And what type of fan do you consider yourself to be?
Ole's Press Conference | 05:30 BST
- Thread starter RedMachine03
- Start date
On social media. Not in person. Everyone knows in literally every profession to ignore social media. It's where people go to vent and complaints will always be louder then people who are relatively OK with things/optimistic/positive. Go back 10 years and this place was negative as feck because we sold Ronaldo and Tevez after we lost a CL final. Literally was the same scale of complaints. Go back 7-8 years and we were still winning titles but complaining about zombie football and no midfield. Fans on social media will always complain loudly about shit. Forums would be dead if all anyone had to say was "look how great everything is".
The manager should not attack the largest fan base. Because the largest fan base now are loud. He should have dodged that question and kept his feelings to himself.
Didn't realize that was the case then. It's also quite some time since.
I can give the benefit of the doubt to Ole as I have every manager that's been at the club in my brief time alive. But for being so diplomatic and well spoken on so many occasions, he surprised me. I expected :
The fans just want to win. They're used to winning and we need to get back to that. That's my job and we'll get there. They have nothing to worry.
Instead, it's sounds like a veiled defense of his boss. And that's because in his short time I'm accustomed to hearing the right thing from him. This isn't it.
Seems to be quite a few butt hurt fans on here
Being the loudest doesn't necessarily mean you are the largest... The quiet ones stay of Twitter, how about that.
There are no games on, not difficult to understand.
This is how it starts, don’t you know? A seemingly innocuous statement from the Manager gets people bizarrely annoyed, then we lose a game. Then the Manager says something else that previously would have been cheered but is now suddenly an attack, then the style of play and the board come in to question again. Then we lose another game and the Manager, who started as our false saviour, becomes the pantomime villain again. Eventually the swell is so great, the Manager gets the sack and we start again.
Since Fergie this has been the outcome with four managers. Depending on the status of the manager or in Ole’s case, his previous achievements with the club, defines how long it lasts before the knives start coming out.
Those aren't threatening the status quo though. They are just morons who every fan base has. I doubt what they do will attract attention from our management or staff.
The ones that are stirring the pot of how the club is ran and wanting Glazers out are those who are not convenient for our management.
It's not a process that will take a day or two. Not the proper example but slavery wasn't abolished by petitions and people keeping their cool.
What are the alternatives - staying put and do nothing? Do you think our club is moving in the right direction and is managed well?
I can see that, but on the other hand, Ronaldo was in a better squad
Did anyone ask Ole about his comments after Everton where he said some of those players won’t be successful with him here?
Yes, Simon Stone asked him about his ruthlessness, he said we don't have offer for any players.
I get that he's just doing his job. Another good public press interview handlings, fine PR control kind of thing.
It's a typical way to handle the press. It's how "good" PR officer that deals with speaking to the press does it.
Still lack credibility and genuineness.
I just hope backstage, Ole is really being ruthless. On the surface so far, it seems like he's too nice.
It's a typical way to handle the press. It's how "good" PR officer that deals with speaking to the press does it.
Still lack credibility and genuineness.
I just hope backstage, Ole is really being ruthless. On the surface so far, it seems like he's too nice.
Day or two? Protests have been happening on and off for years and nothing has happened and nothing will.
Again, please stop using slavery argument. Its incredibly disrespectful to equate that to supporting a football club. If that's the best example you got then you've got a losing argument.
I mentioned a boycott. Boycotts can be announced on social media and theres no shouting. If you want to be heard, you have to be more tactful.
I believe there’s a correlation between those who’ve decided he’s sh*t and losing their mind over a pre-season presser. Just my humble opinion of course.
You said that fans are to be blamed about gloomy feeling around the club. Now, I don't have your twitter account, nor do I know what you do if you attend the games. Only thing I have is you shitting on pretty much the whole team, our manager and our recruitment policy in that post. So, basically shitting on everything. And then calling out other fans here for voicing their concerns. A bit hypocritical, innit?
