The board versus the fans 2018/2019

SER19

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How long more as fans are we going to sleepwalk into becoming arsenal 2.0 (a boards measure of competence is not just spending)

The argument regarding how much we have spent post Ferguson carries very little weight for the reasons below. This isn’t a reaction to deadline day where we may still sign somebody, any claiming it is can check posts made before summer where I was criticised for saying we only need 2 players.

When reading this please adopt the mindset of one of Europe’s big clubs.

Since Ferguson and gill left, the owners and Woodward have

1. Hired David Moyes to manage Manchester United, and provided him with a 6 year contract,
B) proceeded to fail catastrophically in this transfer window. It was farcical not just a failure.

2. Hired Louis van Gaal, a more competent manager, but then adopted a more aggressive transfer policy that lacked focus of any sort, there was little medium term or long term planning and we bloated a squad with too old, too injured, to disinterested big name players. It was galactico lite and we are still suffering today from Woodward’s years of ego signings.
B) persisted with a failing van gaal which many criticise, though I myself don’t, and adopted a seemingly hands off role when it came to selling, and saw the sale of several decent squad players replaced with worse ones.

3. Backed mourinho and we have signed good players. But what I want and what mourinho wants are different things. He has been failed this window. 19pts begins city and failed. So many fans are so frustrated and vocal about how we have failed this window but expect mourinho to keep quiet. You have been duped into yet another scapegoat manager.

Woodward and glazers are achieving and getting everything they want from the club. We are thriving commercially.

We are also so far being outspent by newly promoted clubs Fulham and wolves.

We will largely go on moaning about managers and players and turn a blind eye to the running of the club until it’s far too late. Which will only be a couple of years away. Even if this squad pulls off a great season, United are being fleeced. This board want 4th and nothing more. The odd trophy the odd big name player to keep a buzz going.

Isn’t it time we as fans do something about it? Or will we go on blaming the players and managers we have do what? Anything more than nothing. Protests, banners, vocal fanzines etc.
 
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VanGaalyTime

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How long more as fans are we going to sleepwalk into becoming arsenal 2.0

The argument regarding how much we have spent post Ferguson carries very little weight for the reasons below. This isn’t a reaction to deadline day where we may still sign somebody, any claiming it is can check posts made before summer where I was criticised for saying we only need 2 players.

When reading this please adopt the mindset of one of Europe’s big clubs.

Since Ferguson and gill left, the owners and Woodward have

1. Hired David Moyes to manage Manchester United, and provided him with a 6 year contract,
B) proceeded to fail catastrophically in this transfer window. It was farcical not just a failure.

2. Hired Louis van Gaal, a more competent manager, but then adopted a more aggressive transfer policy that lacked focus of any sort, there was little medium term or long term planning and we bloated a squad with too old, too injured, to disinterested big name players. It was galactico lite and we are still suffering today from Woodward’s years of ego signings.
B) persisted with a failing van gaal which many criticise, though I myself don’t, and adopted a seemingly hands off role when it came to selling, and saw the sale of several decent squad players replaced with worse ones.

3. Backed mourinho and we have signed good players. But what I want and what mourinho wants are different things. So many fans are so frustrated and vocal about how we have failed this window but expect mourinho to keep quiet. You have been duped into yet another scapegoat manager.

Woodward and glazers are achieving and getting everything they want from the club. We are thriving commercially.

We are also so far being outspent by newly promoted clubs Fulham and wolves.

We will largely go on moaning about managers and players and turn a blind eye to the running of the club until it’s far too late. Which will only be a couple of years away. Even if this squad pulls off a great season, United are being fleeced. This board want 4th and nothing more. The odd trophy the odd big name player to keep a buzz going.

Isn’t it time we as fans do something about it? Or will we go on blaming the players and managers we have do what? Anything more than nothing. Protests, banners, vocal fanzines etc.
How long more as fans are we going to sleepwalk into becoming arsenal 2.0

The argument regarding how much we have spent post Ferguson carries very little weight for the reasons below. This isn’t a reaction to deadline day where we may still sign somebody, any claiming it is can check posts made before summer where I was criticised for saying we only need 2 players.

When reading this please adopt the mindset of one of Europe’s big clubs.

Since Ferguson and gill left, the owners and Woodward have

1. Hired David Moyes to manage Manchester United, and provided him with a 6 year contract,
B) proceeded to fail catastrophically in this transfer window. It was farcical not just a failure.

2. Hired Louis van Gaal, a more competent manager, but then adopted a more aggressive transfer policy that lacked focus of any sort, there was little medium term or long term planning and we bloated a squad with too old, too injured, to disinterested big name players. It was galactico lite and we are still suffering today from Woodward’s years of ego signings.
B) persisted with a failing van gaal which many criticise, though I myself don’t, and adopted a seemingly hands off role when it came to selling, and saw the sale of several decent squad players replaced with worse ones.

