Phil Thompson: Maguire got a slap in the face, West Ham a good fit

Harry Maguire’s troubled time at Manchester United looks to be coming to an end. The England centre back struggled for game time at Old Trafford last season and he’s been stripped of the captaincy recently.

There is interest in his signature with Everton and West Ham thought to be in the hunt. Liverpool great Phil Thompson knows what it’s like to lose the armband at a huge club as that fate happened to him under the management of the great Bob Paisley.

It signaled the start of the end for Thommo at Anfield and he thinks Maguire is on the same path as he is. If it is the Old Trafford exit door that’s looming into view for Maguire, then Thommo thinks West Ham would be a great destination for the 30-year-old.

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Losing captaincy not a good feeling

I like Harry Maguire but he needs to be playing regularly if he wants to stay in the England squad.

I can put myself in his shoes. At the end of my career I lost the Liverpool captaincy and it’s not a good feeling.

You know sometimes it’s the beginning of the end. You got the feeling with the statement that Harry put out when he lost the captaincy, he was not happy.

It all means that if the deal is right he needs to move on, he’s not going to play much.

Erik ten Hag has literally shown his hand with that position last season and now he’s given the biggest and ultimate slap in the face to Maguire.

He’s been playing Luke Shaw at centre back and the was really telling him that his future career didn’t lie at Manchester United.

I felt bitter when I lost the Liverpool captaincy

Bob Paisley said it needed to happen to ‘get me playing better’ and it did do so, in a way, it had the desired effect but you always believe that if you lose the armband then your place in the side is under threat.

I lost my place to another of Paddy Power’s pals Mark Lawrenson! You just know there’s no way of getting back and you don’t want to hang around.

Maguire and West Ham a good pairing

Harry Maguire’s probably earning a lot of money but I think he next move will probably give him a very decent salary near to what he’s on at Manchester United so it’s not all bad for him.

I know West Ham United are interested and I think West Ham would suit Harry Maguire.

He’s not the quickest, he likes to defend deep on the edge of his own box, and The Hammers do that a lot.

They’re very compact and there’s not much space behind you. I think that would suit him down to the ground and going down to London would be good for him as well.

West Ham would be a good fit, I believe, for Maguire.