He'd have to be incredibly "well connected" to surmise that we're not responding well to the manager after our worst ever start.
Shoots himself in the foot with that last line. Anybody can see it with their own eyes, but it doesn't sound like he has anything concrete or credible.
In what way do you reckon this?
It makes sense that the players who have been at the club longest and those who are English would have the best links with the English press. And also that those underperforming and under pressure would be least happy with the situation.
That’s an odd way of looking at it. Ronaldo made it clear he wanted to leave, didn’t he? I’m guessing the move happened because both the player and the club (which could be EtH, or could be the owners, who knows) wanted it.
The squad now is different from the squad previous managers had. This is largely a Ten Hag team - and the players being a/the problem is also not mutually exclusive with Ten Hag being a/the problem
No you're right, I remember when people said it was Rooney leaking stuff, Lingard leaking stuff, then Henderson, then Ronaldo etc etc rinse and repeat.
He can't very well name the people he's spoken to.
Problem is, what happens to the good, motivated players who genuinely want to stay, and want to win things, when they see their talented teammates (potentially friends) being sold or dropped in favour of hard workers and untested youngsters? It’s a really tough one for ten Hag to manage; I imagine it’s really difficult to persuade a player aged say 28 or over, that you’re doing a factory reset of the club, and may miss out on trophies or CL participation. But with the aim that in 2 or 3 seasons you’ll be competitive again.
You ll need Murtough and Arnold to assure ETH to do whatever is necessary, however big the player is. I am not sure ETH has been given that kind of authority. If ETH drops Rashford tomorrow and tells press dropped due to bad form, the press will write all kinds of negative stories about United and ETH. This club worries a lot about negative PR. They will ask ETH to sort it out with Rashford and bring him back.
There's trying, and there's trying while adhering to the instructions of the manager.
Mainly because they refused to leave. Neither are anywhere near the starting team though. My point remains, Ten Hag is not afraid to banish players who do not follow his directions. We’ve seen often enough it’s him way or the highway. Ronaldo, De Gea, Maguire, Sancho. If there are players in the first team who are not doing what he wants they will be gone soon too.
He isn't making stuff up, he's just saying what he thinks is obvious. Maybe it's because of low confidence? He doesn't give a reason why, just tells us what we already see.
So Murtough er al are actively briefing against the manager?
Is it that hard to manage though? As long as ETH is being open and honest about his decisions and why, and then consistent with it, it should be pretty manageable. I get that players might not be happy, but thats just where we are and the choice is simple - accept it and stay, or leave. Of course that only works in a functional club where the manager has backing and the players know it. I suppose it will be the same old story of ETH's authority appearing undermined, either because he is having to play certain players when fit due to instructions, or because he has favourites and is stupid.
His instructions might crap or unclear.
Ronaldo problem was technical and ageing, his commitment and professionalism was never in question
Yes, but he also says that he's talked to people.
I get what you’re saying. I do think it’s really tough to do right though. SAF managed it a few times, in part due to him just genuinely being excellent at making those judgement calls, his great interpersonal relationship building, and probably in part due to having such control and staying power at the club that very few dared to go against him. I guess I’m just thinking that for a manger like EtH who maybe doesn’t have all those advantages, is having a difficult spell, and perhaps hasn’t fully proved himself to everyone at the club, it involves quite a lot of risk on his part. I agree in principle though, that IF it can be done it should be done. I just have my doubts that he’ll be able to survive as manager if he ends up with something similar to the back-to-back 8th place finishes that Arteta had.
I doubt it, Maguire / McT / Sancho downing tools has no bearing because ... they seldom play
It's not an odd way of looking at it. Ronaldo threw strops and wanted to leave after Ten Hag disciplined him - the Spurs game was the one which broke the camels back and had him run away for an interview.
Well, he looks sad at first glance.
I think that from the summer onwards there were rumours that he wanted to leave. Neither of us can prove it either way, but I don’t think you can confidently state who made the first move here. Seems clear to me that both parties were happy to come to the arrangement they eventually did.
You should probably read up on who Andy Mitten is. He has forgotten more information about MUFC than most fans will ever know.
I dont recall any rumours that he wanted to leave.
So what? It doesn't mean he isn't prone to over exaggeration. I listen to his pod weekly and know all the speakers are prone to it.
Yep, you might be right. Definitely looks like the right thing for both parties at this point.