3. Backed mourinho and we have signed good players. But what I want and what mourinho wants are different things. So many fans are so frustrated and vocal about how we have failed this window but expect mourinho to keep quiet. You have been duped into yet another scapegoat manager.

Woodward and glazers are achieving and getting everything they want from the club. We are thriving commercially.

We are also so far being outspent by newly promoted clubs Fulham and wolves.

We will largely go on moaning about managers and players and turn a blind eye to the running of the club until it’s far too late. Which will only be a couple of years away. Even if this squad pulls off a great season, United are being fleeced. This board want 4th and nothing more. The odd trophy the odd big name player to keep a buzz going.

Isn’t it time we as fans do something about it? Or will we go on blaming the players and managers we have do what? Anything more than nothing. Protests, banners, vocal fanzines etc.

I think local fans should organize protest marches against the owners before the games. Perhaps skipping the first five minutes of matches at Old Trafford and then walking in with green and gold shirts/flags.
 

Pogue Mahone

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Shouldn’t this go in the “penny-pinching Glazers” thread?

Of course, if I’m on the board I’d be counting up the money already spent by Mourinho (plus the salaries paid to his squad) and wondering how the feck any fan could have the brass neck to blame a lack of investment on our current situation.
 

AndyJ1985

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Oh good, I can already see the narrative for this season is going to be the board are at fault for all our failings because they didn't give Mourinho another £200m to spend. Give it a rest already, they have spent a fecking fortune and a lot of it has been wasted on shit by three managers. We're nothing like Arsenal.
 

Infestissumam

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maybe I'm in the minority here, but I don't have a problem with the board at all.

Mourinho has been allowed to spend a shiteload of money over the past two years. How about the "special one" finally coaching up the players he has instead of non-stop moaning and burning money? This is still a good squad with really good players. Would be great if we had a manager who was able to get the best out of them.
 

SER19

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Oh good, I can already see the narrative for this season is going to be the board are at fault for all our failings because they didn't give Mourinho another £200m to spend. Give it a rest already, they have spent a fecking fortune and a lot of it has been wasted on shit by three managers. We're nothing like Arsenal.
Simplify the running of a club for half a decade into how much it spends if you want, but this isn’t championship manager and football goes beyond this superficial metric, as does my post.
 

CallyRed

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Mourinho and Van Gaal have spent shite loads the past 3/4 years. Don't think the board is the problem.
 

SER19

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But then he wouldn’t get as much attention.
Get real, Perhaps you measure your self esteem against online attention but I thought this thread would be for specific actions by fans, and also didn’t see the glazer Thread on title page. Go seek affirmation elsewhere
 

spiriticon

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Jesus. Sometimes I feel the Glazers should just sign Papy Djilibodji for 200 million just to prove a point about spend.

Yes, because chucking money everywhere will solve all our problems
 

SER19

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Mourinho and Van Gaal have spent shite loads the past 3/4 years. Don't think the board is the problem.
Yet again. If you think spend is the only measure of a board.

Was hiring moyes not a huge failing? The 6 year contract? The wastes of money, van gaal hiring? This failed window.
 

acnumber9

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Get real, Perhaps you measure your self esteem against online attention but I thought this thread would be for specific actions by fans, and also didn’t see the glazer Thread on title page. Go seek affirmation elsewhere
Of course. Good luck with your action. What are you doing tomorrow night?
 

thegregster

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Jesus. Sometimes I feel the Glazers should just sign Papy Djilibodji for 200 million just to prove a point about spend.

Yes, because chucking money everywhere will solve all our problems
They have spent feck all on the capital side of things down the years as well.

For the money generated by the club a pitiful amount has been reinvested.

I wouldn't mind the low transfer spend if they were using it elsewhere in the club or lowering ticket prices but they are not.
 

SER19

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Jesus. Sometimes I feel the Glazers should just sign Papy Djilibodji for 200 million just to prove a point about spend.

Yes, because chucking money everywhere will solve all our problems
What did you read? In the op. What did you actually read that made you think I feel spending more money would be enough to say the board is doing a good job,

This is the exact superficial half arsed laziness among fans I’m talking about. If you’re not even prepared to read a short post, then we should just sit back and watch us get milked by America
 

VanGaalyTime

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Oh good, I can already see the narrative for this season is going to be the board are at fault for all our failings because they didn't give Mourinho another £200m to spend. Give it a rest already, they have spent a fecking fortune and a lot of it has been wasted on shit by three managers. We're nothing like Arsenal.
When is this narrative going to end? The Glazers have spent nothing. Literally none of their own money has gone into the club. They took over a billion pounds out and are now refusing to let the club spend its own money on players. I wonder if the Glazers will refuse their dividends this year if there's no money for transfers? And the money hasn't been wasted. Mou's signings have generally been pretty good. You know what has been wasted, OVER a BILLION POUNDS on the club's takeover by these rats.
 

