Former Manchester United goalkeeper Roy Carroll has accused the current crop at Old Trafford of lacking fight under new boss David Moyes. Carroll watched his Olympiakos team-mates inflict a damaging 2-0 Champions League defeat on his old club last week. And he believes the players have been shirking responsibility since the retirement of Sir Alex Ferguson. The 36-year-old, speaking to Sky Sports in Nicosia ahead of his Northern Ireland sides friendly against Cyprus, said: (The first-leg win) was a shock for a lot of press people but the players knew themselves they had a chance. We watched a lot of Premier League games this season and knew United had not been performing. On the night when I was watching it live from the stands, Ive never seen a Manchester United team like it. Theyve got good players but they had no hunger, no fight in the team so it was a shock in that way but not a shock the way we played. The goals we got were well deserved. At the end of the day you can be a good player but you have to give 100 per cent and give everything. For me Manchester United didnt give that and looked like they had no hunger and fight for the game. I dont know if they thought they would get an easy game but no professional should go into a football match and think that. United have struggled for form since Moyes took the reins in the summer and Carroll, who spent four years at Old Trafford between 2001 and 2005, reckons the departure of a man in charge for 26 years has precipitated a change in attitude. They might have slacked off since Sir Alex left, its football, he added. People have their routines. You cant do that in the Premier League. Its a big league with top and bottom teams fighting for points and you have to be prepared every game. United will seek to keep their quarter-final hopes alive at Old Trafford on 19 March and Carroll admitted his team-mates expect a tough second leg. Were happy and everyone in Greece is happy because it was a fantastic result for us but the game isnt over yet, he said. We know United are a great team and know what respect to give them. Theyre going to be a different team at Old Trafford. Its only half-time but the good thing for us is that we havent let an away goal in so its a good result for us keeping a clean sheet and a lot of pressure on Manchester United. Hopefully we can keep them out, zero-zero at half-time and the fans will start getting on their backs. You never know in football. Carrolls comments were echoed by another former United goalkeeper - Peter Schmeichel, who feels a number of players have not pulled their weight this season. Schmeichel spent eight seasons at United during the 1990s, winning five Premier League titles and was also a member of the squad that clinched the Treble in 1999. Talking to Sky Sports News, he said: I think David is a great choice. Hes shown hes got the pedigree, hes got the ability, he can stay in a place for a very long time - he showed that at Everton. At United, we want our managers to stay a long time but this year has been really tough on him. Hell learn a lot about himself, everyone will learn a lot about him and he will come out a lot stronger. I think he needs to sign a few players - how many I dont know! But I think, equally important, he needs to offload a lot of players. Theres a lot of players there Im very disappointed with. To be a Manchester United player, that carries a responsibility. You fight, never give in, even on days when its not happening for you, you still have to try. But Ive seen, throughout the course of this season, some players who havent done that and this disappoints me. I think he will have learned who he can trust and who he cant trust. And this summer, I think youll see a lot of players leave the club.
Posted on: Wed, 05 Mar 2014 11:22:43 +0000