Former Premier League manager Tim Sherwood has issued a public apology to Manchester United forward Benjamin Sesko, retracting his previous harsh criticism of the player's abilities. Sherwood had previously stated that Sesko was "not good enough to play for Man United" and should "never wear a Man United shirt again" following a match in January.
Sesko's Impressive Form Sparks Retraction
The apology comes after Sesko's recent run of excellent form for Manchester United, where he has become a key player under interim head coach Michael Carrick. The Slovenian international recently scored the winning goal in United's victory over Crystal Palace at Old Trafford last weekend, demonstrating his growing importance to the team.
Statistical Turnaround
Sesko now boasts nine goals across all competitions this campaign, with four of those coming in his last five Premier League appearances. This scoring form has been instrumental in United securing six victories from their last seven matches, marking a significant turnaround in the team's fortunes.
The striker was signed last summer from RB Leipzig in a deal worth £74 million (€85 million), arriving as one of four summer signings alongside Matheus Cunha, Bryan Mbeumo and Senne Lammens. His initial performances had drawn criticism, but recent weeks have seen a dramatic improvement in his contributions.
Sherwood's Original Criticism
Sherwood's initial assessment came following United's 2-2 draw with Burnley in January, where Sesko scored twice but couldn't prevent his team dropping points at Turf Moor. Speaking on Sky Sports on January 7, Sherwood said: "I think the positive is Sesko scoring two goals. Hopefully he gets some confidence from that. He's took six months to turn up at Man United."
He continued with stronger criticism: "I had him off the pitch at half time, never wear a Man United shirt again. I stand by what I say, he's not good enough to play for Man United. He's turned up for one game against Burnley who are going to get relegated."
The Public Apology
Nearly two months later, Sherwood has completely reversed his position. Speaking on the No Tippy Tappy Football podcast, the former Tottenham Hotspur manager explained: "I based my assessment on the Benjamin Sesko I saw playing under Ruben Amorim – a striker who didn’t want to stand up and take a penalty at Grimsby. Even the staunchest Man United fans will admit that he wasn’t living up to expectations last year."
Sherwood admitted: "I originally thought he’d turn out exactly like Wout Weghorst did and be another failed signing for the Red Devils, but I’ve been proven wrong and I owe him an apology!"
Carrick's Transformative Influence
The former manager credited interim head coach Michael Carrick with Sesko's dramatic improvement. "Michael Carrick has completely transformed Sesko and he’s now playing to his strengths," Sherwood stated. "He’s puffed his chest out, scoring great goals and scaring defenders with his pace. He’s a different player to what he was a few months ago under Amorim."
Sherwood particularly praised Sesko's impact as a substitute: "As a substitute, he's coming off the bench with attitude and impacting games, which is a manager’s dream for a striker." This represents a complete reversal from his earlier assessment that the player wasn't worthy of the Manchester United shirt.
The public apology highlights how quickly perceptions can change in football, with Sesko's recent performances forcing a respected pundit to reconsider his earlier judgment. The striker's nine-goal tally and match-winning contributions have silenced critics and established him as an important figure in Manchester United's attacking options.
