And you’re very sensitive. Look how many arguments you’ve picked in this thread alone. Get off your high horse.
Gary Neville on United
- Thread starter charlenefan
- Start date
Arguments are what internet forums are for. I pick them because that's the point.
You accused Neville of being condescending and now you're doing the same thing yourself.
He’s never consistent in his opinion and totally out of touch with what it takes to run a successful club. He pronounces on United from the perspective of someone who played under Ferguson big is out of touch with the game outside that bubble in my opinion. Him having such a major broadcasting platform has been damaging for United. He saved Jose from the sack last season.
Sweet Jesus...
Yes, Klopp took over in October.
Ole took over in December.
Ye know who Klopp signed the next summer - Wijnaldum, Mane and Karius.
Ole - in his first summer - signed Maguire, Wan Bissaka and James?
Klopp finished 4th- just about in his next season - and it was a step up.
Then he went 4th again the following season, then up to 2nd.
But what Neville is saying is: Fans are giving out about the approach we are taking because they are saying we haven't signed good enough players to get us right back up to the top. Well, signing loads of players in one summer isn't how we get back to the top. We will GRADUALLY climb our way back to the top, but we will ONLY do that if we give the manager the time and patience required to do so...
How are you not getting this?
The club are now taking things steadily and this is - according to Neville and me and other like-minded fans - the correct way to go about it.
I never said that?? Internet forum’s are also for reading you know.
McKola said we should have replaced Lukaku's goals and our second best CM Herrera to which Neville disagreed.
As I said Neville was interrupting McKola too but we can agree to disagree over who was the rudest.
Not replacing two midfielders and one forward is not sensible steady planning...it is turning up to a game without your boots
Everton were never going to be in the Champions League though and Arsenal did their business fairly late on too. Lukaku was a £75m bench warmer who decided to effectively go on strike pre season because it was obvious Ole had put his faith in Rashford/Martial. Who were we going to buy to come and play second fiddle?
I wouldn't say I'm going to great lengths to defend anyone. I think we've missed a trick not bringing in a midfielder but I'm happy with the overall direction we're going, in terms of the kind of players we did bring in.
In my opinion, he sounds like a complete and utter muppet at this point...
'Herrera's no loss, he huffed and puffed'
'There's lots of them around'
'Natural cycle'
'Don't protest the Glazers - it's not worth it'
'Liverpool are in the same position with the owners...(!!!)'
'Does not concern me seeing City and Liverpool progress'
'Eventually we'll STUMBLE UPON the right approach...'
It's comical, and yet, beyond parody.
It's also incredible that he's changed his mind on Ed Woodward - during this window... amazing, I wonder how that happened, and how much better off he is for it?
'Herrera's no loss, he huffed and puffed'
'There's lots of them around'
'Natural cycle'
'Don't protest the Glazers - it's not worth it'
'Liverpool are in the same position with the owners...(!!!)'
'Does not concern me seeing City and Liverpool progress'
'Eventually we'll STUMBLE UPON the right approach...'
It's comical, and yet, beyond parody.
It's also incredible that he's changed his mind on Ed Woodward - during this window... amazing, I wonder how that happened, and how much better off he is for it?
No he literally said its fine that we're shit now because we were shit for a long time when he was younger. And at some point the cycle will change where we'll get lucky with a manager and players and be back towards the top, winning again. In many years time. Thats what he said. Other people don't care for having 5 more years where we dont improve much, we want higher standards than that
Watch it again. Neville doesn't disagree with either of those points.
On Lukaku (2:34), he says that the money is there to replace him but we need to buy the right player. He was in favour of buying Dybala, but only if Dybala had been in favour of United.
On Herrera, he never disagrees that he was our second best midfielder (4:34), but he says that McTominay can do almost as good a job if he plays 30 games.
McKola was the rude one. Listen at 9:56. He was supposed to ask one question, but kept interrupting the answer.
He also signed Matip and Klevan, so that's 5 players who at the time were thought of as first-teamers. That's half a starting xi, isn't it? And of course, he was allowed to upgrade on them afterwards.
You praised the Liverpoolians for showing patience while berating our own fanbase. I pointed out that their patience was a product of what they were watching on the football pitch. This has not been the case with United since Ferguson's retirement. Our fans have every right to feel disgruntled and demanding because they have repeatedly supported every manager who has been at this club and they have received next to nothing in return.
After his debacle at Valencia, Neville rarely speaks ill of any manager. He has always been very cautious with his criticism. He was even defending Mourinho when it was plainly obvious that United's relationship with him had reached the point of no return. That's what he does.
