Manchester United fan Rory McIlroy poses with a scarf during a preview day ahead of the 2019 Alfred Dunhill links Championship, at the Old Course, on September 25, 2019, in St Andrews, Scotland

Rory McIlroy hits out at ‘toxic culture’ at beloved Manchester United

January 3, 2024 Sports 24 Views

Golf superstar Rory McIlroy has hit out at the ‘toxic culture’ under the Glazer regime after admitting he gets more enjoyment out of Manchester United nostalgia than he does from the current side.

McIlroy yearns for the days of Sir Alex Ferguson and David Beckham after watching years of underperformance in recent years under the Glazer family, who gradually took over the club between 2003 and 2005.

United announced last month that Ineos chairman and CEO Sir Jim Ratcliffe has agreed to buy a 25 percent stake in the club, marking a potential transition away from the Glazers’ stewardship – a day that can’t come soon enough for McIlroy.

Speaking on the Stick to Football podcast , McIlroy said: “I think it’s sad what’s happened at Manchester United with the owners as it’s got to the point where you’ve got the Glazers who can’t even go to their own club and watch games, because the fans are just so disillusioned with what’s going on.

“I grew up watching Manchester United in the 1990s and early 2000s, and even this David Beckham documentary a few weeks ago, it just reminds you of how good football was, and the good times.

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“What we’ve been going through basically since Sir Alex Ferguson left – for my generation of Man United fans, we’re just not used to it. I just think the club has this sort of toxic culture that I don’t think will be able to be broken until the owners go.

“It’s maybe not as hard a thing to say for some people, but it’s sad that people have come in, owned a football club and they’ve spent quite a bit of money – they’ve taken a lot of money out too.”

McIlroy also expressed his admiration for United’s all-time top scorer Wayne Rooney, who was this week sacked as Birmingham City manager after just 15 games in charge.

Asked who his favourite players have been over the years, McIlroy replied: “It was David Beckham for a good part of it, but I loved Wayne Rooney.

I still have season tickets at Manchester United and I loved going there and just watching Wayne because he worked so hard and ran everywhere, you felt exhausted after watching him for 90 minutes. To be that good but to also have that work ethic, to me he looked like he loved football, and I loved watching him play.”

Just don’t offer him a round at St Andrews to cheer him up, Rory.

Rory McIlroy was speaking on the Stick to Football podcast, brought to you by Sky Bet.