Newbie here. Will let you know who I support if I get past the initial moderator checks but I assure you I’m not here to stir shit.
I just don’t understand this guy. That Ajax team looked the bollocks under his leadership. You think back to how they performed in that 2019/20 CL - unbeaten in a group stage including Bayern and Benfica, twatting Madrid 4-1 at the Bernabeu, winning in Turin, winning at Spurs. They weren’t going to these places - as underdogs BTW - to make up the numbers, they were playing to win. And they did so in style. 9/10 Spurs don’t complete that comeback and Ajax are in a CL final and quite possibly beat Liverpool in it…
Now man for man, this United side is better. How many of those players start for United today - or City, Liverpool, Arsenal etc? 1 - De Jong (at a push 2 incl. De Ligt). The only other one who was decent that season looked like a raffle winner when he played for United (not Onana).
So how can a guy who created such a tactically astute and dangerous side, make United look like 11 lost school boys?
I think there’s an element of blame on both sides. From ETH’s POV, I can understand to a degree his stubbornness. He has a style that has proven works, albeit with lesser players, but probably players with more desire as they’re playing with the underdog tag. But it doesn’t mean you can just apply that style to anywhere. You need the right setup, the right players, the right belief. If you’re managing a team as big as United, you need to flex. Unless proven, that stubbornness will get you nowhere. The great managers of the past have shown their flexibility, their willingness to deviate from plan A to ensure they make the most of a situation. United do not have players to play the Ajax way at the moment and I’m sure ETH knows that. The odd thing is, why is he persisting with it when it’s clearly not working.
Is he trying to make a point to those above?
Is he an idiot?
The players - feck me, sorry, but you have a shit load of freeloaders. Players who have secured that mega contract, don’t have the respect for a manager, and don’t have the desire to put 100% week in week. Not all, may I add, such as Bruno, and even Maguire - they try. They care. They may not be the answer, but they give a shit.
IMO, there’s an arrogance and mentality issue which permeates your squad. There’s players who think they’re the bollocks, they have the mega contract, the fancy cars, the badge of playing for United, without actually giving a shit about what that means.
You have a mix of those types, and players who just can’t handle the expectation. I support a right shit team, plenty of divisions below, but we’re the biggest team in that division. Teams look forward to playing us and do absolutely everything to beat us, and the worst thing is, more often than not they do. We’ve got other club’s managers saying all they need to do is run more, pressure them and the fans will turn. Then the players can’t handle it, the pressure gets too much, and we turn to absolute shit, and ultimately pushovers. Now wouldn’t say you’re exactly the same, but unlike your teams of 15/20 years ago when opposing teams would turn up already beaten, they go to OT KNOWING they have a good chance of getting something. This is despite their players, man for man, not being a patch on Uniteds.
That’s an attitude/mentality problem. There is simply no excuse for not giving your all when putting your clubs shirt on and I’ll never understand those players who shirk that. Especially those who’ve grown up as fans such as Rashford.
Rashford isn’t shit, he’s just not that interested and you need to find out why.
Look at Mainoo now - that kid is the bollocks and the future of England with Bellingham and Foden. The last thing you need is him losing motivation like Rashford.
My two best mates are United fans so I do get to watch you a lot. You lot of course will know more than me, and quite possibly disagree with some/all of what I’m saying, but I say this as someone who, whilst absolutely hated you growing up, still respects you as a club.
I think INEOS will get it right in time, I think ETH will be gone end of the season, and I do think you have good times to look forward to. But you need a manager to instil some belief, attitude and bollocks into your team first off. I don’t think ETH can do that