Andy Mitten: The players aren't responding to the manager

[Bastian]

Said this on the Athletic pod yesterday (@crossy1686 mentioned it on here).

What do we make of this? He goes on to say there have been periods before under other managers, but there haven't really, there have only been the moments when the dressing room has been lost and eventually the manager gets the sack. But I suspect there are quite a lot of players behind him and another bunch not willing to buy into his way.

 

[RaddyRed]

I'd love to see the ones who aren't, just dropped. Would take more pleasure from our reserves finishing mid table / bottom half with some actual effort than this current lot.

 

[Velvet Revolver]

Said this on the Athletic pod yesterday (@crossy1686 mentioned it on here).

What do we make of this? He goes on to say there have been periods before under other managers, but there haven't really, there have only been the moments when the dressing room has been lost and eventually the manager gets the sack. But I suspect there are quite a lot of players behind him and another bunch not willing to buy into his way.

I listened to that pod too. But I would take it with a pinch of salt. These 'Athletic' experts are everywhere and psycho analyzing everything minute detail.

 

[Velvet Revolver]

I'd love to see the ones who aren't, just dropped. Would take more pleasure from our reserves finishing mid table / bottom half with some actual effort than this current lot.

This is what i dont understand, why our managers insist on playing people who are not following orders. Managers usually end up on the stick while these average players continue to get away with it.

 

[DWelbz19]

If it’s true, are you surprised? Football is a results based business. We’ve lost 6 games of 10 and even the wins have been mostly underwhelming.

The players have been shite, sure - but I can only imagine the atmosphere of trying to listen to a manager when all you’re doing is losing matches or massively losing duels in those games.

 

[DickDastardly]

What does that even mean?

Yeah, Sancho thinks he's getting shafted. Ok.
Probably Maguire also feels he's getting the shit end of the stick.
Scott isn't getting enough play time so he could feel shitty about it.

The rest?
They're either playing or they're injured.

Rashford seems to have downed tools. Can't really say why? His position is the same.

 

[crossy1686]

I listened to that pod too. But I would take it with a pinch of salt. These 'Athletic' experts are everywhere and psycho analyzing everything minute detail.

If you’re saying this then you’ve got no idea just how well connected Mitten is at United and has been since the 90’s.

 

[MayfieldsFinest]

Drop them and bring in youth players. The cycle has to stop.... THE PLAYERS ARE THE PROBLEM.

 

[Spoony]

They don't respond to a strict approach nor does an arm around the shoulder work. I'd put them on a 15K salary.

 

[Kostov]

If there's some truth to this, I can think only of Rashford, Bruno and Casemiro. All 3 of them have been absolute rubbish.

 

[Velvet Revolver]

If you’re saying this then you’ve got no idea just how well connected Mitten is at United and has been since the 90’s.

I know how connected he is and that his whole family works at united in some capacity or other. However it's your mate telling you about something going on so take that how you want it. It maybe true but i have lost faith in journalists these days.

 

[Vault Dweller]

I listened to that pod too and since it was Mitten I'm inclined to think there will be truth to it. See what happens the next few games.

 

[crossy1686]

You watch the performance against Galatasary and it would seem that the players aren’t responding due to confidence and lack of belief. They half commit, they over think, they give up when they concede etc.

I’m not sure why they seem to down tools whenever they concede, no one has any fight in them and even the ‘leaders’ seem to give up when certain players are making individual errors. Ultimately it’s up to the manager to protect them and get them playing with confidence but he seems to be calling them out more and more now.

 

[Chairman Steve]

This is what happens when absent, passive owners who aren’t interested in results don’t put their foot down. The owners need to have the manager’s back on things like this.

We’ve more than likely got some players that have shit attitudes but I swear a change of ownership with owners who are focused on us winning, and those players will either be falling in line or be sold off in the next window.

 

[crossy1686]

I know how connected he is and that his whole family works at united in some capacity or other. However it's your mate telling you about something going on so take that how you want it. It maybe true but i have lost faith in journalists these days.

He regularly meets with the likes of Murtough off the record and knows the whole coaching staff and the players. He also doesn’t say stuff like this lightly for the attention, he’s already the go to for United journalists.

