ZIDANE IQBAL has opened up on how he thought Erik ten Hag did not “respect me enough to play”.
The former Manchester United wonderkid had starred for the club since the age of nine before going on to make his professional debut for the senior team in 2021 during a Champions League clash against Young Boys.
That appearance saw him create history by becoming the first British-born South Asian or Iraqi international to play for the club and first ever British South Asian to play in the Champions League.
However, in June 2023 it was announced the youngster would be leaving Old Trafford to join Dutch side Utrecht.
And Iqbal has now given a candid interview about his exit to respected Man Utd journalist, Andy Mitten, published in The National.
Now a full senior international for his country, the 22-year-old has recalled one incident which he views as the “turning point” for the promising trajectory of his Man Utd career.
Iqbal recalls how, after being moved to the first team dressing room at the start of the season, he had grown frustrated with a lack of senior minutes off the bench, telling his dad and agent: “I can’t do this for another year.”
A would-be chance finally reared its head in the League Cup quarter-final against Charlton at Old Trafford in January 2023.
Iqbal claims he was set to start the clash as the Number 10 against the League One outfit having been involved in all the shapes and patterns in pre-match training.
He even recalls a classy gesture from Lisandro Martinez as the Argentine defender told him: “‘Now’s your chance, all of us are supporting you. Just show yourself, you’re a good player.”
However, Iqbal saw his dreams dashed come matchday, and opened up how then Red Devils boss Ten Hag had left him feeling “disrespected.”
He said: “I got tickets for family and friends to see me. Finally, my chance.
“Then I got to the stadium, looked at the whiteboard and didn’t see my name. I was gutted.
“Then I thought I’d come off the bench. Nothing. That was the turning point for me.
“I didn’t feel the manager respected me enough to play me.”
Iqbal would not make the bench again in the Cup as Man Utd went on to beat Newcastle in the final, while he also did not make a single matchday squad for the FA Cup.
In fact, after his quarter-final disappointment, Iqbal only made the Man Utd bench on three more occasions in the Premier League.
But he was an unused substitute in back-to-back clashes against Leeds and an away game against Nottingham Forest.
Iqbal explained how his lack of game time led to him wanting to go to the Under-19 World Cup that April.
He took pointers off of Tom Heaton on how to argue his case to the manager, with the senior goalkeeper telling him: “That’s awful. You’re making it about yourself. Make it about the gaffer.”
In their meeting Ten Hag urged him not to go and to stay patient, which he did by remaining at Man Utd for the Spring, but those minutes never materialised and he lost his chance to become the Premier League’s first Iraqi footballer.
That noteworthy accolade has since gone to Ali Al-Hamadi when he came off the bench to star for Ipswich Town against Liverpool in August 2024.
His appearance took the number of nationalities to appear in England’s top flight to 124.
In the end Iqbal told his agent he wanted a transfer away, and took inspiration from Jadon Sancho who had travelled away from England to spark his career into gear.
Iqbal 18 games in the Eredivisie last season and scored one goal before a knee injury ended his season.
On his future he said his goal was to recover from his knee blow and get back to playing week in week out.
He called Utrecht a “family club”, but added manager Ron Jans is “very nice” despite the environment still being “ruthless”.
Iqbal concluded: “For me, I’ll continue to do my best for my club and for Iraq. This is the life that I always wanted.”
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