” added McIlroy. “That’s what fans want to see.”
“Television wants that as well, you want to see a little bit of aggravation and a little bit of spice.”
“In my day we had players coming through the back of you and saying to you after ‘get up, don’t be soft’. You don’t see those characters like that anymore.”
“Don’t get me wrong, the standard of football in the Premier League is excellent, the quality is there. There’s some fantastic footballers in the Premier League.”
“I’m not knocking their ability; I’m just pointing out that the passion side of the game is nowhere near to what is was going back to my day.”
“Whether it was the top teams or the bottom teams, even the bottom teams had characters and leaders who give you a battle and you’d know you were in a game.”
I don’t see that at all, I just don’t see any leaders in the Premier League at the minute.
Sammy McIlroy
A Different Kind of Pressure
Respected former international McIlroy enjoyed a stellar 11-year career with the Red Devils, scoring 71 goals across 419 appearances.
He played in a golden era at the club under the legendary manager Sir Matt Busby and alongside superstar players including George Best, Dennis Law and Sir Bobby Charlton.
But the proud Northern Irishman, 70, believes the current crop of United players are struggling to cope with the pressure and weight of expectation of playing for such a massive club.”
“We’ve got a lot of foreign players in our team now,” reflected McIlroy. “Where they’ve been before, I doubt they’ve experienced the pressure of playing for a club like Manchester United.”
“Obviously, these foreign players we’ve brought in have come from decent clubs. You look at the players from Ajax, the pressure of playing in Holland for that club must be huge, but it’s nothing like playing for Manchester United.”
“The pressure of playing for some of these European clubs is nowhere near like the pressure they’ll experience of playing for Manchester United.”
“This club has to be challenging for the Premier League and the Champions League, it’s as simple as that. That’s what the supporters demand.”
Neil has been a journalist for longer than he'd care to remember, having written for national newspapers and respected publications for over 25 years. For the last three years he has worked freelance for BBC Sport, working on the production desk as a sub-editor and also as a writer, covering a whole range of sports.