Glazers / Woodward out! (One down)

Roboc7

Full Member
Joined
Mar 31, 2014
Messages
6,562
Jury is still very much out for me as to whether our manager is competent. I know many disagree - that's up to the individual.

The club would have known that letting so many players leave in the summer would leave us short in certain areas, so there was a very real (in fact, likely) chance that we would get injuries that would hurt our form quite badly. This isn't speculation, we are seeing it happen right now. There is little doubt that a team with McTominay & Pogba in the middle instead of Fred/Pereira is a much, much better side, the same as the improvement since Martial returned is quite obvious.

For me this year is about - do what we can, have a good look at the academy, strengthen where possible, and recruit well. Fans are being asked to accept a squad rebuild and be patient with it, not accept incompetence. People aren't taking it that way though. That's up to them. I'm actually enjoying this season so far, but that's because I support the project. If I wanted instant results & success like many seem to need, I'd probably be freaking out after a draw or loss, demanding change & generally not enjoying the experience at all.
That might mean what the season is to you but it’s not what it means to the club. They outspent every other team to get better not to get worse. This isn’t planned it’s just the same incompetent people running the club hiring our worst ever Premier League manager and things inevitably getting worse. We’re being asked to let same incompetent people keep doing their jobs with no accountability.

No way club thought they couldn’t improve on last season. Chelsea sold their best player, employed a rookie manager and had a transfer ban and Arsenal had a poor window. We’re still below both and Leicester whose defensive ‘leader’ we bought for an excessive fee have sailed ahead of us as well.

They thought they were being clever and buying time by saying give us three years to catch City but time eventually catches up with you.

They now have less time to bridge a bigger gap, have a harder ‘project’ to sell to potential signings, a manager that is under pressure and an all important drop in revenue. Let’s not pretend this is all going to plan.
 

Bilbo

TeaBaggins
Joined
Sep 27, 2004
Messages
14,208
That might mean what the season is to you but it’s not what it means to the club. They outspent every other team to get better not to get worse. This isn’t planned it’s just the same incompetent people running the club hiring our worst ever Premier League manager and things inevitably getting worse. We’re being asked to let same incompetent people keep doing their jobs with no accountability.

No way club thought they couldn’t improve on last season. Chelsea sold their best player, employed a rookie manager and had a transfer ban and Arsenal had a poor window. We’re still below both and Leicester whose defensive ‘leader’ we bought for an excessive fee have sailed ahead of us as well.

They thought they were being clever and buying time by saying give us three years to catch City but time eventually catches up with you.

They now have less time to bridge a bigger gap, have a harder ‘project’ to sell to potential signings, a manager that is under pressure and an all important drop in revenue. Let’s not pretend this is all going to plan.
Our last 5 transfers windows have been a complete bust for the club up until this summer.

Jan 2017 -
In: none
Out: Schneiderlin, Depay, Bastian

Summer 2017 -
In: Lindelöf, Lukaku (gone), Matic (finished)
Out: Rooney, Januzaj, Varela

Jan 2018 -
In: Sanchez (disaster)
Out: Zlatan, Mkhitarian

Summer 2018 -
In: Dalot (hasn't improved), Fred (big disappointment)
Out: Carrick, Blind

Jan 2019 -
In: None
Out: Fellaini

Summer 2019 -
In: Maguire, AWB, James
Out: Herrera, Lukaku, Sanchez, Smalling, Darmian & Valencia


In summary, pretty much a disastrous period financially and for the team. Fred & Lindelof aren't fancied by most so you could argue that we haven't added any player that is either contributing right now or seen as a future player. We've seen the squad stripped down over that period and a fortune frittered away. If I go back another 2 full years its only Pogba & Martial that were signed that are currently involved. Its a lifetime in football terms.

Looking at that, I'm sure the club knew exactly where we stood at the start of the summer, and I strongly doubt they thought that adding the three players that we did was going to solve our problems at once. On paper it could be argued that this is akin to a asset-stripping exercise, and I would agree if it wasn't for the quite enormous net spend over that period. Its just a series of very bad decisions.

We need to be mindful of this period as a whole before we make assumptions about what the clubs (and the fans) expectations should really be right now.
 

Roboc7

Full Member
Joined
Mar 31, 2014
Messages
6,562
Our last 5 transfers windows have been a complete bust for the club up until this summer.

