The same Italian guy that broke the Mourinho story first also said a few days ago that Chelsea are negotiating with Conte. Seems more likely than Simeone.
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In the latest episode of the United Hour Podcast, Nik (@Rood) was joined by comedian Ali Woods to look back at the best and worst moments of a rollercoaster season with the annual United Hour Awards.
Has Ten Hag been sacked yet? We're not sure and we hope not, but it's looking more likely as the days pass.
Who should replace him and why is it taking so long to make a decision?
Think all the money is on Allegri as the next Chelsea manager now.
...who the hell ever believed Pep was not becoming City manager?
Nobody with a brain in their head, that's who. There was more on this forum about Pep coming here than anything in the papers/media. Was quite odd reading the denial and delusion until City finally announced it.
Mid December isn't that long ago. When it started we had just drawn to Leicester and West Ham, got knocked out of the CL and lost to Bournemouth.
Assuming for a moment that all this is true, and United and Mourinho have already done/signed an agreement or whatever, then who would be the likely source be for leaking this information to El Confidential, COPE, or whomever else at this stage now?
If it were from Mendes, then surely he would be briefing the opposite to try to put pressure on United for his client's benefit? What does he gain from the press reporting a done deal if the deal actually is done? Now if there were no deal - or maybe even no interest from United at all, as I think is the case - then I could understand leaking a bullshit story linking his client with United in the hope of flushing-out a PSG, or Valencia, or Hong Kong Pandas (I, erm... don't actually know the name of any Chinese clubs); we see this tactic in action every summer in the transfer market so why not with unemployed managers during the season?
Alternatively, why would United decide to leak this development if it has actually happened? The club wouldn't want the press (even the foreign press) reporting this news in February when Champions League qualification is very much in danger - why risk destabilising the club at this stage? I don't immediately see how United would benefit from leaking the news, so I'd rule the club out as being the source.
Other possible sources could be a rogue employee from either Mendes or United, or a third-party source involved in the deal (legal advisers maybe?), or even just a random chancer who has somehow found-out the details and decided to cash-in, rather than the leak being authorised by either Mendes or United as a discussion tactic. Or maybe the source comes from LVG, stemming from being upset at not getting his anticipated third year?
Or it's just completely made-up, in order to generate interest/cash during the post-transfer market lull for the media, or just to misled the media altogether.
In summary: I'm sceptical, but we shall see I guess.
If it were from Mendes, then surely he would be briefing the opposite to try to put pressure on United for his client's benefit? What does he gain from the press reporting a done deal if the deal actually is done? Now if there were no deal - or maybe even no interest from United at all, as I think is the case - then I could understand leaking a bullshit story linking his client with United in the hope of flushing-out a PSG, or Valencia, or Hong Kong Pandas (I, erm... don't actually know the name of any Chinese clubs); we see this tactic in action every summer in the transfer market so why not with unemployed managers during the season?
Alternatively, why would United decide to leak this development if it has actually happened? The club wouldn't want the press (even the foreign press) reporting this news in February when Champions League qualification is very much in danger - why risk destabilising the club at this stage? I don't immediately see how United would benefit from leaking the news, so I'd rule the club out as being the source.
Other possible sources could be a rogue employee from either Mendes or United, or a third-party source involved in the deal (legal advisers maybe?), or even just a random chancer who has somehow found-out the details and decided to cash-in, rather than the leak being authorised by either Mendes or United as a discussion tactic. Or maybe the source comes from LVG, stemming from being upset at not getting his anticipated third year?
Or it's just completely made-up, in order to generate interest/cash during the post-transfer market lull for the media, or just to misled the media altogether.
In summary: I'm sceptical, but we shall see I guess.
Anyone who says no is a lunatic.
Samuel Luckhurst has tweeted that it's 'nonsense' and Miguel Delaney has said there's no deal yet, for what it's worth.
One thing I've just been reminded of is that Jose signed Falcao after his time here. I was up for seeing us give Jose a chance but, with that in mind, my enthusiasm just dropped 50%. What was he thinking signing him ?
One thing I've just been reminded of is that Jose signed Falcao after his time here. I was up for seeing us give Jose a chance but, with that in mind, my enthusiasm just dropped 50%. What was he thinking signing him ?
Erm doing his agent mate a favour in return for other favours?
Just like Fergie did with Bebe.
Its the only feasible option, it has to happen come the summer.
Yeah, as bad as Falcao was, he was no Bebe.
Mendes is his agent & friend. If we get Mourinho, be prepared for us to sign a few more Mendes clients.
@Annihilate Now! who would you rather have?
I would rather put my trust in the foreign sources than the English ones if i have to choose one. The latter know nothing and just spout bullshit these days
The only option that makes any sense. It's a no brainer.
