Ole’s former team-mates who are now pundits refusing to call a spade a spade

[::sonny::]

I’m sure that Ole will be next Salford manager

 

[UnitedFan93]

Neville, Keane constantly talk about the body language of certain players but never talk about the body language of Ole who sits on the bench in the stand all game doing feck all. Their double standards are off the scale.

 

[Fortitude]

To be fair to Keane he did say it was more hope than belief he had in Ole and that 'he might be better off out of it'

He also questioned whether the players had lost faith in the coaching staff.

He still went in harder on the players but he's more honest than Neville who literally refused to answer the question over whether another manager would do a better job with some nonsense about LVG and Mourinho.

But he was candid in deconstructing the players; he knows full well he could do the same thing to the staff, but holds back even going as far as to again point toward Ole having these players in the trenches and having every right to doubt them.

It’s brutally unfair and it moulds a narrative whether he realises it or not as some who watch that will take their cue and blame the players whilst saying next to nothing about the staff.

Agreed: better than Neville, but the lot of them are doing nothing to remove us from the notion of old boys’ club with how they shield Ole/the staff.

 

[TsuWave]

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[Shane88]

feck them all. Pathetic excuses for pundits and United fans.

They're not United fans. United is a vehicle for them and their friends. Their attachment to United gets them jobs in the media and their friends can get jobs at the club. It's an inner-circle looking to protect themselves.

 

[UnitedSofa]

Are you being serious? Or just defending those that don't want to call Ole out like you have for months or even years?

The point I’m trying to make here is that it literally does not make the slightest bit of difference if an ex-man utd player turned pundit called out Ole.

It won’t change a thing & yet people on here are getting a hard on for the likes of Nev, Rio not calling him out.

Literally who gives a feck, because the Glazers sure don’t care.

Might as well just scream at a cloud “Ole Out” has the same effect.

 

[BuzzKillington]

Ole is a person Neville and Keane probably still speak to on a fairly regular basis. The fault here isn’t theirs, you’d have to be a special kind of cnut to try and get a friend fired.

Sky and BT need to get some different pundits if they’re wanting an unbiased opinion. Dig out Gordon Strachan, maybe throw some work to some older players like Whiteside, even somebidy like Ince who didn’t play with Ole too much as far as I can recall. But we shouldn’t be expecting people who’ve had 20 year plus friendships with the manager to throw him under the bus, or realistically expect them to have and share an opinion based on pure objectivity, regardless of what sky pay them for it.

 

[RoyH1]

Classic old boy attitude

 

[Okey]

It's actually quite bizarre. Almost like they swore an oath.

 

[Ollie Derbyshire]

Ole is a person Neville and Keane probably still speak to on a fairly regular basis. The fault here isn’t theirs, you’d have to be a special kind of cnut to try and get a friend fired.

Sky and BT need to get some different pundits if they’re wanting an unbiased opinion. Dig out Gordon Strachan, maybe throw some work to some older players like Whiteside, even somebidy like Ince who didn’t play with Ole too much as far as I can recall. But we shouldn’t be expecting people who’ve had 20 year plus friendships with the manager to throw him under the bus, or realistically expect them to have and share an opinion based on pure objectivity, regardless of what sky pay them for it.

They should still be able to articulate the issues without going out to hurt a friend, there is nothing wrong with saying maybe a change is needed.

 

[Norris]

Apart from Neville, who else isn't criticizing Ole? Scholes, Owen ripped into him today.

 

[Max_United]

They should all recuse themselves from commenting on United if they're incapable of being objective. In any other line of work, there would be rules in place to prevent conflicts of interest.

They wouldn't though because no-one would pay them as much as now if they were not commenting on Man Utd. They are living off their united connection same way Ole is - and they perhaps unconsciously feel that they are in the same place as him and therefore feel the urge to detect blame from him.

I am also amused by fans who have some romantic notion that Ole would walk because of dignity etc. Bullshit. Class of 92 and our former players in general are no saints and are acting in their own self-interest more often than not. They have the right to do so, but they do not deserve any special treatment or expectations. They should be judged on who they are now, not who they were.

 

[JSC]

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Moyes got given a weak ass squad, less than a year and one of the worst transfer windows I’ve ever seen. The other two managers won 3 trophies between them. Ole, to be fair, has been fully backed and had great transfer windows - addressing almost every area of the squad properly. And he’s won zero.

