Is it advisable for managers to criticize players? Ultimately, it is if you get the best out of them.
This season, Ruben Amorim, Ange Postecoglou, Enzo Maresca and Pep Guardiola with Jack Grealish mentioned some of their star names.
I don't think it's a trend, but rather that each manager reacts to their own circumstances. Amorim has to fix a failure at United, Chelsea potentially needed to recover from a lack of direction, continuity and weak management before Maresca and Postecoglou was frustrated with Timo Werner, who on loan is a cost to Tottenham rather than an asset.
Guardiola this week compared Grealish's 'form' unfavorably with that of his younger rival for a starting place, Savinho.
For coaches to make public their attempt to incite their players to action is a balancing act and I sometimes wonder if resorting to the media is necessary. It is said that sunlight is the best disinfectant and I see managers reaching their limits. But there's no point in venting unless you think the reprimand is going to get a reaction.
Otherwise, it's just self-gratification for its own sake and it would be better to create an opportunity for a player to be somewhere else. The court of public opinion is therefore dangerous territory, but if any coach has earned the right to mention a player's fallibilities in front of microphones and cameras, it is Guardiola. He has had a difficult season, but retains enormous credibility thanks to his achievements.
Jack Grealish has struggled for form this season and has become the subject of his manager's ire.
Pep Guardiola called out the £100million man this week while discussing his place in Manchester City's starting XI.
The Catalan coach unfavorably compared Grealish to summer purchase Savinho (right)
Senior managers need to be as true to themselves in times of challenge as they are in times of success. With someone as capable as Guardiola, you give him a significant degree of autonomy, as he understands the responsibility of achieving good results.
Manchester City have inherent confidence in Guardiola. As an owner, I would have faith that my coach would treat the players as he saw fit. If it wasn't like that, I would fire them.
You can't simply support Guardiola through all his glory years and punish him the moment you catch a whiff of trouble. Their judgment is something you either trust or you don't.
Grealish's legacy is fascinating. He cost a British record £100 million and was in the team that won the treble, so I can't say he wasn't successful. He was a valuable part of the team that achieved that remarkable feat in 2023.
With his contract running until 2027, he is now recorded at £40m, so the club would probably, in balance sheet terms, not lose any money if they sold him, but another £100m for him isn't even vaguely realistic.
That fee was reached because Villa had the temerity and the means to set a termination clause at that price and City had the foolishness to comply with it.
Grealish changed his game to learn the disciplines that Guardiola demanded, including a work ethic that required tracking and showing a different side to his game and character. But with three Premier League goals and two assists since the start of last season, it's fair to say production has waned.
I think he was worth £100 million? Absolutely not and, more importantly, I don't think the move was as successful as Jack himself would have liked. He was a big fish in a small pond at Aston Villa and probably had visions of being of similar importance at City one day. But compare the impact he has had with Erling Haaland. It hasn't been even close to that.
Since his move to the Etihad, Grealish has reshaped his game under the influential head coach.
The England international has reaped the rewards of being part of City's treble-winning team, but has not had as much of an impact as some of his team-mates.
A lot of money was spent to attract Grealish to the club, but he has not proven himself worthy of the sky-high fee.
A lot of money was spent on Grealish. It was not in vain, but he also did not prove worthy of being the most expensive player in the Premier League.
My Mail Sport colleague Graeme Souness says today's players are harder to deal with. I'm not entirely sure as Graeme himself tells the story of how he wrote a transfer request from the bar after Joe Fagan left him out!
Still, I recognize that managers must be careful about managing the modern ego, which is also financially independent. Guardiola is arguably the only figure who can overcome any fear and prostitute himself by saying things he doesn't believe in order to maintain order.
It may not work for other managers, but giving Grealish a metaphorical push to rediscover his form from a couple of years ago is probably what the player needs.
Trent's decision could come down to the bottom line
Real Madrid were never going to land Trent Alexander-Arnold this month for £20m, but there could be a price Liverpool would have to consider.
They didn't have to make any decisions with such a low offer. Liverpool are chasing a Champions League crown worth £130m. They are chasing the Premier League title and everything that comes with it in terms of achievements and cachet, which has a commercial benefit.
I don't think Real Madrid will come back with an offer of up to £50m, but it would be interesting to see what would happen if they did. At that price, I think Liverpool should consider him, given that Alexander-Arnold has four months left on his contract and Conor Bradley looks like a ready-made replacement.
Real have their own financial management issues, so I'm not sure they can get into a position where Liverpool think they can lose Trent and continue their momentum.
Trent Alexander-Arnold has his price for Real Madrid as he enters the final months of his contract
But the harsh reality is that if the Spanish club put £50m on the table, I wouldn't be surprised if Liverpool were inclined to consider him more seriously than the current position that he is not for sale.
My only complaint about Tyler Dibling
This should be a big year for two exciting young men, Liam Delap and Tyler Dibling.
While Delap has the ability to be the next Harry Kane, I have a small complaint about Dibling. I'd like to see him pull up his socks, literally.
The Southampton teenager has impressed a struggling team, but I hate that sock-around-ankle nonsense. Not the best in the world do it, only those who claim to be there.
It suggests mental neglect and being concerned about your appearance beyond what you are supposed to do.
I don't want to discourage freedom of expression, particularly in a high-potential 18-year-old creative, but I think there is a way to dress and appear that reflects how you perform.
You can go all the way back to Rodney Marsh and Stan Bowles. Mavericks who never had success in the big clubs. Bowles went to Nottingham Forest in all his pomp and fell out with Brian Clough.
Ipswich talent Liam Delap has the ability to be the next Harry Kane and will remain in the Premier League regardless of whether his team is relegated or not.
But fellow star Tyler Tibling should literally pull up his socks if he wants to be taken seriously.
At Ipswich, Delap is a versatile centre-forward who can link play, use both feet and doesn't mind playing and making defenders tremble.
I know and like Ipswich chief executive Mark Ashton. I hope they're still awake, but if the worst happens, I'd be surprised if someone else didn't take over Delap.
The same can be said for Dibling, especially considering Southampton are intent on relegation with a record number of points. Where you go next is a determining factor in your career success.
The future should be bright, but as he matures, perhaps he should consider that Harry Kane and Robert Lewandowski, let alone Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, don't play with socks around their ankles, as if they just stepped out of a bucket of trash.