Richard Buxton: Red Devils regressing under Jose
Rashford in danger of becoming another talent not fulfilling his potential under Mourinho
Nothing good ever truly prospers under Jose Mourinho's watch. Sooner rather than later, what was once cautious nurture turns into outright neglect.
Marcus Rashford became the latest victim of the Special One's tough love as Manchester United slumped 1-0 to Chelsea in the FA Cup final yesterday morning (Singapore time).
Belatedly, Mourinho may have to finally accept that his way is no longer the right way.
Dual silverware clouded any judgment of his debut campaign in the United hot seat, but there is no longer a hiding place from the pronouncements which ultimately stalk his tenures.
One of Old Trafford's former rising stars was once famously asked where it all went wrong.
For George Best, a bellboy at the door of his hotel suite posed the question while Rashford's realisation manifested itself in the form of a 73-minute ordeal on Wembley's hallowed turf.
For the majority of his outing in United's final shot at silverware this season, the striker toiled listlessly. All the vital ingredients appeared to still be there, just not in any logical order.
Rashford should be heading to the World Cup as England's great hope. Before Mourinho, he appeared destined to challenge Tottenham's Harry Kane for the top spot in his nation's forward line this summer.
Plenty has changed since that neck-and-neck battle of 2016.
Since the Red Devils forward was the toast of both Manchester and the EPL, he has become a victim of his manager's classic politicking.
Mourinho publicly singled Rashford out as a poor alternative to Romelu Lukaku after he led the line in a defeat by Brighton earlier this month.
MISMANAGEMENT
He is not alone. Anthony Martial is expected to leave the Theatre of Dreams after regressing as another supposed wayward son of United's attack.
Even a previously faultless Lukaku no longer escapes criticism after Mourinho's series of veiled references to his lack of match fitness.
It is a far cry from a time when healthy competition between strikers culminated in the club's legendary Treble-winning season. Mourinho, however, does not possess either Sir Alex Ferguson's Midas touch or even a basic foresight that would appease United supporters.
They no longer party like it's 1999 at Old Trafford.
This may be their most exciting team since Ferguson retired five seasons ago, but it remains far from a vintage offering.
Perennially playing catch-up remains preferable to taking a head-start.
The Portuguese coach has done it countless times before, notably as his side overturned two-goal deficits against Manchester City and Crystal Palace in the final weeks of an otherwise forgettable campaign.
Rashford is suffering for the same reason that Best suffered his own fall from grace. Severe mismanagement is a striking parallel between the pair's polar opposite career paths.
One reached the top before faltering while the other risks not even being allowed to get started.
Less than half of his 35 outings in the EPL this term came in the form of starts. His moment as an impact substitute and occasional bit-part player has long gone. Yet his manager's continued mistrust of aspiring youth has turned his boy's own dream into a nightmare.
That apprehension already threatened to derail several of Europe's top prospects, only for Mohamed Salah and Kevin de Bruyne to drag their careers away from a Mourinho-shaped cliff edge.
For Best, the only way was down. Without intervention, Rashford is heading the same way.
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