Youri Tielemans: Rashford is the Opposite of What People Say | Carrick sees himself in me

0:00You're probably multitasking right now, right? Commuting, working out, crossing things off your list. Worth asking when check-in on yourself landed on it. Grow makes the booking part fast. The rest is between you and a therapist who actually gets it. Grow connects you with thousands of high-quality, licensed therapists across the U.S., offering both virtual and in-person sessions, nights and weekends. There are no subscriptions, no long-term commitments. You just pay per session. Grow helps you find therapy on your time. The therapist you want takes your insurance on Grow. Grow accepts over 125 insurance plans.

0:38Sessions average$21 with insurance and some pay as little as$0 depending on their plan. Visit growtherapy.com slash start now today to get started. That's growtherapy.com slash start now. Growtherapy.com slash start now. Availability and coverage vary by state and insurance plan. What surprised me most with him was his commitment. You know, there was such a big thing made out of him that he wasn't committed or wasn't in it for the right reasons or whatever. And you see the player coming in and it's completely opposite from what you hear. He was committed, he was doing the work, he was positive with everyone, you know, he was just a normal guy, you know.

1:25and then he brings his qualities to the team.

1:33Hey. How are you? How are you doing, man? All good. Second time today. I know, I know. Good to see you. You guys? Good to see you. How's things? All good. Smelling good? Yeah, thank you. Just had a nice spa. Spa? Spa day, yeah? Yeah. It was a hard session this morning, huh? Like, sharp session. Yeah, just sharp. That's what it's been like mostly, yeah. Not loads of running? No. What? What? You guys are going easy now, man. When you're coming back from the World Cup, you know, you don't do loads of running. You just chill. Chill. As long as you're still sharp anyway, isn't it? Yeah, yeah. Oh, good.

2:02Oh, it's mad, man. You enjoy being with our lads. You look like you're really happy being there. Yeah, honestly, I've spent 10 days at Carrington, and then now being here, you know, I feel like I've settled, and I've had my initiation song, so it's all good now. Whoa, whoa, initiation? What did you sing? I went for Ed Sheeran, Shape of You. Oh, wow. It's quite safe here. Yeah, yeah, safe, safe. A bit of rhythm. Everyone knows the words. Everyone knows the words. Good rhythm, you know, good vibe. So, yeah. I was thinking about when I was coming to see you. It was like, who do you know here? And I thought, Harry Maguire?

2:38Yeah, no, Harry. Obviously, Le Mans. Marcus. Marcus. I didn't know Johnny Evans. Johnny, yeah. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Played four and a half years with him. Yeah, yeah. What's it like seeing him as a coach? It's weird, huh? Crazy, isn't it? It's so weird. To be fair, he's just himself, so I think that suits him, you know. Being the assistant manager and being in and around the guys, he's very positive and he can add a lot to the young guys, you know, like mentality-wise, the way to defend, the importance of defending. Yeah, you need that, you need it. And he's a good team, he's a good defence. Yeah, he is, yeah.

3:12That's true. But yeah, it's been great, I think. It feels all natural, you know, as if it's been like that forever. Since you've come into the club, who's been the guys that have made even more an effort to make you feel at home? I know the squad looks really close like that, but individuals? I'd say the guy that texted me first was Bruno. Oh, wow. Captain. So as club captain, you know, it means a lot coming from him, you know, because as club captain, that's who you want behind you, you know. And then once I've seen everyone, everyone was just positive. So, yeah, it makes you feel welcome, you know, makes you feel wanted.

4:00And that's for a player that that means a lot, you know. Yeah, nice. Huge. I mean, listen, in an age of like leaks and social media, especially surrounding transfers, right? like this move came out of the blue, just bang like that. How did it come about? Obviously the club need to agree on fees and then the clause came up. So the clubs have to agree before that we can talk individually. So that's how it comes up. Was it a matter of days or weeks? No, it was days. Days? It was days. It happened very quickly. I was at the World Cup, so I wouldn't want to hear anything anyway. I was just focused.

