Martial Number Change Fallout
- Thread starter Rozay
- Start date
Dont see what the fuss is about. Zlatan is world known and will sell the 9 shirt to every corner of the earth in tons. I still beleive one the main reasons we signed him was purely for marketing purposes. Martial on the other hand in nowhere near as marketable or well known as Zlatan. He should wear the 11 shirt and be quiet. He still has a lot to do and prove before he starts moaning about shirt numbers.
Yes and players are very able to rebrand themselves. As I've shown in my very relevant post. Martial should be honoured the club have invested a huge amount of money & development into him as a player, not to mention the honour of wearing the iconic no11 shirt.
Seems certain fans think he should rightly be offended, without actually knowing his true feeling or knowing the circumstances behind the shirt change.
Please provide evidence to back up that statement. I've seen none thus far on this thread. I'd wager Martial doesn't even manage his own Facebook page.
His IG, or Tweeter, whatever, said so.
I am highly skeptical that our management would be so amateur that Martial number was changed without his consent, apparent reports of Martial's displeasure over the number change could be simply construed as Martial's camps subtle attempt to initiate talks about upgraded contract.
It isn't that he is changing numbers that probably pissed him off.
It is that the club didn't inform him (if true). There is a big diff imo.
It is that the club didn't inform him (if true). There is a big diff imo.
I don't care what anyone says, if it's true that Zlatan called Martial's mum from Iraq, accusing her of being a Nazi - then that is completely unprofessional. Rude too - and we simply cannot stand for that sort of behaviour at this football club.
I heard it was Jeremy Corbyn that put him up to it.
Don't understand why Ibra didn't do what Van persie did. Take the number which another league title would take us to stupid from United I can see where Martial is coming from he's just set up a whole franchise based on AM9 id be pissed to especially as Martial was by a distance our best outfield player last season.
I personally think the Premier League should adopt the 1-25 like they have in La Liga. Never been a fan of players having nicknames on their back neither, like Bebe for example, you're a grown man and you have baby on the back of your shirt.
Whywould he do that? I mean seriously
Ah there you have to look up the famous Aurier incident. Aurier said Blanc was a "faggot" and let Ibramovic do whatever he wanted.
Nothing story that the media decides to run with and exaggerate.
Exactly! I mean, who does that? He is clearly a psychopath. Or possibly a sociopath. Could be a telepath too - but then, why call her?
Is that the guy who had off the pitch problems?
wait wait, what ?
Sure, it matters to some small extent, but the Ronaldo and Beckham examples show how trivial it is in the grand scheme of things. At that time they were the world's most marketable player and they changed number - reluctantly or otherwise. People might kick up a fuss about it but it's an incredibly minor thing. In Martial's case, he doesn't even have a "brand" yet so if he's anything more than a little disgruntled then to call the reaction childish would be a huge understatement. I suspect it's just media bluster. Easy to make up a story about it.
Even if we sell him (even bouhafsi said he doesn't want to leave), we will sell him to another club and Wenger will come out with his 'I could have signed martial in 2016' line as usual
what a stupid and disrespectful thing to do by the club if true.
i mean i understand zlatan wants the 9 and i'm pretty sure martial would have been ok with it anyway. but you cant just strip him off his number without even asking. zero respect shown.
i mean i understand zlatan wants the 9 and i'm pretty sure martial would have been ok with it anyway. but you cant just strip him off his number without even asking. zero respect shown.
Zlatan should have taken a number which matched his age.
It's not like he will hand in a transfer request or anything but I understand if martial is a bit pissed.
He's a is striker, the number 9. Silly as it sounds, it can matter and especially to strikers. Remember Batistuta taking the 9 off montella and Ronaldo the 9 off zamorano against their will? They were pissed.
I fully understand if he sees it as the club devaluing his position. Especially when he is not even consulted.
He'll get over it though.
He's a is striker, the number 9. Silly as it sounds, it can matter and especially to strikers. Remember Batistuta taking the 9 off montella and Ronaldo the 9 off zamorano against their will? They were pissed.
I fully understand if he sees it as the club devaluing his position. Especially when he is not even consulted.
He'll get over it though.
I'm not saying they're associated with one number their entire career. I was arguing the point that it isn't foolish to brand yourself with a squad number. Please read the posts properly.
Good move. Martial will be off to Madrid anyway in 2 - 3 years time, whereas Zlatan will be in Manchester for longer.
lol
lol
Aurier has problems everywhere, on the pitch, off the pitch but you can't get away from the fact that this is what he said for all of the world to hear. At the end of the day he's still at PSG and Blanc has been dismissed albeit with a pay off of 22 million €. I mean the club really must have had a reason for wanting to get rid of him mustn't they. A 22 million € manager pay off is a fairly rare thing I'd imagine.
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Catch a fecking grip
So wait, is this story real? What's the matter?
His one-week old brand must have taken a serious hit from this.
I would have much preferred Ibrah to get the number 7.
That makes it worse if anything.. Proves he had no idea. If the club consulted him, he could've held off on the launch and just launched as AM11.
Are those of you who say that he should suck it up/get over it, "it's just a number", intentionally missing the point?
Come on now, you realize that it's not about that at all, right? Martial could have any number and it would be fine, it is not about the number itself. It is about what the number change implies. It is just a show of utter disrespect. "Zlatan came here, he is entitled to pick any number he wants, even if it is yours, because you are seconary to him. Frankly, we just do not care about you as much as we care about Zlatan, so we will give him the number he wants, even if you want it too. Your wishes are not treated like Zlatan's wishes, he has priority over you". This is LITERALLY what this change signifies.
