Mason Greenwood: Gary Neville critical of Manchester United's handling of investigation

1 year ago 23

Gary Neville says Manchester United's handling of the Mason Greenwood probe has been "pretty horrible" and lacked beardown leadership.

It came aft charges against the player, including attempted rape and assault, were dropped successful February.

"It was wide from time 1 that helium wouldn't play for Manchester United again," said erstwhile defender Neville.

Speaking connected Sky Sports Monday Night Football, Neville, 48, who made 602 appearances for United, added: "The process successful getting determination has been beauteous horrible. When you person important situations, and hard situations similar this, it requires beardown authoritative leadership. And that comes from the precise top. Manchester United don't person that."

Fellow pundit and erstwhile England midfielder Karen Carney said the substance was "handled poorly" and it was a "really uneasy concern for me".

England planetary Greenwood was arrested successful January 2022 pursuing allegations surrounding worldly which was published online.

In a statement, Greenwood accepted helium had "made mistakes" and took his "share of responsibility", but added: "I did not bash the things I was accused of."

United person said "based connected the grounds disposable to us, we person concluded that the worldly posted online did not supply a afloat representation and that Mason did not perpetrate the offences successful respect of which helium was primitively charged", adding: "All those involved, including Mason, recognise the difficulties with him recommencing his vocation astatine Manchester United."

An announcement of the investigation's results was expected earlier United's opening Premier League crippled of the play against Wolves connected 14 August, but the determination was delayed amid fierce statement astir Greenwood's imaginable reintegration astatine Old Trafford.

The nine said they wanted to consult with their women's team, immoderate of whom were portion of England's World Cup squad playing successful Australia, earlier announcing a determination astir Greenwood's future.

In an unfastened missive to United supporters connected Monday main enforcement Richard Arnold said the nine had "limited powers of investigation" and "were reliant connected third-party co-operation" arsenic they "sought to collate arsenic overmuch grounds arsenic imaginable to found facts and context".

He added: "Reintegration was 1 of the outcomes we considered and planned for. For context, implicit the people of the past six months respective outcomes person been contemplated and planned for, and my presumption has evolved arsenic our process progressed."

Carney, 36, who chaired a large reappraisal into the women's game, added: "I deliberation Manchester United arsenic an institution, arsenic shot nine and what is stands for, has handled this truly really poorly.

"I deliberation from statements, that person been confusing and conflicting to everybody. From leaks. From involving stakeholders unnecessarily. I.e. pistillate players, our Lionesses."

'It should person been dealt with independently'

Greenwood's imaginable instrumentality prompted a radical of pistillate United supporters to protestation extracurricular Old Trafford earlier the Wolves crippled connected 14 August, and said they wanted the nine to "demonstrate a zero-tolerance approach" towards unit against women.

Female Fans Against Greenwood's Return enactment retired a lengthy connection to accidental the striker's reintegration would archer them "as women, that we don't matter".

Greenwood's declaration astatine Old Trafford runs until 2025, and helium could present beryllium sold oregon loaned to different nine for the remainder of his deal. He remains connected afloat wage but volition not instrumentality to grooming with United.

Neville besides claimed United should not person been successful the concern wherever the were presiding implicit a substance wherever they did not person the requisite experience, and called for the instauration of an autarkic sheet for the future.

"On an contented similar home abuse, connected unit against women, determination needs to beryllium independence," helium said.

"It shouldn't beryllium that Manchester United are the justice and assemblage connected specified a important issue. Not conscionable for themselves, but besides for the game. People speech astir the estimation of Manchester United but it's the Premier League present arsenic well.

"My presumption is that connected issues of this importance, and severity, they should beryllium dealt with independently by a panel.

"It's been wide that Manchester United person not had the accomplishment and quality to woody with this concern properly. It's been good supra their people of acquisition and ability."

Sports lawyer Chris Farnell told BBC News: "Manchester United are damned if they did, and damned if they don't.

"If they had done a speedy investigation they would beryllium told it should beryllium much successful depth. Because it's been successful extent it's 'taken excessively long'.

"I deliberation the important happening is you person to look into the conclusions Manchester United person to travel to and reasons down it."

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