Ian Holloway has demanded that Bruno Fernandes be stripped of the Manchester United captaincy. The Red Devils skipper hit out at the side's approach under Michael Carrick during their heavy Champions League defeat to Como in midweek.
That appeared to have had serious consequences for Fernandes, who was named as an unused substitute in Sunday's reverse at the hands of Bournemouth.
Holloway's criticism
Former Blackpool and Crystal Palace boss Holloway has now offered his take and suggested that the Portuguese playmaker should have the captain's armband taken from him.
Speaking on Football Uncensored, he said: "Your club captain should be a leader and Man United used to have fantastic ones and they were big enough to take it. This lad is a good player, a very, very good player but as a person, I've seen him cheat time and time again.
"I've seen him kick someone, get him sent off… No Man United captain should ever do any of that, honestly, he doesn't deserve that shirt.
"The fact is he came in and he managed to play well for that football club, which a lot of people can't. They don't wear that shirt. They're not strong enough to wear that shirt. The expectation that it brings but he is not captain material, not in a million years. He will not lead anyone. He throws his arms in the air and he blames everyone."
Carrick's response
Holloway added: "Yeah, he should be. I'd rip it off him. I'm not saying he's not a good player…The manager should not be undermined by players who aren't trying hard enough.
"And how can you not try hard enough when you pull on a Manchester United shirt? Do you not take into consideration how lucky you are to be even breathing in that air that was Man United?
"You had to earn that shirt years ago. All of these people, honestly, they wouldn't have got in any one of the squads that Sir Alex built."
Carrick spoke out on the situation at the weekend and claimed his decision to leave Fernandes out was purely for footballing reasons. He said: "He's fit and available but we decided to pick the team that we did today. Unfortunately for everyone we didn't manage to get the right result. We want to push forward and create more, we could've done certain things but not enough really and that's pretty clear."
