Next Manager Poll

[pocco]

He has shown he can win PL games at a very impressive rate with the current squad. Something his predecessor was incapable of. That’s significant even if questions remain about how sustainable it is.

The fact that we look so much more compact and better organized in defence is a pretty good indicator of a decent base level though.

Amorim broke the trend because he, rightly or wrongly, came in and tried to implement his style. He didn’t want to be boring and compact, and he said as much after he thumped City with Sporting. He said that he can’t play that way at United. And he’s right, it might feel great now but it will get old quickly if we’re not competing for titles. Both Ole and ETH did this initially, and completely got shown up when they tried to play a more sustainable, expansive style. You can’t hide behind a low block and counter forever, and if Bruno were to go I think even that gameplay will completely fall to bits.

 

[Irwin99]

Reading between the lines of some player quotes it seems we have a manager who has simplified everything tactically and the players appreciate it more. I guess my big fear is that we’re in the same cycle again as before where the first bit of bad form will see complaints that we’re too basic, tactically naive etc. Players then get a new manager and stories will come out about how much more intense and focused it is now etc. I guess we’ll see.

Seems pretty obvious to me that Carrick will get the job now.

 

[Zumbi]

Amorim broke the trend because he, rightly or wrongly, came in and tried to implement his style. He didn’t want to be boring and compact, and he said as much after he thumped City with Sporting. He said that he can’t play that way at United. And he’s right, it might feel great now but it will get old quickly if we’re not competing for titles. Both Ole and ETH did this initially, and completely got shown up when they tried to play a more sustainable, expansive style. You can’t hide behind a low block and counter forever, and if Bruno were to go I think even that gameplay will completely fall to bits.

He didn’t break any trend - he continued the trend Ten Hag started. Try to implement your style and fail, leaving a vulnerable team that was too open and conceded far too many soft goals. Then fall back into a predictable shell which the opposition find too easy to play through which also fails to get enough points. There’s nothing smart or cutting edge about that.

And we’re not a low block and counter team under Carrick. I have to wonder what you’ve been watching. We play a mid block and whilst we can counter very effectively, more of our goals have come from sustained pressure and also set pieces.

 

[NLunited]

It can happen with any coach, but there are coaches where you can sort of expect that they will uphold their end of the bargain in a tactical and coaching sense, if they are given the players they need. I think beyond that there are different levels of risk depending on track record.

What if we achieve 3rd but play poorly, and finish 3rd because likes of Villa, Chelsea and Liverpool keep losing and don’t give us a fight? I wouldn’t bet that this will continue to happen next season.

Yeah I want to see no games like the one against Newcastle.

The definition of ‚playing poorly‘ seems to
vary with each poster. For some, if we don‘t dominate the whole game, it‘s a poor one.

So it depends what you mean by playing poorly.

 

[AndyMUFC]

There's no outstanding candidate so I think Carrick gets it and we see how it goes.

Luis Enrique would be a dream but we're miles away from playing his type of football.

 

[pocco]

He didn’t break any trend - he continued the trend Ten Hag started. Try to implement your style and fail, leaving a vulnerable team that was too open and conceded far too many soft goals. Then fall back into a predictable shell which the opposition find too easy to play through which also fails to get enough points. There’s nothing smart or cutting edge about that.

And we’re not a low block and counter team under Carrick. I have to wonder what you’ve been watching. We play a mid block and whilst we can counter very effectively, more of our goals have come from sustained pressure and also set pieces.

Ten Hag and Ole both set out with very defensive setups here, which relied on counter attacking/transitional football. After a season or so, when teams got wise to it, they tried to play more expansive. This is where they failed. Fans wanted more expansive football and they couldn't deliver it. So Amorim absolutely did break the trend because he tried to implement his style from the start and wouldn't budge, even when we were conceding silly goals.

Carrick's team relies heavily on a compact shape. Low block, mid block, whatever. I remember one of our recent hame games where fans around me in the stadium were getting frustrated, as we were losing against 10 men (might have been Palace?), and there were 11 players in our half whilst they rolled the ball across their back line. When Dorgu was fit, we practically had a back 6, as Amad and Dorgu sat outside of Dalot and Shaw. So low block, mid block, however you want to call it, it is a negative approach that relies on quick transitions.