4:37and then yeah after that it went very quickly. What was that just talk me through that feeling because I know that feeling and I know how I felt but just I'd love to hear it from you that feeling when your agent calls you and says listen man just sit down Man United at a table what's that feeling like? It's a great feeling it feels like you've accomplished something especially when I was younger Man United was the club you know worldwide they were winning everything well you and your teammates were winning everything so that's something that you aspire to and I must be honest I didn't expect it at all I was just very good at Villa I was comfortable playing well we were doing well with the team but when this comes up you have to think about it you know you have to yeah let them know that yes or no you know and it's it's a yes for me every day and and then take us back to that first conversation with the manager marlon carrick i mean play similar positions play similar ways dictators conductors played against each other played against each other but like what was that like everything felt natural everything felt yeah just just normal really he spoke about what he what he likes about me and he was very positive but also what i can bring to the team and how even i can improve and improve the team so i think that was a very good conversation and then yeah it all happened very quickly the clubs sorted everything out so I was very happy.

6:20So what are those things like? What are those things that you liked about your game? I'm really interested because I know how he thinks and how he played but in terms of what's he seeing in you, what is the things that he spoke about? Well I think he sees me in him a little bit in the way of controlling the tempo of the game, being very low grounded, low level, never... Deep you mean? Deep? No, I mean mentality-wise in the game always like very stable, balanced exactly. And I think he likes that about me, the fact that I don't get carried away too much or I don't go down too much. I always try to bring the best out of myself but my teammates as well and I can dictate what my teammates need to do.

7:07and also what's positive is that I can replicate what the manager wants from me. So if he asks me something, I can do it. I can add my qualities to it or twitch a little bit so that it brings to the team. And yeah, I feel very comfortable in that role. It's mad. I mean, this is why I actually love coming on the tour. I came last year and I'm a bit closer to it again this year. Yeah. Being behind the scenes at a training ground and just I never thought on if someone said to me about you, I would never have said he's a talker. But I watched you in the little games and you're communicating and pushing, pulling people around with words and communicating.

7:45And it's great to see that. And I think that element of control from the middle of the park is something we maybe lacked a little bit last year. We had some really good things. I think the element of control in football matches is something we like. That's where I think you're going to have a huge impact on the team this year. Yeah, well, I've learned from a young age that communication, especially in the middle, is very, very important. and you can win games just by communicating. Do you remember the COVID times? How you could hear the players and shouting? And I think that has an influence on the game as well.

8:20And then, yeah, in training, I think it's the best practice. In the game, sometimes it's hard because you can't really hear it with the fans and what's around you. But if you do it in training, then in the game, it's natural. No, definitely. I want to talk about your evolution as a player. You were an attacking midfielder as a youngster when you come in the team and you've slowly gone a little bit further backwards within the team to become a controller. Was that like a conscious decision or was that like a coach came up and said, no, no, we see you here, now adapt? No, it was more natural, I'd say.

8:54When I was younger in the U teams of Anderlecht, we never defended. We always had the ball. So I never learned how to defend. Because you're the best team. Because we were the best team and the best U teams against. I speak now with Nus and Mathes and under the Ajax, who was the best team technically. We beat them most times. But then when you get to the first team and it gets serious, you need to learn how to defend and that's how I learned. And then I found myself in that in between position, not too attacking, but not too defending either. So I'm very comfortable in that role. And I feel like at Villef with the manager, Unai Emery, we we learned a lot about defending and the importance of it.

9:43So, yeah, I think that's a step up that I made from from the last few years. Is that one of the things just on Unai Emery? Is that one of the things that he's great at? Is he is he good at implementing new things, new ideas and coaching them into players? Yes, he's he makes you believe that you can do everything and he's got his ideas and whether or not you like them you will accept it and you will do it and everyone just commits to him because it just works you know so that's great about him and that's why he's one of the best coaches. We were just talking about you as a kid there, you as a wonder kid I mean there's a lot of people get called wonder kids but you was a genuine wonder kid as a young player I think he was like the youngest player in belgian football to play in in champions league yeah um what what is that pressure like for me it's it's not really pressure for me the pressure was when i had to go back to school you know next day you play champions league and then next day you have to go back to school and write things down and still get your grades so for me football is yeah it's a game it's what i love to do and i just want to win games and it's positive pressure you know you i guess you know that feeling as well it's it's not bad pressure so i've i've always felt ready to play um and if anything it was the manager slowing me down you know so i always want to play more and to to show my qualities and on the pitch that's where i felt the best the best feeling I had was to play.