I think if there is truth in these latest wave of Mourinho to United rumours, club should take LvG in confidence and announce that Mourinho will take over in summer, similar to Pellegrini-Guardiola situation. Our table standing and awful form almost throughout the season means club may yet hire Mourinho BEFORE summer but if they have decided that LvG will be there to see out this season, taking him in confidence about Mourinho appointment and then declaring it will put everyone at ease. I also think it will have positive effect on players as they will know that for next 3 months, they will be playing for their career here.
Guardiola and Mourinho are the mangerial equivalent of Messi and Ronaldo. How can anyone say no to the portugese with Pep gone now?
I would go absolutely ballistic if the club announces this today
Does that mean you are a lunatic? Zeki Zico said "anyone who says no is a lunatic". You said no. That means you are a lunatic. Am I on a forum with lunatics? For christ's sake, mum, get me some orangeade. I'm touching cloth here.
Or keep current ones here on lucrative deals (looking at you DDG).
If we don't get Mourinho this summer then sorry Woody is not doing his job.
We have an opportunity to get one of the best managers who is itching to work at united and is also available then surely we cannot afford to miss out. Furthermore, he has the EPL experience (unlike Guardiola) which will prove important next season.
It's a no brainer for me!
We have an opportunity to get one of the best managers who is itching to work at united and is also available then surely we cannot afford to miss out. Furthermore, he has the EPL experience (unlike Guardiola) which will prove important next season.
It's a no brainer for me!
I'm broadly in agreement.
It seems inevitable that Jose will manage us, if not this summer then sometime in the future.
If we go for someone else, the shadow of Jose will always loom large, and every time we get some bad results the 'should've got Mourinho' crew will be out en-masse.
Give him the gig he wants I say. See if he sinks or swims. Hopefully he swims and wins us lots of trophies but if not, as least we can put the inevitable Mourinho/United marriage to bed, and move on.
Becoming the worst kept secret in football.
I think you're jumping the gun a bit. It's already been dismissed by some journalists. Before yesterday's news, I'd have said it was unlikely and that Van Gaal will stay for his full term, since that's what Van Gaal said recently.
If we hire Mourinho and back him with the same transfer budget that LvG has had, then it is very hard to envisage him not winning the title within 2/3 seasons.
Mourinho also does something LvG and Moyes couldn't grasp. He signs players for the positions a team needs strengthening in.. Imagine that!
Mourinho also does something LvG and Moyes couldn't grasp. He signs players for the positions a team needs strengthening in.. Imagine that!
Who dismissed it? I'm genuinely asking because I haven't kept up the last few days
Maybe you're right. It just seems to be going the same way as the Pep to City talk though. Constant rumours, won't go away. Lots of things make sense if it were to happen.
Samuel Luckhurst dismissed it and Miguel Delaney said there's no agreement yet.
I'm going to wait for more concrete news. We've had too many false dawns.
If we do brief the press, we will brief all of them at once. So that dismissal seems unlikely to have come from us. That would leave Mendes/Jose to brief them and again I doubt they will only tell it to a couple of journos.
They're both wrong 100% of the time so this is very reassuring.
Fact: Bebe has a better goals to game ratio for Manchester United then Falcao did
Fact: Falcao played 29 games for us last season, thus letting his shitness impact 29 of our games (a sizeable chunk)... Bebe only played 7 games... 3 of which were in the League cup, thus his shitness had a much smaller impact on our season.
Fact: Bebe could run without falling over.
Summary: Falcao was much, much shitter for Manchester United then Bebe ever was... so I'd take Bebe everyday of the week.
Miguel Delaney and his imaginery sources have broken alot of (transfer) news for United lately. All turned out to be utter bs. Not sure about Luckhurst who at least gets one right every once in a while.
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Not got the best rep on here I know, but he was bang on about Pep when the same sort of rumours were doing the rounds with regards to him & City.
Where is I dont know?
He was also the one who got the scoop on Di Maria to United. Yes he was genuinely the first, I remember that balmy evening on the caf when we were being all skeptical about this ssn thing where he would be breaking some news about the rat faced magician. just like that he announced that Di Maria had agreed to join us and not long after the news outlets followed and the announcement came.
Balague is usually reliable.
We need Mourinho and Mourinho needs us.
Samuel Luckhurst has about as much inside knowledge into United as me, which would be zero. Delaney sometimes gets things right, but they are far and between. I wouldn't believe anything the UK press is writing, they sometimes get a briefing by Woodward himself, but most of the time they are fecking clueless since Moyes left the club.
So he wants it, and we want it, since we're talking... it's sounding promising.