andersj
Nick Powell Expert
"One source has told ESPN FC that there were concerns within the squad's foreign contingent as early as February -- when Solskjaer was still unbeaten in his role as caretaker-manager -- that the approach under the former Cardiff City manager was "too British" and lacking in continental expertise. The same source has claimed that last week's training regime was "just running, running, running," with players forced to do double sessions on their first week back in preseason following Solskjaer's decision to bring the squad back as early as July 1 to start preparations for the new campaign."
https://www.espn.co.uk/football/clu...f-solskjaers-issues-for-man-uniteds-preseason
Whether the source is a player or a players agent or just made up from a lying journalist, this is a bit of a worry. Not that the player is running a lot or that the approach is to "British". That bit, I am fine with. I remember similar reports on Klopp a few years back. It is also evidently a part of the approach of Pochettino and Pep. Teams that play proactive football needs to run. A lot! We used too as well. As Pep said in a Sky-interview, you dont run, you dont play. There is not much "too British" about it.
I'm not that worried about the rat either. Lack of loyalty is an issue, but I'm sure Solskjaer will get rid of the players with the wrong mentality. We knew that there are players who lack the right attitude and commitment. I'm actually amused if the players are complaining about too much running. They have a few kilometers to make up for, to say the least.
What worries me is the agenda of the journalist. I have felt for some time that Ogden would be one of the first to have a go at Solskjaer. I saw an interview a while back where he was extremely critical of Solskjaer without managing to explain why (he was, of course, very pro in March). While he strikes me as one of these headless chicken journalists who will be a turncoat, I worry that there is more too it. This is usually how it starts and the reason I feel strongly about it is the angle. This criticism came from nowhere and it is unwarranted. He is having a go at Solskjaer for making the players run too much. For the first week of pre-season! And he is trying to put a label on him based on it. It is ridiculous!
I can only imagine how this will develop when he actually starts making a few mistakes this season (even Ferguson did!). Last season we saw how success breeds success. We have too many times the past few years how the opposite can also be the case. Journalists play their parts in reinforcing trends and articles like this might not matter much at this point in time. But it might be a seed and if we come through a tough patch it might grow and eventually hurt the focus and moral of the team. We can not underestimate the importance of having a group of players who believe in the work they are doing compared to a group who dont.
Ferguson famously said "stand behind your managers". The quote can be misused and I don't think Ferguson would want the fans to stand behind the manager "no matter what". But I do think this is what he was talking about. He knew all too well how important it is to control the media and the narrative they create. Because in the end, it is likely to become a self-fulfilling prophecy and consequently the truth. We should never accept that journalists have a go at the manager in an unwarranted manner like this.
https://www.espn.co.uk/football/clu...f-solskjaers-issues-for-man-uniteds-preseason
Whether the source is a player or a players agent or just made up from a lying journalist, this is a bit of a worry. Not that the player is running a lot or that the approach is to "British". That bit, I am fine with. I remember similar reports on Klopp a few years back. It is also evidently a part of the approach of Pochettino and Pep. Teams that play proactive football needs to run. A lot! We used too as well. As Pep said in a Sky-interview, you dont run, you dont play. There is not much "too British" about it.
I'm not that worried about the rat either. Lack of loyalty is an issue, but I'm sure Solskjaer will get rid of the players with the wrong mentality. We knew that there are players who lack the right attitude and commitment. I'm actually amused if the players are complaining about too much running. They have a few kilometers to make up for, to say the least.
What worries me is the agenda of the journalist. I have felt for some time that Ogden would be one of the first to have a go at Solskjaer. I saw an interview a while back where he was extremely critical of Solskjaer without managing to explain why (he was, of course, very pro in March). While he strikes me as one of these headless chicken journalists who will be a turncoat, I worry that there is more too it. This is usually how it starts and the reason I feel strongly about it is the angle. This criticism came from nowhere and it is unwarranted. He is having a go at Solskjaer for making the players run too much. For the first week of pre-season! And he is trying to put a label on him based on it. It is ridiculous!
I can only imagine how this will develop when he actually starts making a few mistakes this season (even Ferguson did!). Last season we saw how success breeds success. We have too many times the past few years how the opposite can also be the case. Journalists play their parts in reinforcing trends and articles like this might not matter much at this point in time. But it might be a seed and if we come through a tough patch it might grow and eventually hurt the focus and moral of the team. We can not underestimate the importance of having a group of players who believe in the work they are doing compared to a group who dont.
Ferguson famously said "stand behind your managers". The quote can be misused and I don't think Ferguson would want the fans to stand behind the manager "no matter what". But I do think this is what he was talking about. He knew all too well how important it is to control the media and the narrative they create. Because in the end, it is likely to become a self-fulfilling prophecy and consequently the truth. We should never accept that journalists have a go at the manager in an unwarranted manner like this.
Usually it is hard to spot and agenda and an angle. At this point of the season it is easier and I felt this was an obvious one. I would appreciate if people in here could contribute to spotting and highlighting similar agendas from journalists. Maybe in this thread (might need a better headline, then?)?