Anyone else feeling disconnected from this current Man United?

[RooneyLegend]

Don't get that at all. Hiring ex players can definitely work. Four of the last six champions leagues were won by managers at their old clubs.

Not all ex players have the pedigree to be great managers. Well, none of our ex players have shown that pedigree. In this situation taking that leap of faith could in disaster rather than success. Pep took over Barca after he had done wonders with the B side. Simeone had won trophies in Argentina, Di Mateo had done a decent job at west brom, and was initially on hired as a caretaker. They soon found out he actually wasn't the goods. Enrique did well at celta playing some really good football even though he had failed at Roma. Only Zidane was a manager hired on the whim.

You can't say we should hire a Keane, we've seen his work and its not impressive. What about Gary Neville? See him drown at Valencia? Bruce is no united manager type coach. The others like Giggs haven't even got any real experience. Look, we've been trotting backwards for a while now, there's no way we take a gamble of any of these blokes. I'm pretty sure though, if one of them proves to be good at what he does, he'll be an option in a jiffy.

 

[gav81]

You can't say we should hire a Keane, we've seen his work and its not impressive.

That really is a matter of perspective. What can be classed as impressive at Sunderland? Obviously they are never going to win the Champions League. What he did do is turn them from a team of serial losers who were headed for League One into a steady Premiership outfit. That is impressive to me. I'd like to give the detailed breakdown but here is not the place. But Conte, for example, achieved no better before getting a break at his former club and winning 3 Serie A titles.

 

[MartialsBeard]

Hey all,

Firstly, I cant believe this is even a discussion on here, and its a little embarrassing. I started supporting United in 1998 I was the tender age of 10 and luckily enough managed to vaguely remember us winning the treble in 99. I kind of lost interest in United in my early teens, I was more into music and skateboarding but at about the age of 18 I got really back into us and have been obsessed for the last 10 years.

This current United squad is almost the most exciting squad of players I can remember since 2008 with that front 3. Over the last 3 years United fans should have had a wake up call in several areas and we should not be turning our noses up at the huge changes ahead.

As with all things, football works in cycles and we are at the start of a new cycle once again, what the last 3 years taught me is we set a blueprint with Fergie and during his time we were happy to watch a true genius and maverick work his unmatched magic on our football club and we should consider ourselves lucky. What happened after he left was like taking a bunch of drunk louts and asking them to do your dinner in the dark, an utter mess with no direction, no clear identity. We were throwing shit at the wall and seeing what stuck. LVG came along and sparked something of a revival some top quality came in, some hit some miss, but it was more on track. United started stirring from a deep slumber.

Now with Jose in-charge it feels like someone put a rocket up our arses, like Gordon Ramsey himself grabbed us by the collar and screamed "WHAT ARE YOU?". It is yet to be seen if we reply, but all in all, we needed Jose more than he needed us and it feels right, this feels like the United I know.

Beligirant to the competition, City sign Sane, sure, good signing, but we have Martial and Mhiki more than a match for him, City have Aguero, sure nice player we have Ibra. I couldnt give a toss what the competition are doing and that finally feels familiar again.

Do I feel disconnected? No, were finally acting like the club I thought we were going to be back in 99, I feel excited, eager, and I cant bloody wait even for the curtain raiser this weekend. Let the rough losses come, let the euphoric wins come, this is my United and were fecking back.

 

[sokol11]

It wouldn't make a difference to the argument had Madrid and Zidane lost. Because then Simeone, a former legend and player of Atletico, would have won.

Here is a list back to the 80s: -

1981 – Bob Paisley - Liverpool
1986 – Emerich Jenei – Steaua Bucharest
1987 – Artur Jorge - Porto
1988 – Gus Hiddink - PSV
1992 - Johan Cruyf – Barcelona
1994 – Fabio Capello – Milan
2000 – Vincente del Bosque – Madrid
2002 – Vincente del Bosque – Madrid
2003 – Carlo Ancelotti – Milan
2007 – Carlo Ancelotti – Milan
2009 – Josep Guardiola – Barcelona
2011 – Josep Guardiola – Barcelona
2012 - Roberto Di Matteo – Chelsea
2015 – Luis Enrique – Barcelona
2016 – Zinedine Zidane – Madrid

So former great and successful players have frequently returned to manage their former club to Champions League victory. You could look at the list and say that's largely because Barcelona, Madrid and Milan are great clubs, which is true, but then aren't Manchester United?