SER19

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spending hasn't been the problem, but how. Can't blame all of that on the board, that's on the manager and the scouts too.
Absolutely. But it’s another facet of their failings.

We’re being taken for a big money spinning ride and it seems many are happy to take it
 

Massive Spanner

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Was hiring moyes not a huge failing?
Yes
The 6 year contract?
Who cares? They sacked him after nine months anyway.
The wastes of money,
Blame the managers for that one.
van gaal hiring?
LvG was pretty much globally accepted as the best attainable manager out there at the time so what did they do wrong there?
This failed window.
We don't know if it's failed yet because the season hasn't started.
 

Wumminator

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They have spent feck all on the capital side of things down the years as well.

For the money generated by the club a pitiful amount has been reinvested.

I wouldn't mind the low transfer spend if they were using it elsewhere in the club or lowering ticket prices but they are not.
Low transfer spend?

We have spent more than every football club in the world bar City in the last five years.
 

SER19

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Wow, this season's gonna be brutal!!
Maybe not. Are you able to separate the integrity of the club and long term vision from on the pitch? We might have a successful season. But that’s nothing to do with the draining happening on a business level
 

JohnnyKills

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If you want to protest, it's simple. Don't go to games, don't buy the merchandise and don't pay to stream. Anything else is just empty words sadly.
 

Buchan

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We’re being outperformed, domestically and in Europe, by clubs who’ve spent a fraction of what we have in the last five seasons. Our outlay isn’t the problem (and frankly, never has been) - it’s moulding those we do buy into a solid, consistent outfit. How many of van Gaal’s signings are still at the club? Two of Mourinho’s have left already. Throwing money at new players like throwing shit at a wall isn’t going to solve our problems nor bridge the gap between us and the very elite.
 

RedPed

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What did you read? In the op. What did you actually read that made you think I feel spending more money would be enough to say the board is doing a good job,

This is the exact superficial half arsed laziness among fans I’m talking about. If you’re not even prepared to read a short post, then we should just sit back and watch us get milked by America
Your post is a bit embarrassing! You make it sound like the Glazers have been mercenaries. They've been exemplary over the years!
 

SER19

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Yes

Who cares? They sacked him after nine months anyway.

Blame the managers for that one.

LvG was pretty much globally accepted as the best attainable manager out there at the time so what did they do wrong there?

We don't know if it's failed yet because the season hasn't started.
Well we had to pay him off a 6 year contract and the club suffered almost irreparable damage due to the worst managerial signing in history, arguably. That bothers me. But if you’re happy to chop and change and thing so what’s good for you.

I said the window failed the manager, it has. He has said so himself. Nothing to do with any success we may have , I hope we do
 

SER19

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Your post is a bit embarrassing! You make it sound like the Glazers have been mercenaries. They've been exemplary over the years!
Yep the last 5 years have been exemplary. In fact they should teach it to clubs all over the world looking to be successful. Hire shite managers, have a novice run your transfers, fail to attain a successful managers targets. Loads more exemplary tips to go around
 

rotherham_red

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The thing is, for Utd to continue to be successful commercially, they need to be successful - and not just Champions League qualification - if that was the case, they wouldn't have committed to spend up to £90m on Lukaku after we won the Europa for example, after all that squad would have qualified last season without the distraction of Europa. Top 4 is sufficient for the likes of Arsenal, but with the money that Utd generate, it wouldn't be enough for them to sustain themselves and their position as the richest club in the world, which provides its own kudos and commercial value.

That means they need to be challenging for the top honours year in, and year out. They might be able to rest on their laurels for a season or two, but it won't be sustainable in the medium to long-term because eventually the revenue from the commercial vehicle will level out and then regress.

Also, I don't particularly understand the logic of the argument in the OP because they have absolutely backed two managers (three if you include Moyes - he was just a dithering idiot and didn't take full advantage of the opportunities afforded to him). What they are doing is simply refusing to be taken for mugs in the transfer market after the mess LVG created in 2014; and especially in the case of selling Martial, or the targeting of Perisic, they don't want to spend massive amounts on short-term solutions which will require further expensive reinforcement.

If anything, I think its an indication that the board don't trust Jose right now, and want to wait and see what he achieves with the 350m he has already spent thus far before committing to further big outlays on a defence that has already been furnished with £60m worth of central reinforcements.
 