But they had 6 full seasons of games. What difference is this off season compared to last year? Or during the season? Or any of the seasons in between? Pretty easy to see from a higher up perspective that it's not big or "serious complaints", when nobody said shite about it publically since the 2009/10 season. Results improve, everyone shuts up, a few bad results, some people pipe up, but not "loudly". That's the problem with the whole Glazer out movement. It's so half assed and inconsistent and so result driven. I'm not siding for them or anything. I'm just saying from a fans perspective, it's not a movement that looks anything more than superficial complaints that people aren't actually directing at the things they care about. Sure, some are. Some just want United to buy all the biggest name players and will complain when they dont do that. Some will complain at any play style that isnt what they want. Some will complain about the way footballers dress and say they're paid too much. Some will complain if they dont win every game. At the end of the day, theyll all bandwagon on to the #glazerout movement and connect their own complaints to that movement, so once their complaints are briefly addressed, they shut up and the movement stops.
So no, it's not a loud movement, it's not a "real movement" that Ole would be talking about or care much about addressing, because the fans have had years to make a proper movement out of it but haven't.
If Pogba didn't stroll around all the time, feeling sorry for himself (on £290k p/w) maybe we could sympathise a bit. Instead him and Mino Raiola have given the club and fans a giant middle finger... You cant compare this to the Ronaldo situation.
The week that the glazer out thing started, if there was a game, we already know what would have happened at OT.
I've already said it's a bad example, just to underline that this is a continuous process.
The social media boycotts is IMO what qualifies as "shouting" due to the media exposure that is getting. It doesn't mean that those protests are not tactful. Saying that in the media is a jest to protect owners and Ed.
Anyhow why the hell should the manager say that in a pre season presser? It was needless comment if you ask me.
Not long before the Ole loses credibility with the fans. After Everton, Huddersfield and Cardiff comments - He has changed to many will be successful here. I guess the big transfer window promised and hoped for is not going to happen.
Fans were correct about CR7 and Tevez.
We were playing terrible football after selling CR7. Again fans correct.
I didn't say once did I?
What's about then Mr goal post mover?Ffsnot about being quiet or whispering. It's about being reasonable. But whatever. Shout if you want, just hope you know it's not a great look.
People shouldn't make blanket statements if they don't want blanket answers
Ah, the old it's not going to change anything so people should just shut up argument. Good one. As if being able to vent wasn't it's own reward.
I've got to be honest, I'm struggling to take the bloke too seriously. See how we are when the window closes, but I'm a bit tired of his routine. We're going to need a massive improvement from us after the way we performed last season, and I'll give him all the respect in the world if he manages to get us playing again.
The mental gymnastics some on here go through to justify the absolute amateurishness of our transfer dealings in this and the last 6 years is impressive.
The way we're going, we'll finish 6 next year but the top reds will of course blame the 'negativity' of the loud fans or other some such bullshit.
The way we're going, we'll finish 6 next year but the top reds will of course blame the 'negativity' of the loud fans or other some such bullshit.
You really don't have to be a "top red" to wish there was a little less complaining around here. It's not that being positive makes a difference, it's just nicer to be around.
Exactly. Acting like the sky is falling on the forum and replying to everything with a "look how rubbish united are, look how incompetent we are"... It's just boring.
OGS’s tone changed from a rebuild to “a few in a few out” before the season has ended, its nothing new, I think it was in his last or one of the last press conferences.
Surprised so many people here and journalists out there, missed out on that one.
The Glazers are either skint and don’t want to give OGS a lot of money before he proves himself, or the lack of CL football really did change everything, probably a mix of both.
Surprised so many people here and journalists out there, missed out on that one.
The Glazers are either skint and don’t want to give OGS a lot of money before he proves himself, or the lack of CL football really did change everything, probably a mix of both.
Let's see if there's even a hint of something positive in our play, tactics and generally something resembling modern day football and not Tony Pulis stoke city football. I'm waiting for that.
Do you ever have a comment that is more than 2 sentences long? Your one-liners are tedious and very obnoxious 95% of the time, at least try harder in your crusade to being as negative and sarcastic as possible.
Just reading a few posts in this thread, I'm fecking disillusioned and disheartened by some of our fanbase. Support the fecking manager for feck's sake! This is Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, a United legend and a man that will give his life for the club.
I can't even begin to understand how people have turned so quickly on him but bellends like Mourinho got so much leeway for basically taking a shit on our badge and history. Vent your frustration at the owners and directors, Ole has nothing to do with that.
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Why hire a manager if he is not going to be backed? We have entered such a vicious cycle.
Ole gone by December, then everyone will say.. what can the new manager do? he has players from 4 diff managers, give him a transfer window. But the manager is not backed in the transfer window.
Looking at our transfer failings, which manager will actually take this job? at least 2 years ago managers would want the job due to the transfer kitty.
Oh boy this comment is a treasurethrove of stuff, so I'll dig right into it. Please don't take this comment as an attack on you, but I picked this comment because it also reflects a lot of the posters in this thread, so my comment is to everyone who are hatin' on my beloved OGS and the Manchester United team. If anyone takes offense, then you're probably one of the people who complain aloud.
1) Have you seen the presser on YT? If so look at his eyes and then tell me that’s a positive attitude. Then listen to his voice. It’s anxious and defensive. Please check again and then tell me I’m wrong. - You are superwrong. This isn't defensive and anxious, this is someone who is answering a question and choosing his words carefully. Ole's job is not to be negative and critical of his team, his entire job is to make them work as a cohesive unit and perform. Part of that is building them up, by showing them publicly that he has their backs. Jose Mourinho spent a good part of his last season talkign smack about everyone from Woodward to Luke Shaw, the only result he got from that was stressed out players, stressed out fans, stressed out guards at Old Trafford who were praying every game that a violent revolution wouldn't break out. Ole is the clubs face outwards, you better believe that he will speak positive about a turd on his shoe if he has to.
2) In his first answer about our players he starts to answer a question about Pogba, bla bla “heart of gold”and “top bloke” and so on and then he smoothly criticize the media for reporting it negative and when the second question comes he then says he don’t want to talk about it. Is that your definition of a good answer and a positive attitude? - I think you, and a lot of people who look at this choice of words as a weak chinned manager who lack the balls to be the manager for the club in your hearts, need to stop going down that road you are currently on and look at this from Ole's angle. He's praising Pogba, now why would he do that? Why on earth would the manager spend time publicly praising the ethic, work morale and attitude of a player who has been so vocal about wanting to leave the club?
Thing is that Paul Pogba, wether you like it or not, has always been in Ole's eyes the gearstick in the Man United engine. Without Paul Pogba there is a huge issue with the way he foresaw himself building the new Manchester United. Let's be honest, Paul Pogba is our best player on the pitch 8 days out of 10. If he goes we have a problem that needs adressing to the tune of infinity money and preferably yesterday. There's been multiple reports about both Lukaku and Pogba having meetings with Ole after they returned from holidays. Lukaku wants to leave the club since he's not happy with his current standing with the club. That is fine and understandable, Lukaku does not want to be 2nd violin, in Man United he is 2nd or even third violin. Pogba however is the midfield Maestro. We want him to stay. Pogba has been reported to complain about hate from fans as one reason for wanting to leave the club. The treatment he got when the season ended in Old Trafford undoubtedly didn't inspire love with the Old Trafford faithful. Quite frankly, adults should behave better.
See the choice of words on this press conference is not so much to placate journalists who are mean to his player. It is to show his player that this manager thinks so highly of him he is willing to sit there and take all the critical questions from journalists about his own player, and even offer a dig at some of the fans who just can't stop being absolute assh*les every time their expectations aren't met. Pogba does not feel loved in Man United, Ole is trying his very hardest to change that. And his strongest weapon is to have his back in public. At worst the player will be happy about support from his boss, but he still wants to leave for sporting or other reasons. At best, he find renewed motivation to stay and lead the rebuild project on the pitch, and quite frankly we should all want and support a Pogba that wants to be here. And if any of you have ever pulled a fortnite dance, you ever again allowed to complain that Pogba likes to dance.
And you know what, why are people so offended that the manager criticizes the loudest fans? Do you think you can just yell at his players but you can't get a talking to back about civility? What is this, one-way kindergarten?
3) Third question is about when he said being “ruthless”. Sorry. Lost for words. - Ole has a very limited number of options to be 'ruthless' with his squad anyway. He can A) Sell players (*With the approval of the board) B) Bench players C) Tell players they're no longer part of his plan, and get their agents working or D) Give them a chance to prove to him that they belong on this team, while exploring A and C. And when the season starts, we need options at B anyway. The only manger we have had with the clout to sell whoever he wants on the day is Alex Ferguson. He's as close to a club god that you will ever come across. Everyone since and after has to adhere to the Glazer overlords because ultimately they have the final say in who goes or stays. You also need to consider the fact that Manchester United is a tradeable company. As such it has a responsibility to its shareholders, and one of those is that they cannot sells financial assets (players) at cost just to get rid of them. This is not how the real world works and I'm sure everyone realises that when they think things over for a second. The second thing people need to consider is who are we selling and who will buy?
We are not selling talent. This club is harvesting talent. None or very very few of our young developing players are for sale, period. This is not a club that sells young players for a solid profit like most other clubs in Europe, so there is a huge part of our asset pool already eleminated. That leaves the first team. The first team has a few sellable assets that might return some value as they are considered not-part of the managers plans. Not being a part of the managers plans however does not mean that you can just leave the player on a streetcorner and some kind soul will come pick him up and place him at a nice new home. Even £10m is big money, and transfers very often take time, since every club will try to negotiate a better price than what the club is offering. Darmian is still here because the club has not received a bid for the asking price. We don't have to sell to anyone for less than asking price, and are quite frankly very unlikely to since we don't have to. In worst case these players warm the bench and see pitch time maybe a few games on the season as emergency backups. Rojo is one such player, he has a £25m price tag. Thats what the club has decided he's worth in the current market, so we are not going to sell him for £10m just to get rid of him. The club is obviously not in the business of habitually losing money
The transfer window is long in Europe. We are in no hurry to sell players who are deadwood. Their salaries are not a huge problem and we're not selling players at cost. So they are here until a wanting club actuallys coughs up the players value. If they are here in August, no problem, they're not playing first XI anyway. Other players like Ashley Young and Phil Jones will become rotational squad players this season. Lindelöf and hopefully Maguire will solidify our new centerback pair, with Shaw and Wan-Bissaka forming the rest of our defense. I am not happy about the new contracts given to people like Phil Jones, but again we are not giving away players on a free transfer, signing them meant keeping squad players while we wait for new signings that will make them even more expendable. And again, salaries are not an issue. Alexis Sanchez wil still be a Man United player when the season begins since he's gotten injured in the Copa America and won't be play ready until the season starts and some time after.
So yeah, the manager can be ruthless, in terms of who he does not choose to play, everything else is ultimately decided by Team Glazer. It was reported that Ole is fed up with Martials work ethic and wanted him sold, but Glazers blocked the request since he's apparently New Pele.
Everyone else will be given a fair chance to prove that last years mistakes are water under the bridge, and Bailly will be give a chance to not get a red card ever time he touches the ball. And quite frankly no one should have a problem with that. Be mad if they're the worst players ever and still play the season opener.
My point here is that you can't think of running a club like running A's and B's, there's so many things inbetween to consider. But ultimately, be patient, things are still happening.
4) Journalists are not stupid. They will eat him alive if this continue. - Wether or not you like someone who is a positive person (and many here clearly don't), the way Ole has handled the press so far has been a right masterclass in how to keep the wolves at the door. He takes all blame on himself, never places blame on one individual and does everything he can in public to give the image that everyone are behind the team going forward. What Ole has done so far is actually be respectful of journalists and take time to answer their questions as truthfully as he desires, without being disrespectful if he does not like the question. And quite frankly, Ole is not stupid either.
Here is Ole giving journalist Jamie Jackson a pair of sunglasses during a press conference back in February: https://www.manutd.com/en/videos/de...-presents-journalist-with-maui-jim-sunglasses
He knows his audience, and unlike previous managers the people asking the questions in the pressers seem to be respectful in how the approach the manager. The only reason the journalists will have to be asking critical questions if if the players give them a reason to, so let's hope they perform this time around.
