Mourinho : "Transfer spend is not enough"

[haram]

BS. De Bruyne joined Wolfsburg in January, mid season, played well instantly and was the best player in the league directly after that in his first full season at Wolsfburg. He then was bought right after that season. He also had been eye-catchingly terrific on loan to Bremen before returning to Chelsea.
It's a proven historical fact that Mourinho didn't know what to do with De Bruyne, and thus claiming Mourinho would do better at Utd if he had players at his disposal like City's De Bruyne is completely and utterly illogical.

No my original point was Pep already had de bruyne at city and didnt have to spend money to sign him. Jose had to use a big part of his budget to sign Pogba

 

[Jericholyte2]

They all start off as one of the very best players for their former clubs. Every one of them. That’s how they got their move. Some go on to become one of the best players at one of the biggest clubs in the world. But not all. Those that don’t are labelled flops.

Agree our post SAF signings have been generally poor. It’s not as though our signings during Fergie’s last 2 or 3 years were much cop either. This club is crying out for a DoF.

I think the concern about a DoF is that in many recent cases with lower division clubs is that the DoF has been hired to effectively start the process of removing a manager. At a club like United the DoF would almost have to work under the Manager, or at most on the same level, but under the manager's direction (finding players but after the manager gives his requirements).

Ultimately though the manager takes all the responsibility so he should have the final say. Not against a DoF but the role needs to be very specific and clear.

 

[Chesterlestreet]

José didn't had to sign Lukaku, he wasn't needed and still isn't, he didn't had to sign Lindelof either, we already have a young CB that isn't having any game time. We needed fullbacks and wide players.
My point is fairly simple, money won't fix our problem, our problem is our inability to identify the weaknesses in our roster and the inability of the manager to create a cohesive team on the field.

You're absolutely right.

Obviously.

Jose isn't a manager capable of turning our current attacking options into anything to speak of. That will never happen. We need more in terms of pure attacking prowess – someone who doesn't rely on attacking drills paying off (we don't do attacking drills – or, if we do, the person in charge of them should be kicked rather hard in the balls), a world beater (almost) who can win those points on his own.

So, yes – he has a point. The only thing is that his “point” doesn't exactly put him in a brilliant light. His disciples on here seem blind to this, though, unsurprisingly.

 

[MarchingOn]

I totally agree we need to keep buying, but just as importantly, we need to start selling.

Our alter ego, Dead Wood FC, is holding us back.

 

[DoubleRevv]

Jose doing what Jose does best. Moaning. Moaning, Moaning.

Just Accept it Jose, you evaluated the team before taking the job, enough with the complaining. If you don't think we can win the league, don't tell the fans that we can - only to start making excuses when things don't go your way.

Get on with it, play the football we want to see, BUILD a team, there are thousands of footballers you can't tell me you can't find the right ones.

You should have been adamant to get Perisic or had a plan B.

Let the progress be tangible/noticeable.

Wow us with the stye of play, stop the negative tactics. The responsibility is yours Jose, you wanted it. Stop the whinging

 

[Litch]

They all start off as one of the very best players for their former clubs. Every one of them. That’s how they got their move. Some go on to become one of the best players at one of the biggest clubs in the world. But not all. Those that don’t are labelled flops.

Agree our post SAF signings have been generally poor. It’s not as though our signings during Fergie’s last 2 or 3 years were much cop either. This club is crying out for a DoF.

My point wasn't about them being the best, was how they arrive here and turn to shite. Now I recognise it's not a science but it's becoming that way here. It's even more strange as their poor showing isn't replicated at international football. It comes to something when even Rashford looks better in an England shirt. It's amazing how 'poor first touch Rom' can seem to do ok for one of the favs for the World Cup. Somehow he's good enough for them but not for us?

 

[JPRouve]

I think the concern about a DoF is that in many recent cases with lower division clubs is that the DoF has been hired to effectively start the process of removing a manager. At a club like United the DoF would almost have to work under the Manager, or at most on the same level, but under the manager's direction (finding players but after the manager gives his requirements).

Ultimately though the manager takes all the responsibility so he should have the final say. Not against a DoF but the role needs to be very specific and clear.

Not really. If you bring a DOF, you eliminate the manager position and replace it with a head coach. What you are talking about is a chief scout.