That doesn't mean every goal is scored this way, as football isn't played by robots and there is nuance to a game. What I feel is that teams are allowing us the ball at times because we look clueless when we have more of the ball, admittedly an issue that has gone on for a while. But when they have the ball, we also quickly drop back into a defensive shape and look for those quick transitions. You just have to see how we went from one of the best pressing teams in the league under Amorim, to (last time I looked) one of the worst in the league. That tells you a lot about our approach to the game.

 

[pocco]

Yeah I want to see no games like the one against Newcastle.

The definition of ‚playing poorly‘ seems to
vary with each poster. For some, if we don‘t dominate the whole game, it‘s a poor one.

So it depends what you mean by playing poorly.

Bournemouth, Newcastle, Palace until they went to 10 men, Everton despite the win, West Ham, arguably even Fulham who were better on the day. I thought we were poor in all of these games. Saved against Everton and Bournemouth because they were also poor, and Palace going to 10 men. Even with 10 men they caused us problems, as did Newcastle. I haven't been massively impressed by any performance since Arsenal and City, and there were factors in the Arsenal game that helped, such as them gifting us goals, us scoring some wonder goals, and taking their foot off the gas after dominating us and taking the lead.

 

[Chairman Steve]

I still feel that it feels unambitious and almost lazy to appoint Carrick full-time. Remove the legend status and we’re hiring a failed Boro manager who has already been part of a failed United regime.

Is he going to be able to handle two games a week?
Is he going to attract high caliber players?
Is he able to change and adapt his tactics to stay ahead of everyone?

I just worry one day there’s going to be a standout candidate emerge like another Klopp, and we won’t move on him because the club and the fanbase are overly sentimental to a legend to get rid of him.

 

[Red Devil 26]

I still feel that it feels unambitious and almost lazy to appoint Carrick full-time. Remove the legend status and we’re hiring a failed Boro manager who has already been part of a failed United regime.

Is he going to be able to handle two games a week?
Is he going to attract high caliber players?
Is he able to change and adapt his tactics to stay ahead of everyone?

I just worry one day there’s going to be a standout candidate emerge like another Klopp, and we won’t move on him because the club and the fanbase are overly sentimental to a legend to get rid of him.

I feel exactly the same way. Lazy, sentimental appointment. Getting results as an interim manager is world's apart from being successful on a long-term basis. Top 4 will be our ceiling with him in charge.

 

[acnumber9]

I still feel that it feels unambitious and almost lazy to appoint Carrick full-time. Remove the legend status and we’re hiring a failed Boro manager who has already been part of a failed United regime.

Is he going to be able to handle two games a week?
Is he going to attract high caliber players?
Is he able to change and adapt his tactics to stay ahead of everyone?

I just worry one day there’s going to be a standout candidate emerge like another Klopp, and we won’t move on him because the club and the fanbase are overly sentimental to a legend to get rid of him.

If such a candidate was currently available then it would make sense to take the risk on them now instead of appointing Carrick. At the minute the question is about to whether to give a chance to a man who has proven they can get results at United or take a risk on a bunch of candidates that all have question marks over them. If it’s Carrick or somebody like Glasner or Iraola, I’d rather stick with what we have for now.

 

[acnumber9]

I feel exactly the same way. Lazy, sentimental appointment. Getting results as an interim manager is world's apart from being successful on a long-term basis. Top 4 will be our ceiling with him in charge.

I love an imaginary ceiling based on nothing.

 

[tomaldinho1]

If such a candidate was currently available then it would make sense to take the risk on them now instead of appointing Carrick. At the minute the question is about to whether to give a chance to a man who has proven they can get results at United or take a risk on a bunch of candidates that all have question marks over them. If it’s Carrick or somebody like Glasner or Iraola, I’d rather stick with what we have for now.

