EXCLUSIVE
Mark Goldbridge insists Manchester United fallout to Rasmus Hojlund interview is ‘made up’ and invites other stars on YouTube channel
Mark Goldbridge has invited more Manchester United players to sit down with his ‘The United Stand’ YouTube fan channel following his interview with Rasmus Hojlund.
Goldbridge’s chat with Hojlund has received a backlash from some sections of the Red Devils support, while it has been claimed some of the striker’s teammates aren’t happy about it, either - claims he insists were ‘made up’.
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A one-on-one interview with the £72million signing was a huge coup for the independent fan-run channel.
However, it was reported soon after it was published online that a few of the Manchester United players were left annoyed by Hojlund and the club’s decision to let the interview go ahead, due to Goldbridge’s public criticism of the team and some of its stars.
The fallout over social media then went to the next level, with Goldbridge sent death threats, while details about The United Stand’s HQ and other members of his team were shared online, leading to the police being involved.
Goldbridge blamed the ‘vile pack mentality that exists on social media’ for the extreme reaction to the interview, which he insists was a hugely positive experience.
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He says the initial response to the interview on YouTube was overwhelmingly positive, too, and praised the club and Hojlund for trying something new.
And the YouTube host encouraged more United players to speak with him to help increase positively around and within the club amid a ‘struggling’ season.
Speaking to talkSPORT about the interview and it’s backlash, Goldbridge said: “When you get an interview with someone like Rasmus Hojlund, obviously it’s a really big scoop and pleasure to do that with the United Stand, and it just shows the enormity of its audience and the appeal when you get a player like that
“There was huge positivity around it and it got millions of views, so I feel a bit sorry for the player, actually, and the club on this, because they’ve done something that’s quite innovative in the sense that they've allowed us access to do that.
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“We were at Carrington for the day, we met the player and the comms team and it was a really positive experience. The interview did really, really well and it was a few weeks ago that it went out.
“And then at the weekend there was some made up story about a meltdown in the dressing room because he’d done it, almost behind their back - I know what it is, it’s the establishment trying to take something down that’s new, basically, and something that’s been done in a way they can’t do it. So it’s probably fear, to be honest.
Mark Goldbridge hits back at 'weird' criticism over his recent Rasmus Hojlund interview
“But the way I look at it, Rasmus was fantastic. You look at Garnacho, Mainoo and Hojlund and all three lads have done fantastically in a difficult season and that’s testament to the personalities they are.
“I can only speak for Rasmus but he was a very impressive young man in relation to his focus and determination, he gets what Man United is all about and if he can keep that mentality and that starts to grow in the dressing room at Man United, then truly they could - obviously they’re going to need a lot of signings from INEOS - but there are foundations to build something that can compete with the strong mentality clubs of Liverpool and Manchester City, because there’s no doubt there have been problems at Man United and it’s been like that for a while.
“Man United are very much a work in progress but I can see someone like Rasmus - and I actually said it to him in the interview and he wouldn’t acknowledge it because he’s got leaders in the dressing room - but I said, ‘What you’re doing and what you’ve done in your first season in the Premier League, I can see a future leader/captain of Man United and Denmark there’, but that’s just me saying that and there’s a long way to go until that happens.”
Asked if he thinks he’d be invited back to United’s training ground for more player interviews anytime soon, he conceded: “Maybe not. Obviously it’s caused a lot of trouble.
“But having said, the positive side of it was that so many people watched it, so many people liked it and with the exception of one or two outlets - talkSPORT being one of them - there are not many who can hit that sort of audience in that way. The written media know that and that’s why they’re struggling with it.
“I think if I was a Man United player I would be looking to do it, I really would, because the positivity around that was massive for the club, for the player and I think they should be looking to do more of it.
“I thought it was really well done, it was prepared professionally and planned in advance, we were at Carrington for the whole day, so I think they should be doing more of it, I think it would be a bit silly not to.
“But we’ll see.”
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