The history of Manchester United is so illustrious that it can sometimes look too heavy on the team’s shoulders, especially one struggling as badly as the current one.
Among the brilliant Man Utd teams of the past, the treble-winning outfit remains near the top of the pile and at the base of that team was Peter Schmeichel.
Affectionately called “The Great Dane”, he broke the mold for adventurous goalkeepers before it was fashionable and became the standard bearer for goalkeepers that followed him.
In a recent appearance on The Rest is Football podcast, he revealed his footballing dream and while that was a positive revelation, it also put into perspective the magic the current iteration of the club is quickly losing.
Peter Schmeichel’s footballing dream
Schmeichel is inarguably one of the finest players to ever come out of Denmark and the most illustrious time of his career was at Old Trafford.
Five Premier League titles and a Champions League win form just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to his career achievements so it’s no surprise he holds United dear to his heart.
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However, Schmeichel’s words on The Rest is Football podcast proves that even if he hadn’t won a single trophy at the club, his dream had been fulfilled the day he signed the contract which was “I want to play for Manchester United”.
Schmeichel said: “[When playing in Denmark], a guy came up to me and said, ‘I like what I’m seeing and I really want to work with you. What do you want to do with your footballing life?’.
“I said there’s only one thing I want to do. I want to play for Manchester United. [That guy] worked with me and put my name out there and within 18 months I was at the club.”
Ruben Amorim and Man Utd in danger of losing the magic
Schmeichel’s message of “I want to play for Manchester United” is the kind of pull the club has held for decades because it used to represent the pinnacle of a player’s career.
However, that isn’t the case anymore and if anything, the opposite is quickly becoming true, as players seem to find form after leaving the club!
United have long been the major attraction for players, with the transfer race called over as soon as the club walked in because there were multiple generations of players who grew up seeing the best of the club.
That won’t be the case anymore soon because United haven’t been relevant at the top for more than a decade now, and throwing money at the players to convince them to move hasn’t worked out well.
Schmeichel’s dream is what Amorim is tasked with restoring for potential players in the future for United. It’s a long road.
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