There are numerous other success stories of former playing greats going back to manage at the club. Pochettino is only where he is now because Espanyol, the club where he spent most of his playing days, gave him the chance to manage at an early age. Some other well known, recent examples: -

Frank de boer 4 consecutive Eredivisie titles (2011-14) with Ajax
Antonio Conte 3 consecutive Serie A titles (2012-14) with Juventus
Diego Simeone La Liga (2014) and 2 Champions League finals (2014 & 2016) with Atletico

Yes, former players who were leaders and captains on the pitch (as well as being central midfielders with a high work-rate, looking at the above names), can be very successful managers back at their former clubs.

Roy Keane, Ferguson's on-field general and most successful captain in United's history, is a manager who would certainly return the United way and connection.

Now that's a point proven. I agree it would be interesting to see Keane in the hotseat at United. You would imagine he would have a similar vision as Simeone. Intensity, pace, aggression. And the same border line antics I imagine.

 

[londonredmaniac]

I feel no more disconnected than at any other times in the last 10-15 years tbf. It's not as if fans have been mixing with players in the same local haunts around town in the last 2 decades.

The superstardom and the earning capacity, mixed with the mercenary element...I suppose people just don't idenyify with what they see in front of them.

However...the lads and lasses I go the match with ir watch the match with make MUFC for me. Sure...the demographic has changed, but still plenty of solid folk who love United.

 

[ShakeUnBake]

No, I feel excited. Zlatan Ibrahimovic is showing his stuff at Old Trafford for a year, and despite being 34 he seems very fit and ambitious. We've got meep meep mrhheow (I refuse to call Rashford anything different) and who isn't excited about that. Lastly Paul Pogba, the man who left on a free and a few years later returns for a world record fee.

And Jose Mourinho! Now that he's one of us, not a single complaint from me as long as he fights with us. Good times.

 

[Munich_1958]

Its not that United have moved on its Football that has moved on and if we dont move with it we will be staring into the same barrell Liverpool stared into for almost 30 years.

Ita move with the times or be left behind

 

[RedElf]

No, I feel excited. Zlatan Ibrahimovic is showing his stuff at Old Trafford for a year, and despite being 34 he seems very fit and ambitious. We've got meep meep mrhheow (I refuse to call Rashford anything different) and who isn't excited about that. Lastly Paul Pogba, the man who left on a free and a few years later returns for a world record fee.

And Jose Mourinho! Now that he's one of us, not a single complaint from me as long as he fights with us. Good times.

Refreshing to see a manager getting off his arse and shouting instructions, encouraging players, and questioning the officials from the technical area.

 

[Count Orduck]

I'm hugely disconnected from the current Man United, but I think it's a problem with my enjoyment of football as a whole. Maybe it's just because I'm older now and my interests have changed, or maybe it's the over-saturation of football in the last ten years has burnt me out on it, but I care so much less about the sport than I used to. I barely know who anyone has signed this summer except for us, and even then I have to stop and think about it. My interest was renewed last season for the Leicester City story, but I've gone back to half-paying attention to it again now.

 

[#07]

A thread that epitomises the saying 'an oldie but a goodie', that I'm bumping because honestly I feel hatred when I think about what Man Utd is becoming.

When you think about how few players actually went over to our travelling support yesterday, you can tell that most of our players couldn't give a damn about our club. Yet they expect to be worshipped by the manager, the fans and everyone in between. They haven't achieved anything really, besides a Europa League, yet they behave like the sun shines out of them. Downing tools if they don't get the adoration they think they deserve.

We have had far less talented squads than this one but would I trust any of these players over a Rafael Da Silva? Never. They've not got half the heart of a Da Silva twin.

They're more interested in their brands and their personal agendas than they are with the fans. None of them deserve our support. I'm honestly disgusted by them.

Lou Macari said it best last night:

Tweet

— Twitter API (@user) date

Sad times...

