Andy Mitten column: At Manchester United, things are very bad – and could get worse

[Lentwood]

I still take issue with the term 'expensively assembled' because it's an facade caused by transfer inflation....in a few years time it will begin to look like very average investment at best - which is exactly what it is

De Gea £19m vs Kepa £72m
Young - £15m vs Lucas Hernandez £70m
Shaw - £30m vs Mendy £50m
Lindelof - £30m vs Van Dijk £70m
Bailly - £30m vs David Luiz £50m
Fred - £50m vs Frenkie De Jong £62m
Pogba - £90m vs Phillipe Coutinho £106m
Matic - £30m vs KdB £55m
Mata - £37.5m vs Dembele £100m
Martial - £55m vs Mbappe £150m
Lukaku - £75m vs Neymar £200m

 

[iKeano]

Owners don't care - Manchester United Financial Corporation continues to line their pockets nicely.
Ed Woodward doesn't care - He's Glazers golden boy, coming up with commercial deal after commercial deal, playing at football agent to the club’s detriment.
Board don't care - Big wages keep coming in.
Players don't care - Group of mercenaries, more worried about evermore outlandish wages widening the gap between player and supporter. Ego's that believe their own hype and an attitude that being at Utd is having 'made it' as opposed to success and trophies at Utd being the benchmark of greatness.

It is, of course, unsustainable.
The financial trappings are associated with the club’s former success; one we're drifting away from in an ever strengthening current. As success that was built in a world where there were way less global footballing competitors vying for fan base than there are now. Once the deals start to fall away, the American parasites will sell off the well picked-over carcass of the club and sail off into the sunset wealthier than any of us could care to imagine.
Golden boy Woodward will either retire off to enjoy his millions, or fail upwards into the commercial or banking world from whence he came, regaling his equally deluded and wealthy peers of how he was once the king of Manchester.
The players will slither off, Di Maria-esque to any one of the more attractive clubs in world football and all that will remain is the hope of a wealthy takeover, the ever-loyal fan base and the crumbling physical embodiment of the club that is Old Trafford's aged structure.

We had the glory years, and glorious they were. We'll never stop supporting Utd. The main problem for me aside from the above is not that I'll change and fall out of love with Utd, but that the Man Utd I fell in love with is long gone and all that remains is a business based financial empire.
Manchester United Financial Corporation - not my MUFC.

 

[Gandalf]

The contract extensions were signed or close to conclusion before Ole got the job so he had nothing to do with them.

I can predict United finishing in 12th next season with the sky completely falling and I can also see them in 3rd and showing signs of narrowing the gap to City and Liverpool. Fact is that nobody knows what will happen next year and any pundits or journalists saying otherwise are lying.

I get that we like to get all knee jerk around here but lets be realistic for a second. DDG threw away 2 points with a howler against Chelsea and then we lost 2 more against Huddersfield when we hit the bar twice and missed a couple of sitters. Fine margins and we would be 4 points better off and in the CL next season. Now people want to throw Ole under the bus with Woody, the Glazers and the deadwood players basically because we had a little bad luck in the last 2 games.

I am not some blind homer who is going to defend everything that he does but at the end of the day Ole has not had the chance to make any transfer moves or to have any sort of a pre-season where he can work on implementing a style of play. In 12 months time I will be happy to grab my pitchfork and join you if there is no sign of a plan, if the signings are garbage and the style of play is as bad as it is now but I won't jump on the bandwagon when the man has had no chance to do the job he was hired to do.

I get that he is not a big sexy name with a list of managerial achievements but his 2 immediate predecessors were and by the time they left we thought they were trash. Pep had only managed B teams before Barca, Klopp has managed the equivalent of a Norwich before getting the Dortmund job and yet they proved to be inspired appointments. Ole has a couple of league titles with Molde and so it is not like we have just appointed Rio as manager with zero experience.

One final thought. Liverpool would not be in the CL final without their fans last night. Say what you want about the power of the 12th man but the support and the atmosphere clearly gave their players a lift and intimidated Barca. If you have reservations that is fine but when the new season starts flush the toxicity and get behind the manager and the squad. What do we have to lose and Ole may just end up surprising us all.