 

[DomesticTadpole]

Would you accept letting Mourinho go in order to start anew with a DoF? That's a question I'd ask anyone, because I see very little chance a DoF is hired while Mourinho is still here (I'm not particularly confident one is hired even after he leaves).

That is what worries me, that Ed likes having his finger on the pulse and is enjoying dealing with transfers and god help us if a DoF wants to sign players that might actually fit in with the managers philosophy and make us a better team but are crap commercially.

 

[Schneckerl]

there are teams that got worse on paper, but coaches manage to make them way better in real life so... look at what valverde is doing with barca

 

[liamp]

That is what worries me, that Ed likes having his finger on the pulse and is enjoying dealing with transfers and god help us if a DoF wants to sign players that might actually fit in with the managers philosophy and make us a better team but are crap commercially.

Ed's basically acting as a managing director. Hiring a DoF shouldn't interfere with that...he can still be heavily involved with negotiations, although I personally don't think he should be. What I worry about is if the old guard that's still present at the club (SAF, Sir Bobby, etc.) are fundamentally opposed to the concept of a DoF. I have no idea how much weight their voices carry in a decision like this, but I would imagine that they wouldn't be in favor of it.

 

[Cristiano Lell]

I totally agree we need to keep buying, but just as importantly, we need to start selling.

Our alter ego, Dead Wood FC, is holding us back.

Would you consider Valencia part of Dead Wood FC? Because I'm fairly certain that 3 years ago, most United fans had him topping the list to be thrown out ASAP.
This perennial talk of dead wood having to be shipped out seems to me a highly volatile business.

 

[redNATION]

Absolute rubbish....

The only thing rubbish is that post. Your inability to critically argue the point shows I'm right:

De Bruyne - sold him at Chelsea, doesnt rate him (made the same mistake with Salah and Lukaku, suggesting Jose's ability to judge attacking players' potential isnt great).
Aguero - Jose doesnt play with strikers shorter than 6ft, and definitely not 5ft7.
Silva - Pep's tactics get the best out of him, Jose wouldnt really know what to do with him.

If Jose had the City team Pep inherited, a lot of the players that are performing under Pep (that were already there), including Sterling, would not be playing at anywhere near the same level.

 

[Someone]

It might be true that we need to spend more, but saying this in public is always a terrible idea. Fergie was always adamant that he has a strong enough team to compete, even when we all knew that wasn't the case, because it serves no purpose saying this outside the club other than deflecting the blame from the manager. I just hate this about mourinho, he's such a whiny baby all the time.

 

[haram]

José didn't had to sign Lukaku, he wasn't needed and still isn't, he didn't had to sign Lindelof either, we already have a young CB that isn't having any game time. We needed fullbacks and wide players.
My point is fairly simple, money won't fix our problem, our problem is our inability to identify the weaknesses in our roster and the inability of the manager to create a cohesive team on the field.

Also I don't like to talk about City and even less talk positively about them but last season City were cohesive, you could see what they were trying to do but they had limitations based on the quality of a handful of players. United is a different story, we are good at hustling points, it has been the case almost from day one, but we are not cohesive and our identity is a mystery.

What do you mean we didnt have to sign Lukaku?

There was an opportunity to sign Lindelof who he probably wanted to utilise in a 3 at the back formation. He also wanted Perisic for this. He is building a squad over multiple seasons. Not all at once. It's simple to say we have young CB's just use them. This is what Van Gaal did with Blackett and others and it's not really building anything. Not even saying Tuanzebe is the same level of Blackett, but Lindelof offers something which Mourinho wants with a 3 at ghe back formation.

City also have young players, Pep still spent money on Bernardo Silva and Danilo. Pep is also building a squad over multiple years. It's just that he had a head start on Jose because Jose had to deal with a squad ravaged by van gaal.

 

[davidmichael]

It comes down to the players we’ve bought over the past 4 or 5 years for the most part not being of the quality required and us having no identity or style or even a settled formation and first choice eleven.

Look at how Sir Alex used to work which was buy quality from within the league and sprinkle that with a few from abroad. Players like Kane, Alderweireld, Walker, Mahrez and Rose all would have been signed and what that did was not only strengthen us but weakened our rivals.

The only players that we’ve bought from abroad that’s worked to the level we needed were Zlatan and Pogba whilst the rest have been average to good at best and we’ve wasted HUGE amounts of money on inconsistent players or utter dross.