It is more a question of how Ineos want to play than if you like or dislike Carrick. Carrick doesn't really have pedigree at the top level bar this stint, you can read into Boro a bit but it's somewhat difficult to really draw parallels when the calibre/ego of players is so different. It seems very obvious that players like him (at least when things are going well) but do Ineos want someone to built a more high press, much more offensive setup? I think they do from the types of players we have had credible links to: Baleba, Anderson, Gallagher - none of these guys are really that technical or players to control games. in which case Glasner is less interesting but Iraola is more so. This style would also tie in with Vivell's background and is the proven model for building a good team without needing to spend insane money.

I do think there's merit in the idea of Carrick staying on as they continue to get rid of previous hires/bring in players they like as he can likely play this way and get CL football next season with a quite basic window (LB, CM, CM) genuinely will be enough in my opinion. Add in an RB, a CB and general depth and we're suddenly right in the mix for me.

 

[Helder-Carvalho]

Can Mike Basset option be added to the poll?

 

[Zumbi]

Ten Hag and Ole both set out with very defensive setups here, which relied on counter attacking/transitional football. After a season or so, when teams got wise to it, they tried to play more expansive. This is where they failed. Fans wanted more expansive football and they couldn't deliver it. So Amorim absolutely did break the trend because he tried to implement his style from the start and wouldn't budge, even when we were conceding silly goals.

Carrick's team relies heavily on a compact shape. Low block, mid block, whatever. I remember one of our recent hame games where fans around me in the stadium were getting frustrated, as we were losing against 10 men (might have been Palace?), and there were 11 players in our half whilst they rolled the ball across their back line. When Dorgu was fit, we practically had a back 6, as Amad and Dorgu sat outside of Dalot and Shaw. So low block, mid block, however you want to call it, it is a negative approach that relies on quick transitions.

That doesn't mean every goal is scored this way, as football isn't played by robots and there is nuance to a game. What I feel is that teams are allowing us the ball at times because we look clueless when we have more of the ball, admittedly an issue that has gone on for a while. But when they have the ball, we also quickly drop back into a defensive shape and look for those quick transitions. You just have to see how we went from one of the best pressing teams in the league under Amorim, to (last time I looked) one of the worst in the league. That tells you a lot about our approach to the game.

Ok, in one specific regard he broke the trend. Which resulted in us conceding more goals than we scored as well as our worst win % in the history of the PL era, plus him getting sacked. But we pressed well! Great.

If you want to discuss tactics you can’t just conflate a low block and mid block with a dismissive “whatever” or “however you want to call it”. In tactical terms, they are two distinct things, and discussing tactics with someone who pretends they’re the same seems like an exercise in futility. But here we are I guess.

I suspect you call him a low block counter attacking manager because it’s a cheap way for you to try to denigrate him. But our general approach is just not a low block. And his record prior to Utd doesn’t indicate that’s his approach either.

Yes, we definitely press less aggressively under him. Although if that’s your real criticism then you can make that case without resorting to other tactical fabrications and stereotypes. I suspect our more conservative approach to pressing is partly pragmatic, because the world and his wife knows that us pressing aggressively with our current midfield and defence left us very exposed defensively, which led to many goals conceded and many dropped points. Adjusting to a more compact defensive shape has been key to our turnaround in fortunes, making us much harder to play through whilst still retaining and even improving our attacking threat. We are now conceding less, and scoring more under Carrick than we were under Amorim, which is why we’re winning so many more games
(Amorim averaged 1.4 G for per game and 1.5 against in the PL, whilst Carrick is averaging 2 for and 1.1 against - a dramatic improvement in both metrics).

When we win the ball back in that more compact shape, of course we attempt to transition quickly - every team does nowadays - and we have players who can hurt the opposition from there. But trying to categorize Carrick’s entire approach in that manner is again just a cheap trick to try and denigrate him, which the evidence just doesn’t back up. The full picture is far more nuanced than that. Carrick’s approach at Middlesbrough was largely based on high volume passing with shorter connections between players through the build up and in the final third. That’s why Middlesboirough under him consistently had one of the highest passing volumes in the league and some of the highest numbers in the league for touches in the opposition box.