SER19

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We’re being outperformed, domestically and in Europe, by clubs who’ve spent a fraction of what we have in the last five seasons. Our outlay isn’t the problem (and frankly, never has been) - it’s moulding those we do buy into a solid, consistent outfit. How many of van Gaal’s signings are still at the club? Two of Mourinho’s have left already. Throwing money at new players like throwing shit at a wall isn’t going to solve our problems nor bridge the gap between us and the very elite.
Absolutely never say outlay was the problem. Certainly not the exclusive problem

When did it become taboo about caring how the club is run? You’d swear I’ve started a thread saying I’m off to follow Liverpool. Head in the sand time for many
 

RedPed

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Maybe not. Are you able to separate the integrity of the club and long term vision from on the pitch? We might have a successful season. But that’s nothing to do with the draining happening on a business level
I meant brutal in terms of the over-reaction of some fans! You need to look back as to the players we've bought and their transfer fees/salaries. Don't look like penny-pinching owners to me?? Or am I missing something? And we've still won more trophies than most clubs since Fergie left.

You need to get a grip!
 

AndyJ1985

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We’re being outperformed, domestically and in Europe, by clubs who’ve spent a fraction of what we have in the last five seasons. Our outlay isn’t the problem (and frankly, never has been) - it’s moulding those we do buy into a solid, consistent outfit. How many of van Gaal’s signings are still at the club? Two of Mourinho’s have left already. Throwing money at new players like throwing shit at a wall isn’t going to solve our problems nor bridge the gap between us and the very elite.
Well said. I'm sick and tired of ignorant fans thinking all we need to do to win trophies is spend spend spend. Now we have threads popping up sympathising with Jose and having a go at the board. He's spent £400m in 2 years ffs. Is that not enough to expect some good football and competing on the same level as the best teams in Europe? We got humiliated by Sevilla, a club that could only dream of spending £400m in 2 years and having a wage budget of over £200m. Atletico, Dortmund, Juventus are all better and spend less.

Our problem is the manager.
 

ErranMorad

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There definitely need to be protests, banners, vocal fanzines etc. if the clubs sticks with the manager until we are mathematically out of a top 4 spot. If the football doesn't improve and there are clear signs that the manager won't cut it: they need to let him go and try to retrieve our season. They cannot be passive this time around like they were under Moyes and Van Gaal. I hope it doesn't come to that and we have wonderful season with Jose finally able to get the best out of our players, but if he can't, they need to cut the chord at the right time.

Sulking needs to stop. Time for Jose to earn his money. None of the teams top teams in the league besides Liverpool have strengthened very much. It is basically the same playing field as last season. City definitely will drop a level, it's up to us to raise ours to catch them and put them under pressure.
 

SER19

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Of course. Good luck with your action. What are you doing tomorrow night?
I live abroad at the moment. Of course that precludes me, an ex long term season ticket holder, and future one, with several United season ticket holding family members from having a fecking say on the state of our board. Or is your game just to go round making personal assumptions about people online. It sounds unhealthy
 

SER19

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Well said. I'm sick and tired of ignorant fans thinking all we need to do to win trophies is spend spend spend. Now we have threads popping up sympathising with Jose and having a go at the board. He's spent £400m in 2 years ffs. Is that not enough to expect some good football and competing on the same level as the best teams in Europe? We got humiliated by Sevilla, a club that could only dream of spending £400m in 2 years and having a wage budget of over £200m. Atletico, Dortmund, Juventus are all better and spend less.

Our problem is the manager.
Certainly none of those fans in my op. Why does it have to be one or the other? Sorry I don’t fit your narrative
 

bleedred

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I, for one , am actually Ok with not spending when there is no value in the market. I mean come on, $75 million for Magurie and in a year or two if he fails, we would have a hell of a problem cutting him out of the squad as we have seen with the deadwood in our squad currently.

I don't see much personnel who have moved on this window, who would have made much of a difference to our squad. I am sure the board would be willing to spend if say for example, Bale or Mbappe was available. There is no point in overpaying for mediocre players.
 

RedPed

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Yep the last 5 years have been exemplary. In fact they should teach it to clubs all over the world looking to be successful. Hire shite managers, have a novice run your transfers, fail to attain a successful managers targets. Loads more exemplary tips to go around
Wow, I feel for you right now!
 

SER19

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I meant brutal in terms of the over-reaction of some fans! You need to look back as to the players we've bought and their transfer fees/salaries. Don't look like penny-pinching owners to me?? Or am I missing something? And we've still won more trophies than most clubs since Fergie left.

You need to get a grip!
What language do I need to put it in to say that being backed financially isn’t the sole determination of a boards competence?

Help me help you