I’m not a football manager or pretend to know anywhere near as much as Jose or LVG or even Moyes (ok maybe more than Moyes ha ha) but surely the job to bring players in is identify players you’re interested in then scout them then try to sign them but for each position you want to strengthen you have a quality back up choice if you can’t sign your first choice so there’s no excuse for the players signed not being good enough.

 

[haram]

The only thing rubbish is that post. Your inability to critically argue the point shows I'm right:

De Bruyne - sold him at Chelsea, doesnt rate him (made the same mistake with Salah and Lukaku, suggesting Jose's ability to judge attacking players' potential isnt great)

Because he sold 3 players who went on to do well in his 10+ year career? What kinda logic is that? Should we discuss him signing players like Drogba then? What a shambolic point.

 

[Litch]

The only thing rubbish is that post. Your inability to critically argue the point shows I'm right:

De Bruyne - sold him at Chelsea, doesnt rate him (made the same mistake with Salah and Lukaku, suggesting Jose's ability to judge attacking players' potential isnt great).
Aguero - Jose doesnt play with strikers shorter than 6ft, and definitely not 5ft7.
Silva - Pep's tactics get the best out of him, Jose wouldnt really know what to do with him.

If Jose had the City team Pep inherited, a lot of the players that are performing under Pep (that were already there), including Sterling, would not be playing at anywhere near the same level.

Your opinion that's all for what's it worth. At present Peps won nothing......

 

[Bastian]

Do people not rate Pogba, Matic and Bailly? He's spent pretty well in my view and probably one of the few managers who could have brought Pogba to the club again. He's brought in players above the level of the current squad. I can't speak of Lindelof, not been promising at all but too early to judge. Mkhi blew his chance, relatively poor signing but we may well recoup what we spent. Lukaku, divides opinion and Zlatan was great (edit: not great, but better than most expected) last season, not least in that we had some leadership within the squad for once.

It seems it's only too easy to forget how terrible we were before he took over.

 

[Stuart wh]

Jose talking rubbish again ! Always has an excuse never his fault .

 

[Infra-red]

That is what worries me, that Ed likes having his finger on the pulse and is enjoying dealing with transfers and god help us if a DoF wants to sign players that might actually fit in with the managers philosophy and make us a better team but are crap commercially.

I'm not convinced Ed would survive if Mourinho falls apart in the next 6 months. That would mean he'd presided over three failed managerial tenures (of which two were unequivocally his appointments) and one of the most expensive and least successful periods of player recruitment in the history of football. The Glazers would be mad to keep him around.

 

[liamp]

I'm not convinced Ed would survive if Mourinho falls apart in the next 6 months. That would mean he'd presided over three failed managerial tenures (of which two were unequivocally his appointments) and one of the most expensive and least successful periods of player recruitment in the history of football. The Glazers would be mad to keep him around.

Except you counterbalance that with the financial and commercial success over the same period of time, which is Ed's actual job...

 

[Judas]

Would you consider Valencia part of Dead Wood FC? Because I'm fairly certain that 3 years ago, most United fans had him topping the list to be thrown out ASAP.
This perennial talk of dead wood having to be shipped out seems to me a highly volatile business.

And rightfully so. The cult of Valencia is a typical example of how sentimental some of our fanbase are. Great player for us in his day, but it’s so bleeding obvious that we should have upgraded his position ages ago. That’s just one example.

 

[JPRouve]

What do you mean we didnt have to sign Lukaku?

There was an opportunity to sign Lindelof who he probably wanted to utilise in a 3 at the back formation. He also wanted Perisic for this. He is building a squad over multiple seasons. Not all at once. It's simple to say we have young CB's just use them. This is what Van Gaal did with Blackett and others and it's not really building anything. Not even saying Tuanzebe is the same level of Blackett, but Lindelof offers something which Mourinho wants with a 3 at ghe back formation.

City also have young players, Pep still spent money on Bernardo Silva and Danilo. Pep is also building a squad over multiple years. It's just that he had a head start on Jose because Jose had to deal with a squad ravaged by van gaal.