 

[ryansgirl]

Feel the same. Problem I have is my NBA team the Knicks are awful and so are my NFL team the Dolphins

The problem with the Knicks is the owner Dolan but you have reason for optimism. Zion Williams could very well come your way and probably Kyrie Irving too. I like Kyrie and I don`t blame him for the current mess my team Celtics are in.
However, he just doesn`t fit Celtics and has unbalanced them.

We should have beaten the Bucks twice at home in the playoffs. Instead we will most likely get hammered in Game 5. Kyrie will leave and I think if he ends up in New York he will work better with your developing team.Good time for the Knicks ahead.

 

[Roboc7]

The contract extensions were signed or close to conclusion before Ole got the job so he had nothing to do with them.

I can predict United finishing in 12th next season with the sky completely falling and I can also see them in 3rd and showing signs of narrowing the gap to City and Liverpool. Fact is that nobody knows what will happen next year and any pundits or journalists saying otherwise are lying.

I get that we like to get all knee jerk around here but lets be realistic for a second. DDG threw away 2 points with a howler against Chelsea and then we lost 2 more against Huddersfield when we hit the bar twice and missed a couple of sitters. Fine margins and we would be 4 points better off and in the CL next season. Now people want to throw Ole under the bus with Woody, the Glazers and the deadwood players basically because we had a little bad luck in the last 2 games.

I am not some blind homer who is going to defend everything that he does but at the end of the day Ole has not had the chance to make any transfer moves or to have any sort of a pre-season where he can work on implementing a style of play. In 12 months time I will be happy to grab my pitchfork and join you if there is no sign of a plan, if the signings are garbage and the style of play is as bad as it is now but I won't jump on the bandwagon when the man has had no chance to do the job he was hired to do.

I get that he is not a big sexy name with a list of managerial achievements but his 2 immediate predecessors were and by the time they left we thought they were trash. Pep had only managed B teams before Barca, Klopp has managed the equivalent of a Norwich before getting the Dortmund job and yet they proved to be inspired appointments. Ole has a couple of league titles with Molde and so it is not like we have just appointed Rio as manager with zero experience.

One final thought. Liverpool would not be in the CL final without their fans last night. Say what you want about the power of the 12th man but the support and the atmosphere clearly gave their players a lift and intimidated Barca. If you have reservations that is fine but when the new season starts flush the toxicity and get behind the manager and the squad. What do we have to lose and Ole may just end up surprising us all.

Your final thought is exactly why people like the Glazers can get away with being so incompetent. It’s why everyone will renew season tickets and buy shirts because they want to support the team.

Green and Gold until the club is sold was actually Green and Gold until we start winning. The only way to get rid of Glazers is an empty stadium which won’t happen.

The club is being run terribly, the man responsible for running it on behalf of the owners is Woodward and that’s who has to go or be moved aside to sort this out. Think a lot of focus should be on him so he is forced to do something other than rinse and repeat.

The owners will continue to pull money out of the club and eventually sell when they are satisfied that they have made every last penny they can. Whether that’s in 2-3 years or 10 is anyone’s guess.

 

[Inter Yer Nan]

The only thing that can realistically save us in the not to distant future is Saudi Arabia as sad and horrible as that thought is. It's either that or get absolutely everything absolutely right for the next 4-5 years from a board and execs that have gotten everything almost everything absolutely wrong for the last 6-7 years.

 

[el3mel]

Yeah I think the dark years are just at the beginning, not the end by any means. I'm expecting a similar Liverpool drought for 20 years or so.

 

[Dr. Dwayne]

Owners don't care - Manchester United Financial Corporation continues to line their pockets nicely.
Ed Woodward doesn't care - He's Glazers golden boy, coming up with commercial deal after commercial deal, playing at football agent to the club’s detriment.
Board don't care - Big wages keep coming in.
Players don't care - Group of mercenaries, more worried about evermore outlandish wages widening the gap between player and supporter. Ego's that believe their own hype and an attitude that being at Utd is having 'made it' as opposed to success and trophies at Utd being the benchmark of greatness.

