What truly worries me about Manchester United

[devilish]

I am not too concerned about Ole. He is work in progress but most of his ideas are top notch, he's decent in man management and he's got potential.

What truly worry me is

- Its 17th March and we've yet to hire a top DOF. We can't let Ole handle all the responsibility by himself. That destroyed more experienced managers let alone someone whose learning the ropes

- While other clubs are busy signing new players for next year (Ramsay will soon join Juventus, De Jong will soon sign with Barcelona, Godin will join Inter next summer, Pavard will join Bayern) we've yet to do anything on the transfer market front. That despite having so many positions that need to be strengthened + the EPL transfer deadline is ridiculously short.

- The likes of DDG, Herrera and Periera are heading towards the end of his contract. We need that to be sorted pronto.

- One of the best Football CEOs has change clubs and we weren't even remotely interested in him. Instead we still cling to Woodward whose good in making money but has proven time and time again that he's got no idea about football matters.

 

[matt23]

Sorry if its common knowledge, but what happened to the former Spurs and Southampton bloke we were linked with around the time we sacked Mourinho?

 

[Nero]

No one knows what is going on behind the scenes. For all anyone knows we could be making good progress on a DoF, signings, and new contracts.

 

[Sarni]

It’s a bit absurd to moan about the lack of Summer transfers in March to be honest.

 

[Handré1990]

It’s a bit absurd to moan about the lack of Summer transfers in March to be honest.

 

[Fluctuation0161]

Our owners and Woodward are incompetent. They haven't chosen the right personnel or invested in the right players at the right time.

Irrespective of what was going on with Mourinho (he had to go). Not investing in players last Summer and this January is criminal when you consider the relative progress that was being made.

 

[Fluctuation0161]

It’s a bit absurd to moan about the lack of Summer transfers in March to be honest.

What about last Summers transfers!? Can I moan about the lack of them?

 

[JoaquinJoaquin]

A director of football isn't happening, so we will have a long wait for that to happen.

 

[FootyGirl88]

It’s a bit absurd to moan about the lack of Summer transfers in March to be honest.

You laugh but Madrid are already making moves. You don't have to wait till the summer to get deals in place look at Barca and De Jong.

 

[Wumminator]

I’m furious that we are one of the 99.9% of football clubs that haven’t signed players yet. If we’d have signed Ramsey on the highest wage bill for a British player ever, I’d be buzzing.

 

[Snafu17]

It’s a bit absurd to moan about the lack of Summer transfers in March to be honest.

I agree about transfers, but the lack of any activity in actually setting up a football structure inside the club is a bit worrying.

 

[Wumminator]

I worry we’ve got a fan base so spoiled and moany that I can no longer enjoy coming on this forum because everyone is so over the top and knee jerk that any sensible opinions are hidden away.

I worry that we’ve got people demanding a DOF for our club, ignoring the fact that about twenty DOFs who were supposed to be the saviour of other clubs have flopped and left since this random obsesssion became a thing.

I worry that games away at Wolves with half the team returning from injury are seen as “easy” games that have people insulting half our squad.

I worry that our fans don’t “support” the club but just wear a United top, demand subs at half time in every game and make disparaging comments towards fringe players.

I worry that people think it’s ok to genuinely mock people like Scholes, Neville, Keane, Charlton and Fergie because they don’t agree with what they think.

 

[finneh]

This strange idea that a director of football is going to be some kind of saviour baffles me in truth.

We already have a problem with manager accountability with the likes of Mourinho blaming the board for a lack of signings. People then want to add another person responsible for making signings to the equation?

What happens next season with a DoF in place and four new signings if those signings perform poorly? Let's say Ole drops them; do the fans and the board blame the director of football for the poor signings or Ole for not giving them enough time? If Ole gives them time and they're poor do we blame Ole for us sitting in 6th? His tactics? His ability to motivate? Do we blame the DoF? Who do we sack after finishing the season in 5th with £200m of talent bought 12 months prior warming the bench?

If as a senior manager within my company the board told me their expectations and my budget to achieve said expectations... but then told me they were spending it on a new software system, when I knew a piece of manufacturing equipment was key to me being able to achieve said expectations. The second I fell short of my targets I'd obviously blame the failure to purchase the equipment and if be right too.

If Ole's target next season is a title challenge and he has £200m to get us there then for anyone but him to choose how to spend that would be extremely strange.

 

[Walters_19_MuFc]

No one knows what is going on behind the scenes. For all anyone knows we could be making good progress on a DoF, signings, and new contracts.

100% this.

 

[Handré1990]

You laugh but Madrid are already making moves. You don't have to wait till the summer to get deals in place look at Barca and De Jong.

The opening post mentiones three class players who we know are ready for new clubs. 3. Hardly like everybody’s done, while we’re left twiddling our thumbs. The one I quoted summed it up perfectly.

 

[Reddy Rederson]

This strange idea that a director of football is going to be some kind of saviour baffles me in truth.

We already have a problem with manager accountability with the likes of Mourinho blaming the board for a lack of signings. People then want to add another person responsible for making signings to the equation?