I'm not arguing about the fact that it will take us time to get to the top. I'm simply saying that at the end of each season there will have to be tangible evidence that we are progressing as a football team. Klopp didn't spend 2 seasons in the wilderness and then suddenly made Liverpool CL finalists.
Will do tomorrow and then reply to your post then.
Not very convincing at all. "Stumble" upon the right approach. Just because Pool did after all these years doesn't mean we will (in the near future). Just look at AC Milan
That might be true and all, but when you don't have a single decent midfielder in your squad (other than that guy who's had enough and wants to leave) and you fail to address that then maybe, MAYBE, you are taking things a bit too steadily.
Slight exaggeration...
Do you seriously disagree with Neville on the points he made about those three players?
I can almost (but not quite) see the Herrera one but Fellaini and Lukaku? We’re better off without them, even if we haven’t replaced them.[/QUOTE]
wheres the criticism of the Glazers?
Didn't you see his response to this on twitter...?
Tweet
— Twitter API (@user) date
'Be quiet and do one'.
Why because I feel a United great was talking down to a passionate fan, one that made good points? Gary's opinion on United holds weight with fans, just thought it was disappointing.
His rant had old Trafford chanting against the board at the Newcastle game when Jose was supposed to be sacked
Neville comes across as a bit of an idiot there to be honest. Of course we're worse off to suggest otherwise is moronic
But are we really worse off without Lukaku and Fellaini?
Herrera, perhaps and we could debate it for the next week, I don’t think there’s a right or wrong but the other 2, I just don’t see it, I don’t believe we’re in a worse position without them.
Not much of a tv show if he isn't contrarian.
His previous opinions aren't congruent with this so I'd say a fair few are for the sake of the show.
His previous opinions aren't congruent with this so I'd say a fair few are for the sake of the show.
Umm Klopp actually had a top quality CV, Ole has had a less than memorable one.
Perhaps that’s Klopp got leeway because he’s proven he knows what he’s doing.
Neville is dead wrong. Ownership and management are things that can be controlled to a decent extent. Have shitty owners and bad upper management you will still suck because those are requirements to be successful.
Winning teams/franchises make plans and create their luck. Losing teams/franchises hope for things to go their way.
"right approach" 
.
- Still no DoF. After 2 years of talks and rumors.
- Ignored the fact that United almost signed Dybala & willing to pay absurd wage if it wasn't his image rights & agent fee. Almost signed Mandzukic because United happened to be doing business with Juventus anyway.
- United signed AWB, Maguire (could've signed Macguire last season for cheaper price). They were our main targets in the summer but what about secondary options? We'd heard about club's "commitment" months before window started yet this is the best they could do. Two years in a row, you can count players whom United want in one hand. Nobody fecking knows who are in our "list" anymore.
Longstaff or no one? Really? Seems like the way we do business is either we get number 1 target or we don't get anyone at all. Is that right approach? If it was, Fergie would have broken the bank for Ronaldinho instead of signing an unknown kid from Portuguese league. Clubs don't away get what they want, even for Real Madrid. Doing smart business is most important.
I love how Neville spun it as "smart" approach when in fact it was just another fecked up summer.
.- Still no DoF. After 2 years of talks and rumors.
- Ignored the fact that United almost signed Dybala & willing to pay absurd wage if it wasn't his image rights & agent fee. Almost signed Mandzukic because United happened to be doing business with Juventus anyway.
- United signed AWB, Maguire (could've signed Macguire last season for cheaper price). They were our main targets in the summer but what about secondary options? We'd heard about club's "commitment" months before window started yet this is the best they could do. Two years in a row, you can count players whom United want in one hand. Nobody fecking knows who are in our "list" anymore.
Longstaff or no one? Really? Seems like the way we do business is either we get number 1 target or we don't get anyone at all. Is that right approach? If it was, Fergie would have broken the bank for Ronaldinho instead of signing an unknown kid from Portuguese league. Clubs don't away get what they want, even for Real Madrid. Doing smart business is most important.
I love how Neville spun it as "smart" approach when in fact it was just another fecked up summer.
Met Gary Neville the other day. Top bloke. Spoke about United and the state of our fans.
Much of what Neville is saying is circumstantial rubbish, outside of Ole / Phelan what has really changed to impact the infrastructure at the club ? absolutely nothing.
If Solskjaer is sacked and the next manager has a different recruitment policy, we are back in square one following an ethos specific to the managers demands as opposed to a DOF providing the club's direction.
If Solskjaer is sacked and the next manager has a different recruitment policy, we are back in square one following an ethos specific to the managers demands as opposed to a DOF providing the club's direction.