I mean what it literally means, we didn't had to buy Lukaku and in fact we didn't had to bring a striker at all. He isn't a better striker than Martial or Rashford, he is just different and Mourinho prefers his style. We don't have to play 3 at the back and we don't have the roster for it, that's also a choice from Mourinho, a back three isn't inherently better than a back four and if you refuse to use young players as your fifth center back than I really have nothing to say, that's pathetic.

You see the problem here is that it's his own decisions and choices that put him in the current situation that people are decrying, he actively put himself in it.

 

[redNATION]

Your opinion that's all for what's it worth. At present Peps won nothing......

I'm willing to put a big bet with you that he has the EPL in the bag, and a really good shot at the League Cup. People make out like the City team is full of world class players, Pep's actually working with some pretty average players like Delph, Fernandinho, and Otamendi. The likes of Walker, Sane, Sterling, De Bruyne, are probably no better than their Utd equivalents. My opinion is - Pep's making the most of what he has and was presented with, and Jose isnt. Conte likewise did the same last year, and won the title (playing the likes of Moses).

 

[Infra-red]

Except you counterbalance that with the financial and commercial success over the same period of time, which is Ed's actual job...

That's Richard Arnold's job.

 

[Josep Dowling]

Because he sold 3 players who went on to do well in his 10+ year career? What kinda logic is that? Should we discuss him signing players like Drogba then? What a shambolic point.

This does annoy me that so many people make this point. Whilst De Bruyne, Salah and Lukaku were showing potential, Chelsea had better players at that time and he ended up winning the title with them anyway. You can’t have longterism at Chelsea. No one think like that at that club. Hence no matter how stupid it seems he sold those highly rated youngsters they did and made substantial profits on each one.

 

[NotoriousISSY]

I always believed we needed an overhaul when Jose came in, but he can't expect 10 shiny £50m signings. It's not the price which makes the player in all circumstances.

Our lack of investment in genuine young upcoming talents is quite depressing when you see City bringing in Sane and Jesus over the last couple of seasons, Madrid bringing through Asensio and Vallejo and so on and so forth.

Our squad is extremely unbalanced. It's time to go back to basics and not just look at the money spent, but actually bring in the right players.

 

[Bojan11]

I mean what it literally means, we didn't had to buy Lukaku and in fact we didn't had to bring a striker at all. He isn't a better striker than Martial or Rashford, he is just different and Mourinho prefers his style. We don't have to play 3 at the back and we don't have the roster for it, that's also a choice from Mourinho, a back three isn't inherently better than a back four and if you refuse to use young players as your fifth center back than I really have nothing to say, that pathetic.

You see the problem here is that it's his own decisions and choices that put him in the current situation that people are decrying, he actively put himself in it.

We had to buy a striker anybody could see that towards the back end of last season especially when Ibra got injured.

You gotta be deluded to think Rashford is ready to lead the line. Because he simply isn’t.

 

[Marcky411]

Have to disagree with most of the points there.



For me, only Pogba, Matic and Bailly are his winners. However, Matic isn't going to play at this level for long and is Bailly the new Phil Jones in terms of injuries? The rest have been a huge waste of funds.

Jose can definitely do better in the scouting department.

Pogba totally overrated, until he shows some consistency and his potential he will only be mediocre. I wonder what people would think of him and a lot of his performances if he wasn't a graduate from our academy?

 

[Bastian]

It might be true that we need to spend more, but saying this in public is always a terrible idea. Fergie was always adamant that he has a strong enough team to compete, even when we all knew that wasn't the case, because it serves no purpose saying this outside the club other than deflecting the blame from the manager. I just hate this about mourinho, he's such a whiny baby all the time.

Couldn't disagree more. He is trying to dispel a myth that is halting progress. That somehow, because we managed to get over horrible managerial appointments nothing has really changed and hence it's business as usual. The squad isn't anywhere near good enough. Might backfire pressuring the board like that, but I don't see many options if he's meant to create a team worthy of the big club stature.

 

[LeftyBlaster]

Yes Jose. Need another 500m? To beat Burnley? What a bullshit excuse. Go learn to coach offensive play.

 

[haram]

I mean what it literally means, we didn't had to buy Lukaku and in fact we didn't had to bring a striker at all. He isn't a better striker than Martial or Rashford, he is just different and Mourinho prefers his style. We don't have to play 3 at the back and we don't have the roster for it, that's also a choice from Mourinho, a back three isn't inherently better than a back four and if you refuse to use young players as your fifth center back than I really have nothing to say, that's pathetic.