Jan 2017 -
In: none
Out: Schneiderlin, Depay, Bastian

Summer 2017 -
In: Lindelöf, Lukaku (gone), Matic (finished)
Out: Rooney, Januzaj, Varela

Jan 2018 -
In: Sanchez (disaster)
Out: Zlatan, Mkhitarian

Summer 2018 -
In: Dalot (hasn't improved), Fred (big disappointment)
Out: Carrick, Blind

Jan 2019 -
In: None
Out: Fellaini

Summer 2019 -
In: Maguire, AWB, James
Out: Herrera, Lukaku, Sanchez, Smalling, Darmian & Valencia


In summary, pretty much a disastrous period financially and for the team. Fred & Lindelof aren't fancied by most so you could argue that we haven't added any player that is either contributing right now or seen as a future player. We've seen the squad stripped down over that period and a fortune frittered away. If I go back another 2 full years its only Pogba & Martial that were signed that are currently involved. Its a lifetime in football terms.

Looking at that, I'm sure the club knew exactly where we stood at the start of the summer, and I strongly doubt they thought that adding the three players that we did was going to solve our problems at once. On paper it could be argued that this is akin to a asset-stripping exercise, and I would agree if it wasn't for the quite enormous net spend over that period. Its just a series of very bad decisions.

We need to be mindful of this period as a whole before we make assumptions about what the clubs (and the fans) expectations should really be right now.
Fix all our problems no but be worse than the team managed by someone we sacked for being toxic and under performing yes.

We finished within a reasonable distance of 4th last season there’s no way we started this season expecting not to close that gap or finish in top 4.

We had a terrible start last season because the manager fell out with most of the players, that problem would have been seen as solved. We finished the season really badly because team weren’t fit enough, again that’s another problem that would have been seen as having been addressed.

Everyone at the club would have thought there were some easy wins to improve the team, in reality we’ve ended up worse because the people managing and running the club aren’t good enough.
 

Bilbo

TeaBaggins
Joined
Sep 27, 2004
Messages
14,208
Fix all our problems no but be worse than the team managed by someone we sacked for being toxic and under performing yes.

We finished within a reasonable distance of 4th last season there’s no way we started this season expecting not to close that gap or finish in top 4.

We had a terrible start last season because the manager fell out with most of the players, that problem would have been seen as solved. We finished the season really badly because team weren’t fit enough, again that’s another problem that would have been seen as having been addressed.

Everyone eat the club would have thought there were some easy wins to improve the team, in reality we’ve ended up worse.
Do you think squad depth and the impact we've had with injuries has cost us at all this season?
 

Roboc7

Full Member
Joined
Mar 31, 2014
Messages
6,562
Do you think squad depth and the impact we've had with injuries has cost us at all this season?
Has having worst manager we’ve had in Premier League cost is?.

Injuries have cost us some points, squad depth, poor tactics, poor management, having no style of play, inexperienced coaches. It’s not just one factor it’s loads of different things with shared blame/responsibility.

Think back to how bad we were a year ago under Mourinho, do you honestly believe anyone was expecting we’d be worse than that now.

This season has gone tits up, and the people we’re supposed to believe can sort it out are under qualified or have failed repeatedly.

You listed all those awful transfer windows but how many people responsible have been sacked or held accountable. Who’s been brought in to fix it?. The only significant difference is Ole and he can be vetoed.

The club thought the summer window was a good one, they thought there were easy gains. None of them expected this shit show.
 
Last edited:

Alabaster Codify7

New Member
Joined
Mar 11, 2015
Messages
6,553
Location
Wales
Behind closed doors, you can guarantee that our sponsors and shareholders are flat-out telling Woodward that they are unhappy being associated "with losers". Because to people like that, it truly is that black and white - you are either winners and painted as such in the media and public eye, or you are losers and failing at your job.

Ed can feed you all the crap he wants, if we finish in an embarrassing league position again (and yes, 6th is embarrassing if you're a major sponsor or shareholder), Ed will have them breathing fire down his neck. And guess what happens then?

The same thing that has happened every other year since 2013.
 

red thru&thru

Full Member
Joined
Mar 2, 2004
Messages
7,657
What proof is there that anyone can? Jose & LVG failed as often as not. The squads haven't been good enough and it still isn't. It can't always just come down to the management staff.
Oh, I agree. The crooks of the problem is Ed. But he doesn't seem to want to change our recruitment.
 

Bilbo

TeaBaggins
Joined
Sep 27, 2004
Messages
14,208
Has having worst manager we’ve had in Premier League cost is?.

Injuries have cost us some points, squad depth, poor tactics, poor management, having no style of play, inexperienced coaches. It’s not just one factor it’s loads of different things with shared blame/responsibility.

Think back to how bad we were a year ago under Mourinho, do you honestly believe anyone was expecting we’d be worse than that now.

This season has gone tits up, and the people we’re supposed to believe can sort it out are under qualified or have failed repeatedly.

You listed all those awful transfer windows but how many people responsible have been sacked or held accountable. Who’s been brought in to fix it?. The only significant difference is Ole and he can be vetoed.