It is not about who is more skilled. I am pretty sure that Martial himself knows that Ibrahimovic is much more experienced and probably a more well-rounded player, since Martial is still very young. This is about feeling valued and respected. Up until now, the 9 was Martial's number - it is his, why would you take it away from him? It is unimportant whether he not he ACTUALLY cares about the number, the fact is that he MIGHT POTENTIALLY have a special bond to the number that he picked for himself when he came. Therefore, taking the number away from him could hurt him emotionally, even if it is stupid - and the clubs knows it. The fact that they still do it without asking him first shows that they frankly did not care enough about Martial's feelings, they'd rather placate Ibrahimovic.
All in all: The number was Martial's. We don't know if Ibrahimovic insisted on getting the #9 or if United wanted him to get the #9 for marketing reasons, but the fact of the matter is - taking a number away from a player might hurt/annoy him. Not asking him whether that is the case shows disrespect, and that that the decision makers clearly care much, much less about Martial's opinions than Zlatan's.
This is crazy. I did not think Utd would do this; at my club, we don't even take away numbers from fringe players - Hofmann had the #7 for two years and we did not ask him to take a different number. It was about showing to him: You might not be a first 11 player right now, but we value and respect you just as much as anybody, you get your fair chance, and if you play better than the others, then you'll get selected.
If I were Martial, I'd read this move as: "We settled for Ibrahimovic as our focal point of attack, we'll build around him and market him as our man. Even if you outperform him, we just care more for Ibrahimovic, so - sorry, but you cannot be our star/best player/first choice striker.", because it means that undoubtably, Ibrahimovic's needs and requests come first, and Martial gets what is left.
Come on now, you realize that it's not about that at all, right? Martial could have any number and it would be fine, it is not about the number itself. It is about what the number change implies. It is just a show of utter disrespect. "Zlatan came here, he is entitled to pick any number he wants, even if it is yours, because you are seconary to him. Frankly, we just do not care about you as much as we care about Zlatan, so we will give him the number he wants, even if you want it too. Your wishes are not treated like Zlatan's wishes, he has priority over you". This is LITERALLY what this change signifies.
It is not about who is more skilled. I am pretty sure that Martial himself knows that Ibrahimovic is much more experienced and probably a more well-rounded player, since Martial is still very young. This is about feeling valued and respected. Up until now, the 9 was Martial's number - it is his, why would you take it away from him? It is unimportant whether he not he ACTUALLY cares about the number, the fact is that he MIGHT POTENTIALLY have a special bond to the number that he picked for himself when he came. Therefore, taking the number away from him could hurt him emotionally, even if it is stupid - and the clubs knows it. The fact that they still do it without asking him first shows that they frankly did not care enough about Martial's feelings, they'd rather placate Ibrahimovic.
All in all: The number was Martial's. We don't know if Ibrahimovic insisted on getting the #9 or if United wanted him to get the #9 for marketing reasons, but the fact of the matter is - taking a number away from a player might hurt/annoy him. Not asking him whether that is the case shows disrespect, and that that the decision makers clearly care much, much less about Martial's opinions than Zlatan's.
This is crazy. I did not think Utd would do this; at my club, we don't even take away numbers from fringe players - Hofmann had the #7 for two years and we did not ask him to take a different number. It was about showing to him: You might not be a first 11 player right now, but we value and respect you just as much as anybody, you get your fair chance, and if you play better than the others, then you'll get selected.
If I were Martial, I'd read this move as: "We settled for Ibrahimovic as our focal point of attack, we'll build around him and market him as our man. Even if you outperform him, we just care more for Ibrahimovic, so - sorry, but you cannot be our star/best player/first choice striker.", because it means that undoubtably, Ibrahimovic's needs and requests come first, and Martial gets what is left.
I can understand why Martial would be pissed due to his clothing line being under that number. But really shouldn't his lawyers have covered this with the club, that his number shouldn't be changed? If this causes a legitimate fallout then thats just a shroddy way to leave then. I geuninely do not think Martial is ecstatic to be in Manchester, not that it has anything to do with the club or city, but just his personal issues like his missus leaving him. Would suck if he left.
Why not ask the new management first if he is keeping his number, before starting up a brand....
He probably thought that he'd be consulted before having his number taken from him?
If the club hadn't told him he was changing, then it's shit. And that is what the issue is here, a seeming lack of communication.
I am really not worried about Zlatan taking #9 and Martial ending with #11, I am worried how Januzaj will react..
Oh come on, his missus left him because he's been tupping a reality TV "star". They're even putting their holiday photies about on social media now. You can't claim to be pissed off about something like that when you caused the problem anyway. I really don't care about his shirt number myself, I do care about Zlatan imposing his whims and caprices regardless on the club as he has a previous record of doing.
Embarassing I saw everyone having a Twitter having meltdown.
11. Makes sense he plays predominantly on the Left-wing. It's Giggs shirt so should be happy to wear it.
But I do think this whole is being blown way out of proportion. One Journalist said something and everyone went OTT. Relax it's just a shirt He'll get over it if he truly is upset.
11. Makes sense he plays predominantly on the Left-wing. It's Giggs shirt so should be happy to wear it.
But I do think this whole is being blown way out of proportion. One Journalist said something and everyone went OTT. Relax it's just a shirt He'll get over it if he truly is upset.
Who cares, he'll be here for about another week or so.
It's normal practise. How many times do you see clubs randomly take a number off a player and giving it to someone else.
I don't understand how people can't see the issue here.
Basic decency dictates you inform the player that he's losing his number.
No one is suggesting Martial wants to leave. In fact, the guy who broke the story says Martial hasn't even thought about leaving. It's just rude from the club.
It makes sense. But the club absolutely should have informed him. It's common courtesy.