Perry Groves has expressed his admiration for Manchester United boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer following his public defence of under-fire teenager Mason Greenwood.
The 19-year-old forward has come under increased scrutiny over the past month, after breaking COVID-19 protocols along with Man City’s Phil Foden during his first senior international break with England.
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Earlier this week reports also arose in the press claiming Greenwood has held talks with United over a lack of discipline – particularly his poor timekeeping.
Those claims were vehemently denied by Solskjaer on Friday as he spoke to the press ahead of United’s showdown with Chelsea on Saturday – which is LIVE on talkSPORT from 5:30pm.
The Norwegian said: “He’s always on time. I’ve seen the stories, actually some ex-United players talking about him and they don’t really know anything what they’re talking about because, well, we’ve got photographers outside the training ground every day so they can check the time every day.
“I don’t know where these stories have come and I’ve just got to say he’s got a good family behind him, he’s had a good background in the academy.
“He’s a good trainer, he trains really well, and I cannot believe all these stories about him not being professional.
“So, anyway, that’s something we have to deal with with many players, many other players at United have had that.”
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He continued: “You do [make a target for yourself] when you play well and I’m not concerned at all with Mason making a target of himself.
“He’s come in, he’s played fantastic, he played his first league game against Tottenham last season, was brilliant and just kicked on.
“Yeah, he’s made a mistake this summer with England and suddenly the whole English press go after him and that’s something we’ve got to look after.
“He’s a fantastic boy to work with. I have to disappoint you, he’s never, ever late for training, he’s never a problem when he’s in the training ground.”
Addressing the topic alongside Jim White on talkSPORT, Arsenal legend Groves defended Solskjaer’s stance: “I admire Ole Gunnar Solskjaer as it’s a really strong defence of his player in public, which is what you expect.
“I’d expect Solskjaer to defend his player – that’s what he’s doing.
“If there has been some discrepancies with Mason Greenwood turning up late, which we don’t know as we’ve got two different stories, so somebody clearly isn’t telling the truth.
“Either the journalist has made it up or he’s got a really good source; or maybe Ole Gunnar Solskjaer isn’t telling the truth?
“Either way it’s a sign to Mason Greenwood that he’s got Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s full support. ‘I am backing you up 100 per cent in public to protect you’. He’s protecting his young player which I get 100 per cent.
“If you were advising Mason Greenwood now you’d be saying make sure you’re professional in everything you do, so no-one can come at you.”
Groves believes the recent negative press surrounding Greenwood has been a ‘really harsh learning curve’ for the youngster, who has shone for United since making his first-team debut 19 months ago.
“We don’t know what has gone on with Mason Greenwood, whether he has been late or he hasn’t,” he explained.
“Would the journalists make it up? They are wrong if they have made it up; that’s unacceptable.
“Is there a mole in the camp? Is there someone leaking stories about Mason Greenwood?
“What I would say is what happened to him on England duty in Iceland was self-inflicted. He did get criticism and I think the majority of it was constructive.
“We don’t know how that has affected Mason Greenwood psychologically; we don’t know if he’s come back and he feels vilified – if he’s had up or down days. He’s a young man who is only 19.
“What I would say to Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is that if you have a young England player who has been lauded like Mason Greenwood – which he quite rightly has – your profile is going to rise after 17 goals last season.
“Solskjaer says he’s the best finisher he’s ever seen and he’s produced for the Manchester United first-team. You play for Manchester United and England – your profile is now that big that you are news. That is it.
“It doesn’t matter if it’s a parking ticket and you park somewhere you shouldn’t. You’re going to be national news.
“It’s a really harsh learning curve for Mason Greenwood if he didn’t know the type of situation he was already in.”
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