Tweet
— Twitter API (@user) date
Neville is rattled by all the flak he’s taking on Twitter re: his (non) stance on the Glazers. Very personal reply to O’Kane there, a fellow United academy graduate from the vaingloriously self-monikered ‘CO92’.
Tweet
— Twitter API (@user) date
Stay classy Gary.
Stay classy? That’s a brilliant response!
Neville said we had money to replace Lukaku but McKola's point was why didn't we and not doing so was ineptitude from the board. We've known Lukaku was leaving for months. McKola's expected the board to be more sensible and diligent in the market and that he thinks Woodward didn't trust anyone around him to spend it. In a way Neville alluded to this by bringing up transfers Jose wanted which we overruled by the board.
Then goes on to build a straw man about how United were never going to get the top 10 players in the world, something no reasonable fan demanded. McKola interjected and said he didn't expect that but pointed out that we've lost Rom, Herrera and Fellaini and have no replacements.
Neville then responds that we're not going to spend it on 32yos (wut) and bizarrely says if Varane was available for £130m the Glazers would sanction the deal in an instant, get real ffs.
Therein lies the problem - we only seem capable of spotting the most obvious talent that the average fan at the pub could tell you is good. Neville continues making excuse after excuse for our clusterfeck of a window and brings up Lukaku's weight and says all Herrera did was huff and puff. 
At this point he's clearly flapping and tries to embarrass McKola by calling him out on past tweets such as when we signed Di Maria. Everyone was delighted with those types of signings at the time but we've learned from our mistakes and to McKola's credit he did mention earlier that he didn't want mercenary types. Neville's tactics here are solely to try to belittle and demean McKola in an attempt to add more credence to the crap he's spouting which is poor form.
He tried to downplay Herrera leaving by saying he's nothing special and there are loads of similar calibre players out there which McKola swiftly refuted by saying there aren't at United. He compared McTominay to Herrera but let's face it he's not at that level yet. Herrera is no world beater but he's clearly a better player than anything we have in midfield besides Pogba. We were told any outgoings would be replaced. They weren't. We get the "Don't worry lads, (insert player we already have) will be like a new signing!)" nonsense rammed down our throats.
I like McTominay to let's do a small comparison from last season from the Premier League game when things began to slide. United's record in the last five games with McTominay playing was no wins, two draws* and three losses.
*one draw was against Chelsea was subbed on after 81 mins
Herrera's was one win and two draws, no losses during the same time frame.
We could argue all day about how much value this small sample size has but it doesn't fit with the narrative of McTominay being at Herrera's level and that Ander won't able a loss to our team. It was clear Herrera was pivotal to Ole's system while on that great run and his injury coincided with us slipping into freefall despite McTominay being present in the team during that period. It's pure negligence to go into the season with the midfield options we have when it was abundantly clear that even with Herrera we needed to strengthen. It defies all logic.
Our expectations are being lowered every year and it's not acceptable for a huge club like United. It would be fantasy to expect a title challenge but it shouldn't be too much to ask for more investment in areas where we're severely devoid of quality. The rebuild was never going to happen in one window but at the same time we can't afford to adopt Wenger's 10 year plan model. Another season out of CL will hit us hard financially and further diminish our hopes of attracting top talent to play Europa League.
We're going into the season hoping and praying that a man who doesn't want to be here can be consistent. A loss of form or injury would kill our creativity and whatever control of the midfield we had.
Last edited:
I think Gary is trying not to rock his mate OGS’s boat by stirring the anti-Glazer pot, and possibly keeping his options open with the Utd hierarchy in case they ask him if he wants to be a technical director or something.
Maybe he’s trying to be the clubs unofficial spin doctor too. He probably knows people are pissed and also knows if he came out with similar sentiments or doubts with the platform he has, it just causes even more negativity which would be felt by those within the playing staff.
Maybe he’s trying to be the clubs unofficial spin doctor too. He probably knows people are pissed and also knows if he came out with similar sentiments or doubts with the platform he has, it just causes even more negativity which would be felt by those within the playing staff.
Brilliant response from Neville, the guy is fantastic.
My thoughts too. If our manager this season wasn't someone he knows personally, I think he'd voice a slightly different view on our summer and prospects this season.
He's trying to remain positive and not rock the United boat. Understandable but also quite a good example of the symptoms of our current state of health.
What’s his problem? Any time someone takes issue with him he responds with petty and personal insults. Can’t stand the way he debates.
Never met Gary but ever since he' become pundit. His inconsistent opinions plus passive aggressive attitude give off hypocrite vibe
gary on Sky right now.. "no chance of title, United would bite your arm off if you offered them fourth now." totally agree
Why does his opinion matter so much? He'll change it in few months.