11:15And I asked you that really because I mean I watched training this morning and JJ Gabriel's there, he's 15 years old man, it's like crazy. I can't believe what I'm seeing right. And you've been in that situation as a young kid, 16, Champions League, like what would you be telling him, what are you telling him if you are about navigating this period of his career? I'd say absorb whatever you can you know. It's just learning, trying to learn from the best that are in training, to take the best out of everyone and then keep it for yourself, train, be pro, you know, try and do everything as good as possible, but enjoy yourself.

11:58That's the main thing, as long as he enjoys it and then he wants to learn and that's the main thing. The rest will come naturally, you know. What are the biggest challenges for these young kids now that are coming in around the team so young? I think the main things now, like you said, with social media, is not to get carried away. Just do your work, trust that everything will happen, do your work and then enjoy yourself on the pitch and that's it. Don't try and listen to people to try and hype you up or bring you down as well because that happens. They hype you up and then they bring you down as quickly.

12:34So just do your thing, enjoy yourself and work. we've got to talk about your midfield partners man because I always feel if you're going to win titles or big things the midfield has to work properly together and connect the front to the back etc your partners all offer something different it seems you've got Santos plays a little bit deeper looks more comfortable there you've got Kobe can play deep but can also go forward and beat the press Mason Mount is great in most areas as well Bruno Fernandes like tell me about your perspective of playing with him but also against him. Well against him he's a nightmare.

13:19Yeah because obviously he picks up all the right spaces that you don't want the opponent to pick up and he's so tidy on the ball he runs a lot so he's a competitor he wants to win for his team He never gives up. So all the positives that you don't want against you. But now playing with him is going to be very easy, you know, because he can pick up the right pockets and I can just find him there and then he can create whatever he needs to create. And from there we can we can move forward as a team, as a unit, you know. So yeah, hopefully we can we can do that together. I sat down with Bruno for one of these chats last season and he spoke about playing forward, like taking risk is an absolute must for Man United.

14:10Is that an attitude that you share? I saw against PSG that someone who passed you played forward, breaking the lines and stuff like that. Yeah, definitely. Because if you don't play forward, you can't go on and score goals. So you have to have that element of risk. Now, it's all controlled risk. The more you train on the passes, on the risk that you can take, the moment as well if you're wide open as a team. Unless it's an obvious pass, then control yourself, you know. But that's all things that you learn along the way. I've made mistakes, I've lost some balls where we can see that straight away.

14:47So it's all things you learn, it's part of the process and then it doesn't need to scare you though. that's something that I would tell a young Yuri as well is that everything happens for a reason and it's part of the process you know and just learn and move on again the PSG game I watched I mean it was Bruno's first game back one thing that gave me real confidence in you not that I wasn't confident anyway but it's just I saw you telling him you passed him the ball I think he passed it I think you were shouting to him shoot make sure you shoot I wanted the assist yeah but that confidence and that i'm premier league ready i'm experienced captain of belgium yeah those type of things mean a lot within a team structure you want to try and be successful yeah definitely i mean i'm i'm gonna tell everyone you know and it's not to to boss anyone around because no one likes that you know it's just to to try and help each other uh to try and take the the best decision and i felt that there he could have shot easily you know with his uh with his shot with his with his right foot he can he can easily score from there so yeah no i like that i sense that in the training so that's where with the guys i love that like little bit of go on i want a bit more for you yeah i mean a little bit of edge which is exactly yeah right man we've got loads still to come right on this pod but we'll be back shortly after this you're probably multitasking right now right commuting working out crossing things off your list worth asking when check in on yourself landed on it grow makes the booking part fast the rest is between you and a therapist who actually gets it grow connects you with thousands of high quality licensed therapists across the u.s offering both virtual and in-person sessions nights, and weekends.

