Maguire’s hard-earned status as a leader for club and country will be damaged by the guilty verdict delivered in Greece
Nightmare. There is no other prescient characterisation of the past few days for Harry Maguire which culminated in Tuesday’s conviction of the Manchester United captain in a Greek court on the charges of aggravated assault, resisting arrest and attempted bribery following a night out in Mykonos on Thursday.
Maguire, who pleaded not guilty to all counts, could surely not believe the judgment handed down by a three-member misdemeanours panel on the neighbouring island of Syros – or the punishment of a suspended prison sentence of 21 months and 10 days.
The suspension is due to the charges being classed as “misdemeanours” and the acknowledgement of a previously clear criminal record. And, Maguire claims he is innocent and has launched an immediate appeal.
Harry Maguire given suspended prison sentence after guilty verdict in Greece
Yet, for now, his world seems to be in freefall, the dreams made true through a combination of talent and relentless hard work soured. The long yet successful journey to become the leader of United and of England’s defence in danger of a reverse of who-knows-what proportions.
Maguire is an intelligent man, his bland public pronouncements actually a shrewd move to ensure the wrong thing is not said. Yet he would not be human if in the coming days there are not fleeting moments of self‑recrimination in which he blames himself for a serious misjudgment that led to his current predicament: that following a few hours in which he was out enjoying drinks with family and friends in the Mediterranean sun his life has turned upside down.
Squeaky-clean is one term for the persona Maguire previously presented. His glittering career began with a debut for his hometown team Sheffield United in the second half of a 3-0 defeat by Cardiff in April 2011. A £2.5m move to Hull followed in June 2014, after more than 130 league appearances for the Blades. Three years on Humberside included a three‑month loan spell at Wigan Athletic from February 2015 and the building of his reputation as an old-school, yeoman-type centre-back who could also play the nice stuff out from the back.
His England debut came in October 2017, when he was selected by Gareth Southgate on the left of the three-man defence in England’s 1-0 victory away to Lithuania in a World Cup qualifier.
The 6ft 4in Maguire had moved to Leicester City in a £17m transfer the previous summer and his performances attracted United’s attention. By the end of the season his club and international form – Maguire was the linchpin of an England defence that reached the 2018 World Cup semi-finals – had moved José Mourinho to identify him as a United target only for Ed Woodward and the executive vice‑chairman’s in-house football personnel to rebuff the idea because they felt the asking price of around £70m was too high.
Throughout that period Maguire’s low-maintenance personality was evidenced by him refusing to agitate for the move or go public with any frustrations he might have felt. When it became obvious United had walked away he continued to keep his counsel and focused on the following season.
That professionalism was rewarded: Ole Gunnar Solskjær replaced Mourinho in December 2018 and on becoming permanent manager the following spring told the club that Maguire was also his No 1 target to stiffen United’s defence.
Woodward assented and Maguire was bought for £80m: a world record for a defender. By January his ascent was complete as he was made captain by Solskjær following Ashley Young’s departure. And when the pandemic-interrupted season ended last month Maguire had led United to third place and a Champions League spot for next season.
The player must wonder now, though, if he will lose the United captaincy. He has been stood down by Southgate from next month’s England games and must endure a waiting game until his appeal.
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