Schweinsteiger: I'm not impressed with the criticism I've received

Bastian Schweinsteiger has suffered some criticism for his performances since joining Manchester United, primarily for being fairly slow and for also slowing down United’s play. Speaking to German publication Welt am Sonntag, Schweinsteiger has defended himself.

Honestly, I am not impressed by the criticism that has been brought up [over] me via the media. I am currently playing on a level that is comparable to that during the World Cup [in] 2014. ‘Old man’s football’ – that is an expression that was used back then, too. After the World Cup final those voices went silent. I will never be able to compete with Usain Bolt. But being slow or being quick on the pitch has not solely something to do with making sprints. It’s also about being quick in your head. And that’s something where I am fully up to it. And physically, I am not the slowest either. For me, it is important what I am being told face to face. Every one or two words will be made bigger than they actually are [in the media]. It was a good year for me, but not a perfect year. My performances in Manchester were really okay.