Bonus One on One! Maguire on life under Carrick and the Manchester derby

0:03Obviously this club is scrutinised, a lot of eyes on it all the time analysed and a lot of people can lose a little bit of energy within that. Michael's played here, he's obviously performed in unbelievable teams and he's been a magnificent player so he knows what it's like to win here and what you need in a team and a group of people and a group of staff and I feel like he's brought a lot of energy to this week and I think the players have brought him to it. Hello, I'm Juliet Farrington and you're listening to One on One from Sky Sports. I've just been talking to Harry Maguire at the Manchester United Training Ground.

0:37It's been an early start for a Friday morning, but 17 games left for Manchester United this season. That's all there is, as Michael Carrick and his team try and bring some sort of stability and also some kind of success between now and the end of the season. Manchester City, of course, up next, a big Manchester derby on Saturday lunchtime, followed by Arsenal. You can watch both those matches on Sky Sports. So let's hear what the week has been like for the players. There does seem to be a change of mood listening to Harry Maguire and what he told me in and around the training ground. And here he is, Sky Sports one-on-one with Manchester United defender Harry Maguire.

1:21Harry, one of the last things Darren Fletcher said after that cup defeat last week was that you need to step up to the plate. Don't waste any time now. 17 games remaining which is crazy when you think of the amount of times and seasons that United have had with the amount of games that they've played but with just 17 to go how do you go about navigating your way through those to try and get some success at the end of the season? Yeah obviously it's been a difficult period I think we had a great run of fixtures whatever we could look at on paper and we probably expected more points well not probably we should have got more points than what we've had over the last eight weeks or so.

2:04But we are still in a position where we can challenge for Europe and there's still a long way to go in the season. We're just over halfway in the Premier League season, so lots of points to play for and the lads now have got to take responsibility, galvanise together and make sure we look to the future rather than the past. In a way, it is a clean slate though, because of the amount of games you have left now this season you know exactly what you've got to do and what you want to achieve. Definitely of course it's going to be a big finish from us we need we know that we need to improve performance wise because at the end of the day I'm a big believer that over a period of time performance does get your results and we've got to make sure we've got to improve them for performances to make sure that the results become a lot more consistent.

2:51One of the other things Darren Fletcher said before we move on to Michael Carrick and the new team that's in place now for the remainder of this season, is that difficult times, you get to see the real characters of those involved. Now, we know that you've shown great resilience and great character in the times that you've had that maybe haven't been as good as you wanted them to. Has the team got the characters to do this? Yeah, I believe so, but I think that's a true statement. I think in these difficult moments, you see the big players, you see the characters come out and play with freedom and express themselves on the pitch and take responsibility and leadership.

3:26And yeah, I think that's so big in a team, because especially when you play for a team like ours, you know that there's going to be ups and downs, and it's the downs where you've got to act, and you've got to perform, you've got to stand up and be there when counted. And I feel like we've got big senior players and a lot of characters in this team that we can go and do that. This leadership group that you're in, without revealing too much, what's it said this week? Yeah, of course. Again, like I said, it's just looking forward to the future. It's looking forward to each game. We've got big games from now to the end of the season.

4:00Not many games, like you've said, so we can prepare and focus on them. There's no excuses. We've got to take responsibility ourselves. We've got to take responsibility within the squad, within the leadership group. Ultimately, when a manager goes and the manager gets a lot of the stick, but it's ultimately down to the players that haven't performed well enough. so we've got to take a huge part of the responsibility of that. What's it been like on the grass this week then? In the short time that you've had to work with Michael Carrick and his new coaching team and Steve Holland as well. Yeah, really impressed.

4:30Obviously I knew Carrick from before and I spoke really highly of him. He was a magnificent coach when he was here under Ollie. He's got great ideas, he speaks really well. Tactically he's really, really good and obviously now he's had a lot of experience at Middlesbrough as a manager and I'm sure he's going to come in here and implement his ideas. And, you know, he's a legend of the club and I'm sure the fans will get right behind him. But yeah, I must say with him and all his coaching staff, I've been really impressed this week. Take us then to the grass, to the training pitch. What differences, if there have been any, or what are those couple of days that you've worked with him been like?

5:08Yeah, I think we haven't had much time on the grass. Obviously, we have had a couple of sessions and I think he's trying to bring new energy, new ideas without drilling us too much at this moment tactically I think he just wants to bring the energy back in the building and I think that's so important obviously this club is scrutinised a lot of eyes on it all the time analysed and a lot of people can lose a little bit of energy within that and Michael's played here he's obviously performed in unbelievable teams and he's been a magnificent player so he knows what it's like to win here and what you need in a team and a group of people and a group of staff and I feel like he's brought a lot of energy to this week and I think the players have brought into it.

5:48What do you mean by energy? Because energy could be so many different things. Is it confidence? Is it humour? Is it mischief? Is it what is it? Bringing maybe an element of taking the pressure off you as players and trying to let you enjoy what's going on. Yeah of course I think that's a big part of it. I think that one of his big things in his first meeting was we need to enjoy it. We play for Manchester United, one of the biggest clubs in the world. You should all feel privileged, you should all feel honoured. You should all enjoy it. This is what you've worked towards your whole career. And I think when you enjoy it, it brings energy.

