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

[Buchan]

I love Ferdinand but I have a sneaking this is him trying to save face. Why come out with these ‘no identity’ claims now when this has been clearly evident for at least two years? Has it taken two or three woeful results in the last six weeks to finally convince you? Or did you spot it many moons ago like the rest of us but kept schtum because your relationship with Solskjaer compromised you?

Either way, it’s not a good look. These pundits need to either remove themselves from covering United or be upfront and honest with their views, and not just when the axe is about to fall on the manager and it’s damage-limitation time for your ‘football expert’ punditry reputation.

Paradoxically, it actually would have been kinder on Solskjaer to be truthful with these views weeks/months ago when there wasn’t a great deal of pressure on him but the problems were still evident to football-watchers. Steaming into him now, just when the noose is tightening and there’s no obvious way for him to stay in the job, is actually poor form, especially from people who were ex-teammates and supposed friends. It just smacks of self-serving, face-saving shite and I thought Ferdinand was above all that. At least Neville, as much as he’s been annoying lately, is consistently steadfast in his position on the manager and I don’t see him dropping Solskjaer in the shit now just to score some Internet points.

 

[AndyMUFC86]

I can’t quite get this anger around wanting our ex players to call for our manager to be sacked. They never called for moyes/LVG/mourinho to get sacked so why does everyone think it’s purely down to the fact there ex teammates that they won’t say the words. If you read between the lines it fairly obvious that they know Ole isn’t at the level required but that was the same with the 3 previous come the end! Is it so important to you that they say sack him now?

 

[chiz2kul]

So if you worked with someone for years and were their mate you would publically call for them to be sacked?

If he's doing an absolutely terrible job and i'm paid to give an objective analysis, i'll say it as it is. They're losing all credibility holding their tongue just because he's their "mate."
Just because you've had PTSD from getting sacked doesnt mean you can't state the obvious. That's just silly.

 

[dmst]

https://www.eurosport.co.uk/footbal...-baton-to-be-handed-ov_sto8622285/story.shtml

Kudos to Rio for coming out with a blunt but fair assessment.

 

[Glorio]

I love Ferdinand but I have a sneaking this is him trying to save face. Why come out with these ‘no identity’ claims now when this has been clearly evident for at least two years? Has it taken two or three woeful results in the last six weeks to finally convince you? Or did you spot it many moons ago like the rest of us but kept schtum because your relationship with Solskjaer compromised you?

Either way, it’s not a good look. These pundits need to either remove themselves from covering United or be upfront and honest with their views, and not just when the axe is about to fall on the manager and it’s damage-limitation time for your ‘football expert’ punditry reputation.

Paradoxically, it actually would have been kinder on Solskjaer to be truthful with these views weeks/months ago when there wasn’t a great deal of pressure on him but the problems were still evident to football-watchers. Steaming into him now, just when the noose is tightening and there’s no obvious way for him to stay in the job, is actually poor form, especially from people who were ex-teammates and supposed friends. It just smacks of self-serving, face-saving shite and I thought Ferdinand was above all that. At least Neville, as much as he’s been annoying lately, is consistently steadfast in his position on the manager and I don’t see him dropping Solskjaer in the shit now just to score some Internet points.

I don't think he's scoring internet points . I suspect like many of us, he hoped/expected it would click, because as he said, we were gradually climbing up the table season by season and cutting the gap to first (I think). Right now, it's obvious to anyone (just look at the swing in the Ole Sack watch thread) that we've peaked with Ole and thus, he now has a different view. I 100% respect him for saying it.

What's the point sticking to an opinion even if it's proven wrong? No one gets respect from me for sticking their head in the sand and ignoring the obvious because it doesn't support their initial narrative. It's one of the fundamental problems with the world - folks refuse to cede to reasonable debate, it has to be tribal, they pick a side and that's it.

Edit:
I was a staunch Ole inner btw till the Europa League final after which I began to waiver but still supported him and hoped he'd succeed. I'm definitely not in that camp now