 

[Remember the geese]

Manager over the players anyday.

 

[IRELANDUNITED]

Ten Hag has had no problem weeding out problem players and making huge calls. He got rid of Ronaldo who is probably the most well know sporting figure on the planet. Whether or not that was correct is potentially up for debate but what isn’t up for debate is if ten Hag has the balls to make big calls or not. He 100% has. So if there are players in this dressing room and team that aren’t responding to him, firstly he won’t play them and then he will get rid of them too.

 

[rooneyberbatov]

Talk to them? See what the issue is and then if it’s unreasonable and they don’t perform on purpose, fine them and bench them to oblivion.

 

[CallyRed]

I blame the parents

 

[MegadrivePerson]

Drop them and bring in youth players. The cycle has to stop.... THE PLAYERS ARE THE PROBLEM.

Agree.

Most of these players have achieved very little in their careers. It's not like the likes of John Terry and Frank Lampard turning against André Villas-Boas.

Certain players think that they have a god given right to play for Manchester United, they don't!

 

[ROFLUTION]

If there's some truth to this, I can think only of Rashford, Bruno and Casemiro. All 3 of them have been absolute rubbish.

First two have some of the best xGi in the league + Bruno plays 90 all the time. To say they’ve downed tools is just too easy. Casemiro has just not been good, I’d hardly call that to have downed tools.

Somehow the biggest stars always gets to be on the end of the witchhunt, it’s really predictable.

 

[FujiVice]

Ten Hag might be gone soon, then. If the players have decided, then he's fecked. That's how it works at this club. When your board is so spineless.

 

[downxandxout]

What does that even mean?

Yeah, Sancho thinks he's getting shafted. Ok.
Probably Maguire also feels he's getting the shit end of the stick.
Scott isn't getting enough play time so he could feel shitty about it.

The rest?
They're either playing or they're injured.

Rashford seems to have downed tools. Can't really say why? His position is the same.

I think in most workplaces, if there's any unhappiness, it slowly eats away at everyone else.

Wouldn't surprise me if some of the first eleven or injured players were affected by it.

Plus, the whole new ownership situation could mean a restructure of all the staff which is going to make the mood of the whole club drop.

 

[Dorris]

Any more details behind what he said or was it literally just what you’ve quoted

 

[Lash]

If there's some truth to this, I can think only of Rashford, Bruno and Casemiro. All 3 of them have been absolute rubbish.

Think that is unfair, he's been poor because he's been exposed to marshall the centre of the pitch all by himself. Bar Hojlund, he's our biggest attacking threat too.

 

[NickSantigo]

I listen to that podcast too, I'll be taking it with a pinch of salt.
As bad as things are I don't feel the players have downed tools and are not trying.
It's bad but we have a lot of injuries. It's not like the end of the Jose, Ole and Ralf days

 

[el3mel]

Eh.. I don't buy this conspiracy narrative. The players were clearly trying against Galatasaray. They were either clueless or just crap, but I saw no lack of efforts or sulking on the pitch. Dalot didn't make these mistakes because he was conspiring on Ten Hag. He made them because he's just a crap player, but he was clearly trying his best.

 

[HoustonRed]

Ten Hag might be gone soon, then. If the players have decided, then he's fecked. That's how it works at this club. When your board is so spineless.

That’s true when we have things to play for. It seems we will soon be out of contention from all the relevant competitions. So this is the time to hold tight and purge. I don’t mind sacking ETH, but I want the players outed first for what they are.

 

[Rood]

If you’re saying this then you’ve got no idea just how well connected Mitten is at United and has been since the 90’s.

He is well connected but it's still just going to be Chinese whispers from second hand sources so should be taken with a pinch of salt

Obviously things aren't going to be great in the dressing room at the moment and some out of favour players will always have a trouble making agenda too

 

[HoustonRed]

Eh.. I don't buy this conspiracy narrative. The players were clearly trying against Galatasaray. They were either clueless or just crap, but I saw no lack of efforts or sulking on the pitch. Dalot didn't make these mistakes because he was conspiring on Ten Hag. He made them because he's just a crap player, but he was clearly trying his best.