16:34There are no subscriptions, no long-term commitments. You just pay per session. Grow helps you find therapy on your time. The therapist you want takes your insurance on Grow. Grow accepts over 125 insurance plans. Sessions average$21 with insurance and some pay as little as$0 depending on their plan. Visit growtherapy.com slash start now today to get started. That's growtherapy.com slash start now. growtherapy.com slash start now. Availability and coverage vary by state and insurance plan.

17:14Most of your work is done in the middle of the pitch. But I'm keen to kind of understand, where is most of your work going to be done? Is it going to be transferring the ball from the back line through the pitch? Or is it going to be connecting more with the forward players? bit of both I guess. It depends if it's build-up play or if we pin them down in their half you know. Yeah I feel good in both. I feel good when we have that build-up play to take that pressure on to open up spaces for the front line and then when we get there when we're in their half and we can keep the ball for a bit of possession and then trying to find the last pass I can do that as well or the pass before the assist that's one that's underrated in my opinion because to open up a defence doesn't mean that you're going to get the assist and in the end it doesn't matter.

18:10There should be a stat for that, isn't it? There should be, yeah. How do you look at dictating a match? I think like I played with someone like Paul Scholes who would later in his career would come really deep or to the side and really try and pull midfielders to him to then create that space behind what what is your way of trying to control a game well it depends because nowadays you you have a lot of different systems that you play against i'm not sure how it was back in your time whether it was man to man more zonal but a lot of teams now like psg they play man to man you know so it's you have to create space for your front line because at the end of the day you want to score and you want to get there as quickly as possible but if it doesn't happen then you have to be able to take on the pressure so it's it's a bit of both and then in the game you can feel what you need and where the spaces are so it's it's very hard to explain you just have to feel it in in the moment i'm not sure how it was for for him at the time whether yeah it was yeah no no it was like uh it was more like and that's interesting that you said because i a lot of pundits and people to watch the game now who aren't playing right now in the changing rooms feel that it's very much more structured game yeah more tactical players aren't maybe allowed to think as much but what you're saying is like yeah there's structure but there are times when you need to work stuff out yourself of course yeah that's good definitely well i think there's been a time yes where the game was very rigid but i think we we're coming out of it now and you see at the World Cup how games were a lot more open, there's been more goals than ever.

19:50And I think the manager here is one for it as well. Yes, there is structure, there is principles that we need to follow. But in the end, if we win the games, then he'll be open to everything, you know. So it's a balance that we need to find in between that. Someone who I think is really good at that, who can find ways to work things out himself is Kobi Meynou, another midfield partner of yours. What do you feel that he can offer the team alongside yourself in the middle of the park? From playing against him, I think he's got great strength on the ball. He can hold the ball forever. His technical qualities, he can receive the ball, turn.

20:30I think maybe an area from what I've seen that he can improve is making the right choice, the right weight of pass to play forward. And like I said, that's the process. He's still so young. He will learn so much throughout his career and I hope I can help him to learn all of those things. But yeah, if he can add that, then the sky's the limit. And on Andre Santos, yeah. I mean, a lot of people, he'll be a surprise package. A lot of people won't know about him because he's so young and he hasn't played as many games. As a holding midfielder, somebody who feels like he likes to play deep and tactically, defensively very good.

21:15What does he give you when you play alongside someone like him? It just gives you security, knowing that for whatever reason you're caught out and you're a bit too far in the offensive line, knowing that you have that guy behind you that will sweep everything up, I think gives you great confidence that you can attack with freedom. But also in a way it it makes you wanting to come back even more because you don't want to let him down. You know, so it's a it's a bit of both. And I like him a lot. And from what I've seen the last few the last week or so, yeah, he's been great. Even in the friendlies, you know, you can see how tidy is on the ball a bit deeper.

22:00but then like you said there defensively you can take everything. Yeah, that defensive role has become like a really important part in every team that's successful now. You look at Vettinia, you look at Rodri, the best teams or the most successful teams have a player like that who's at the top of their game. What makes an elite number six now? I think it's his vision of the game, leadership qualities as well to keep the others together there with you being able to control the tempo of the game. But yeah, you have to have the quality on the ball, you know, to be able to, like I said, receive under pressure, make sure you can find the forwards.