It’s not that straight forward - but Neville needs to drop the ludicrous “Jose didn’t work out so let’s not bring in a top manager” nonsense. Imagine if Chelsea / City / Liverpool used that logic. They’d be nowhere near what they are now.

 

[Maluco]

Neville is a joker and his opinion shouldn’t be taken seriously.

He has proven it on many occasions. I am sure he will be sitting down to watch the European champions effortlessly maintain their lead at the top of the table, after having argued that a managerial change wouldn’t change things.

Top coaches get things done. Do some analysis, what you are paid for. Look at the shape of the team and the way they are being set up and then come back and argue that coaching isn’t the issue.

It’s like living in the twilight zone. Just be honest and analyze the team!

 

[NinjaZombie]

They're actively harming the club without even realising it. Mates FC indeed.

feck the old boys routine. I'm sick of it. Nostalgia I'd how we've ended up hiring a Molde and Cardiff manager and eventually sticking with him even after a nil five loss against our biggest rivals, when a top class Premier League winning manager was available.

Because United way amirite boys.

 

[Isotope]

Correct. Sick of it.

I don't even know why he's like the "face" of United in the media, when the likes of Rio (who's more well spoken and much much better player) is available.

 

[DomesticTadpole]

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He's a clown.

 

[Majima]

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Brain dead logic. You wouldn't stop signing top class players just because one didn't work out... embarrassing from Neville.

 

[Paxi]

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Gary Neville is really thick.

 

[BaneIsPain]

We can’t move on if Ole continues being protected by old mates. Nothing shame in calling for sacking.

 

[Lecland07]

Ole is a person Neville and Keane probably still speak to on a fairly regular basis. The fault here isn’t theirs, you’d have to be a special kind of cnut to try and get a friend fired.

Sky and BT need to get some different pundits if they’re wanting an unbiased opinion. Dig out Gordon Strachan, maybe throw some work to some older players like Whiteside, even somebidy like Ince who didn’t play with Ole too much as far as I can recall. But we shouldn’t be expecting people who’ve had 20 year plus friendships with the manager to throw him under the bus, or realistically expect them to have and share an opinion based on pure objectivity, regardless of what sky pay them for it.

It is not about trying to get someone sacked; it is about telling the truth. The blame is with the manager.

These pundits are getting paid a lot of money to give their views and they should be able to tell the truth about the state of the club.

If Solskjaer gets too touchy about it isn't that his problem, really? In the end, he should know there is a massive risk of being sacked as a manager. This should be something that comes as accepted territory when they take the job as a manager. There is a reason why Manchester United managers are the best paid in the league. The pressure is there, and he should accept any talk about the tactics etc. not being good enough.

 

[DWelbz19]

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Shameless.

 

[Houdini]

Ask Chelsea fans what is the difference between a club legend and a proper manager.

 

[Fortitude]

The point I’m trying to make here is that it literally does not make the slightest bit of difference if an ex-man utd player turned pundit called out Ole.

It won’t change a thing & yet people on here are getting a hard on for the likes of Nev, Rio not calling him out.

Literally who gives a feck, because the Glazers sure don’t care.

Might as well just scream at a cloud “Ole Out” has the same effect.

Ole is a person Neville and Keane probably still speak to on a fairly regular basis. The fault here isn’t theirs, you’d have to be a special kind of cnut to try and get a friend fired.

Sky and BT need to get some different pundits if they’re wanting an unbiased opinion. Dig out Gordon Strachan, maybe throw some work to some older players like Whiteside, even somebidy like Ince who didn’t play with Ole too much as far as I can recall. But we shouldn’t be expecting people who’ve had 20 year plus friendships with the manager to throw him under the bus, or realistically expect them to have and share an opinion based on pure objectivity, regardless of what sky pay them for it.

You’re aware that they are instead apportioning blame to the players and making life even more difficult for them? Keane is a god for a lot of the support (perhaps my favourite United player of all-time) and his words carry a lot of weight; it’s not like he’s letting up or holding back, rather it’s all being reserved for the players, doubly so, because he won’t say a bad word about Ole/the staff, so no, it’s not good or constructive for him or Neville to do what they’re doing on the grandest stage of influence a platform can have in the UK. If they don’t wish to be objective, why are they taking on the gig of commenting on United? Keane is TV gold and in hot demand, he certainly doesn’t need United games to raise his profile. Neville’s an established pundit by now; he’s tying himself in knots, it’s just that for once, he’s been called out on it.