The club thought the summer window was a good one, they thought there were easy gains. None of them expected this shot show.
Our best XI is better than our team was this time last year - its a crying shame that we haven't been able to field it more often.

You are speculating about what you believe the clubs expectations to be - none of us know.
 

Bilbo

TeaBaggins
Joined
Sep 27, 2004
Messages
14,208
Oh, I agree. The crooks of the problem is Ed. But he doesn't seem to want to change our recruitment.
The penny seems to have dropped on that front - hopefully. No more mercenaries. Our targets seem to be mostly exciting young players with their best years ahead of them.
 

Roboc7

Full Member
Joined
Mar 31, 2014
Messages
6,562
Our best XI is better than our team was this time last year - its a crying shame that we haven't been able to field it more often.

You are speculating about what you believe the clubs expectations to be - none of us know.
It’s not speculating the club wasn’t intending to be worse, this whole idea that everything can be excused because of a rebuild is just something that has been created.

Palace, Southampton, Newcastle, West Ham, Bournemouth and Sheffield Utd = 2 points. That’s why we are where we are in the table, that doesn’t meet anyone’s expectations and can’t be excused by rebuild or a few injuries. It isn’t difficult to be better than that.
 

dabeast

New Member
Newbie
Joined
Apr 28, 2018
Messages
344
If a change in ownership has to happen, wouldn’t it have to happen at a time when we can make moves that will get us into the CL, i.e. before a transfer window? I agree with Gary Neville when he says that Ole has to spend money to protect himself but our net spend (including wages) since Ole came in is close to zero so we are unlikely to spend substantially in January and thus not strengthen.
 

Eric's Seagull

Full Member
Joined
Sep 23, 2018
Messages
3,707
Location
4-4-2: The Flat One
If a change in ownership has to happen, wouldn’t it have to happen at a time when we can make moves that will get us into the CL, i.e. before a transfer window? I agree with Gary Neville when he says that Ole has to spend money to protect himself but our net spend (including wages) since Ole came in is close to zero so we are unlikely to spend substantially in January and thus not strengthen.
I think it is going to be highly unlikely we are going to qualify for the Champions League through the League route anyway. I believe our best chance of qualifying for it is through the Europa League and that is going to be hard enough to do on it's own and I think we will need a few players and a fair bit of luck along the way, if we are to achieve it.

I don't think we are going to make any permanent signings in January, although I hope that I am wrong but I think the club will try to get a few loans in as we are very thin and if we get another injury to Martial we will be struggling, also I think we should definitely be getting at least 1 midfielder in.
 
Last edited:

Alabaster Codify7

New Member
Joined
Mar 11, 2015
Messages
6,553
Location
Wales


It is funny but a bit scary too. I'd be careful if I was Ed, there's some psychos walking around out there. We all moan about him and the Glazers but its a game of football at the end of the day and I would hope that nobody on here would wish, or inflict, harm on Ed or anyone else. Some arent the same though.
 

Eric's Seagull

Full Member
Joined
Sep 23, 2018
Messages
3,707
Location
4-4-2: The Flat One
It is funny but a bit scary too. I'd be careful if I was Ed, there's some psychos walking around out there. We all moan about him and the Glazers but its a game of football at the end of the day and I would hope that nobody on here would wish, or inflict, harm on Ed or anyone else. Some arent the same though.
Although I found it really funny. I agree with what you say. I personally dislike Woodward and would never like to see violence of any kind against him. But he should have someone there to make sure people don't that close to him, as although that was a bit of lighthearted fun the next one who gets that close could be a nutcase who really doesn't like Woodward, although I really hope that doesn't happen. I think Woodward needs to be a bit more aware in the future.
 

red thru&thru

Full Member
Joined
Mar 2, 2004
Messages
7,657
No one wants to hurt Ed or the Glazers. I'm guessing the fans are just going a bit extreme as they're not being heard (which by the way I don't condone).
 

DartMaverick

New Member
Newbie
Joined
Nov 23, 2019
Messages
18
Supports
ManUtd
Hate Glazers and ED passionately, but dont want any harm to Ed, although i am not so sure about Glazers! Maybe i am a bad human being, but towards Glazers it is a pure hate with no limits
 

DRM

New Member
Newbie
Joined
Oct 8, 2017
Messages
4,227
Mass protests are needed to get Ed out! 6 years of absolute failure, throwing money at players and look at the state of the squad! Piss poor CEO.
 

blythy

Fascist Dictator
Joined
Oct 1, 2000
Messages
25,429
Why would they sack him? Off the pitch he's making profit year-on-year with minimal investment from the Glazer's own pockets. Ultimately that strategy will fail (few years outside the CL will see sponsors running etc.) - but the Glazers will be long gone when that happens.

What they have allowed this club to become is heartbreaking.
 

