Simon Jordan has delivered an emphatic response to Harry Maguire’s leadership claim in reference to Manchester United – insisting they don’t have one within their entire club.
Speaking ahead of Wednesday’s Champions League clash at Istanbul Basaksehir – which is LIVE on talkSPORT 2 – the Red Devils skipper came out fighting in defence of the squad after stinging criticism from club legend Roy Keane.
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Maguire, who cost United £80million from Leicester last summer, insisted the team has a ‘lot of leaders’ in the wake of Sunday’s 1-0 defeat at the hands of Arsenal.
But speaking on Wednesday’s White & Jordan show, the ex-Crystal Palace owner was having none of it all and was in total agreement with Keane.
“There isn’t any leaders in that side,” Jordan said. “We can all be leaders. Of course leaders come under question when it comes to negative results, that’s obvious, Harry, because it doesn’t come under question when you’re winning bloody games, does it?
“That’s when you judge leadership and judge the character of people in adversity.
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“And what Roy is calling out at Manchester United is when the going gets tough who stands up? Who leads? Both in performance terms, in vocal terms, in example terms, in every aspect of what you define a leader to be.
“Because of the times we live and the nature of the way people see the world now leadership is very different to what it once was before.
“If you’re now a leader, in certain respects, you’re a dictator, a bully or overly aggressive.
“When in fact those characteristics of demanding respect, commanding respect, dragging your colleagues with you whether they want to or not are part and parcel of being a leader.
“In sporting terms it probably embodies it more than any other walk of life. Roy Keane is right to call out the lack of leadership.”
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Maguire was named Manchester United’s permanent skipper in January 2020 – just five months after joining the club – but Jordan claims he’s witnessed nothing to suggest the 27-year-old is a leader.
He continued: “Harry Maguire’s representation of leadership… he gives you no examples of it. Who are these purported leaders that are in their dressing room?
“You’re [Jim] not seeing it, I’m not seeing it, we damn well didn’t see it against Tottenham, we haven’t seen it many times this season with Manchester United, we haven’t seen it over the last 18 months.
“I don’t think we’re seeing it in their dugout, we’re not seeing it in their boardroom, so which part of Manchester United are we saying is infused with leaders?”
Jordan was the chairman of Crystal Palace for 10 years and also gave an insight into how he led proceedings at Selhurst Park.
He explained: “If the only way you can lead is to vent your spleen at somebody [then you’re no leader].
“If you’re going to give somebody a telling off then you need to understand how that person receives it otherwise what’s the point of doing it?
“Everybody needs a different dynamic. Some people need an arm around their shoulder, some people need a kick up the jacksy.
“Some people need support, some people need guidance. And if you’re a one-dimensional leader you’ll only get one outcome.
“My style of management was to look at the situation. If people needed their minds concentrated, they got it. If they needed to be supported and given an opportunity [I gave them them that].
“I didn’t waste my time with people, but by the same token I gave people an opportunity to find their feet within whatever confines of the management structure I wanted them to be.
“And that’s [what you call] proper management. It’s not just shouting at people.”
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