What happens next season with a DoF in place and four new signings if those signings perform poorly? Let's say Ole drops them; do the fans and the board blame the director of football for the poor signings or Ole for not giving them enough time? If Ole gives them time and they're poor do we blame Ole for us sitting in 6th? His tactics? His ability to motivate?

If as a senior manager within my company the board told me their expectations and my budget to achieve said expectations... but then told me they were spending it on a new software system, when I knew a piece of manufacturing equipment was key to me being able to achieve said expectations. The second I fell short of my targets I'd obviously blame the failure to purchase the equipment and if be right too.

If Ole's target next season is a title challenge and he has £200m to get us there then for anyone but him to choose how to spend that would be extremely strange.

The thinking is that a DOF will stop woody making stupid decisions. Thats the short term thinking, the long term is that a DOF will give us continuity of purpose. ie we wont have new ways of playing depending on the manager. We will have a solid footballing mentality and the manager will be reduced to a coaching role. So we wont ever again go from attacking mentality to a defensive one. And with that the players we bring in will always be suited to their roles and then any manger that comes in will always hit the ground running, because once again the manager/coach will be in line with our style and mentality.

 

[Loublaze]

I genuinely laughed when @devilish mentioned Inter signing Godin. Inter are nobodies and Godin while still a good player is 33 and has found a lavish retirement home in Italy. Im not panicking on transfers but it would be nice to wrap up some good business early. Chelsea have signed Pulisic as well.

 

[ravi2]

This strange idea that a director of football is going to be some kind of saviour baffles me in truth.

We already have a problem with manager accountability with the likes of Mourinho blaming the board for a lack of signings. People then want to add another person responsible for making signings to the equation?

What happens next season with a DoF in place and four new signings if those signings perform poorly? Let's say Ole drops them; do the fans and the board blame the director of football for the poor signings or Ole for not giving them enough time? If Ole gives them time and they're poor do we blame Ole for us sitting in 6th? His tactics? His ability to motivate? Do we blame the DoF? Who do we sack after finishing the season in 5th with £200m of talent bought 12 months prior warming the bench?

If as a senior manager within my company the board told me their expectations and my budget to achieve said expectations... but then told me they were spending it on a new software system, when I knew a piece of manufacturing equipment was key to me being able to achieve said expectations. The second I fell short of my targets I'd obviously blame the failure to purchase the equipment and if be right too.

If Ole's target next season is a title challenge and he has £200m to get us there then for anyone but him to choose how to spend that would be extremely strange.

We need the DOF to keep Woodward away from making footballing decisions, he is brilliant at making money but is lacking in the footballing department. Getting a DOF is intergral to our progress. There is a reason why every top club has this sort of infrastructure in place

 

[RedDevilCanuck]

Lack of Spending is what worries me most.

Not having a world class RW is appalling.

 

[Wumminator]

The thinking is that a DOF will stop woody making stupid decisions. Thats the short term thinking, the long term is that a DOF will give us continuity of purpose. ie we wont have new ways of playing depending on the manager. We will have a solid footballing mentality and the manager will be reduced to a coaching role. So we wont ever again go from attacking mentality to a defensive one. And with that the players we bring in will always be suited to their roles and then any manger that comes in will always hit the ground running, because once again the manager/coach will be in line with our style and mentality.

What happens if as a club our mentality and style needs to change somewhat due to the changing nature of the game?

 

[Peyroteo]

Chelsea got Pulisic, Madrid got Militão, Barca got De Jong, Juve got Ramsey... it's definitely a sign of good preparation when teams get players early. Fans should worry about the transfer market given the club has failed there in the past few years.

 

[Sarni]

You laugh but Madrid are already making moves. You don't have to wait till the summer to get deals in place look at Barca and De Jong.

These are exceptions. Most of the time you don’t make Summer moves in March, especially when you don’t even have a manager with contract.

 

[Vidyoyo]

I think the only thing that worries me is the contract thing as I don't want to see our best players leave. Are we saving money by running them down.

DOF thing is a bit weird. Seems we wanted one and haven't made any moves. Why?

Generally not much else bothers me, except the vision of Mourinho returning. Shudders.

 

[devilish]

It’s a bit absurd to moan about the lack of Summer transfers in March to be honest.

Clubs who need far less signings then us and aren't restricted with this moronic transfer deadline had already started signing players

 

[Cliche Guevara]

The thinking is that a DOF will stop woody making stupid decisions. Thats the short term thinking, the long term is that a DOF will give us continuity of purpose. ie we wont have new ways of playing depending on the manager. We will have a solid footballing mentality and the manager will be reduced to a coaching role. So we wont ever again go from attacking mentality to a defensive one. And with that the players we bring in will always be suited to their roles and then any manger that comes in will always hit the ground running, because once again the manager/coach will be in line with our style and mentality.

Does this genuinely happen though? I know it’s the perceived wisdom but I don’t quite get where it comes from.

Top clubs change managers all the time. Top clubs sign players all the time that flop.

This idea that a DoF can determine the tactics and approach of a top coach is insane. Football isn’t about attacking coaches v defensive coaches.

