Federico Macheda: I won't stay at Manchester United

Federico Macheda

Manchester United youngster Federico Macheda has hit out at his manager David Moyes for not believing in him.

Macheda, now 22, shot on the scene in United’s glorious Premier League title-winning season of 2008/09 when he scored a dramatic late winner at home to Aston Villa to take them back above Liverpool and in control of the race.

He scored another goal soon after against Sunderland to help open up a lead at the summit of the league.

His career has nose dived since then, though, having spells on loan at Stuttgart, Doncaster and Birmingham. Sir Alex Ferguson threw him on as a 17-year-old promising striker and it paid off.

David Moyes does not have the same belief in Macheda that his predecessor did, though.

“I don’t think I will stay at United but whatever happens, nobody can take away the memories of my time there,” Macheda says, in preparation for Birmingham’s Championship game against QPR – another former club.

“Sir Alex was amazing for me, he believed in me so much. After I scored two goals against Charlton last month he sent me a text message straight after the game. That was incredible because I hadn’t spoken to him for a long time so to get that text was a relief. He said, ’Well done and keep going’.”

Ferguson’s belief in him ended when the Scot left the club last summer, handing over the keys to Old Trafford to David Moyes, who is yet to use Macheda.

“I haven’t had that much to do with him because he has been working with the first team,” Macheda says. “I’ve been left out from the team and of course that was disappointing but you can understand a new manager wanting to work with new players.

“He made his choice and I went my way, everyone was happy. I spoke with him before I came here. I said I wanted to go to Birmingham and he agreed, so that was that.

“I didn’t go on pre-season this summer and I don’t know why. But I was prepared because I knew the new manager would want to bring in new players.”

Macheda has only scored five goals in 36 appearances for Man United.