Neville likes to talk - too much - and it’s nice to see him being called out on it at last as we’re at the point of farce now with his deflections.

 

[Aretak]

Neville is an embarrassment when talking about Ole. It's not just today either. After the Liverpool defeat he was saying it would be wrong to sack Ole and how Conte wouldn't be a good "fit" for the club. He shouldn't be covering United games if he finds it impossible to be objective about his mate.

 

[tomaldinho1]

Neville, Keane constantly talk about the body language of certain players but never talk about the body language of Ole who sits on the bench in the stand all game doing feck all. Their double standards are off the scale.

Ole Gonna Sulkjaer

 

[red thru&thru]

Neville I'm used to but Keane went too far today. He kept blaming the players, completely overlooking the fact, this is Ole's team! He chose these players.

 

[Withnail]

They're not United fans. United is a vehicle for them and their friends. Their attachment to United gets them jobs in the media and their friends can get jobs at the club. It's an inner-circle looking to protect themselves.

I disagree with that.

Put any other manager in who isn't their mate and they'd be harsher in their criticism. Quite a lot of pundits will back away from saying a mate of theirs should be fired.

 

[VeevaVee]

You guys care too much about this

 

[Orton]

Ask Chelsea fans what is the difference between a club legend and a proper manager.

Chelsea are too busy winning, with someone who is a winner. We are stuck with a perennial loser as a manager. Absolutely stuck. Everyone around us has only improved and we’ve spent more than all of them and the team is worse. It’s beyond embarrassing now.

 

[moses]

You guys care too much about this

Totally, it's basically getting annoyed by a silly entertainment construct, this is not journalism, it's corporate TV.

 

[Paxi]

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Jesse’s brother. I think there’s a palpable discord amongst the player. No way he’s brother is posting that without Jesse thinking exactly the same thing.

 

[The Cat]

Wasn't keen (?) on Richards when he started but he's improved massively since, I like the bloke and his opinions now.

The way he got ganged up on by Neville and Souness weeks ago was disgusting and it seems he is now running rings aroud them.

He's earned his spot now.

 

[Someone]

If he doesn't want to criticize his mates then he should excuse himself from commenting on united.

But how about his logic of past top managers didn't work so we shouldn't get a top manager again? How can he say that with a straight face? He can't be that thick.

 

[JG3001]

They're his mates, do you honestly expect them to sit there and openly demand that he should be sacked? Anything less than absolute support is damning enough.

And there's only Neville who is going so far as to suggest that changing the manager won't necessarily help.

I dunno why people let it get them so agitated. Souness and co. are there to provide balance and that's what they're doing by making sure it gets discussed in the first place. If the club is relying on Sky Sports punditry to make decisions then it's no wonder we're in the shit.

I think the worry is that the ex-United pundits have enough influence, such that their words do influence the club… to some degree anyway

 

[The Dane]

Apart from Neville, who else isn't criticizing Ole? Scholes, Owen ripped into him today.

Schmeichel

 

[Adisa]

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Deflection master.

 

[Lee565]

Neville is nothing but a clown by saying there's no way we would bring Conte because of Jose.

No instead we have a hugely clueless and inferior version of conte who if anything is even more pragmatic and can't win even the league cup despite spending a hundreds of millions

 

[Jippy]

They're his mates, do you honestly expect them to sit there and openly demand that he should be sacked? Anything less than absolute support is damning enough.

And there's only Neville who is going so far as to suggest that changing the manager won't necessarily help.

I dunno why people let it get them so agitated. Souness and co. are there to provide balance and that's what they're doing by making sure it gets discussed in the first place. If the club is relying on Sky Sports punditry to make decisions then it's no wonder we're in the shit.

Yeah I find it bizarre too. People moan when ex-Liverpool pundits constantly rip United, then get apoplectic that some ex-United players duck questions on Ole.

Presumably not slating Ole publicly is more important to Nev than being seen as an impartial pundit on the issue.

 

[Adisa]

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