It is, of course, unsustainable.
The financial trappings are associated with the club’s former success; one we're drifting away from in an ever strengthening current. As success that was built in a world where there were way less global footballing competitors vying for fan base than there are now. Once the deals start to fall away, the American parasites will sell off the well picked-over carcass of the club and sail off into the sunset wealthier than any of us could care to imagine.
Golden boy Woodward will either retire off to enjoy his millions, or fail upwards into the commercial or banking world from whence he came, regaling his equally deluded and wealthy peers of how he was once the king of Manchester.
The players will slither off, Di Maria-esque to any one of the more attractive clubs in world football and all that will remain is the hope of a wealthy takeover, the ever-loyal fan base and the crumbling physical embodiment of the club that is Old Trafford's aged structure.

We had the glory years, and glorious they were. We'll never stop supporting Utd. The main problem for me aside from the above is not that I'll change and fall out of love with Utd, but that the Man Utd I fell in love with is long gone and all that remains is a business based financial empire.
Manchester United Financial Corporation - not my MUFC.

The bolded bit is why the current situation is perfectly sustainable. The NHLs Toronto Maple Leafs haven't won a trophy since 1967 yet every game is sold out. The owners do just enough to ensure fans still fill seats and buy merchandise. THe perfect model for the Glazers to follow.

 

[Man of Leisure]

I think we're gonna find out what the Tampa fans felt when the Glazer's ruined them. Unless we can get them out somehow..

Tampa Bay sucked way before the Glazers ever got there.

 

[Gator Nate]

Tampa Bay sucked way before the Glazers ever got there.

Malcolm Glazer was the Bucs' freaking savior! Things went downhill with his health.

 

[Buster15]

To everyone with a short memory I say - don't forget, we finished 2nd last season. That was some achievement with basically the same squad of players.
Be careful what you wish for because the law of unintended consequences can bite you very hard.

 

[crossy1686]

To everyone with a short memory I say - don't forget, we finished 2nd last season. That was some achievement with basically the same squad of players.
Be careful what you wish for because the law of unintended consequences can bite you very hard.

I'm prepared for things to get worse before they get better. I think it will take that for any meaningful change. At the moment people can point the finger at players and managers. If we have another poor summer and finish 8th they'll be no hiding for the board and no excuses left.

 

[JPRouve]

Malcolm Glazer was the Bucs' freaking savior! Things went downhill with his health.

That's where I find Bucs fans weird. The only success that this franchise has is basically the fruit of Dungy's work and success, he was a Glazer hire and funnily enough his firing is the only sign of great ambition shown by the Glazers. Chucky won the superbowl during his first season but wasn't all that good otherwise. It's a franchise that recorded two above .500 seasons before the Glazer and iirc 9 with them.

 

[Borussin]

Do we have to keep trotting this line out? if that's the sole reason Klopp turned us down then he's as much a fool as Woodward. Likelihood is he felt Liverpool were in better shape or that he would not have such intense focus on what he was doing at Liverpool and could put his plan together.

Not the sole reason I'm sure, but it was actually a big part of the reason. You are not in worse shape now (or then) than what Liverpool where in 2015, in fact, I'd say financially you are in a massively better place. The focus would be intense in both cities and clubs too. Klopp is a football romantic, he admits it, he's not ashamed of that. So the whole Disneyland spiel was a big part of it. and if that makes him a fool, he'd likely be ok with that assumption.

 

[calodo2003]

I think one of the problems here is that United didn't have a Hugh Culverhouse in charge before the Glazers. You lack perspective. You cannot compare United to the Bucs because of that.

He & his fecking wife sure were a pair.

 

[Kill 'em all]

Fans need to turn collectively against the owners of the club and not like airplanes flying Glazers out or Green and Gold scarves.

