Former Manchester United defender Phil Jones has lifted the lid on a heated confrontation with ex-manager Ralf Rangnick during a tumultuous period at Old Trafford.
In an interview on the High-Performance podcast, Jones recounted the incident, saying, “I have never lost my head in a dressing room… and I think that is the only time in my career that I completely lost it.” Jones’ frustration boiled over during a 2022 match against Liverpool, where United trailed 2-0 at halftime.
Rangnick’s decision to substitute Jones sparked the outburst. “Ralf came in and said, ‘I’m going to make a change, Phil’s going to come off.’ The whole dressing room went [eyes open] as if to say, ‘Is he bringing Phil off here?'” Jones removed his boots, slammed them on the floor, and exclaimed, “You’re taking the p*** out of me!”
Jones’ teammates intervened, urging him to calm down. “Everyone said, ‘calm down, calm down.’ I get irate now (thinking about it), it really got to me.” Jones later apologized for his behavior.
The incident occurred during a challenging spell for United, with Rangnick’s managerial style under scrutiny. Jones, who spent over a decade at United, winning the Premier League, FA Cup, and Europa League, acknowledged his reaction was uncharacteristic.
Jones reflected on the experience, saying, “I just couldn’t get my head around it… I apologised afterwards, I said, ‘It was out of character for me, I shouldn’t have done that, at that moment.'” The former defender’s candid admission offers a glimpse into the pressures and emotions that simmer beneath the surface in professional football.