And that change to a short passing style is evident so far here - we’re now averaging 90.2 completed passes in the final third up from only 77.2 under Amorim. Often under Amorim we’d bypass the midfield with balls up to our tens, hoping to win second balls and use quick transitions higher up the pitch. That had very mixed results.

Incidentally, your Crystal Palace memory doesn’t hold up to scrutiny. We scored our equaliser from the penalty where the Palace player was sent off. So there was no period of open play when we losing whilst up a man. And there was far more frustration in the stands with our negative approach when Amorim would sub a CB on whilst chasing a goal than there has been under Carrick. So that little anecdote doesn’t hold any water.

 

[sullydnl]

(Amorim averaged 1.4 G for per game and 1.5 against in the PL, whilst Carrick is averaging 2 for and 1.1 against - a dramatic improvement in both metrics).

This is true.

However, it's worth noting that if we look at expected stats (which have better predictive value than actual goals for/against) it's a slightly more mixed picture. Our defensive stats under Carrick have improved from 1.3 > 0.9 xGA, but our attacking stats have in turn have slightly declined from 1.6 >1.3 xG.

It's a very small sample size of games to read anything into in terms of stats, but insofar as we're doing so it would probably more accurate to say Carrick's more secure approach projects a slight trade-off in attack, rather than improvement in both attack and defence.

Though as you say in the post above, Carrick's current approach may partially be a pragmatic response to the players and situation he inherited anyway.

 

[Zumbi]

This is true.

However, it's worth noting that if we look at expected stats (which have better predictive value than actual goals for/against) it's a slightly more mixed picture. Our defensive stats under Carrick have improved from 1.3 > 0.9 xGA, but our attacking stats have in turn have slightly declined from 1.6 >1.3 xG.

It's a very small sample size of games to read anything into in terms of stats, but insofar as we're doing so it would probably more accurate to say Carrick's more secure approach projects a slight trade-off in attack, rather than improvement in both attack and defence.

Though as you say in the post above, Carrick's current approach may partially be a pragmatic response to the players and situation he inherited anyway.

Largely agree with that. And we’ve certainly not been perfect in possession - improvements can be made, and need to be made for us to progress and reach our potential on a long term basis.

I just find the characterization of Carrick as a low block, counter attacking manager a lazy and inaccurate assessment based more on a stereotype than on what’s actually been happening on the pitch.

 

[sp_cgb]

I just worry one day there’s going to be a standout candidate emerge like another Klopp, and we won’t move on him because the club and the fanbase are overly sentimental to a legend to get rid of him.

I mentioned before, that this right here is the biggest worry for me. And it is based in experience, as it has happened before with Solskjaer and even Ten Hag's stay of execution after the FA Cup Final could be seen as an example. If this club wants actual success on the pitch again, we need to be ruthless, not sentimental.

 

[George The Best]

I do think it will be Carrick. A lot of the candidates in the poll are either counting themselves out or simply not good enough. If it boils down to who may be available after the World Cup (Nagelsmann, Pochettino etc) I really don’t think we can afford to wait that long. We need a good transfer window and pre-season if we are fighting on four fronts next season.

 

[Green55]

I still feel that it feels unambitious and almost lazy to appoint Carrick full-time. Remove the legend status and we’re hiring a failed Boro manager who has already been part of a failed United regime.

Is he going to be able to handle two games a week?
Is he going to attract high caliber players?
Is he able to change and adapt his tactics to stay ahead of everyone?

I just worry one day there’s going to be a standout candidate emerge like another Klopp, and we won’t move on him because the club and the fanbase are overly sentimental to a legend to get rid of him.

Good points, although at Boro he hardly spent anything and I recall them selling their better players if anything.
I'm curious to see what he can do after bringing in his own players.
I have a feeling that Iraola may go on to great things as he seems able to keep Bournmouth playing well despite selling their best players each season.

 

[Varane around town]

I still feel that it feels unambitious and almost lazy to appoint Carrick full-time. Remove the legend status and we’re hiring a failed Boro manager who has already been part of a failed United regime.