 

[JoaquinJoaquin]

What annoys me is after a defeat we get the usual crap from our players on Social Media: 'Fans were great today, we will bounce back'. That was fine for the first couple of times, now it sounds like a load of nonsense to try and appease fans after another bad performance. I know the likes of Lingard etc are easy targets because of how present they are on Social Media, But when you see them all week long doing 'Delli Alli challenges' on Instagram, to then get embarrassed by Brighton you can't help but get really annoyed. This kind of rubbish would never have flown in the dressing room when Keane was here, and I just don't see players from other top teams being as active on Social Media as ours seem to be. Whether that is a discipline thing i'm not sure, but our players certainly play as if they don't care and have none, so who knows.

 

[Moonwalker]

What annoys me is after a defeat we get the usual crap from our players on Social Media: 'Fans were great today, we will bounce back'. That was fine for the first couple of times, now it sounds like a load of nonsense to try and appease fans after another bad performance. I know the likes of Lingard etc are easy targets because of how present they are on Social Media, But when you see them all week long doing 'Delli Alli challenges' on Instagram, to then get embarrassed by Brighton you can't help but get really annoyed. This kind of rubbish would never have flown in the dressing room when Keane was here, and I just don't see players from other top teams being as active on Social Media as ours seem to be. Whether that is a discipline thing i'm not sure, but our players certainly play as if they don't care and have none, so who knows.

You grab yourself a DeLorean, and give twitter to the old boys, and I'd wager that's exactly the sort of response you would get after a defeat.

 

[L1nk]

More like disillusioned, my love for the club will never die, at all, but its all a complete circus from top to bottom and it angers me looking at other clubs who don't have this issue. It would help if we were at least playing some entertaining football, but we don't, it's just garbage.

 

[Utdstar01]

Acceptance that we are shit, we play shit football and have done for the last 5 years. Just very fed up of it now. Got to the point where I'm not overly fussed if I miss a game.

 

[sp_107]

Kind of, I miss SAF , we are bit if a circus these days.

It is !!

SAF used to control players and media

Jose comes across a very honest person and sometimes that gets him into trouble !! With out a question he wants to succeed here but I think he still doesn't have a team he wants and signings like Bailey/ Lindelof /Miki didn't help his cause either on top of that Alexis went off the boil too !!

Jose is defensive but not this bad as you can see his teams scored plenty in the past like inter ..Real ..

Finally He identified right targets like Sandro / Willian/ Toby but to his misfortune board didn't go after them like they went in for last 5 seasons


After seeing Jose all these years anyone would be a fool to think he doesn't care about current situation as he hates losing but looks like he doesnt trust half of his team at this moment !!

I am sure it's painful for him to see Pep raising many levels above Jose in his fav league (He said many times he likes EPL)

 

[Minimalist]

I wanted LVG gone and I wanted Mourinho in out of desperation (well as desperate as you can be as a person watching a sports team on the tele). Now it feels like we sold our soul or something.

I used to scoff at the idea of our ‘identity’ but good grief it has become non existent in the last couple years.

FWIW, I could go the rest of my life without united winning another title. We won so much under Ferguson that I’m pretty cool about it. I would however like to enjoy watching our team (the average game) and I haven’t been able to say that in so long.

 

[sp_107]

More like disillusioned, my love for the club will never die, at all, but its all a complete circus from top to bottom and it angers me looking at other clubs who don't have this issue. It would help if we were at least playing some entertaining football, but we don't, it's just garbage.

I guess life goes in circles !! Our rivals went through this phase when we were signing the best players and well organised at every level with in the club and winning for fun !!!!

Hope we raise to the top sooner than later !!

 

[sp_107]

More like disillusioned, my love for the club will never die, at all, but its all a complete circus from top to bottom and it angers me looking at other clubs who don't have this issue. It would help if we were at least playing some entertaining football, but we don't, it's just garbage.

To be honest our football was not that entertaining in SAF's last 3 years but he managed to win titles !!

The real problem is even after spending half a billion we are now playing worse than SAF's final years !! This needs to be fixed ASAP !

 

[Adisa]

Stopped watching at the 75th minute. My girlfriend wanted to go out and I wasn't going to delay her for something that was upsetting my spirit. I knew there was no chance we would equalise and I'm not surprised to hear we barely had any shots in that period.
This club has lost its character.
I find myself not being overly upset when I'm forced to miss games due to work and other commitments, I feel like I won't miss anything.
Don't know if it's age or just because I'm getting more responsibility at work but I'm feeling increasing apathy towards this team. And I hate it...I absolutely hate it.
I'm a Man Utd fan above all else so when we lose, I don't even bother with anything football related. I don't watch any other matches, don't want to go online, nothing. Just want to forget about football.

