Luke Shaw is pushing to be Manchester United's starting left-back this season, but the 31-year-old has faced challenges at Old Trafford. In the summer of 2014, shortly after the World Cup, then-manager Louis van Gaal banished Shaw from pre-season training after the player reported back out of shape.
Van Gaal's strict regime
The no-nonsense Dutch coach removed Shaw from regular training and assigned fitness staff to give him a bespoke programme to get up to speed quickly. The 19-year-old at the time had no qualms with the treatment and even endorsed Van Gaal's extreme measure.
Shaw said then: "Obviously, I have seen that [what Van Gaal said], and it's something I totally agree with. To play in this formation [wing-backs], you have to be really fit. I am fit but I am not at the high level he demands. I have got to get fitter to get up and down [the wing]. It's something I have got to work on. I want and need the staff to push me on so they can do what they want. It will only help me in the long run."
Step up from Southampton
Shaw, who had joined United for £30million, admitted the size of the step from Southampton took him by surprise. He said: "It was a surprise. I didn't come into United thinking it would be much harder. That's something that I think I made a mistake on. I thought it was just going to be the same but it's the biggest club in the world and there are world-class players in training. That is something that is going to push me on and it’s something I am looking forward to doing."
Numerous managers have come and gone since then. Shaw, now 31, is the club's longest serving player and is looking to prove himself under Michael Carrick, who says the full-back will have an important role to play this season, even if he may not be a regular starter.
Carrick's view
Speaking in May, Carrick said: "Next season is a new season, there's different types of runs of games so that's part of adapting but then that's a little bit older and experience in knowing your body and managing things. He's at that stage now where he's got an awful lot of experience. He's been here for a long time, he knows the club, he knows what it feels like. He knows the ups and he's suffered some of the more challenging times. So next season I think his experience will be valuable, however many games he plays."
