Several disappointing incidents from United players include apparently pushing away fans and making rude gestures
David Beckham has criticised Manchester United players for their conduct during the club’s recent post-season tour of Asia, calling their behaviour “unacceptable” and saying they had failed to represent the club with the respect it deserves.
United travelled to Malaysia and Hong Kong immediately after a disastrous season that saw them finish outside in the bottom half of the Premier League and lose the Europa League final to Tottenham. The tour, intended to connect with overseas fans and generate revenue, was marred by poor performances and incidents off the pitch.
Speaking on CBS Sports, Beckham voiced his disappointment. “I don’t like seeing what’s happening at the club,” he said. “It’s true that it’s the pitch that matters, but I see a lot of things that are not acceptable to me as a fan and a lover of Manchester United.
“You have to represent the badge. I’ve seen a lot of things where players didn’t act in the right way. We understood what it meant to play for Manchester United. We understood what the badge meant.
“Everywhere we travelled, whether in Europe or Asia, we respected the fans. We respected the fact that they came and paid money to see us, to get an autograph or to take pictures. You have to respect that.”
Among the incidents that drew attention was a moment involving Alejandro Garnacho, who appeared to push away a fan attempting to film him. Amad Diallo was also caught on camera making a rude gesture at a supporter. The Ivorian winger later claimed the fan had made offensive remarks about his mother.
On the pitch, matters were little better. United lost their opening tour match 1-0 to the ASEAN All-Stars, a team assembled from Southeast Asian leagues. Head coach Ruben Amorim, under pressure following a rocky start to his tenure, did not attempt to sugarcoat the situation, saying they perhaps “needed to hear the boos”.
The mood lifted slightly in the second game against Hong Kong XI, where 17-year-old forward Chido Obi scored twice off the bench to inspire a 3-1 comeback win.