 

[Pogue Mahone]

Meh. I think United fans just hate supporting a team that isn’t good any more. A hatred that gets projected on the players.

I doubt the City fans give two fecks about the flash cars and tweets from their players. Nor would we if our team was as good as theirs.

I’m definitely working on caring less about results. It’s easier that way. But I’m not gonna pretend modern football is the problem. I just need to adjust to supporting a team that’s a tier below the best around. Just like the vast majority of football fans. The first step is realising how insanely spoiled I was for such a long period of time.

 

[Treble]

United should be mostly about football, not about business and sponsorships. Business has taken centre stage and this has had some detrimental effects.

 

[Mick321]

Maybe a little but the fun has certainly gone following us. Yes winning a trophy in May is great for that 90mins and few days after if you do it but I want to have fun along the way in Aug, Sept, Oct etc etc not bore the world to death in the hope it leads to something in May. It's shit not going for the throat of half the rubbish in this league. It's shit not creating one chance in the second half when trailing v a squad who cost about as much as Pogba. It's shit letting Leicester come to OT and pin us in our own half for 60mins. I don't like this manager, his personality or style and never have, he was never the right fit and never will be. I just want a team that's fun again, not even asking for trophies, though obviously with our budget you'd expect us to compete for them at least but mainly I just want the fun brought back and a connection with the players again.

 

[Devil may care]

A lot of the players don't care about the club? Quite possibly, given how much abusive shit some of them get from their own fans on social media these days maybe they find it hard to care about the lifeblood of clubs, the fans. The manager doesn't care about the club either though, lets not pretend he does. Mourinho has fostered such a negative atmosphere with between throwing players under the bus, the press conferences over the summer and the style of football over the last 2 seasons, and it's bleeding through.

 

[Wumminator]

A thread that epitomises the saying 'an oldie but a goodie', that I'm bumping because honestly I feel hatred when I think about what Man Utd is becoming.

When you think about how few players actually went over to our travelling support yesterday, you can tell that most of our players couldn't give a damn about our club. Yet they expect to be worshipped by the manager, the fans and everyone in between. They haven't achieved anything really, besides a Europa League, yet they behave like the sun shines out of them. Downing tools if they don't get the adoration they think they deserve.

We have had far less talented squads than this one but would I trust any of these players over a Rafael Da Silva? Never. They've not got half the heart of a Da Silva twin.

They're more interested in their brands and their personal agendas than they are with the fans. None of them deserve our support. I'm honestly disgusted by them.

Lou Macari said it best last night:

Tweet

— Twitter API (@user) date

Sad times...

It’s just been a slow and steady decline in the “identity” of the club. Too much infighting, too much drama and players being thrown under a bus. There’s no sense of community.

My mate works as a lifeguard and United occasionally use him. He said when they’re training you’ve got your Pogba, Lukaku, Lingard and Rashford who are together and then the rest of the squad is just a load of individuals.

 

[MoskvaRed]

During dark days under Moyes, and then LVG, I still had hope that, with the right managerial appointment, United could get back to the top. Now, while I am losing faith in Mourinho, I see that the problems are more fundamental than the managerial incumbent, starting at the top where there is a complete void in leadership leading to a club lacking identity and direction. It seems that what I believed was Manchester United was in truth Alex Ferguson FC and, 5 years on from his retirement, we are still floundering. I can see a potential way out of the rut through a talented, experienced DOF with a clear mandate and lines of reporting but I don’t have much faith in the Board/CEO to design and implement the necessary changes, even if they are now favourable to the DOF model. Depressing times....

 

[Wumminator]

Aaaah Twigginator.
I have not seen you around since Mourinho was hired. How have you been?

I think you are getting worried that we may start winning important games and aiming to win the league again (rather than the 4th place trophy which LVG and Moyes dreamed about winning).
Don't worry - it'll be fine.
And if you want to see what most fans think about us signing a Galactico class player, head on over the Paul Pogba thread. Its one of the biggest threads ever and the biggest transfer thread of all time. It's also the fastest growing thread of all time. I think that should give you an idea of what the majority of Caftards are thinking.