 

[bosnian_red]

We will probably have a heavy season of transition (or 2 seasons) given that it's not an exaggeration to say that 15 players will (should/could) be gone after the end of summer 2020/21:

1. Grant
2. Darmian
3. Rojo
4. Jones
5. Bailly
6. Young
7. Valencia
8. Matic
9. Herrera
10. Fred
11. Pogba
12. Pereira
13. Mata
14. Sanchez
15. Lukaku
16. Question marks with the likes of Martial, De Gea, Romero if he decides to go start somewhere, are some of the youngsters good enough, etc

So given that we have to make so many changes (regardless of manager for the vast majority of these over the next 2 summers), I'd say it's fair to have concerns. The hope is that we also bring in players at a good rate but also bring in the right players for the right positions and can progress overall despite the turnover.

 

[Sweet Square]

Fans need to turn collectively against the owners of the club and not like airplanes flying Glazers out or Green and Gold scarves.

Firstly what would fans be even protesting over ? That we finished 5th ? Or the Glazers are not spending money ? And then secondly even if it worked(Which it never will)the alternative is sell the club to the arsehole in Saudi Arabia.

 

[Member 117203]

Seems about right. I've honestly lost my love for football right now. I can't feel anything for these players and though I enjoy watching other teams play, I often find myself feeling down and even depressed when it reminds me of what we're becoming.

I can honestly say I'm in total agreement. I always believed that winning a trophy was the ultimate aim of a Football Club. Now it seems their market value, number of sponsors is what counts.

 

[Moriarty]

Andy Mitten pretends to know a lot of things yet says very little, he's just another run of the mill journalist trying to make a penny.

What he's said is not something we didn't know. We are staring at the abyss, we are run by rookies from top to bottom. They are not qualified or competent enough to do a rebuilding job at championship club never mind Utd. Also when it comes to players, need anything to be said when you have this?

Wasn't he a member on here at one time? Maybe he still is.

 

[edgar allan]

We will probably have a heavy season of transition (or 2 seasons) given that it's not an exaggeration to say that 15 players will (should/could) be gone after the end of summer 2020/21:

1. Grant
2. Darmian
3. Rojo
4. Jones
5. Bailly
6. Young
7. Valencia
8. Matic
9. Herrera
10. Fred
11. Pogba
12. Pereira
13. Mata
14. Sanchez
15. Lukaku
16. Question marks with the likes of Martial, De Gea, Romero if he decides to go start somewhere, are some of the youngsters good enough, etc

So given that we have to make so many changes (regardless of manager for the vast majority of these over the next 2 summers), I'd say it's fair to have concerns. The hope is that we also bring in players at a good rate but also bring in the right players for the right positions and can progress overall despite the turnover.

Martial should be top of that list, along with Sanchez and Lukaku, the problem is the interest in these players is going to be very limited unless we agree to pay a good part of their wages.
We can only hope that we find three or 4 cheap young world class players who somehow make all the rest of the players perform well above their average level.....lets be honest Pep couldn't sort this mess even if we gave him 400 million to spend.

 

[Igor Drefljak]

Just need more and more of these type of articles along with players saying the same thing, then hopefully, in 3 or 4 years, somebody high up at United will realise!

 

[joedirt87]

"There are people on the football side who think it will get worse before it gets better; that Wolves, Everton and Leicester are primed to overtake England’s most decorated league champions in the country"

https://www.fourfourtwo.com/feature...-ole-gunnar-solskjaer-ed-woodward-andy-mitten

I think we're gonna find out what the Tampa fans felt when the Glazer's ruined them. Unless we can get them out somehow..

Glazers haven't ruined the Bucs. They have always been a shit franchise which just happened to have a nice period of success from like 97-02, a period which took place shortly after they purchased the team. They have been committed to trying to build a successful team, unfortunately the moves aren't working. Multiple general manager and coaching changes and they have spent money. It's been awhile since they were super cheap with spending, probably 7-8 years now and Bucs fans responded by not buying season tickets.

 

[bosnian_red]

Martial should be top of that list, along with Sanchez and Lukaku, the problem is the interest in these players is going to be very limited unless we agree to pay a good part of their wages.
We can only hope that we find three or 4 cheap young world class players who somehow make all the rest of the players perform well above their average level.....lets be honest Pep couldn't sort this mess even if we gave him 400 million to spend.

