Phelan is here because he was Fergie's assistant, that's it. It's politically risky to sack him otherwise he'd be gone by now.
Mike Phelan signed a contract extension in late 2021
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Seems to me like his current role is to tell the fourth official which numbers to punch in to the electronic board thing. His time has gone and he doesn't even wear shorts anymore ffs.
The question of "What does he do?" continues 
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Some kind of counsellor maybe? A link to the Fergie era - spreading joy with feel good 'DNA' and 'United way' quotes.
In reality... He does feck all. They don't even give him a seat at Old Trafford on the coaches bench - he just leans against a wall.
In reality... He does feck all. They don't even give him a seat at Old Trafford on the coaches bench - he just leans against a wall.
Mans just here innit.
Topping up his pension pot
And ole wasn't coaching either
So Rangnick is basically saying he has no idea what Phelan does
No disrespect to Mike as I'm pretty sure he's is good at what he does whatever that is but this makes me laugh at all them people who suggested our late era saf success (2 ucl finals 3 pl titles) was due to our coaching staff
What a job the old man did
What a job the old man did
And ole wasn't coaching either
fecking joke. Manager and assistant manager have nothing to do with coaching. We're all just good mates.Keeping balloons away from the pitch is harder than it looks to be fair.
It's no surprise than that Carrick was able to get results. He knew the team much better than those two...
It really is a jobs for the boys situation, nothing else explains it. It's a joke and I hope early retirement is on the cards for Phelan if the board don't want to sack him.
Fergie's presence in the boardroom may be causing a few problems. Is he keeping his old mates/players in jobs because they were loyal to him and he wants to retain influence at the club?
Fergie's presence in the boardroom may be causing a few problems. Is he keeping his old mates/players in jobs because they were loyal to him and he wants to retain influence at the club?
You don't actually know what Phelan does but you've already resorted to conspiracy theories
Maybe he is the kitman ? Preparing and washing the players jersey. Thats why he isnt in the ground because he is busy on the laundromat. Hope he is gone and join Ole sooner or later. Makes you wonder what our ex manager and his ex assman does if they didnt do any training with players. Playing FM ?? Good riddance to them
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Imagine the conversation between rangnick and phelan when asked what he does at the club
So the what does Phelan do thread actually had legs.
There were many posters ridiculing the idea that he did feck all but in truth a lot of the evidence pointed towards that. Rangnick has only just confirmed it.
There were many posters ridiculing the idea that he did feck all but in truth a lot of the evidence pointed towards that. Rangnick has only just confirmed it.
Imagine the conversation between rangnick and phelan when asked what he does at the club
It was common knowledge that Phelan wasn't involved in coaching even in the SAF days. That was Queiroz then Rene's job. Phelan was Fergie's right hand man and that's why Ole brought him back because he wanted his experience around the place.
It was reported in the past that Phelan was someone that was utilised as a councillor/listener for the players and he then reported back to Fergie. Solskjaer also used him for a similar purpose.
So it's not a surprise that he wasn't coaching and was rather assisting the manager when it comes to identifying dressing room issues. This isn't anything new.
So it's not a surprise that he wasn't coaching and was rather assisting the manager when it comes to identifying dressing room issues. This isn't anything new.
Fergie brought Ole and Phelan back more like.
Yep I believe Rio described him just recently as Fergie's eyes and ears around the club.
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He can coach.
Posted this in the press conference thread, but this fits better here:
I've said this in other threads. Pretty sure that when Ole arrived, he gave an interview saying he got Phelen in to see to the day to day running of the club so that Ole can focus on the football side of the house. This makes perfect sense. Phelen knows the club inside out. There are many things to running the club's operations beyond just training and tactics. Mundane stuff like coordinating training timing, media, logistics etc etc etc. Makes sense for Rangnick to keep Phelen for the same job.
I've said this in other threads. Pretty sure that when Ole arrived, he gave an interview saying he got Phelen in to see to the day to day running of the club so that Ole can focus on the football side of the house. This makes perfect sense. Phelen knows the club inside out. There are many things to running the club's operations beyond just training and tactics. Mundane stuff like coordinating training timing, media, logistics etc etc etc. Makes sense for Rangnick to keep Phelen for the same job.
Starting to sound like he's the clubs chief eunuch. Maybe that's why he's so scared of balloons.
I think in several dynasties in China, the eunuchs were the real power behind the figurehead emperors, especially because they controlled the royal household monies and appointments. These were the kinds of things that were mundane and minor enough that the populace didn't really care until things got so bad that there was a revolution. Was he the power?
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The consigliere.
That's hilarious. Ralf should get him to wash the cars or something.
That’s funny!
I've mentioned the same in the past and what @Lj82 also mentions in his post above, is pretty much what Phelan's role at the club was.
Maybe he is an "assistant to the manager" like Dwight Schrute rather than the assistant manager. That would explain his role better
wtfff
couldn’t believe this wasn’t posted by some sort of fake account. Love Rangnick just calling things out as he sees.
Despite him meaning no malice here, just makes you wonder what the hell really has been going on at United. Even for someone like Phelan, how can you have the title “assistant manager” (as per his own Twitter profile) yet not be present at training sessions. Honest to god, wtf
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couldn’t believe this wasn’t posted by some sort of fake account. Love Rangnick just calling things out as he sees.
Despite him meaning no malice here, just makes you wonder what the hell really has been going on at United. Even for someone like Phelan, how can you have the title “assistant manager” (as per his own Twitter profile) yet not be present at training sessions. Honest to god, wtf
Forgetting the fact that Rangnivk is basically saying he has no clue what Mike is doing. This club had a manager and assistant with no coaching influence.
I'm pretty sure that SAF said at one point that Phelan was the one training the players on the pitch, that he no longer did that part. So I have to admit I thought that's what he was here to do. There's another quote saying, "Two of them will help me to prepare training, to discuss video footage together with Paul (Brand). Mike Phelan does not watch the training..." Maybe one of those is Phelan?wtfff
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couldn’t believe this wasn’t posted by some sort of fake account. Love Rangnick just calling things out as he sees.
Despite him meaning no malice here, just makes you wonder what the hell really has been going on at United. Even for someone like Phelan, how can you have the title “assistant manager” (as per his own Twitter profile) yet not be present at training sessions. Honest to god, wtf
Of all the many coaches Fergie employed over the years, Phelan was always the one whose influence seemed the least evident, or useful… perhaps since Kidd? But at least those early 90s Kidd era sides played good stuff. The sides Phelan coached were unquestionably the least attractive or stylistically evident of Fergie’s title winning teams. He was basically chief cone master for the “Long raking ball out wide to Valencia > big hard cross into Rooney/RVP” era of zombie football complaints…
His was always a reappointment that seemed much more about continuity than quality. Give him a little golden come and send him on his way.
His was always a reappointment that seemed much more about continuity than quality. Give him a little golden come and send him on his way.
Man's just here for the DNA and vibes.
Those are PA/secretary tasks not the coaches.
I think under Ole Phelan basically did two things, acted as a sort of pastoral link for the players if they wanted help with something, and as a sounding board and to offer advice to Ole. That's it.