You see the problem here is that it's his own decisions and choices that put him in the current situation that people are decrying, he actively put himself in it.

In your opinion Lukaku isn't better. Your opinion. You are wrong in my opinon but whatever.

You can choose to be flippant about Mourinho signing players to fit a 352 but the fact is he is trying to build a squad. A squad which was filled with a lot of average and he is trying to correct it for the long term. Who says he wont use Tuanzebe?

Maybe you should realise that it is a process and considering where we were and the mess we were in it will take time. We are sevond behind the best team in the world at the minute. The same team which were already ahead of us to begin with.

People want him to completely change the squad in 2 years after 3 years of damage are deluded.

 

[haram]

Yes Jose. Need another 500m? To beat Burnley? What a bullshit excuse. Go learn to coach offensive play.

Yes. That's his point. Well done.

 

[clarkydaz]

Yes Jose. Need another 500m? To beat Burnley? What a bullshit excuse. Go learn to coach offensive play.

and Leicester and Bristol. How much will it cost not to be a coward against a big side

 

[Cristiano Lell]

Our lack of investment in genuine young upcoming talents is quite depressing when you see City bringing in Sane and Jesus over the last couple of seasons, Madrid bringing through Asensio and Vallejo and so on and so forth.

I believe Martial was the most expensive teenager when you bought him 2 years ago (so was Shaw before that), more expensive than both Sane and Jesus, and also Golden Boy winner. You also paid more for Depay than City paid for Jesus.
So the problem clearly is not lack of investment, but that the investments didn't pan out quite as well, for various reasons (managerial changes an important one).
Also, Rashford is a 'genuine young upcoming talent' just as much as the ones you mention.

 

[haram]

Pogba totally overrated, until he shows some consistency and his potential he will only be mediocre. I wonder what people would think of him and a lot of his performances if he wasn't a graduate from our academy?

You are just flat out wrong.

 

[RedStrudel76]

£600M spent on this squad, yet he wants MORE investment!? Real Madrid spent less in 2009 to get their Galacticos..

The cheeky ****. Hope Woodward tells him to do one.

If he can't manage the club on a budget then maybe it is time for us to part company. A good coach should be able to manage his players and get the best out of them.. but he's proven himself to be a "Cheque Book Manager" who needs massive overhauls.

 

[Marcky411]

He always calculates his quotes, he wants some good money in January and knows the glazers current budget, he is trying pressure them.

Lets hope he pressures himself out of a job, although maybe that is the whole idea so that he is gone and can't be blamed if this season ends the same as last season way off top 4, except this time round he does not have the EL to save his butt.

 

[Katalinski]

I read just the first page, and posts are mostly bollox. You can just feck off everyone! We are having good season, and City is just uncatchable. My heart is breaking to admit it to myself, but they're better for five years now, and will be better for five more. Even more painful was to face the truth that friggin Moyes was right "we should aspire to be like them", and what Jose is saying here is exactly that. This manager is doing what he can with this squad, and under any other circumstances he would win the premiership. But those times have gone, and that's not enough. I can only imagine what would happen if we face PSG or Barca now. The hipsters on here would go berserk burning Jose's efigies. They are the reason I very rarely post.

 

[Raees]

The fact that any United fan can have the temerity to back Jose and attack City on this issue of transfer spending outstands me. It is literally the biggest bullshit defence I have ever seen to back the manager. I get that some want to back Jose come what may but seriously please don't use this excuse he hasn't been backed enough in terms of transfer money it is ridiculous.

City might be outspending us but the difference isn't enough to explain the gap in playing style and results so far this season. Jose could feed some of our fans any type of shit and they'd lap it up and back him to the hilt - it is embarrassing to see.

With better scouting we could have spent money on more players and not blow it all on a massive donkey like Lukaku for instance and I said from day one 4 targets a summer is not enough to revamp this squad and he's had two summer windows to sort shit out and he hasn't (part of blame goes on ED too who I am convinced is a moron).

Stop making jibes at City and look fecking closer to home. Have a hard look at your own managerial decisions, negative comments you made after certain games which invited pressure onto certain players like Lukaku. The blanket defence approach we took against Liverpool which killed the teams momentum and exposed how limited we probably are and destroyed the aura of invincibility we were building at the start of the season.