Don't you just love this buzz.
Even before the miracle of Paris, while the Liverpool home game was always going to have Old Trafford alight, it was against Southampton last week - a bog standard Prem home game - that I noticed the euphoria that is about the place.
After the game, there was impromptu singing of Ole's at the wheel while leaving the Stretford End, out in the concourses and streets, a complete contrast to the frequent bursts of aggressive, expletive strewn moaning about Jose Mourinho and "this is sh*t football" that I had become used to. A Jose, who is, by the way still uttering poison (on a Bein Sports chat) about the club basically being more interested in their commercial interests than the on-field interests.
But in the golden aura that is surrounding us all, amidst all the songs worshipping the godlike Norwegian legend, that I am more than a willing party to as my hoarse throat will testify, we must NOT forget, like we did when employing Moyes, the people who are not sung about.
And one key figure here is Mike Phelan. Make no mistake about it, as much as we must sign Ole up - and surely the fact he is the main man in the season ticket promotions means he will be our next manager - we must also remember that this has been a team effort. And Ole will be the first to admit it, and has.
Anyone who has been at Old Trafford at all, will probably have noticed that it is Phelan that often stands in the technical area, directing tactics during matches and instructing the team. He is that backroom staff link to those glorious Fergie days and, for me, a massively underestimated key component of what has made us work.
Mike may not have the fame of Solskjaer, but is far more experienced with superior qualifications, and reconnects the management team of the Fergie era with the present, having served as reserve and first-team coach and assistant manager from 2008-2013, earning promotion when Carlos Queiroz left.
Ole and Mike are different but complimentary characters. As much as we need Ole good cop, we need that pragmatic, challenging flip side provided by Phelan. The two of them with the coaching staff are crucial combination that has us playing the United way again and it is imperative that we keep the whole set up, not just Ole, together.
I remember saying on the official site that I thought we had made a massive mistake in getting the backroom staff, including Phelan, when Fergie retired. Moyes or not, we had a setup, a way of doing things that was thrown out for a new way.
When he assumed command in that summer of 2013, Moyes removed Rene Meulensteen, Phelan and Eric Steele from the coaching staff and brought in Steve Round, Jimmy Lumsden and Chris Woods, as well as appointing Ryan Giggs and Phil Neville. Moyes was advised not to fire Phelan, who won a Premier League medal as a United player. He didn't listen.
If Moyes had been astute, he would have gone in with no ego, and worked with the staff that were there taking a 'if it's not broken, don't fix it' mentality. But he didn't and paid the price.
Ever since we have been trying to get back that ethos, that golden glow that makes ordinary players (like Darren Fletcher and Wes Brown) become Champions League winners. They were players who played beyond their capabilities because of that winning mentality aura around Fergie. If you don't agree, ask yourself, were they ever as good when the left Old Trafford. The answer, I'm telling you, is definitely not.
We are seeing that aura return under a new regime. Last night was magical. I felt the same way as when Ole scored that winner against Bayern 20 years ago. Everything went right for us, because we have the right mentality, that 'who dares wins' complex that I feared had been lost.
Let's not forget, like we did when Fergie retired, that we have to do everything to keep ALL the backroom team together.
Even before the miracle of Paris, while the Liverpool home game was always going to have Old Trafford alight, it was against Southampton last week - a bog standard Prem home game - that I noticed the euphoria that is about the place.
After the game, there was impromptu singing of Ole's at the wheel while leaving the Stretford End, out in the concourses and streets, a complete contrast to the frequent bursts of aggressive, expletive strewn moaning about Jose Mourinho and "this is sh*t football" that I had become used to. A Jose, who is, by the way still uttering poison (on a Bein Sports chat) about the club basically being more interested in their commercial interests than the on-field interests.
But in the golden aura that is surrounding us all, amidst all the songs worshipping the godlike Norwegian legend, that I am more than a willing party to as my hoarse throat will testify, we must NOT forget, like we did when employing Moyes, the people who are not sung about.
And one key figure here is Mike Phelan. Make no mistake about it, as much as we must sign Ole up - and surely the fact he is the main man in the season ticket promotions means he will be our next manager - we must also remember that this has been a team effort. And Ole will be the first to admit it, and has.
Anyone who has been at Old Trafford at all, will probably have noticed that it is Phelan that often stands in the technical area, directing tactics during matches and instructing the team. He is that backroom staff link to those glorious Fergie days and, for me, a massively underestimated key component of what has made us work.
Mike may not have the fame of Solskjaer, but is far more experienced with superior qualifications, and reconnects the management team of the Fergie era with the present, having served as reserve and first-team coach and assistant manager from 2008-2013, earning promotion when Carlos Queiroz left.
Ole and Mike are different but complimentary characters. As much as we need Ole good cop, we need that pragmatic, challenging flip side provided by Phelan. The two of them with the coaching staff are crucial combination that has us playing the United way again and it is imperative that we keep the whole set up, not just Ole, together.
I remember saying on the official site that I thought we had made a massive mistake in getting the backroom staff, including Phelan, when Fergie retired. Moyes or not, we had a setup, a way of doing things that was thrown out for a new way.
When he assumed command in that summer of 2013, Moyes removed Rene Meulensteen, Phelan and Eric Steele from the coaching staff and brought in Steve Round, Jimmy Lumsden and Chris Woods, as well as appointing Ryan Giggs and Phil Neville. Moyes was advised not to fire Phelan, who won a Premier League medal as a United player. He didn't listen.
If Moyes had been astute, he would have gone in with no ego, and worked with the staff that were there taking a 'if it's not broken, don't fix it' mentality. But he didn't and paid the price.
Ever since we have been trying to get back that ethos, that golden glow that makes ordinary players (like Darren Fletcher and Wes Brown) become Champions League winners. They were players who played beyond their capabilities because of that winning mentality aura around Fergie. If you don't agree, ask yourself, were they ever as good when the left Old Trafford. The answer, I'm telling you, is definitely not.
We are seeing that aura return under a new regime. Last night was magical. I felt the same way as when Ole scored that winner against Bayern 20 years ago. Everything went right for us, because we have the right mentality, that 'who dares wins' complex that I feared had been lost.
Let's not forget, like we did when Fergie retired, that we have to do everything to keep ALL the backroom team together.
Last edited:
