Why booing the players is acceptable but booing the manager is anathema?

[Revan]

United players were booed last night yet another time. I remember that specific United players like Nani or Fellaini were booed multiple times.

However, booing the manager has always been unthinkable at Old Trafford. It is not only Ole who always gets applauded, but even Moyes at his absolute worst got a big standing ovation just a few weeks before getting sacked. Probably the closest to booing a manager was LVG with the ‘attack, attack, attack’ chants when we were just doing the recycling the ball and zombie passing.

Now at the end of the day, fans have the right to boo whomever they want, and applause whoever they want. They paid the ticket so it is their business. However, isn’t it weird that booing players is fine, but booing the manager (who let’s face it, is the main culprit) is not allowed? Is this kind of a proof of ‘the cult of the manager’ which gets mentioned here many times?

 

[Skills]

The managers all work for free at this club. The players are overpaid primadonnas

 

[McGrathsipan]

When thousands of fans at a match boo how do you know it's not the manager in their thoughts?

 

[ForeverRed1]

When thousands of fans at a match boo how do you know it's not the manager in their thoughts?

you missed them chanting ole ole ole at the end ?

 

[Tom Cato]

United players were booed last night yet another time. I remember that specific United players like Nani or Fellaini were booed multiple times.

However, booing the manager has always been unthinkable at Old Trafford. It is not only Ole who always gets applauded, but even Moyes at his absolute worst got a big standing ovation just a few weeks before getting sacked. Probably the closest to booing a manager was LVG with the ‘attack, attack, attack’ chants when we were just doing the recycling the ball and zombie passing.

Now at the end of the day, fans have the right to boo whomever they want, and applause whoever they want. They paid the ticket so it is their business. However, isn’t it weird that booing players is fine, but booing the manager (who let’s face it, is the main culprit) is not allowed? Is this kind of a proof of ‘the cult of the manager’ which gets mentioned here many times?

Who plays the game? There you go

 

[Rash Decision]

In fans’ eyes, there’s a clear hierarchy in which the manager sits higher than the players (justifiably so, given that the manager is the one in charge). And evidently there is also a significant section of fans who believe that the manager doesn’t have much influence over performances on the pitch, so the players are always the first to be blamed.

You can see it on here as well - there’s far, far more leeway afforded to posters who mock or insult players than to those who do the same to the manager.

That said if our manager was someone like Big Sam I’d guess he’d be the first to be booed.

 

[Withnail]

you missed them chanting ole ole ole at the end ?

Were they simultaneously boo-ing the players or something?

 

[Skills]

In fans’ eyes, there’s a clear hierarchy in which the manager sits higher than the players (justifiably so, given that the manager is the one in charge). And evidently there is also a significant section of fans who believe that the manager doesn’t have much influence over performances on the pitch, so the players are always the first to be blamed.

Mental that this is the club that had Alex Ferguson managing it.

 

[Bebestation]

you missed them chanting ole ole ole at the end ?

They also sang Bruno Bruno.

Which players did they boo about?

I felt they booed everything the manager, the players the club.

 

[TMDaines]

Really weird thread. I think there were three loud boos last night. Once for Shaw doing something quite negative with the ball when 0-2 down, one for someone else doing something similar near HT, and then for the collective at the HT whistle.

No individual players, nor the manager, were the target of boos. It is frustration and dissatisfaction with some particular actions and the collective that is the target. The crowd, particularly the singing section who were fecking magnificent, gave everyone loads of support throughout the night.

 

[Rash Decision]

Mental that this is the club that had Alex Ferguson managing it.

Yeah going by that logic, there’s no reason for SAF to be regarded as such a legend since the credit should mostly belong to the players.

 

[roonster09]

How do we know that fans are booing the players not at entire club which includes players + staff?

Yes they also chant Ole's name just like they chant Ronaldo, Bruno's name.

 

[Womp]

Not sure, but Anathema is a whopper of a word mate. Nice

 

[Bobcat]

Couldn't the boos at HT be directed at Ole?

 

[DWelbz19]

The managers all work for free at this club. The players are overpaid primadonnas

How much is Ole actually on? Must be up there? I’d only imagine Ronaldo/De Gea/Pogba earn more?

 

[Bilbo]

Its the performance that is being criticised. Everyone is responsible

 

[Plant0x84]

The first half last night was trash. The crowd booed to signal it was unacceptable. That’s the players, the manager and the staff.
The second half was much better and so the win was celebrated. I don’t think the booing at OT is ever personal, our crowd don’t roll like that.

 

[b82REZ]

How do we know if the boos were directed at the players or manager? Or are they general sentiments of disapproval, because players and manager all underperformed in the first half.

 

[McGrathsipan]

you missed them chanting ole ole ole at the end ?

I did but that's not applicable anyway. We know fans are fickle.

At half time the boos rang out so how do we know they weren't for the manager? It's a possibility

 

[Revan]

How do we know if the boos were directed at the players or manager? Or are they general sentiments of disapproval, because players and manager all underperformed in the first half.

Because the moment Ole (or for that matter Moyes) bothers to stand up (he rarely does), the crowd goes into a dramatic applause and chant his name.

 

[b82REZ]

Because the moment Ole (or for that matter Moyes) bothers to stand up (he rarely does), the crowd goes into a dramatic applause and chant his name.

The boos echoed at half time, all of the staff were trudging off together.

It was aimed at the collective IMO.

 

[ZupZup]

The main booing I heard was at the HT whistle… I figure largely out of frustration. But it lasted just a few seconds in reality and was soon drowned out by fans singing United, United, United as the players walked off down the tunnel.

The fans were amazing, particularly second half. One of the times in the ground where you just felt the goals would come. When Ole has said before about the Stretford End almost sucking the ball into the net… it felt like it last night.

 

[Revan]

Who plays the game? There you go

Then I guess Sir Alex and Sir Matt deserve no credit for the success of United, considering that they never played for us. They were just cheerleaders, right?

 

[KiD MoYeS]

Moyes literally had the grim reaper sitting behind him in Old Trafford.

 

[Pogue Mahone]

I love the idea that you can shout “booooooo!” from the stands with the criticism specifically targetted at the players or the manager. That’s a remarkable skill.

 

[Andersonson]

I think booing against players and managers are fair, atleast sometimes.

Booing during the game is at the players booing between first and second half is aimed at the club/manager.

The abuse against players/managers is much much worse than booing.

 

[Pogue Mahone]

Because the moment Ole (or for that matter Moyes) bothers to stand up (he rarely does), the crowd goes into a dramatic applause and chant his name.

Crazy idea but maybe those fans aren’t the same ones that were booing?

 

[CassiusClaymore]

They were saying boo-urns

 

[LoneStar]

Pretty sure the boos, especially if they are during HT or FT, would be directed at both the players and the managers.

How do you even boo managers? By making negative chants about them? That doesn't happen with players does it.

Also from an emotional POV, they can see the players playing. So obviously the first response would be to them, even though we might know the tactics come from the manager.

 

[Tom Cato]

Then I guess Sir Alex and Sir Matt deserve no credit for the success of United, considering that they never played for us. They were just cheerleaders, right?

You're putting words in my mouth.

I'll try again: Watching a football match is reacting to moments and what happens on the pitch. You react to the players who play the game because they are the ones you watch. You react to the actions, not the person. The players play the match, the players are the ones you focus on.

 

[amolbhatia50k]

It's always unacceptable for me. I don't rate Ole and I don't rate Lindelof but it's silly too boo someone who trying their hardest for your club. It may only be understandable if the conduct of the individual is very unprofessional.

On why it happens: I mean it's hard to pinpoint but there's two types of booing - 1. At the HT of final whistle, is that not aimed at everyone involved? Not sure you can that is purely player related and 2. After specific incidents on the pitch. That's in the moment frustration which I'd argue can mostly happen only towards a player as what a manager does is far less in your face and far more nuanced. It would be rather funny for fans to boo a switch from a back 4 to a back 3 though

 

[Fletchageddon]

Why would you boo a manager who can get under performing players to turn around a 2-0 deficit? The Ole-out crowd are the same as "Ta Ra Fergie" and "Sell Giggs, Sack Fergie" lot. We are top of our Champions Group and will be 1 point behind Liverpool when we beat them on Sunday.

 

[daveoliver91]

Was at the stadium yesterday and I believe the boos at halftime were directed to the whole team (players + manager). The second half it was another completely story.

 

[Revan]

Pretty sure the boos, especially if they are during HT or FT, would be directed at both the players and the managers.

How do you even boo managers?

See Chelsea/Real Madrid fans. Two rational clubs with rational sets of fans who do not accept mediocrity.

 

[Revan]

Why would you boo a manager who can get under performing players to turn around a 2-0 deficit? The Ole-out crowd are the same as "Ta Ra Fergie" and "Sell Giggs, Sack Fergie" lot. We are top of our Champions Group and will be 1 point behind Liverpool when we beat them on Sunday.

Yes, Ole is exactly the same as Fergie. Actually, he is an even better manager. The only reason he doesn’t win trophies for us is cause as he said ‘the trophies are for egos’ and he does not have a big ego.

 

[Chesterlestreet]

Crazy idea but maybe those fans aren’t the same ones that were booing?

Hmmm...nah. That's a little too crazy for me.

 

[LoneStar]

See Chelsea/Real Madrid fans. Two rational clubs with rational sets of fans who do not accept mediocrity.

Again, how do you differentiate between booing the players and the manager? My point was that the boos were probably meant for both of them.

 

[Revan]

Again, how do you differentiate between booing the players and the manager? My point was that the boos were probably meant for both of them.

As I said, if you want to boo the manager, there are ways of doing so, as we saw Chelsea fans booing Benitez and Madrid fans booing pretty much every manager of them.

 

[Chesterlestreet]

I'll try again: Watching a football match is reacting to moments and what happens on the pitch. You react to the players who play the game because they are the ones you watch. You react to the actions, not the person. The players play the match, the players are the ones you focus on.

This should be pretty obvious to anyone who has ever engaged in booing at a football match themselves. *

You react to the performance. You don't specifically direct your booing at only the players or only the manager.

* I'm talking about comparable examples, of course - where the fans are booing after a shite first half, etc. Not about booing individual players for doing something exceptional.

 

[Moby]

When thousands of fans at a match boo how do you know it's not the manager in their thoughts?

Exactly my question. They're booing everyone.