Is he going to be able to handle two games a week?
Is he going to attract high caliber players?
Is he able to change and adapt his tactics to stay ahead of everyone?

I just worry one day there’s going to be a standout candidate emerge like another Klopp, and we won’t move on him because the club and the fanbase are overly sentimental to a legend to get rid of him.

I don't disagree with these doubts. Also think it could be spun on his head... if we'd appointed a young manager from the Bundesliga who'd had the impact Carrick has we'd be hailing a messiah.

 

[andy0]

I just worry one day there’s going to be a standout candidate emerge like another Klopp, and we won’t move on him because the club and the fanbase are overly sentimental to a legend to get rid of him.

I never got round to saying on here, despite being tempted several weeks ago: it will be too early for United this time, but keep an eye on Tonda Eckert at Southampton

Bayern in his CV. Came to Southampton for under 21s, then within a few months took over as interim main manager, with club quite low down. Won first 7 games. People started to notice. Appointed on full basis

Couple of shaky results, then finishing the season strongly

Now everybody knows

 

[KStandBarmyArmy1993]

I never got round to saying on here, despite being tempted several weeks ago: it will be too early for United this time, but keep an eye on Tonda Eckert at Southampton

Bayern in his CV. Came to Southampton for under 21s, then within a few months took over as interim main manager, with club quite low down. Won first 7 games. People started to notice. Appointed on full basis

Couple of shaky results, then finishing the season strongly

Now everybody knows

Yeah. He could be the next big thing.

He's a couple of years away from a big Premier League job though and his next step though is massive especially if Southampton get promoted.

Keeping them up next season would be a massive challenge but a relegation would still (unfairly) go against him.

 

[Fracture90]

I think that Enrique is a highly unrealistic target. He has built his own team at PSG, getting great results and the core of his squad will be there for years. He's getting paid great money (both on and off the table probably), is close to Spain.

 

[Rozay]

Enrique was always the standout option, and no other candidate looked remotely close to being as appealing. Without crunching the numbers, that Paris team probably cost much less than ours to assemble, but they are miles ahead of the pack. His imprint is visible, and that is the standard, and not one that I am convinced that Michael Carrick can reach.

I will also always favour a coach that doesn’t assess footballers by athleticism first and foremost, and the PL has gone to ridiculous extremes with this.

 

[Raul Madrid]

I said it before but imo Enrique and Zidane (if interested in managing again)could end up with ancelotti and Mourinho numbers of the big two trophies ie league and cl. That is around 10 or11.

 

[mctrials23]

I will also always favour a coach that doesn’t assess footballers by athleticism first and foremost, and the PL has gone to ridiculous extremes with this.

That PSG is full of massively athletic players. They may not all be physically imposing but they are hugely athletic.

 

[Rozay]

That PSG is full of massively athletic players. They may not all be physically imposing but they are hugely athletic.

I mean, they are professional athletes. They are fit. But they are not the biggest and strongest, for those concerned with the semantics.

 

[dinostar77]

I said it before but imo Enrique and Zidane (if interested in managing again)could end up with ancelotti and Mourinho numbers of the big two trophies ie league and cl. That is around 10 or11.

Zidane is taking the France job after the world cup

 

[Fracture90]

I mean, they are professional athletes. They are fit. But they are not the biggest and strongest, for those concerned with the semantics.

Extremely mobile and agile players.

 

[FrankDrebin]

The year's 2045 and Zidane is still patiently waiting for the France job.

 

[Apokalips]

Enrique was always the standout option, and no other candidate looked remotely close to being as appealing. Without crunching the numbers, that Paris team probably cost much less than ours to assemble, but they are miles ahead of the pack. His imprint is visible, and that is the standard, and not one that I am convinced that Michael Carrick can reach.

I will also always favour a coach that doesn’t assess footballers by athleticism first and foremost, and the PL has gone to ridiculous extremes with this.

Agreed, PSG have spent big but probably not as big as we have, they simply identified players who are actually great at playing the game of football, work hard and are quick and nimble for the most part.