In any case, when you have sobered up and the season starts, get ready for the winning to begin. Jose is building a squad to win the league and eventually the CL in seasons to come. I don't think he cares too much about the 4th place trophy or the domestic Cup

Also this post didn’t age well.

 

[Rossa]

A thread that epitomises the saying 'an oldie but a goodie', that I'm bumping because honestly I feel hatred when I think about what Man Utd is becoming.

When you think about how few players actually went over to our travelling support yesterday, you can tell that most of our players couldn't give a damn about our club. Yet they expect to be worshipped by the manager, the fans and everyone in between. They haven't achieved anything really, besides a Europa League, yet they behave like the sun shines out of them. Downing tools if they don't get the adoration they think they deserve.

We have had far less talented squads than this one but would I trust any of these players over a Rafael Da Silva? Never. They've not got half the heart of a Da Silva twin.

They're more interested in their brands and their personal agendas than they are with the fans. None of them deserve our support. I'm honestly disgusted by them.

Lou Macari said it best last night:

Tweet

— Twitter API (@user) date

Sad times...

This is one of the better posts I have read here in a while - also, sadly, one of the more important ones.

We are the biggest club in the world seems to be common theme for both club and players at the moment. Biggest obviously referring to publicity. Our players, as you say, seem to be more interested in social media and exposing their own brands than actually the football part. I think anyone would lose focus.

A Norwegian skiier complained about how commercialised cross country skiing has become and how it detracts attention from what they should be doing - be as fast as possible on snow. I think the media circus around United is disrupting the team and the football in the exact same way. I know of teachers and other people from other professions told by their employer to bin their social media because of the content of what they are posting. Considering what United players are doing, I suspect United as a football team might benefit in the same way.

Players not going over to the travelling support is just baffling. Why do these players think they can earn their money and play at the level they do? They are starting to act and look more like Hollywood icons than footballers. As you point out, their achievements are not even that great.

I think there are exceptions in the squad to this, but they are too few.

I also think consistency is a huge factor here, and one has to wonder how a player can be great in one game and horrible in the next, such as Pogba and Bailly. Where is the focus?

 

[altodevil]

Still not as bad as LVG's squads I don't think. They had literally zero personality.

 

[Godfather]

This squad gives me absolutely nothing. I actually hold an irrational dislike for many of our current players. Never felt as disconnected to this team as I do right know.

 

[Kostov]

What annoys me is after a defeat we get the usual crap from our players on Social Media: 'Fans were great today, we will bounce back'. That was fine for the first couple of times, now it sounds like a load of nonsense to try and appease fans after another bad performance. I know the likes of Lingard etc are easy targets because of how present they are on Social Media, But when you see them all week long doing 'Delli Alli challenges' on Instagram, to then get embarrassed by Brighton you can't help but get really annoyed. This kind of rubbish would never have flown in the dressing room when Keane was here, and I just don't see players from other top teams being as active on Social Media as ours seem to be. Whether that is a discipline thing i'm not sure, but our players certainly play as if they don't care and have none, so who knows.

I came across Lingard's Insta post of yesterday, thanking the fans about travelling and a hashtag of Jlingz in there. And I think what the feck man? He was absolutely horrendous when he came on, completely useless, like everybody else in that attack mind you. But why bother posting? Go and hide somewhere you spineless gits.

 

[kouroux]

I came across Lingard's Insta post of yesterday, thanking the fans about travelling and a hashtag of Jlingz in there. And I think what the feck man? He was absolutely horrendous when he came on, completely useless, like everybody else in that attack mind you. But why bother posting? Go and hide somewhere you spineless gits.

I feel you, this current team (bar a few exceptions) does nothing to me. I feel like I wanna slap our players when I see them close and shout at them to wake up and play. They're do frustrating.

 

[Rolledo]

Meh. I think United fans just hate supporting a team that isn’t good any more. A hatred that gets projected on the players.

I doubt the City fans give two fecks about the flash cars and tweets from their players. Nor would we if our team was as good as theirs.

I’m definitely working on caring less about results. It’s easier that way. But I’m not gonna pretend modern football is the problem. I just need to adjust to supporting a team that’s a tier below the best around. Just like the vast majority of football fans. The first step is realising how insanely spoiled I was for such a long period of time.