5) Then the worst part. He can’t criticize his own fans! - Can't he? If the criticism was welll founded, and delivered in a respectful manner then the last thing the manager would do is even mention it. But when fans are acting like petulent manchildren who do not get their will every single time they go out the door, then yes, he is goddamn right to give a pointing finger to the "loudest fans". The loudests fans in this context are people who can't be critical without telling Lingard what a waste of space he is, how Paul Pogba is the scum of the eart, how De Gea is a greedy bottomfeer and so on. I've seen people comment these things, and what in gods name should the players and the manager remotely respect about people like that? You don't get to have a free pass to say whatever you want without being made to answer for your choice of words if they so choose to confront you. Be respectful? Cool, absolutely 0 problem. Be a hideous ogre that write crap you'd never want your children to hear? Yeah, you don't deserve the respect of the manager or the players. Just because you and I or anyone else buys tickets and goes to the game doesn't give anyone the right to be complete and absolute assh*les to people. If anyone feels that way, then sorry but we're just not going to agree on anything. I was plenty frustrated during last season but at least I don't go on instagram and tell Paul Pogba his mother suck d*ck for a living like some do. There's a very very big difference, and the comment Ole made was obviously towards people who just can't behave themselves. Be respectful and you will be respected back.
6) Sorry to be negative but... - Yeah no problem, the easiest thing to do in the world is to be negative. It doesn't require any kind of backbone, positive attitude or will be part of a solution. Complaining is easy, especially when you're in a environment where people feed of eachothers negativity. If someone replies to a negative post and agrees with all the complaining its just the best feeling of validation in the world. "Yes I get it, everyone sucks and its so easy to just go on and on and on and on about how everyone just god damn sucks". And best of all, it requires absolutely no effort at all. Its so simple. Just. Complain. Hard.
I'll give you a few quick things to be optimistic about in no particular ranked order:
A) David De Gea being ready to sign a new contract. DDG was reported to want an exit. He's now on the brink of commiting to the club and Ole's project.
B) Marcus Rashford signed on a new long term deal
C) Mason Greenwood emerging. He was fantastic against Cardiff, will he continue to improve? He's a young man with everything to prove, and the manager already is backing him to play more this season.
D) Aaron Wan-Bissaka - The best defensive fullback in England. It was a big problem last season, we now have it locked down for a decade.
E) Juan Mata resigned. Mata is a fantastic squad player and has an excellent free kick shot. On top of that he's everything a Manchester United player embodies in terms of attitude and professionalism. He's going to be someone who players like Greenwood and Daniel James will take ques from.
F) Daniel James - The mystery box of the year. Will he be good? Will he be not good? We'll find out.
G) Harry Maguire and Bruno Fernandes. Both players are very likely to join Manchester United shortly on new transfers.
H) If/When the club lands all heavily linked players (And Maguire who we have officially bid for) - The total spend will near £200m. That is the biggest transfer window in the clubs history. Anyone who says that the team is not backing the manager in the transfer window can eat a bucket.
I) The U23's have signed some very very exciting prospects this offseason.
J) Victor Lindelöf made significant improvements last season and became the player we thought we bougth. He's looking more and more like a leader and might emerge as a potential new captain this season.
K) Altho Alexis Sanchez got injured in the Copa America, he scored twice and looked very very good. This is obviously a longshot but I have a feeling he might prove to be more useful this season than the last. We are going to be stuck with him for another transfer window anyway now, so might as well hope for the best.
Just to summarize this: Things are looking fantastic and I'm looking forward to the pre-season tour games starting.
It's almost exactly like last year so far. Except Ole is nicer than Jose. We came 2nd in the league in 17/18. Had we bought a central defender last summer we could have easily retained that position. It's the same reason Mourinho was annoyed. You need to either back the manager or sack him. Otherwise what's the point in being Manchester United?
You must be joking if you think the club is actually going to spend £200m? We need to sell in order to spend that much. Either Lukaku or Pogba will have to be sold for United to outlay £200m
Did you watch 90 mins of all of Chile's games? his goals were scuffed and a penalty.
Well this is just ridiculous. Which manager does this after a bad transfer window? Can only think of Pulis doing this at West Brom or Stoke I think.
I just think they don't want to spend money, end of.
Regarding the whole loud whingey fans vs more positive fans I can see both points of view but my feeling was that this summer HAS to be one in which big changes are made considering how appalling last year was and how we're so far behind our two biggest rivals it's not even funny. Ed and the Glazers must know that they can't expect OT fans to be as nice and polite with this situation forever. Something they may not have accounted for is that the fan unrest if things go badly won't bounce back on Ole given his status at the club, it will be on them when results go badly.