22:44And then when we defend to try and keep the team compact. Just taking you back to your time at Villa, you went into Villa and you, I think it took a few games, maybe 11 or so games for you to get into the team. Right. Then you get in and you never come out you never look back and a huge part of the success of that team for that period you're there how do you go about gaining the manager's trust because i think that's a huge part for any player that goes into a new squad yeah gaining that trust how do you go about doing that um i must say it was uh frustrating at the time because you want to play games you know and then um the team was doing well so i had no arguments you know the team was doing well We were winning most of our games.

23:25I think in that run there was like 15 home games that we've won in a row or something like that. And we were fighting for the top spot. So I decided to take the minutes that I was given, trying to make the most of it. And then it was also a process for me to learn the manager's tactics, what he expected from me and then finding the best possible position for me to fit into the team because the other guys were doing so well. So I was trying to be in, but yeah, it didn't happen. And then, yeah, at some point you have to have that bit of luck and to have that reference game to not come out of the team.

24:11And that's what I had. You know, in your time at Villa, Marcus Rashford came. Yes. What was his impact like at the football club and what does he bring to a team? Because he's back here now and I hope he stays. Yeah, he's got amazing qualities. And I mean, his touch, his acceleration, his finishing, you know, his qualities on the ball. But then I think what surprised me most with him was his commitments. You know, there was such a big thing made out of him that he wasn't committed or wasn't in it for the right reasons or whatever. And you see the player coming in and it's completely opposite from what you hear.

24:52He was committed, he was doing the work, he was positive with everyone, you know, he was just a normal guy, you know. And then he brings these qualities to the team and he just plays. and you can see in that PSG double leg how good he was and how he added at the time to the team. And yeah, we nearly got over the line against PSG and then won it. So yeah, we were very happy with him. And a player like Marcus, what does he need? Because attacking players need people behind them to supply. What does he need from like you, Bruno, Kobe, Santos to thrive? I think he needs us, that's it. I think he just needs support behind him.

25:42He would always create something so it's something that as a player you want in your team, you want that type of player in your team that can create at any moment. He can dribble past one, two, three players and then lay off for someone that can score. So to have him fit and ready to go with us would be great. I saw you were given the armband for the national team. Yes. And you've got Kevin De Bruyne in there. You've got Thierry Cortois in there. Huge, huge personalities, characters, huge experience. And you're the guy given that. And I think it's hugely important at a club like Man United to have as many leaders as possible.

26:20Yes, Bruno's the captain, but Harry's been the captain. You're captain of a national team now. Are you sitting there thinking like, I've come into it and you can feel that already? The amount of leaders that are around and does that fill you with a lot of confidence going into the season? Yes, definitely. Like you said, we've got a lot of big personalities, big egos, but positive. And if we all go the same way, it's going to be great. And I feel that it's coming. I feel that all the players are positive. We're all together playing games after dinner. Has anyone surprised you at how vocal they are here that you didn't anticipate before?

26:58Not really, no. At the moment it's everything I expected, so it's only been a short time. But yeah, I'm very happy with what I see and I'm very positive about it. Because when I watched Trainings Today, Brian Mbwema was really funny, man. I didn't realise. When I watched the games, I think he's a serious guy. Yeah. But he's quite funny. Yeah, he's serious when he needs to be, but then he's got good banners. So we always do a thing on our show, give me your best five-a-side team of players that you've played with. Okay, yeah. Goalkeepers are not included because they're not real players. Thank you.

27:32All right. You agree, I love that. I agree. For a defender to say that, it's tough. You protect them, man. What's going on? So your best ones you've played with? Wow. Vincent Kompany is up there. Why? just everything man everything leader he's a he's a leader he he backs it up by playing well he's got tremendous quality and for me to grow up as a young anderect fan he was the guy that all the youngsters would look up to because he was one of the first ones from the academy to come up to the first team with the first team being the best team and competing against the best clubs in the world so he was one guy that we'd look up to.