Agreed. But if you'd told me back then that the first five, going on six, years after SAF retired would be like this? Boggles the mind. But yeah, a readjustment is much needed. We're not a top side anymore. we're not an attacking side either.

 

[stevoc]

I wanted LVG gone and I wanted Mourinho in out of desperation (well as desperate as you can be as a person watching a sports team on the tele). Now it feels like we sold our soul or something.

I used to scoff at the idea of our ‘identity’ but good grief it has become non existent in the last couple years.

FWIW, I could go the rest of my life without united winning another title. We won so much under Ferguson that I’m pretty cool about it. I would however like to enjoy watching our team (the average game) and I haven’t been able to say that in so long.

Thats pretty much where i am also, if we're going to compete for the league fine the football doesn't have to be spectacular (though i would still like it to be) especially not towards the end of a season. But we haven't got close to competing for the League in 5 years and yet we still play shit football. Footballs a simple game it's not hard to play entertaining football with the talent we have available, and yet for the last few managers it seems like an impossible task.

 

[BluesJr]

Meh. I think United fans just hate supporting a team that isn’t good any more. A hatred that gets projected on the players.

I doubt the City fans give two fecks about the flash cars and tweets from their players. Nor would we if our team was as good as theirs.

I’m definitely working on caring less about results. It’s easier that way. But I’m not gonna pretend modern football is the problem. I just need to adjust to supporting a team that’s a tier below the best around. Just like the vast majority of football fans. The first step is realising how insanely spoiled I was for such a long period of time.

I see what you’re saying but should you need to adjust? We are one of the biggest clubs in the world and I think the fans should hold the club up to that and not let expectations fall. We belong at the top table and it’s about time the club started getting a fecking grip and stop embarrassing themselves.

 

[kouroux]

Never under any United teams (not even LVG or Moyes) have I found myself spending 2/3 of the game on my phone surfing the web for various stuff. I make online purchases and browse for articles during United games now whereas I couldn't bear being disturbed.

 

[AndyJ1985]

Bored sums it up best. For 5 years it's been a predictable cycle of boring rubbish. This club needs a big shake up from top to bottom.

 

[Kostov]

I feel you, this current team (bar a few exceptions) does nothing to me. I feel like I wanna slap our players when I see them close and shout at them to wake up and play. They're do frustrating.

Some of them think they are much better than they really are, and it got into their heads. I mean come on, Rashford was pocketed by some guy named Bong, Lingard ran around crashing into opposition defenders and that was it, Pogba lost every single duel, and than they come out with that crap, promoting some of their brands? I mean feck off, where is your pride, you got dominated by fecking Brighton.

 

[VeevaVee]

To be honest our football was not that entertaining in SAF's last 3 years but he managed to win titles !!

The real problem is even after spending half a billion we are now playing worse than SAF's final years !! This needs to be fixed ASAP !

Imagine if Fergie spent this money

 

[JoaquinJoaquin]

I came across Lingard's Insta post of yesterday, thanking the fans about travelling and a hashtag of Jlingz in there. And I think what the feck man? He was absolutely horrendous when he came on, completely useless, like everybody else in that attack mind you. But why bother posting? Go and hide somewhere you spineless gits.

Exactly! That's the problem though isn't it, They can't stay away from Social Media. Lingard is always pushing his brand and crappy merchandise (who the hell is buying this garbage?) on Instagram, but you don't see videos of him training and actually trying to improve as a player. And he is one guy that really does need to work on his game, as 1 good performance in 5-6 games isn't good enough. Maybe I just look too much into it, but even Sanchez who has been mainly rubbish here is posting videos of himself working out or sprint training etc (trying to improve himself) and that appeals to me much more as he actually looks like he gives a feck.

 

[kouroux]

Some of them think they are much better than they really are, and it got into their heads. I mean come on, Rashford was pocketed by some guy named Bong, Lingard ran around crashing into opposition defenders and that was it, Pogba lost every single duel, and than they come out with that crap, promoting some of their brands? I mean feck off, where is your pride, you got dominated by fecking Brighton.

That's the crazy thing, Brighton won fair. The ref didn't have even major blunders, we got dominated by Brighton which should never happen. There is something rotten at the club, the World Cup showed, this many players underperforming at the same time isn't a coincidence