Excellent post! Good to see some common sense among the usual nonsense about us being a retirement home, wasting money and hindering our youth from progressing.
New deal for Mata
- Thread starter Livewire1974
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In the latest episode of the United Hour Podcast, Nik @Rood and Imran @Annihilate Now! start with the good news by celebrating Manchester United Women's emphatic FA Cup win over Spurs at Wembley and the future of manager Marc Skinner.
Then it's the bad news and the ever worsening form of our Men with losses to Arsenal and Palace.
Finally the main debate - ETH Out now or keep him until the end of the season - if not longer. Are you Team Nik or Team Imran?
I think Roy Keane would probably also suggest that they need to be good enough as well, I struggle to believe he would advocate signing people on mainly because they're older or a good egg.
The importance of experience and good heads is not to be underestimated but we are talking about a football team here. There are plenty of players in there with experience, plenty of staff that can mentor younger players, it's not exactly necessary to make such artificial decisions in the name of experience or mentorship.
But maybe he's on a reduced contract, who knows, then it's not so bad. I would hope so because he was on good money at one time and for all the arguments regarding it not being our money or won't impact budgets - on what planet? The ownership won't dream up budgets, they'll be based on cold, hard facts, the most obvious being current outgoings. It's correct to be somewhat concerned as a fan with how we're dishing contracts out.
Why??? Unless he's acting as our mascot next season, it's the closest thing to money down the drain.
And before anyone goes on about influence in the dressing room, we don't need a psychiatrist that costs us millions a year.
This just proves that anyone deluding themselves we've turned a corner needs to think twice before giving the Glazers a smidgen of credit.
And before anyone goes on about influence in the dressing room, we don't need a psychiatrist that costs us millions a year.
This just proves that anyone deluding themselves we've turned a corner needs to think twice before giving the Glazers a smidgen of credit.
I do. except I think the ones you mentioned there are arguably first team players. I feel this is a move to let him help with our younger players and fully expect him to move into a coaching role after next season . Listen I could be wrong but I like Mata and think he should be playing the bruno role in the early rounds of cups .
Now all we need is that new deal for Lingard and we’ll have secured our Pogba replacements.
I read the United article, what did I miss? He is a footballer who seems to enjoy the game yet he doesn’t play much football at his current club and I wonder why he would want to stay another season. He could be back in Spain, try America, Italy or France playing football but he would rather be in Manchester playing league cup games and rare cameos. Doesn’t make much sense to me, so I wonder if he’s not so bothered about playing football anymore and is staying here because he is comfortable and it says absolutely nothing about that in the article that I did read before posting.
My thoughts exactly. So effectivley he was a free agent for 24 hours or so before resigning with us? Id imagine thats just so his new contract is on vastly different terms.
Anyway hes always been one of my favourites and glad to see it looks like he is moving to an decent active role behind the scenes.
Giving out contract extension based on "being a nice guy".
What is the Mata (sorry!) with us!
He should have been politely moved on about 3 years ago now
He should have been politely moved on about 3 years ago now
Brilliant move by club and player.
Deserved contract and got it. He is going to be great mentor for our young players.
Deserved contract and got it. He is going to be great mentor for our young players.
Seems Mata's answer to all those questions is there is a point and that's what matters.
A joke decision but sadly unsurprising. In terms of mentoring, he’s hardly a serial winner like a Keane or Ferdinand, is he? What does he pass on - how to survive 8 years at an underachieving club despite rarely looking like he deserved to be here?
I admit I was extremely mad seeing Mata being subbed in when we needed impact on the pitch and I still think it cost us few games, but that's a great post and perhaps I undervalued the issue of chemistry. Nonetheless, if he stays I expect him to be used much less than this season - for all his kindness and charisma, don't forget about those 15 min appalling cameos he made where we could've used a different player.
Yeh. Good 'role model' for youngster my ass. No young ambitious player should look up to him.
He is shit and should have left years ago. The stuff about experience, professionalism and "boosting team morale" is pure bollocks, as if our other players are not professional and there is not already a good team spirit with experienced players...
You could start by reading the thread that you're in, or at least the 1st page of posts. Seems like nobody does that anymore. I (and others) made a few posts with additional info...
Exactly that's my thought. Why are we giving friends jobs? Shouldn't we be hiring the best coaches in the world?