28:21Yeah, definitely. So yeah, him at the back. How many defenders? Yeah, I take one defender. Well, I have to put Kevin De Bruyne and Eden Hazard in there. Give me something on Kevin. How good is this guy? What's so great about him? I must say they are different but similar in a way him and Bruno because they can pick up pockets. They seem to always make the right decision at the right time. Everything is just clean and right and they're both leaders, they want to win, they have the right mentality and they bring the whole team with them. So, and then, yeah, technically, you know, they can do everything.

29:10So, yeah. Eden? Eden. This guy, man. I can go out. Was he that good, yeah? Yeah, he was too good. Yeah? He was too good. I don't think I've ever seen that in my life. Wow. To play with him was, you know, such a joy. And then, you know, when as a midfielder, you're under pressure and you just give him the ball when you know he's got three people. It's not the right pass to make, but it's Eden. I'll give it to him, you know. Just do your thing. He just does his thing, dribbles past those three, and then, yeah, it was crazy. And especially, you know, 2018 World Cup. That was top. That was unbelievable.

29:53Top. Yes. So to have experienced that, it's, yeah, it's great. Okay. That's three. And then Romelu Lukaku up front. Big Rom. Big Rom. also like big brother you know very very humble very very human always trying to to improve everyone the young players i don't think he gets the respective deserves no i don't think so unfortunately i don't think so it's a shame because he's such a great guy you know and every player that he's played with will tell you the same thing he's like a big brother you know He wants to make you feel good, improve you in a good way. He's very demanding on the pitch. He can be very vocal, very frustrating, but it's always in a good way.

30:42You know, when you get to know him, he's like, like I said, a big brother and he always tries to take care of you. And yeah, yeah, I think he's like you said, he's not, he hasn't got the best from everyone. but it's a shame because he's a great guy. And then I had Jamie Vardy in there. Jamie Vardy, yeah. Leicester Times. Leicester Times. Yeah, it was good because I had a very special connection with him. He always knew when to go into the space. He was very clever as a striker, very funny. And yeah, we had a very good relationship. So yeah, that was my team. I like it. So that's that. Kompany, De Bruyne, Eden Hazard, Romelu Lukaku, Jamie Vardy.

31:33Yeah. It's not bad if I like that. Yeah, it's very offensive though. Yeah, offensive. That's direct. But yeah, those are guys that I would say they had an impact, big impact on myself. Obviously, there's been a lot more, but those were the best ones. Did you guys always see a manager in Vincent Kompany? because he's done so well in such a short space of time it was a yeah it's funny actually because i thought he was always a manager anyway you know when we had those meetings and then sometimes maybe you know a meeting can get longer and longer and then you have that guy actually coach you know he was that guy oh no i think we should do this or we should do that You're like, oh Vinny, come on, please.

32:24And yeah, no, but it's important, guys. Yeah, okay, okay. So yeah, he was that guy actually, but in a good way. And then on the pitch, very demanding, you know, so sharp in training. You know, that old mentality, you know, like, yeah, you just go. So just finally to wrap up, what's your hopes for the season now? You're a Man United player, you've got an emblem on your chest. What's your hopes for this season? Well, obviously my hope is like any footballer, we want to win. But it's a process. We have some new players like myself. We have the group that did very well towards the back end of last season and achieved to get the Champions League.

33:05And I think that was a big step in a positive way. But now we got to do it again and starting in 10 days against Hull City. It's the first game and And we've got to take it step by step, being consistent throughout the season. And hopefully towards March time, we can hopefully be up there and fight for something. But it's going to take time, ups and downs, like in every season. But we've got to try and keep it as smooth as possible and hopefully be there. Well, I'm hoping that for you personally, some big goals. I saw two finals, two opening goals and two cup finals. If you can bring that to the table here.

33:45gotta get to the final yeah this will be good all right yeah that'd be amazing good luck my man great to see you great to speak to you thank you the best luck thank you very much thank you so much man appreciate your time man thank you top man i'm good genuinely want you to do well man so thank you good yeah it'll be good you are you is very similar to michael balance not too high not too low is that's exactly when they asked me about him earlier i said exactly what you said like he's not too high he's not too low and he sees himself in you I'm sure so it's good man yeah it'll be good times yeah definitely I'll see you around thank you so much take care

34:42Thank you.