Finally if the DoF is appointed with a specific remit in terms of signing players and how any head coach approaches the game, surely that comes from Woodward anyway? Everyone is saying we want a coach who plays attacking football and signs players who suit that style. It’s not actually some great secret that only a DoF can unlock.

In my view the DoF is more about performing the actual administrative function of signing the players and balancing the budget he’s allocated. I don’t think he’s this omniscient being some people seem to see and only a DoF has the ability to sign players and build a squad.

If Ole was told he had the money to bring in two World Class players, within a certain profile, I’d trust him to do it. I don’t think it’s that complicated.

 

[devilish]

Mou, LvG and Moyes all complained about horrific setup. We also tend to overspend on players (especially regarding salaries), we take ages to get rid of the deadwood and we constantly fail to buy the players we need. Meanwhile top players like DDG and herrera are at the end of their contract

I don't know if a DoF would sort that by himself but we really need all the help at admins level that we can get

 

[M Bison]

I’m furious that we are one of the 99.9% of football clubs that haven’t signed players yet. If we’d have signed Ramsey on the highest wage bill for a British player ever, I’d be buzzing.

Excellent!

 

[Minimalist]

Shouldn’t be ‘worried’ about anything with this club. We've just been dicking about trying to be too clever up until this point. We’re a money making machine. I’ll start even consider worrying when that stops being the case.

I’m just happy our manager isn’t a cringeworthy wanker any longer.

 

[Sarni]

Clubs who need far less signings then us and aren't restricted with this moronic transfer deadline had already started signing players

As I said, exceptions not a rule. Vast majority of transfers will be done June onwards.

 

[laughtersassassin]

I’m furious that we are one of the 99.9% of football clubs that haven’t signed players yet. If we’d have signed Ramsey on the highest wage bill for a British player ever, I’d be buzzing.

People said similar last summer when the only player we had signed for the first team was Fred. Everyone said be grand we will get more in or be grand our team is good enough. Then suddenly the window was closed and we let ourselves fall even further behind the top teams in football.

Always an excuse that we never do enough to improve it seems. Fans should be putting the pressure on for players cause let's be honest we need like 4 starting quality players this summer. Think 1 or 2 is going to get us anywhere near good enough?

Now maybe it will happen but the evidence of past events shows it is more likely we dither and waste another chance to catch up.

Long story short fans have every right to be concerned about the direction we heading under the owners.

 

[Mart1974]

I worry we’ve got a fan base so spoiled and moany that I can no longer enjoy coming on this forum because everyone is so over the top and knee jerk that any sensible opinions are hidden away.

I worry that we’ve got people demanding a DOF for our club, ignoring the fact that about twenty DOFs who were supposed to be the saviour of other clubs have flopped and left since this random obsesssion became a thing.

I worry that games away at Wolves with half the team returning from injury are seen as “easy” games that have people insulting half our squad.

I worry that our fans don’t “support” the club but just wear a United top, demand subs at half time in every game and make disparaging comments towards fringe players.

I worry that people think it’s ok to genuinely mock people like Scholes, Neville, Keane, Charlton and Fergie because they don’t agree with what they think.

I hate people who say this. But this.

 

[devilish]

As I said, exceptions not a rule. Vast majority of transfers will be done June onwards.

True but so many great players has changed clubs already

There are so many things that suggest that there's something wrong with the administration team. Transfers are one of many

 

[Cloud7]

Wow I completely forgot about the EPL transfer deadline closing before the rest of Europe. God what a stupid move that was.

 

[Rhyme Animal]

The Glazers are awful owners who have made, consistently, awful decisions.

A lot of fans (online at least) are approaching some sort of Stockholm Syndrome regarding the Glazers and for whatever reason will now actually jump to defend their utterly woeful decision making.

Pretty much every decision they make is approaching the worst one it could be (footballing wise that is).

Don't expect better decisions while these clowns are at the helm - you won't get them.

 

[FlawlessThaw]

Valid points, the overall set up of the club hasn’t changed. While Mourinho had to leave, there were bigger problems at the club which haven’t been resolved. We are still a far too reactive club.

 

[Charles Miller]

It’s a bit absurd to moan about the lack of Summer transfers in March to be honest.

Its summer in the south hemisphere though.

 

[Casanova85]

Monchi?

Could he adapt to England + PL?

 

[Alabaster Codify7]

Mate, get ready for it.
We are not getting a DofF. The overnight positive injection that Ole brought has been a distraction to us fans, exactly what Ed and the Glazers were hoping for. They had no intention of getting one - the rumours always surfaced to detract attention from poor results. Then they disappeared with the next okay result.

 

[Web of Bissaka]

No one knows what is going on behind the scenes. For all anyone knows we could be making good progress on a DoF, signings, and new contracts.

This and this.

Wouldn't surprise me if Ed and co decided not to hire a DoF though.

 

[charlenefan]

It’s a bit absurd to moan about the lack of Summer transfers in March to be honest.

Exactly

Barca getting De Jong, Madrid getting Milito (?) and Juve getting Ramsey let's be honest is a very small sample of what will be the total transfer business done over the summer

Let's wait till the window closes before we worry rather than worry about it before it's even opened