Hawks2008

Full Member
Joined
Mar 11, 2015
Messages
4,912
Location
Melbz
Another failed managerial appointment under his watch, and another awful big money recruit in Maguire that he sanctioned.

Surely it has to fall on him at some point? His ineptitude can not continue.
 

Eric's Seagull

Full Member
Joined
Sep 23, 2018
Messages
3,707
Location
4-4-2: The Flat One
Another failed managerial appointment under his watch, and another awful big money recruit in Maguire that he sanctioned.

Surely it has to fall on him at some point? His ineptitude can not continue.
Agree totally on the part in bold but I fear as long as the Glazer's are here Woodward will be as well :annoyed:
 

Hawks2008

Full Member
Joined
Mar 11, 2015
Messages
4,912
Location
Melbz
Agree totally on the part in bold but I fear as long as the Glazer's are here Woodward will be as well :annoyed:
I know Ed and the Glazers are basically joined at the hip but they're still his boss and it's got to come to a head sooner than later.
 

Nou_Camp99

what would Souness do?
Joined
Apr 1, 2013
Messages
10,274
If this was Madrid.... Woodward would have been got at by now. We are just letting them get away with it. It's time the fans make it very ugly for Woodward. The club need to know he's the problem.
 

Ancient Of Days

New Member
Newbie
Joined
Oct 4, 2019
Messages
253
Another failed managerial appointment under his watch, and another awful big money recruit in Maguire that he sanctioned.

Surely it has to fall on him at some point? His ineptitude can not continue.
He can't win.

If he didn't sanction Maguire deal, there'd be fans crying that he was tying the manager's hands behind his back.

Fans have to hold themselves to account, they were the ones screaming for Ole to be appointed permanently and Woodword simply obliged

It's the fans who week in week out sing ''You are my Solskjear'' irrespective of results.

When these shortsighted decisions backfire, he ends up the scapegoat.

Even today there are people blaming him for the draw and performance today, which is beyond moronic.
 

Eric's Seagull

Full Member
Joined
Sep 23, 2018
Messages
3,707
Location
4-4-2: The Flat One
He can't win.

If he didn't sanction Maguire deal, there'd be fans crying that he was tying the manager's hands behind his back.

Fans have to hold themselves to account, they were the ones screaming for Ole to be appointed permanently and Woodword simply obliged

It's the fans who week in week out sing ''You are my Solskjear'' irrespective of results.

When these shortsighted decisions backfire, he ends up the scapegoat.

Even today there are people blaming him for the draw and performance today, which is beyond moronic.
Think you are wrong calling him a scapegoat. We have had 6 years of sh!te with him running the show.
 

red thru&thru

Full Member
Joined
Mar 2, 2004
Messages
7,657
Ed takes the champions of England and makes them mid table. Takes over the UK's football club and makes them second behind their City rivals. All within 6 years.

Our match going fans have to start taking a portion of the blame. If they don't want to boycott the games, why are they not voicing their concerns at the board?

Our away fans are, and I hope they will inspire the home fans to voice their concerns more...LOUD & CLEAR!
 

Adnan

Talent Spotter
Joined
Oct 5, 2013
Messages
29,862
Location
England
Why would they sack him? Off the pitch he's making profit year-on-year with minimal investment from the Glazer's own pockets. Ultimately that strategy will fail (few years outside the CL will see sponsors running etc.) - but the Glazers will be long gone when that happens.

What they have allowed this club to become is heartbreaking.
If the Glazers have any sense they will at the very least completely remove him from having any influence on the football side. He may well be good at making money for the club but that money has been wasted largely under his watch for nigh on 6 years. So him making money for the club is offset by it being squanderd on the likes of Fred, Maguire, Wan Bissaka etc and he should be held to account. Enough is enough now and the Glazers need to remove him before he hires another manager and we hear the same reports about a list being handed to Woodward regarding potential incomings.

I'm hopeful this piece by Neil Ashton from earlier in the year has legs regards Woodwards position being closely monitored by the Glazers. Ashton presents the Sunday Supplement on Sky and is a respected journo in his field.

https://www.thesun.co.uk/sport/foot...ce-a-make-or-break-summer-in-transfer-market/
 

FreakyJim

90% of teams play better football than us
Joined
Jan 16, 2006
Messages
9,026
Location
Glazers Out
Had SAF retired around 2005 we'd be in the championship now, like Leeds. The Glazers vermin got lucky.

Until we deal with this infestation the club will continue to rot.
 

van Hooijdonk

New Member
Newbie
Joined
Apr 10, 2009
Messages
2,384
Had SAF retired around 2005 we'd be in the championship now, like Leeds. The Glazers vermin got lucky.

Until we deal with this infestation the club will continue to rot.
Yes, Fergie saved their asses for almost a decade.