It's not really a list in order of priority, its position based and what came to my mind. As for Martial, I get the frustration, but there are much bigger problems. He's in last chance territory next season, and it's not outside the realms of possibility that he comes good. For most of the others in that list, there is basically very little benefit to keeping them past next season. That's why Martial is a question mark, while others like Sanchez just need to go.

 

[The Irish Connection]

Pass me the rope......

It’s not quite the apocalypse yet but it’s going to be a dystopian future. Hordes of scousers with flaming torches. Beating drums that are emblazoned with Wijnaldums face.

We can either wallow in self pity or fight back.....

Question is. Do we have any fight left?

Owners don't care - Manchester United Financial Corporation continues to line their pockets nicely.
Ed Woodward doesn't care - He's Glazers golden boy, coming up with commercial deal after commercial deal, playing at football agent to the club’s detriment.
Board don't care - Big wages keep coming in.
Players don't care - Group of mercenaries, more worried about evermore outlandish wages widening the gap between player and supporter. Ego's that believe their own hype and an attitude that being at Utd is having 'made it' as opposed to success and trophies at Utd being the benchmark of greatness.

It is, of course, unsustainable.
The financial trappings are associated with the club’s former success; one we're drifting away from in an ever strengthening current. As success that was built in a world where there were way less global footballing competitors vying for fan base than there are now. Once the deals start to fall away, the American parasites will sell off the well picked-over carcass of the club and sail off into the sunset wealthier than any of us could care to imagine.
Golden boy Woodward will either retire off to enjoy his millions, or fail upwards into the commercial or banking world from whence he came, regaling his equally deluded and wealthy peers of how he was once the king of Manchester.
The players will slither off, Di Maria-esque to any one of the more attractive clubs in world football and all that will remain is the hope of a wealthy takeover, the ever-loyal fan base and the crumbling physical embodiment of the club that is Old Trafford's aged structure.

We had the glory years, and glorious they were. We'll never stop supporting Utd. The main problem for me aside from the above is not that I'll change and fall out of love with Utd, but that the Man Utd I fell in love with is long gone and all that remains is a business based financial empire.
Manchester United Financial Corporation - not my MUFC.

Well written! ‘Slither off, Di Maria-esque’ and ‘drums emblazoned with Wijnaldums face’

 

[Kill 'em all]

Firstly what would fans be even protesting over ? That we finished 5th ? Or the Glazers are not spending money ? And then secondly even if it worked(Which it never will)the alternative is sell the club to the arsehole in Saudi Arabia.

I'd rather have arseholes owning the club and start winning.

 

[edgar allan]

I'd rather have arseholes owning the club and start winning.

Your user name is pretty accurate to the experience of people in Yemen.....I would rather we were relegated than take blood money.

 

[Minimalist]

I'd rather have arseholes owning the club and start winning.

Nah fcuk that. We can be successful regardless of the Glazers.

 

[Kill 'em all]

Your user name is pretty accurate to the experience of people in Yemen.....I would rather we were relegated than take blood money.

I find that quite offensive and don't turn this into a political discussion. Every nation on earth has done unspeakable things throughout history and I'll leave it at that.

 

[Rish Sawhney]

Doesn't change the fact that prioritizing success in a sport over genocide is an objectively shitty thing to do. If you care about football that much, thats a problem with you.

 

[Kill 'em all]

Doesn't change the fact that prioritizing success in a sport over genocide is an objectively shitty thing to do. If you care about football that much, thats a problem with you.

It's much more wrong that you're labeling a nation of more than 30m people murderers just because of the actions of a few.

 

[Buster15]

I find that quite offensive and don't turn this into a political discussion. Every nation on earth has done unspeakable things throughout history and I'll leave it at that.

A very restrained response. Well done.
Now. Let's hope that is an end to such inappropriate comments.

 

[edgar allan]

It's much more wrong that you're labeling a nation of more than 30m people murderers just because of the actions of a few.

