Bruno Fernandes on Manchester United's New Era, Breaking the Assist Record, and Michael Carrick, Presented by YETI: Men in Blazers 08/25/26

0:00You're listening to the Men in Blazers Media Network, Suboptimal Radio.

0:15It's a joy to welcome back. It's Mr Bruno Fernandes. Hello Rog. Bruno, we last spoke in April. Manchester United then won five of the last six games, qualified for the Champions League again. Now you're there, what's the new target for the season ahead? What's the minimum possible for Manchester United that will make you proud? For me, it's about winning every game. I don't want less than that. Every game we are included, we want to win it. We don't see it in another way. And I think this club can look away from that. And as a group of players, I think we have the ability of going to every game and face everyone with no fear.

0:48I want to talk about the season ahead. But we're going to touch upon loss for one moment. There were times, honestly, when it felt inevitable that you would bend the game to your will at the moment of your choosing. What did it feel like when you pulled your foot back to make an assist that was different? Did the defenders seem smaller? The passing lanes bigger? Did things feel different inside your mind last season? I said this many times, you know, like I don't think it's about my assists. I think it's more about the players scoring the goals. Because if you look at my game, it hasn't changed.

1:19I know players, people want to make it look that it's changed a little bit. but my creation, chances creator, whatever people want to call it, it was always one of the highest in the league. So the difference was that my teammates were on point scoring goals because that's what makes a player have an assist. But I think there's nothing more important than a player scoring a goal. Is that really what it is? In your mind, you're like, I could have had 21 every season, lads. Probably more, but more than happy to have my players scoring goals. What I want is my strikers to score goals. and obviously if I have the chance to make that for them to happen more often, I'll be very happy with it.

1:54Not because I would get the assists, but because they would get more goals. So let's talk about it. Nine goals, 21 assists last season. I think those translated to roughly 36 points won for your team. Can you point to words? What felt different about the role you play in Michael Carrick's midfield compared to the other setups that you played in? No, obviously before Michael came, I was playing a little bit deeper, more controlling the tempo of the game, getting the ball more deeper and obviously I was a little bit far away from the places where it's easier to create the chances because obviously in the last third it's much easier to create chances than when you're playing a little bit deeper.

2:28But obviously at the same time I think I was giving the space and the time for the other ones to create those chances and to give the ball to the strikers to score the goals. But the only thing that has changed is that the position where I was playing was a little bit higher and then obviously the dynamics of the team were also a little bit different because we were playing in a different system. What made probably us having more people into the box, more options to pass in the last third. The squad has reshaped again this off-season, steel and finesse for the young Brazilian Andre Santos. Yuri Tillemans has come in.

3:02Yuri player loves to receive the ball up high and early and Yuri Tillemans lives to do that with a single touch. Can you talk about the relationship that you've developed from these first couple of weeks playing together? What qualities stand out to you about Yuri? Juri, first of all, is a very experienced player in the Premier League, someone that's been here for so many years. He's a player that has huge qualities on the ball. Everyone knows about his passing range, but also finishing-wise, he's unbelievable. He has a very good catalogue of amazing goals from outside the box, something that we expect a lot from him to give us.

3:33But I think he's a player that brings us experience, brings us calmness in the midfield. someone that can pass the ball forward very quick and find the spaces and the gaps for the players in front to have time on the ball and make the decisions a little bit easier for us. And that's something amazing when you play with someone deeper that can do that. And then you touch on Andre that is someone very good at hunting the ball and give it very quick passing forward, breaking lines. I think both of them, if I'm not mistaken, were two of the highest last season in the Premier League for passings to break lines and that's very important for the ones that play ahead of them because it means that you will get the ball many, many times.

4:14You've said that for United to really challenge over all 38 games, what they really need is consistency, game in, game out, focus. How do you cultivate that, Bruno? Is it something that a squad can just train for or is it something that you have to acquire in different ways? If so, how? I think you need to acquire in different ways, but I think it needs to be in our mindset too. You know, every player needs to understand that winning one game is not enough. You know, like we have this first game now that's going to be a very tough one against the new promoted team. You know, the stadium probably will be buzzing because they're back to the Premier League.

4:49They're going to have the first game against Manchester United and probably will make it very difficult for us. So if you want to achieve something, the main goal for now is to win the first game. And then we have to put in our minds that winning one game is not enough. Winning two will not be enough. Winning three won't be enough. More games means more opportunities for United Academy products to make their claim. A lot of buzz. Pre-season performances by two 19-year-olds. There's the attacking force, Shane Lacey, defender Harry Amass. Who's going to be the breakout star of this Manchester United season?

5:21Is there a player we're not talking about right now, but you're seeing them fly in training? No, I think you spoke about the young players. We also have Jack and Tyler Fletcher. Them two have been great for us. They have huge qualities. Dan Harmer also is someone that's been doing very well. We have a lot of young players with the huge potential, but we can't burn them out straight away. We need to give them time, they need to play. I think they only will be good enough if they play, if they get time, if they get minutes. But at the same time, our squad is very strong and they need to earn their place in the squad.