No young player should look up to a man that has won countless trophies at club and international level, is respected by pretty much everyone in football, and has helped found a huge charity?
The talk is it'll be a position behind the scenes, not a coach... and how do we know Mata isn't qualified for whatever role we're grooming him for?
True but we also had Lingard making 40 appearances and Pereira making 40 appearances.
As I said we should be hiring World class in every we do. Not securing friend deals. We don't know if mata has basic qualifications but we know there will be thousands out there with more experience and high qualifications.
You wouldn't have a clue how good a coach was even if we did go out and hire someone.
That's why I'm not hired at United as the person who hires coaches. But if I had played for united it looks like I probably would of given that job.
Considering the majority of top coaches and managers were top professional players it's not too surprising that a top club might have a few good coaches come through.
I remember the days when you got (not often, but occasionally) a player manager or player coach.
Doesn't seem to happen these days, is there a reason for that? Perhaps to do with the badges/qualifications a person needs to have? Or the Bosman ruling that gives players and their agents so much power these days?
Otherwise, it would have been better for Manchester Utd. to give Mata a coaching role now, but register him as a player for emergencies e.g. a Carabou Cup match where lots of injuries mean he is needed. Otherwise this makes no sense, because as others have said there are young midfielders needing time to develop and the money saved could be spent elsewhere and not necessarily on the team, but on Old Trafford or other facilities....
The lads like him round the place
Yeah after doing extended periods full time coaching and taking qualifications. Often having to start in lower divisions or early youth teams. Not jumping into a world class club and the first team.
In fact very few coaches move into a top setup 99% start Low. Carrick is a far exception in football.
Thousands a week to write a blog and put a few cones out on the training pitch. Lucky git!
Does he sing, tell jokes, do magic tricks?
For £175,000 a week, they must like him a lot. Basically, the world's gone mad and football proves it.
Yeah which means that this season wasn't a great example ? Because we were playing anyone available due to injuries and lack of good players. What happened to Lingard after Bruno and Pogba became available ?
Mata at the moment will have a lot of players ahead of him in his position he'll lucky to play any meaningful game outside the early games in the cups.
Next
Genuine question- where is this 175k number coming from?
He was at 125-135k before this. His wages before that were between 140-160 (depending on report). I doubt he ever was on 175k, and I'm quite certain we didn't give him a raise in this contract
He was at 125-135k before this. His wages before that were between 140-160 (depending on report). I doubt he ever was on 175k, and I'm quite certain we didn't give him a raise in this contract
He obviously had no other serious offers. Guy's got no ambition, happy sitting on the bench, stealing a living.
Some quick examples from the first page.
We've officially become a charity.
WHY?
Lovely. Who's next up, Matic?
Bitching and moaning.
How is being wanted to stay by the manager got nothing to do with playing football? We'll use him when we need to rotate, cup games with youngsters, and in case of injuries.
"Oh, everybody should train well, oh he's set up a charity, role model", blimey. A manager also depends on having players that sets a certain standard, in the dressing room and during training, it's nothing new, not understanding the importance of it is a mistake on your end, not mine. Heck,just read interviews with Ole about his first day at United after joining as a player, the standards set by players, the expectations not only from the manager but your teammates. We're talking about players these days that are multi-millionaires at a very early age, it's very easy to get comfortable. It's hardly news that not everyone trains well, or that a lot of them take to social media to display their wealth and general stupidity (Jesse). So no, his professionalism and behavior on and off the pitch is not neither here nor there, it's important to have players like that to set the standard within the club and help guide.
The club, and manager, wants him to stay because he is a positive contribution, both as a player and as a person. It's a no-brainer of a decision with no negative consequences.
Whilst I don't agree with that necessarily I don't get what your point is as far as Mata is concerned?
£175k? Where has that come from?
Heaven forbid a player actually wants to stay at Utd.
Theres nothing to agree with. I'm stating a fact. 99% of coaches in top clubs are not players who just retired and put in. They have had to do badges over several years and gone through some sort of ladder. Not put into the first team coaching staff straight away.
People are going speculate that mata is here to be a coach it again shows united doing friend deals withour getting the best people for the job which 9/10 times won't be a player who has just retired
Not really bothered but given he barely played last season despite it being Covid season and most competitions allowing 5 subs, makes me wonder whether Ole intends on using him or knows how to use him.
And yet loads of ex-players these days go straight into management at high level...