Maybe after Sir Alex, the United dressing room has simply become far too powerful?

Status
Not open for further replies.

fastwalker

Full Member
Joined
May 6, 2019
Messages
408
Aside from being a footballing genius, Sir Alex Ferguson was also the most dominant figure in the United dressing room for a quarter of a century. No-one but no-one was bigger than he was. Those of a certain vintage will remember seeing the likes of McGrath, Whiteside, Ince, Keane and Beckham all being shown the door (several in their prime) when they became too difficult to manage.

Today, one wonders what SAF makes of the United dressing room, much less how on earth he would control it. Our players are easily the highest paid in the league, global superstars and national figures are amongst their ranks. One would have to say that many now have the bit between their teeth having seen several managers out of the club. Even the ultimate narcissist Jose Mourinho found that in the end, his track record and medals were no match for the dressing room power brokers. Interesting how several players spoke well of Ole both before and since his departure. Suggests that whilst they may well have liked him, they certainly did not respect him, because they clearly didn't perform for him. Not at all sure how our players will react to a manager who tries to exert authority. Once tasted and enjoyed, power is not something that anyone chooses to give up.

Looks like the forces that SAF tried so hard to keep the lid on are well and truly out of the box. Whoever replaces Ole, will likely need more than just tactics, coaching and a footballing philosophy to bring success to the club. If its is to be Poch, is he even up to the job?
 

Amir

Full Member
Joined
Aug 6, 2000
Messages
24,831
Location
Rehovot, Israel
The dressing room didn't become too powerful. The manager since Fergie just haven't been good enough, and that was their downfall. Not the dressing room.

Good managers will earn respect.
 
Joined
Jul 31, 2015
Messages
22,545
Location
Somewhere out there
Oh ffs.

Maybe, just maybe, we keep hiring shite or has been managers, none of which has done anything of note since leaving us. Two of them have been sacked by lesser clubs since, one went into semi retirement and the other will likely never get a job outside of Norway again.
 

stefan92

Full Member
Joined
Feb 9, 2021
Messages
5,935
Supports
Hannover 96
A powerful dressing room is not a bad thing, as long as the players try to enforce the values of the club. Just look at how Bayern's dressing room got rid of Ancelotti.

But I don't see anything like that at United.
 

Jericho

New Member
Newbie
Joined
May 14, 2012
Messages
1,109
We’ve lacked leaders and characters for so long, it’s never felt like a powerful dressing room was something we need to worry about.
 
Joined
Jan 1, 2021
Messages
872
Oh ffs.

Maybe, just maybe, we keep hiring shite or has been managers, none of which has done anything of note since leaving us. Two of them have been sacked by lesser clubs since, one went into semi retirement and the other will likely never get a job outside of Norway again.
Nah, they all clearly fell foul of the "dressing room power brokers" :lol:
 

stevoc

Full Member
Joined
Jun 11, 2011
Messages
19,836
There are barely any players from the Ferguson era left.
 

cyril C

Full Member
Joined
Nov 26, 2017
Messages
2,634
During Fergi era, there was Keane, Beckham, before that Hughes, Macgrath... Dressing room is always powerful when every squad players are multi-millionaire and sought after by every club in Europe. It is about how much respect do you get from the players, whether they are working. If the plan is working and you are odd man out, you can only switch club, period. If the plan is not working, everybody start talking, press in particular, so what do you expect?
 

Tyrion

Full Member
Joined
Feb 16, 2014
Messages
5,180
Location
Ireland
The players are being blamed both for being too powerful and dominant and for being feckless cowards. They can't be both.

We've just picked bad managers. An unhappy dressing room os the result of that, not the cause.
 

Waynne

Full Member
Joined
Aug 21, 2014
Messages
1,848
Too powerful?

Hand Roy Keane a set of golf clubs and lock him that dressing room with these players and this issue will quickly be resolved.
 

meamth

New Member
Joined
Jun 3, 2017
Messages
5,946
Location
Malaysia
Maybe since they renovated, the dressing room became too comfortable. Making the players complacent during games.
 

amolbhatia50k

Sneaky bum time - Vaccination status: dozed off
Joined
Nov 8, 2002
Messages
95,336
Location
india
The dressing room didn't become too powerful. The manager since Fergie just haven't been good enough, and that was their downfall. Not the dressing room.

Good managers will earn respect.
I agree.

For example, Jose didn't fancy Martial who was playing really well at the time and got some flack for it. He preferred the guy he signed - Lukaku as CF and the other guy he signed - Sanchez in Martials position. Now had he got the absolute most out of his two players the whole discussion of workhorse vs flair etc would have been a non starter. But Sanchez was our worst signing ever and lukalu fell to pieces.

As you say, great work commands respect. If mmahqrs can't get their own signings to work (see Pogba in the above example) who will they demand respect from?
 
Status
Not open for further replies.