I suppose the question I have is “is there an evidence that players at City and pool get up to these sort of things, even in time off”. This is the second event in the last 3 months.
If more successful club players don’t do it and those squads frown upon it, then that suggests that it is part of the cultural issue at United.
If you find that most successful clubs (ones we aspire to be better then), have players who don’t engage in this sort of antics mid season, then it’s a question of professionalism. I expect the highest standards , not just because of his wages , but because we expect the highest standards from the players with the highest standing at the club.
A player doing something for enjoyment is not wrong per say. In many cases , once they are performing on the field, I don’t think anybody cares what they do. But social media enterprises and going out socialising bring the wrong attention. It doesnt matter that “he’s a lad enjoying himself”, the fact is that fans are his employer. People forget that, so fans have a right to be angry when it looks like an employee is taking the piss.
So I have no sympathy for players getting well remunerated , who make the silliest mistakes like this. It looks like a FU to United fans, like his stupid gesture after the goal. If he does neither, he brings no attention on himself.
Give me a squad of Paul Scholes every day of the week.