He doesn’t get unanimous support from Manchester United fans and certainly not from the wider public.
And even his fiercest supporter would admit that this lad still has a lot to prove after an injury nightmare since joining Manchester United.
But we have to say that we like Phil Jones as a player and it’s great to hear that he’s back on the training ground at Carrington as of this week.
Jones has been out for two months with shin splints – the latest in a catalogue of injuries sustained by the defender.
His blood and guts approach to the game reminds us of Bryan Robson, whose career was also blighted by injury. We can’t actually recall Jones finishing a game for a while.
But, at 22, he still has time to adjust his game and become the legend that Sir Alex Ferguson prophesised he would become at Manchester United. Fergie said last year:
“Arguably, the way he is looking, he could be our best ever player.”
You can’t criticise Jones’s commitment levels. But if he really wants to help Manchester United, he can cut out the suicidal challenges. Shin splints is difficult to avoid but so many of his other injuries have come from putting his head or legs where he shouldn’t have.
Given a run of fitness we think that Jones can be more than just a utility player for Manchester United. We believe that he is good enough to become the captain for club and country one day. But he’s at a vital crossroads in his career and needs to prove his worth to the new Manchester Untied manager because big changes are afoot.
Let’s see Jones at his best. Manchester United fans: future captain or pony player?
