Thierry Henry criticised Lisandro Martinez for launching a stinging attack on the Manchester United board following the Champions League defeat to Atletico Madrid.
United’s dismal start to the season continued on Tuesday night as Michael Carrick’s side were beaten 2-0 by Atletico, meaning the Red Devils have now gone five games without a win.
Martinez calls for more investment
Manchester United climbed to third in the Premier League last season following Carrick’s appointment and Martinez said the squad expected more business to be completed during the summer transfer window.
Old Trafford bosses spent over £150m over the summer, bringing in midfielders Youri Tielemans, Andrey Santos and Carlos Baleba.
But Martinez says the Manchester United squad ‘expected more’ from those in charge and even namechecked Jason Wilcox in his outburst.
‘We did a fantastic season last season and now we expect more from the top, more players to compete because many teams bring many players as well,’ Martinez told Amazon Prime Video.
‘Atletico have an amazing team and they deserved to win today. I expect more [investment]. 100%. I expect more from our technical director [Jason Wilcox].
‘I have to be honest, as players we have to do more but it is also important when you make a strong squad to be ready for this kind of night.
‘Tonight it is easy to [blame] the coach, easy to say the players but also we have to see other areas.’
Henry and Carragher respond
Arsenal legend Henry was surprised by Martinez’s comments and says they should have stayed within the dressing room or been delivered directly to Wilcox.
‘I’m not a coach anymore but I always say, whoever speaks like that, out. Keep that in the dressing room, it’s as simple as that,’ Henry said on CBS Sports.
‘That’s the only way it can work. You have to say those things to a person’s face… going through the press, I’m not really a fan of that.
‘I’ve seen people do that before to force a move for whatever reason. But I’m a believer that you tell people what you think of them to their face.
‘Sometimes after a game you will say things you might regret because of how upset you are, but you need to do that in the dressing room.’
Former Liverpool and England defender Jamie Carragher, meanwhile, said Martinez was ‘out of order’ and only creating more problems for struggling Manchester United.
‘This doesn’t do anybody any good at all, and they (the quotes) will be the story now for the next few days, all about this,’ Carragher said.
‘Every set of supporters don’t like the suits, the guys upstairs, so United fans will lap this up and think it’s great.
‘I think it’s awful that he’s come out and said that right now, I do. When he’s saying they had a fantastic season last season, they didn’t. A manager got sacked last season. Sacked.
‘They finished third because they had no cup games, they weren’t in Europe, got knocked out the cup competitions very early. Man United third. The reason they finished third is because Liverpool and Chelsea were that bad as well.
‘Now we’re seeing the real Manchester United this season. The reason why they didn’t buy players in the summer is because the last four or five years since Martinez has been there, I think they’ve been in the Champions League once – this season.
‘So if every season you don’t get Champions League money and every season Manchester United are spending £200million in the transfer market, sooner or later it has to stop because the money’s not there.
‘Because there’s a squad of players with different managers, they haven’t achieved anything. They’ve been awful, awful again tonight.
‘And him as well when he’s talking about the start of this season – I think he’s a good player, by the way, he’s a World Cup winner, I get that – he’s had an awful start to the season. Awful, really poor.
‘People will lap it up, Manchester United fans will, that doesn’t nobody any good at all… This will just be the talk of the town now. This will blow up, explode and I think he’s out of order.’
Manchester United, currently 12th in the Premier League after six games, return to action on Sunday with a trip to Elland Road to face Leeds United.
