Mansion Sports - Barcelona loanee Marcus Rashford has offered a candid reflection on why Manchester United’s glory days have faded into history.

Although still under contract with the Red Devils, the forward spent six months on loan at Aston Villa before joining Barcelona for the current season.

Speaking with Gary Lineker and Micah Richards on The Rest is Football podcast, Rashford discussed topics ranging from his adaptation to life in Barcelona and his preferred playing position to his assessment of Manchester United’s current state — the latter becoming the central theme of the conversation.

The Three Managers Who Shaped Rashford’s Career

When asked which managers had the greatest influence on his career, Rashford named his first three coaches at United: Louis van Gaal, José Mourinho, and Ole Gunnar Solskjær.

“For me, the most influential were probably Van Gaal, José, and Ole. It’s hard to compare, but they were the managers I had while I was developing, so their impact was greater,” Rashford explained.

“Van Gaal wanted his teams to play good football. Before José, I had never worked with a manager so obsessed with winning. If he had a choice, he would want the game to be beautiful, but if forced to choose, winning was everything to him.”

Rashford admitted that he initially struggled to grasp Mourinho’s philosophy. “In the academy, even if I won, if the performance was poor, I would still be angry because something was missing. José wouldn’t address that if we won, but if we lost, then he would talk about it. It took me six months to understand and appreciate his way of thinking, and I ended up learning a lot from him.”

Rashford’s Criticism of United’s Academy System

Rashford highlighted changes within United’s academy setup, which he believes have lost the consistency that existed under Sir Alex Ferguson.

“Back in Fergie’s time, the academy system was the same at every level, so by the time players were 15, they were already prepared for the first team. Now, if the system keeps changing, it becomes reactive. You can’t expect to win consistently that way,” he said.

He argued that occasional cup victories are not a measure of long-term success.

“You might win because you have a great coach, great players, and a strong team. But if we’re talking about restoring United to the top, how can that be achieved if the system keeps changing?”

Liverpool’s Model of Success That United Failed to Follow

For Rashford, United have been directionless since Sir Alex Ferguson’s departure, in stark contrast to Liverpool’s revival under Jürgen Klopp.

“People say United have been in transition for a long time, but to be in a transition, you have to actually start it. In my view, that transition hasn’t even begun,” he stressed.

“When Liverpool appointed Klopp, they stuck with him even when they weren’t winning right away. Now, nobody remembers those early years, because what matters is that they had a plan and stuck to it.”

Rashford criticised United’s managerial instability, saying, “United have changed managers too often, which ultimately leads nowhere — a grey area. It’s painful, not just as a player, but also as a United fan.”

Barcelona Debut Still Uncertain

Rashford could make his debut for Barcelona on Saturday evening at 19:30 CEST in an away fixture against RCD Mallorca. However, his registration as a new loan signing remains unresolved, with the club racing against time to ensure he can feature in the match.