Are standards actually dropping amongst the fans, or is it expectation levels? And is that a bad thing? The whole "title challenge within 2 years, or else" mentality hasn't helped us at all recently. Our fans have been constantly demanding dramatic short term improvement, but then get all pissy when our managers plan and buy for the short term. We need to care less about league positions for the next couple of years and just try to bring back a culture of playing attractive football, free from the pressure of must-win games all the time. Results will slowly start taking care of themselves from that sort of foundation, but we need to take some proper time to build that foundation first.
For the first time since 2013,there is no light at the end of the tunnel....
- Thread starter Nikelesh Reddy
- Start date
-
In the latest episode of the United Hour Podcast, Nik (@Rood) was joined by comedian Ali Woods to look back at the best and worst moments of a rollercoaster season with the annual United Hour Awards.
Has Ten Hag been sacked yet? We're not sure and we hope not, but it's looking more likely as the days pass.
Who should replace him and why is it taking so long to make a decision?
Guardiola signed a GK for big money when he joined the club.After just 1 season,he went back to the board and signed “Sorry,I made a huge mistake,I need another GK”.What did City do?They backed him and spent 40 odd million on a new GK.Guardiola said he wanted atleast 3 new full backs...For the record,Jose was talking about 1 central defender and he didn’t get it....City went ahead and spent over a 140 million quid just on full backs.
While Mourinho was getting the results on the pitch,the board should have just kept backing him.He started moaning at the start of his 3rd season because he could clearly see that he wasn’t being backed by the board....Woodward got it horribly wrong with Mourinho last summer....
Absolutely. I'm puzzled by why the author of this thread and some others on the caf seem to think that Ole is happy as a lark with the current squad. Just because he hasn't slagged them off publicly, doesn't mean he is satisfied with the woeful inconsistency of this United squad and first team players.
I'd love to see United get back to player development - unearth some diamonds in the rough, find some young players from wherever including lower divisions who have the character along with the talent. To be fair to Mourinho he was under pressure to get the title and the European Cup but the new normal is Manchester United will have to get back there more slowly. Re-building with the right kind of players needs to be the focus.
This is what happens when people who know nothing about football get involved. Us getting second place made them think everything as fine. When most teams who get second would make the signings to challenge for the title. The fact we finished so far behind should have been a warning.
You might not judge him but everyone else will.
There will always be light at the end of the tunnel for me as we have a massive income/budget, massive history, and a decent academy.
What puzzles me is that what has Solksjaer ever done in his managerial career to deserve a crack at such a big job?Win 10 games for United?Seriously??We start anointing people as managers because of 12-15 games....It’s beyond a joke this....
“Finishing 2nd with this team is one of my greatest achievements in football”.....Words that should haunt Woodward before he sleeps every night....
What had Pep or Zidane done before getting Barca and Real job?
Much less than Ole.
Ole got relegated with Cardiff many say, while in the same sentence praising Klopp as the second coming...
He did by the way get relegated with Mainz, in a weaker league than the PL.
This place is getting worse every single day.
Nope. 6 years after their title was 96. They had a decent young team in 95-96 that finished third (before top 4 meant anything like it does now) and got to an FA Cup final. I’m sure there were worse points around then for them
It's not unreasonable to question his appointment. Much as Ole is one of my favourite United players ever, it would have made more sense to get Giggsy over him - and much as I love Ryan Giggs I wouldn't have thought him a contender post-Mourinho.
However, I think it's premature to be so dismissive of Ole at this stage. He is a 'back to the future' appointment, one of United's own, and whether that will pay off remains to be seen. I think for a start he will be aware of the need to develop players to create a cohesive team and he should be allowed the time to do so.
He is not a controversial or polarizing person from what we know and it seems he has the Ferguson approach to being careful in public re what he thinks about his players. A few posters here made a big deal out of Ole's references to United's traditions but there's nothing wrong with that. Respect for the institution of Manchester United should be part of playing for the team. If players don't want to be reminded of that at times, then United is not the place for them.
Last edited:
Like it or not, it is the reality now. You choosing to be positive or negative about it won't change anything, so why not try and be positive about it? If it doesn't work out, he will be replaced, then everyone can get on with moaning about his replacement. Until he's had a fair crack of the whip, we aren't going to know what will happen.
Actually i feel the opposite. I think finally we have someone who wont go for galactico but demand younger, fitter players and plan long term. This is what this club exactly needed, a complete reset in mentality, recruitment and direction.
Pep and Zidane were managing their respective teams in the Segunda B division.Folks on here think the Segunda b is like English footballs reserve football,it’s not.Its a professional league where the quality is very very high....They proved themselves in that environment before taking over clubs that were primed for success....Barca won the CL in 2006,Guardiola took over in 2007....Real won the CL in 2014....Zidane took over in 2016.Theres absolutely no point in even comparing the 2 situations...