I hope that our senior leadership takes heed of that and focuses on making us a great football team, with exciting technical players. However, I doubt it with us seeming to only want to buy players who already play in the league for mega bucks. Hopefully they prove me wrong and make some shrewd signings in the summer, not just 80m on the PL flavour of the months.

 

[Anustart89]

I never got round to saying on here, despite being tempted several weeks ago: it will be too early for United this time, but keep an eye on Tonda Eckert at Southampton

Bayern in his CV. Came to Southampton for under 21s, then within a few months took over as interim main manager, with club quite low down. Won first 7 games. People started to notice. Appointed on full basis

Couple of shaky results, then finishing the season strongly

Now everybody knows

It’s always difficult judging managers in such wildly different contexts (being a top team in a lower league vs being a bottom team in a better league). That is to say that if he gets promoted with Southampton and fails there it doesn’t mean he’s necessarily a dud.

There’s this view that a manager goes from the bottom of the pyramid, works his way up, plays a style of football that is positive and dominant to get his team to the top level, but then in order for fans to accept that he makes the step up to a big club they have to translate that dominant style after promotion into the league where they now have the worst squad, and it’s just not feasible.

Kompany is a perfect example of this. Dominated the championship with Burnley, then got promoted and obviously couldn’t dominate the PL with Burnley’s squad and got sacked, then went to Bayern where his style of football is compatible with a dominant team and is reaping the rewards. Enrique has had the same where he’s had comparably poor stints at lesser clubs than Barca and PSG but shown top class ability at those two clubs.

We’ve also seen ”upper mid table” managers earn themselves top jobs and they rarely manage to adapt to the top level, like we saw with Moyes, Frank and countless others.

 

[Varane around town]

Everything is pointing towards Carrick.

I remember them being very interested in McKenna when they were sounding out Ten Hag replacements. The idea of a young British manager who slots into the governance of the club.

It's a gamble but then every manager is. I'm going to the game on Monday and I'm counting down the days... rather than going out of a sense of obligation.

 

[daveskimufc]

I keep alternating between keeping Carrick and luis Enrique, would be happy with either, but I would prefer Luis Enrique, he has built a great, athletic team in paris, can only hope we can do the same if he comes

 

[Uncle Mainoo]

Enrique was always the standout option, and no other candidate looked remotely close to being as appealing. Without crunching the numbers, that Paris team probably cost much less than ours to assemble, but they are miles ahead of the pack. His imprint is visible, and that is the standard, and not one that I am convinced that Michael Carrick can reach.

I will also always favour a coach that doesn’t assess footballers by athleticism first and foremost, and the PL has gone to ridiculous extremes with this.

I always find it funny that when we witness success we alway seek to think it’s absolute perfection in the making. Since Campos and Enrique joined they steered away from the galactico signings but it was hardly a masterclass worth copying.

Summer 2023

Manuel Ugarte
Ousmane Dembélé
Randal Kolo Muani
Lucas Hernández
Milan Škriniar
Marco Asensio
Bradley Barcola
Gonçalo Ramos
Kang-in Lee
Cher Ndour
Arnau Tenas

Winter 2024

Lucas Beraldo
Gabriel Moscardo


Summer 2024

João Neves
Désiré Doué
Willian Pacho
Matvey

Winter 2025
Khvicha Kvaratskhelia

Summer 2025:

Illia Zabarnyi
Lucas Chevalier
Renato Marin
Dani Rodríguez Fernández

I asked ChatGPT to give me the list of players in the Enrique/Campos error and if Wilcox delivered this we would be up in arms.

The main point is. We have to plan accordingly to Manchester United. You assuming the profile of players we want are the issue is just bizarre. Take a look at that above list. Is that your idea of the opposite of “athleticism”?

The best bit about Enrique - clearly is his ability to coach and set up a team. However like my original fears with Enrique we just aren’t at that stage right now. This team still needs a cultural imprint. I don’t think a man criticising the current dynamics of our league is the right step. It will probably take us backwards again.