Nothing to do with the people of the country at all.
The desire for success should not be at any price or the expense of the clubs reputation and if the Glaziers were to sell then the morality of how the wealth of new owners was obtained is hugely important.

 

[Lynty]

It's a nonsense though. 6th will not be an achievement We are 9 points clear of 7th currently despite playing like absolute garbage and we'll be among the biggest investors in the transfer market this summer. Chelsea will be facing a transfer ban and are going to lose by far their best player. Arsenal are rumoured to be spending absolute peanuts in the market this summer. Spurs will likely lose important players this summer and have relatively little to spend. We should be more than well placed to challenge for 4th or 3rd under a competent manager.

It just seems to me like a leak from camp Ole to dampen expectations. Its all very Moyseian but because its Ole plenty of fans will lap it up and be grateful to finish 6th next season and even forgive him for finishing 7th or 8th.

Chelsea have much better squad depth, even if they choose not to use it. But yes they will struggle for top 4 without hazard.
Arsenal are screwed if they don't spend, I agree.
If Spurs keep hold of everyone but Erikson (who looks likely to go) and add 1-2 options (surely they will after last year), they'll still be in a great position to make top 4.

The problem are the teams behind us. Wolves and their Mendez connection are in a great position to capitalise on the mess at Old Trafford, the Bridge and the Emirates. So are Everton to a lesser extent.

We should be aiming for top 4, but I truly believe United, Arsenal, Chelsea, Everton and Wolves will be neck and neck for the final spot next season.

 

[C'est Moi Cantona]

Mitten has always annoyed me for some reason, probably his writing style more than what is written, but honest question does this guy have any inside information as to what is going on anymore?

 

[JPRouve]

Mitten has always annoyed me for some reason, probably his writing style more than what is written, but honest question does this guy have any inside information as to what is going on anymore?

He does and it's a fact.

 

[shabadu84]

After the latest farce on the pitch when Manchester United didn’t look like Manchester United – this time, Sunday’s 1-1 draw at a Huddersfield team who’d failed to take a point off any top-six team this season – Solskjaer said that we wouldn’t be seeing some of his players again. He’s right, but there will be no major cull. It’s too expensive and too difficult to shift too many out. This isn’t Barcelona looking to cash in on Ivan Rakitic, a proven winner, but United looking to offload players who earn so much that they don’t have to move anywhere.

This is the most worrisome aspect of the rebuild for me, and it's a problem that would be there no matter who we brought in to replace Mourinho. This alone will greatly slow down the ability to start from scratch and implement a playing identity we all want. I do have some hope that because it's Ole, with his personality and status as a United legend, he'll have more latitude to make wholesale changes to the squad than someone like Pochettino could. But he's going to be hamstrung by the fact that we have too many players who shouldn't be here on ability or attitude. He might be able to mitigate some of that by not playing them but then he'll have to heavily rely on untested academy products to fill in gaps.

For me, any judgment on Ole is going to be dependent on how much freedom he's given to mold the squad as he wants. If he gets that and isn't able to deliver on establishing a footballing identity, then he's failed. Get us playing like he wants, week in and week out, never mind the results. We simply aren't at a point where results need to be the primary focus. And maybe, in the end, he won't be enough. There may be a ceiling to his ability and he won't be able to take us to the point where we are regular title contenders. But I do think he's capable of stopping the rot *if* he gets the right backing in terms of power and finances. And that can't happen with Woodward in charge of the footballing side so there's your starting point. Anything short of that yes, it absolutely will get worse.

 

[C'est Moi Cantona]

He does and it's a fact.

That's fine, as I said it was a genuine question, I just thought he'd maybe gone off the boil with 'inside info' in recent years.

 

[LuisNaniencia]

Everyone just getting carried away now. Couple of signings could make make a positive difference but nobody wants to talk about that.

 

[Classical Mechanic]

Mitten has always annoyed me for some reason, probably his writing style more than what is written, but honest question does this guy have any inside information as to what is going on anymore?

He knows Hererra pretty well and has done a few in depth pieces on him I think. He grew up around the club and certainly knows a lot of people involved at OT.