6:25But of course, obviously confidence is a part to play. And when you're down in confidence and low in confidence, your body language can go and the fans can think you're not working hard and things like that. But it all comes together and it's a big word that is used and I firmly believe that we need to bring more energy to this place and make the lads go and feel comfortable on the pitch. And Steve Holland, you obviously know him well. I know a little bit about him from his early career and his early time out at Crew Alexandra and then he's moved on to bigger and better things and greater things as well, what with England.

6:58He's the kind of person that I think would look after the dressing room quite well. He's got a little bit old school about him. Would that be a fair reflection? Yeah, definitely. I think it's a great appointment, of course. I think, obviously, Michael's a bit of a younger manager with upcoming fresh ideas. And then you've got Steve, who's been around and really experienced. He was magnificent for England. I worked with him for six, seven years at England. and it was magnificent. He drilled us all really well. We all knew what we were doing. We defended really well and I think it's a real good appointment.

7:36He has a great record where he's been, his clubs and obviously with England as well and I'm sure he's going to come in here and try and implement his ideas and the boys I'm sure will show full respect because of course what he's done in his career is great. What's the biggest thing that you feel he will do here with Steve? Well, I've spoke about it a lot this year. I think both boxers, I think we've been really poor. We haven't defended our box well at all this year. Conceded far too many soft goals. And I can remember a lot of time working with Stephen, obviously been a defender myself, and he really does drill in tactically how to defend, tactically how to keep the ball out of the back of the net.

8:20Basics, really, but really disciplined basics. And I feel like he's going to have a big part to play in making our defensive record a lot better because box to box this year, I feel like we've been comfortable and dominated a lot of football matches, but when you're conceding one, two, three goals every game from not many chances, really, it gives yourself an uphill task to go and win the football match. I'm sure that's going to be the main difference that I feel as a defender, and it's something where I've spoke about this year that we need to improve massively. Back in by Fernandes. In from Maguire!

8:57A massive leap, a massive moment! Well, those games are coming up now, and they were always there. Manchester City and Arsenal, two of the biggest teams that you could come up against in any season. But after a reset moment, another reset moment like this, just how big are they? Well, every game's massive, really. But obviously, when you play in a Manchester derby, everything just ramps up a little bit more. After the week that you've just had as well? Yeah, definitely. I think it's a great game to play though I think obviously we're playing the best two teams in the country at the moment Arsenal at the top and Manchester City at second and yeah we know it's going to be a tough game two very good teams but obviously we're looking forward to the next one which is Manchester City and we've prepared well and listen these are the games that you want to play in as a footballer when you're a young lad and you dream of playing football you want to play in a Manchester derby and this is the opportunity that we have to go and turn it around and put on a big performance for our fans.

9:54I just wonder, you used that word privilege earlier in the interview and you used the word privilege when you joined Manchester United, the privilege of playing for this club. Is it still a privilege, just a bigger privilege for you? Yeah, definitely. It's a massive privilege for me. I really enjoy playing for this club. I really enjoy the challenges that come with it. They have been challenging. Yeah, of course. When you play for this club, there's loads of challenges. I'm sure you could speak to all the lads who were successfully 15 years ago, and they probably had lots of different challenges then as well.

10:26So it's part and parcel of playing for this club. And I think what we need to get is make sure that all the lads in the dressing room really enjoy playing for this club, because, like I said, enjoyment brings energy, and that's what we need to make this club successful. And show that as well for the remaining games of this season. And at the end of the season, we know what your situation is like at the moment, but there is a World Cup coming as well. Have you thought beyond that yet? I know there's been a lot going on. No, there's too much going on, to be honest. I'm comfortable where I am. Obviously, I've been out injured in the last few weeks, so I've just been focusing on getting back fit and obviously helping the team.

11:04It's been disappointing being sat watching the games when I know I could have made a difference and helped the team in those moments where it was difficult. So, no, I've just been focusing on getting myself back fit, getting myself back playing, and it'll look after itself for future. You go again. And we go again. Good stuff. Thank you, Harry. Cheers. Thank you. There you go. Manchester United defender Harry Maguire and who knows whether he'll remain at the club beyond this season. You can watch the interview on our Sky Sports YouTube channel, Sky Sports News and, of course, across the social platforms.

11:36And make sure as well that you follow the one-on-one podcast and keep an eye out on the socials too so you don't miss us. The Manchester Derby is live on Sky Sports this Saturday lunchtime, all a build-up from 11 o 'clock on both Sky Sports Premier League and main event.

11:59The road to Super Bowl 60 has reached the playoffs and it's a wide-open race to Santa Clara. I'm Neil Reynolds, the host of Sky Sports NFL podcast, Inside the Huddle. All the way through the playoffs, I'll be joined by Jeff Reinbold and Phoebe Schechter to preview the games and analyse where they were won and lost. In the week leading up to the Super Bowl, we'll have daily episodes with the best build-up to the big game and then we'll bring you immediate reaction moments after the champions have been crowned. Search for Inside the Huddle wherever you get your podcasts and give us a follow.