Klopp didn’t become Liverpool manager after he got relegated at Mainz,did he?Nah....He proved himself at Dortmund,managing and improving terrific players season after season..,,He won back to back bundesliga titles,he narrowly lost a CL final....He “proved” himself as one of the best managers in Europe before joining Liverpool.What has Solksjaer ever done to deserve this job??
That’s how I feel too.
Yep.
Before...
Here's the difference, Ole took over a team which was and still is in the wilderness. Do you think Ole would have failed if he took over our 2008 CL winning team?
Klopp, didn't automatically take Dortmund to the title in his first season, he worked on them first. Also, Dortmund had no expectations. Unlike UTD where expectations are to compete and win every season. Less pressure at Dortmund for the bearded one means he gets time to build.
I think you not being fair to a manager who needs to polish these turds.
So, as you say, this is the first time in 6 years that you see no light at the end of the tunnel. How did the last 6 years go exactly? For 6 years in a row, you've guessed wrong about whether there was actually a light at the end or not. You seem like the worst ever judge of lights at the end of tunnels. In fact, your negative prediction makes me even more confident about next season now.
As I said to my mate after the Huddersfield game ( who is also a huge United fan) I just feel completely lost following them, I don't know what i want or what I'm hoping for anymore.
EDIT: I obviously know what i want, I want us to be back challenging for major honors where we belong. I just don't know what players I want in, If OGS is the right man for the club etc. I said a long time ago that we have been on the same road to nowhere since Fergie retired, we get a manager, hope builds that he will deliver success, things start to go wrong, we get utterly sick of the football and eventually rejoice when he is sacked, we get another manager and the whole process is repeated again, we are lost in a giant maze and it kills me to say it but I see no way out of it, I just hope Ole does.
EDIT: I obviously know what i want, I want us to be back challenging for major honors where we belong. I just don't know what players I want in, If OGS is the right man for the club etc. I said a long time ago that we have been on the same road to nowhere since Fergie retired, we get a manager, hope builds that he will deliver success, things start to go wrong, we get utterly sick of the football and eventually rejoice when he is sacked, we get another manager and the whole process is repeated again, we are lost in a giant maze and it kills me to say it but I see no way out of it, I just hope Ole does.
Last edited:
Only one positive: Club are becoming less financially attractive for the Glazers as this show continuous. 2 seasons without CL, more bad contracts, more and more negativity towards the club...
They might actually sell the club if we continue this for 2 more years.
Very good post. And I love Ole.
But it's up to him (Ole'..) now to respond to what has been happening. Saying the right things is ok, but he needs to establish himself, and prove those doubting him, wrong. And I do sense that he knows this too.
I hope he will, I really, really do. I am 100000% behind him. But he has to be seen to be getting this rebuild job done. Simple as, because big clubs resolve these matters.
Solskjær won the league with Molde, who had never won it before, a league where Rosenborg has been dominant for decades, after their success in the CL in the 90s-early 00s.
He won his EL group against teams like Ajax, Fenerbache and Celtic - then lost over 2 legs vs Sevilla, who won it.
Definitely comparable with Segunda B.
As others pointed out, Pep and Zizou took over much better teams too.
You are being extremely unfair to Ole Gunnar.
The United players have played under 2 managers who require them to run much less, one sits back, the other tried to kill the opponents by passing forever, Ole likes much more running and intensity.
Sure, the lads are professional, and should be in shape, but i think they haven't trained right to be able to run like Ole requires for 90 minutes. That's why they are tired after they new manager bounce period - where we by the way got a new record in consecutive wins away from home, in case you forgot.
Give Ole time to build his own team and prepare them for a new season.
Trust me, he's just not only the very nice guy you see in interviews, he's a winner, and will give the players the hairdryer if needed. This has been confirmed by Molde players. He will not accept players not giving their all, and play for the shirt.
Quite frankly we are the footballing equivalent of Nokia.
Both once dominant organisations that for whatever reasons (insert numerous possibilities here) got it so horribly wrong they are now floundering miserably at the bottom of the pile.
I rate our chances of recovery slightly higher than that of Nokia, but the light at the end of the tunnel is currently no brighter than a pin prick!
Both once dominant organisations that for whatever reasons (insert numerous possibilities here) got it so horribly wrong they are now floundering miserably at the bottom of the pile.
I rate our chances of recovery slightly higher than that of Nokia, but the light at the end of the tunnel is currently no brighter than a pin prick!
Oh. Maybe the club should just fold then and allow us to go and support new teams.