 

[Pughnichi]

Enrique was always the standout option, and no other candidate looked remotely close to being as appealing. Without crunching the numbers, that Paris team probably cost much less than ours to assemble, but they are miles ahead of the pack. His imprint is visible, and that is the standard, and not one that I am convinced that Michael Carrick can reach.

I will also always favour a coach that doesn’t assess footballers by athleticism first and foremost, and the PL has gone to ridiculous extremes with this.

Less arsed about an imprint these days

ETH had one and we were expecting good football
Amorim had one and we were expecting good football

 

[MrBest]

My mind is split on Carrick. Hes done really well in terms of results since coming in. My opinion is that since the Arsenal game, the quality of football has not been great. I give him the benefit of the doubt, he either knows that the quality of players we have is low and investment is needed and/or his goal is simply to get over the line.

For me experience does not always guarantee success and sometimes inexperienced managers bring freshness and new ideas, they have to be brave. Take Pep, did okay with Barca B, brought fresh ideas to first team and now hes one of the best managers in history. Arteta has done the same with Arsenal, Klopp with Mainz and then Dortmund. Its rare to see this happen though. Part of this wanting Carrick feels like nostalgia, we are finally winning and in third. Can Carrick cope with a busier schedule, the pressure of being permanent. Does he have the creativity this clubs desires?

For me the other options out there are not exciting. Enrique is a great but can he truly transition a team over a few years? He can certainly deal with the pressure. Zidane is a no for me, not managed in years and wants France job. Ancelotti is not long term but could stabilise us.

Im just glad im not making this decision, Ineos have to get this right after wasting 30m on Amorim.

 

[ErikElevenHag]

I always find it funny that when we witness success we alway seek to think it’s absolute perfection in the making. Since Campos and Enrique joined they steered away from the galactico signings but it was hardly a masterclass worth copying.

Summer 2023

Manuel Ugarte
Ousmane Dembélé
Randal Kolo Muani
Lucas Hernández
Milan Škriniar
Marco Asensio
Bradley Barcola
Gonçalo Ramos
Kang-in Lee
Cher Ndour
Arnau Tenas

Winter 2024

Lucas Beraldo
Gabriel Moscardo


Summer 2024

João Neves
Désiré Doué
Willian Pacho
Matvey

Winter 2025
Khvicha Kvaratskhelia

Summer 2025:

Illia Zabarnyi
Lucas Chevalier
Renato Marin
Dani Rodríguez Fernández

I asked ChatGPT to give me the list of players in the Enrique/Campos error and if Wilcox delivered this we would be up in arms.

The main point is. We have to plan accordingly to Manchester United. You assuming the profile of players we want are the issue is just bizarre. Take a look at that above list. Is that your idea of the opposite of “athleticism”?

The best bit about Enrique - clearly is his ability to coach and set up a team. However like my original fears with Enrique we just aren’t at that stage right now. This team still needs a cultural imprint. I don’t think a man criticising the current dynamics of our league is the right step. It will probably take us backwards again.

I agree. Enrique is obviously a massive massive manager in the right class with a serious pedigree as a manager. However, he requires a certain level and type of footballer to implement his style and get the levels he's currently got at PSG and I think we'd be back to the 2/3 year rebuild required under him because we don't have a blank cheque.

Also think city will be thinking about him replacing pep, seems a good fit to me, so why would he choose us when he has as close to a blank cheque book as you get in football.

We need a manager who can get a tune out of what we have (Carrick is currently managing this) and make incremental improvements towards success with good signings on the way.

Project managers won't get enough time to implement it at a club like united. We just need someone who can make us better now, get us to a certain point and if they've hit their ceiling move them on and get someone else. The football structure ineos have implemented should just keep moving us towards our goals, if it's truly best in class with the head coach just overseeing it. We're never going to get another manager who stays beyond 5+ years, those days are gone.

 

[bosskeano]

If you have the opportunity to get a manager like Enrique, you almost are obliged to make the attempt because he’s arguably the best manager in Europe right now

 

[Raoul]

If you have the opportunity to get a manager like Enrique, you almost are obliged to make the attempt because he’s arguably the best manager in Europe right now

Their transfer activity has also been on point since he joined, which helps immensely.