The point was not about lack of effort, but about application. Not doing what was told.

 

[Stack]

When things get to the point this sort of thing is doing the rounds in the media you just know its the beginning of the end.

 

[crossy1686]

Any more details behind what he said or was it literally just what you’ve quoted

I’d encourage you to listen to it all but from the 8th minute onwards.

 

[11101]

The Athletic and especially Mitten appears to be well in with a subgroup of our players, mostly the English ones who have been there a while. Rashford, Sancho, Maguire, McTominay all prime suspects in feeding this kind of rubbish to the press when things don't go their way. I'd support the manager in sending the lot of them down to the reserves.

We have a group of players who can't or won't play for the team and cant handle adversity. They need to be ruthlessly removed from the team.

 

[Champ]

First two have some of the best xGi in the league + Bruno plays 90 all the time. To say they’ve downed tools is just too easy. Casemiro has just not been good, I’d hardly call that to have downed tools.

Somehow the biggest stars always gets to be on the end of the witchhunt, it’s really predictable.

Well said.

Casemiro is our top goalscorer near enough, hardly think he's 'downed tools'
Bruno is covering every blade of grass and Rashford is still our most dangerous player going forward,
Not sure why some on here want to single out the same names every time with zero evidence to substantiate their claims!? Just bizarre.

 

[MayfieldsFinest]

Andy Mitten is brilliant, love the talk of the devils pod and really enjoy his "Off the Ball" segments but this is a shit take. It's a shit take because it's vague

I listen to that podcast too, I'll be taking it with a pinch of salt.
As bad as things are I don't feel the players have downed tools and are not trying.
It's bad but we have a lot of injuries. It's not like the end of the Jose, Ole and Ralf days

This and the fact that for long portions of most games we've been pretty good. Individual mistakes, unfortunate injuries and our better players being out of form has cost us. It doesn't appear to me that the players have lost faith in ETH or downed tools. It's shit but it will turn. Any player who has turned on the manager can feck off, we've seen this pattern too many times, it can't always be the manager.

 

[RuudTom83]

When results are bad everyone has an excuse.

But most of the current team will never come anywhere close to the United Legends of the past, I find it very hard to defend any of them.

Saying that is soo easy to write a damning article about the club this season...the only positive outcome from all the negatively would be if the scum finally sells the club.

 

[DickDastardly]

I think in most workplaces, if there's any unhappiness, it slowly eats away at everyone else.

Wouldn't surprise me if some of the first eleven or injured players were affected by it.

Plus, the whole new ownership situation could mean a restructure of all the staff which is going to make the mood of the whole club drop.

Fully agree.

But, football clubs aren't exactly normal workplaces.
If they want to be happy, they need to start winning games. It's easy as that.
In order to win games, they need to work harder.

The ownership thing i get. Although they do have binding contracts for X amount of years, they're still probably thinking "should i end my career here or should i go somewhere else"

Which is why it's adamant we start winning again!


To be honest, i can't really see what's the issue with Ten Hag.
Doesn't strike me as a Mourinho type of coach that's searching for conflict.

Why aren't they responding, that's the question?

 

[IrishRedDevil]

And he keeps starting them???

 

[Champ]

The Athletic and especially Mitten appears to be well in with a subgroup of our players, mostly the English ones who have been there a while. Rashford, Sancho, Maguire, McTominay all prime suspects in feeding this kind of rubbish to the press when things don't go their way. I'd support the manager in sending the lot of them down to the reserves.

We have a group of players who can't or won't play for the team and cant handle adversity. They need to be ruthlessly removed from the team.

And you are basing this on what exactly?

What's to say Mitten hasn't been speaking with some of the coaches?
Because to me that would make a load more sense then any of the players leaking this stuff to the press.
The media would take great delight in writing stories on a high profile player being a leak in the United dressing room.

 

[BarstoolProphet]

If you’re saying this then you’ve got no idea just how well connected Mitten is at United and has been since the 90’s.

Mitten is connected, but also has the habit of coming out with vague stories like this in hindsight. Maybe it's because he gets told at a later time but it's hard to take anything he says as face value.