I have always had a soft spot for both Notts Forest and Portsmouth. Which do you think I should choose?
Ill take your Nokia, and raise you with a Yahoo. Similar time from the start of decline (2012) and they appointed a dodgy CEO to take them forward that ended up a disaster.
Just have low expectations for next season mate.
If it's fulfilled, not a problem, expected as much, hurts less.
If surprisingly Ole did much better and things are way brighter, feel happier.
If it's fulfilled, not a problem, expected as much, hurts less.
If surprisingly Ole did much better and things are way brighter, feel happier.
The...
Well I am looking forward to seeing how our new signings perform.
I am of course assuming we get some.
I am of course assuming we get some.
I don't even demand or expect us to challenge for the PL title for some time. All I want to see is clear progress, however miniscule it might be. And, please, not any more of the two steps forward, three steps backward from the past couple of seasons.
Just like Klopp did at this mid-tier club in the North-West of England. Even if Liverpool, hopefully, will have nothing to show for after this season, I'd take their situation in a heartbeat. At least they show clear progress. They are better this year than last year, and so on.
Just like Klopp did at this mid-tier club in the North-West of England. Even if Liverpool, hopefully, will have nothing to show for after this season, I'd take their situation in a heartbeat. At least they show clear progress. They are better this year than last year, and so on.
I suppose it's a good thing that our pile is the top six teams in England and not the Premier League as a whole.
Last edited:
That 2nd place finish last season actually feels like it has set us back further. It was a false dawn and when you look at our post-Fergie position in the table it makes for grim reading.
2014 - 7th
2015 - 4th
2016 - 5th
2017 - 6th
2018 - 2nd
2019 - 6th (probably)
The average position there is 5th. The 2nd place finish is the massive outlier and when removed means we averaging 5.6 as our average position in the table post-Fergie.
This last few weeks has obviously felt like the wheels have come off even more but in truth, this is kind of what we've been for a really long time now. An average team capable of good and bad runs of form and not capable of high-level football or consistency.
I've unfortunately got tickets to the Cardiff game (bought when we had just knocked PSG out). I kind of don't want to go now (which feels awful). The only enjoyment I may get out of it is if we play the kids.
I could enjoy the game is something like this XI played.
De Gea (perhaps a send-off but he has done enough over the years to be forgiven his recent form)
Dalot (has potential)
Lee O'Connor
Lindelof (decent season)
Shaw (at least he can build off a full year of football)
Garner
McTominay
Pereira
Chong
Greenwood
Gomes
2014 - 7th
2015 - 4th
2016 - 5th
2017 - 6th
2018 - 2nd
2019 - 6th (probably)
The average position there is 5th. The 2nd place finish is the massive outlier and when removed means we averaging 5.6 as our average position in the table post-Fergie.
This last few weeks has obviously felt like the wheels have come off even more but in truth, this is kind of what we've been for a really long time now. An average team capable of good and bad runs of form and not capable of high-level football or consistency.
I've unfortunately got tickets to the Cardiff game (bought when we had just knocked PSG out). I kind of don't want to go now (which feels awful). The only enjoyment I may get out of it is if we play the kids.
I could enjoy the game is something like this XI played.
De Gea (perhaps a send-off but he has done enough over the years to be forgiven his recent form)
Dalot (has potential)
Lee O'Connor
Lindelof (decent season)
Shaw (at least he can build off a full year of football)
Garner
McTominay
Pereira
Chong
Greenwood
Gomes
Thats exactly the way I feel, since Fergie left I have never felt this depressed about the club. Every year after we failed we seemed to make some movements that gave us hope, if it was either sacking Moyes and bringing LVG, or bringing Mourinho of course it was false hope and we all know how it ended but now we have seen Ole and I think he will inevitably fail.
I think we will be worst in a year time, we'll probably have more deadwood in the squad and a higher wage structure. Thats the thing with failing clubs, you either bounce back immediately or you fall into mediocrity and takes something special to come back to the top.
I think we will be worst in a year time, we'll probably have more deadwood in the squad and a higher wage structure. Thats the thing with failing clubs, you either bounce back immediately or you fall into mediocrity and takes something special to come back to the top.
I think next year will be amazing
Lock.
Yeah,just watch the lads play under this manager.Its truly inspiring....Keep chanting “Oles at the wheel” for a few more months and live in denial....After all its not a crime to be brain dead...
Or even better,keep convincing yourself that everything’s great and keep living in denial.Ah,burying your head under the sand and living in denial feels so good....Let’s all start chanting with greater gusto now....”Oles at the wheel”....
You’re right, United fans should stop believing in a club legend and chanting for the team.
Ffs.
Yes. It will be