5:53I think Shea Leiser came with a very different mentality this season in terms of laying off the ball. I think it's been great and it was one of the first things I said to him when I came back from vacation because I had to watch them three games and he was playing in the position I play where it demands a lot of running, of emotional intelligence to be covering spaces and helping the ones in front and he did that very well. Technical ability was never in doubt for him. He's an exceptional player. He has some very good abilities. I'm always joking with him because I've coached him doing my badges when he was under 14, I guess.

6:31So I was basically his manager for one day, me and Juan Mata. And I told him that Ed Wise is much better now than when he was 14. He's much more mature, he's doing very well. And training-wise, he's been very, very good, always on it. And I think that's the main thing that they all need to become part of the team and to play for the team is that they take every training session as a game. You're entering your eighth season in the Premier League. The past seven have been year after year of standard setting excellence. What's different about the player I'm sitting with today compared to the player who arrived here in Manchester January 2020?

7:06Nothing. He's still the same player with the same eager to win, to play, to enjoy the football. There's nothing changed. The only thing that changed is that the one that arrived here in 2020 was just arriving and this one is being here for longer. and the goals and everything that I set to my season every year is always the same. I don't change and it doesn't change by being here for a longer period or a smaller one. Nothing, really? Nothing. You're 31 years of age. We've seen athletes like LeBron, Michael Jordan, talk about how when they hit 30, started to adapt their game slightly, play to different strengths.

7:44You, nothing at all. Same, everything. Yeah, I play at the strengths the manager needs, to play and then if I'm not capable or able to do it, I need to step aside. I think every player needs to understand their timings, their moments. I think last season was very good but wasn't good enough because this season has to be better.

8:06What about mentally? Eight season, Old Trafford. What's the secret to keeping mentally fresh? It's looking back and seeing everything that you've achieved till now. How difficult it was to get into this place, how difficult it was to become a professional footballer, how difficult it is to be in a high level every day. But if you don't keep that, you won't be here. For me, it's about being the best as I can to keep myself playing with the best. And playing with the best is playing in the Premier League and playing for Man United. You've joined Manchester United January 30th, 2020, six and a half years later.

8:43What's the most Mancunian thing about you? that's that's not many things i would say i don't the only thing is like i like a lot to go to coffee shops now and i wasn't i wasn't very to be honest in portugal i would go but just for breakfast now at any time of the day i can go for a coffee and and that's something that i was i was not used to do i still don't have the english tea i can't i can't have that i can't mix water with with milk sorry and and then put the tea on uh it's not for me yet but at any time of the day tom eaton is always with one of those in his hand. But if he calls me for a coffee, I would always go.

9:17Maybe not that one, maybe a cappuccino, maybe something different, a latte, I don't know, but not the English tea yet. Coffee talk with Bruno Fernandes. Of your 108 assists for Manchester United, which is your favourite? I always say the next one, because I always want more and I always want better. But if If I have to choose one that I really like the most, I think I would say two because I always forget this one. Champions League against Leipzig for Marcus Rashford without looking at him. The line kind of ruined a little bit because he gave offside but then VAR gave the goal. And the other one is for Kobe in the FA Cup final against City.

9:58Because for the position I play, I think that assist is a lot about awareness, more than technique, more than quality of passing or whatsoever. And I think you need to be aware of your spaces, aware where your teammates are and aware of where is the right pass and the right timing for the pass and the right pace of the ball. So I think that too are very good. And that it was against City, just... I know no one's got higher expectations for Bruno Fernandes than Bruno Fernandes. So in nine months' time, if we were sitting here, what would you like to look back on this season and say Bruno Fernandes did what?

10:35Did better than last season. It doesn't matter on what. Basically, I want to do better in every single part of my game. I want to be a better version of myself every year that goes through my career. And my aim is always to do the most as I can to improve my game and myself because that's the only way I can improve the team and help them to become more successful. You've got a lot of football left to play, Bruno. But when you're done, what do you think your career will be remembered for? The distinct achievement. What would you like people to remember of you? Bruno Fernandes was a player who...

11:10I think the main thing I want is that people recognise me for everything I've gave to every club I was in. I've always left everything I could and tried to do my best of my capabilities and also mentally and physically always give everything in every game. because I think that for me is something that's non-negotiable. Then technically I can be good or bad in some games, but for me the effort, the willingness to win and to run and to be there every game for the team and for the club, it's always 10 out of 10. In the day I'm not very good technically, I will always have this in myself that if technically the things are not going so well, I need to give my best in everything as I always do and has to be always 10 out of 10 because technically sometimes you won't be 10 out of 10.

11:59Bruno, to you, to your team of Regarde. Thank you very much.