Paul Ince's open letter to Ed Woodward

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Paul Ince's open letter to Ed Woodward in full

Dear Ed,

There’s just so much about Manchester United that isn’t right. The footballing decisions have been mental for a few years now.

The club has fallen far behind the pack. I’d like to think that they will recover, but I think we could be waiting a while.

You’ve got to realise that, while United have fallen behind, City and Liverpool have kept advancing. Don’t think for one minute that those teams will give United any chance to catch up, they’ll only slip further behind.

It’s all about personnel for United now. How you improve not only the team but the club, from the top down.

You have to start again from fresh.

For me, a lot of the issues come down to the attitude of the squad. The players are doing exactly what they want, when they want, and there’s no control from above.

It wouldn’t happen under Fergie and it wouldn’t happen under Pep Guardiola. Players are dictating to you and the board what they want – and that’s not on.

I get it. You’re a banker – not a football man. You’re absolutely fantastic at bringing in profit and sponsorship deals but you can’t just keep throwing money away on players.

You need someone in who gets football, who has the presence to deal with these players and tell them they can’t demand X, Y and Z from United.

Tell them where to stick it.

Players like Jesse Lingard think they’re bigger than the club and the manager. If Fergie was in charge they wouldn’t be doing it, they wouldn’t even still be at the club.

Jesse has been bang average this year and if I’d performed the way he did last season the last thing I would do is post anything on social media. The way he played last season he should be embarrassed.

Then there’s Pogba – the man you spent £89million on. Why did he wait until the end of the season to say he wants to go with a sly comment in the press? If you’re gonna say it, say it in front of those thousands of fans who go to watch you.

Ole – the man you appointed – needs to come out against these players. He needs to come down hard on them and set a precedent that he’s not allowing players to behave like that anymore. The fans won’t have it. It’s a lack of respect for your team-mates who can behave, and it’s a total lack of respect for playing for Manchester United.

I hope Ole knows that he needs to have players who actually give a toss about playing for United.

On transfer business. I hear people say you need to get players in that will work hard and run around for the club – but it’s not about that. I can come in now and work hard and run about, even at my age. I mean, I wouldn’t last five minutes, but that’s not the criteria that you should want.

It’s about quality players with the right spirit and attitude.

Aaron Wan-Bissaka was signed for £55million, a lot of money for a full-back. Ole said he wanted to go down the route of bringing in younger, fresher talent and building the team that way – but that’s not the way to go.

Do you see many youth players in Manchester City ’s team except Phil Foden? No, and they just won the league.

Liverpool have a couple, but the majority of their team are senior, experienced players interspersed with youth.

Youth players today aren’t the likes of David Beckham, Paul Scholes and Ryan Giggs. There’s just not that much coming through the academy.

Yes, pick two or three youngsters but then integrate them with top class, top quality senior players – don’t rely on it.

Then there’s the manager. I said last season you should’ve gone with someone more experienced and I stand by that.

But you have made your bed and now have to lie in it. You have tried the whole binning a manager after a year thing and it’s not worked. Now you have to stick with Ole.

If he starts badly you’ll want to change him – but that’s just another disruption and another step backwards for the club.

Let Ole bring in his players and have a full run at the season – then he has no excuses.

As for yourself, stick to counting the cash.
 

Paxi

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Raises good points but it’s reads like it’s been written by a five year old.
 

2 man midfield

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Better than the last open letter he wrote

 

Snafu17

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In any crisis situation the last person you should be listening is Paul Ince.
 

prateik

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Open letters are stupid. Paul Ince is stupid.
Two stupids don't cancel each other out in this case..
 

mu4c_20le

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Bit rich calling other players thinking they are too big for the club
 

SalfordRed18

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Absolutely feck him.

He has some points, but he's not the one to make them and he certainly has no right to try and bury players (and the manager) like that before the season has even got under way.

Big time Charlie trying to make headlines and get a couple of bucks. Yes, he has some true and accurate thoughts, but I'll be damned if I listen to Paul fecking Ince the Judas cnut.
 

VorZakone

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Youth players today aren’t the likes of David Beckham, Paul Scholes and Ryan Giggs. There’s just not that much coming through the academy.
Interesting quote.
 

thesheriffjw

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Ince was a good player for utd but was a big mouth.

Fergie and keano both laughed at his Guvnor moniker. He is an utter big head, with no good reason. Fergie see it and booted him.

He is a turncoat. A big mouth. A has been and someone who should have no influence on utd
 
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NotoriousISSY

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I get the underlying message, but let someone else do the writing.

I feel like he is definitely a poster on here though. I've seen this in the Woodward thread.
 

OleGunnar20

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I'm all for a light being shone on Woodwards ongoing real-life game of FM, although I disagree with some of his points.

It does seem that Ole is being allowed to build the team in his vision, with the caveat that fire-sales are not something on the agenda (by the looks of things, Darmian I'm looking at you).

And building with youth absolutely is the way forward. With the market going bananas post-neymar this is the only way to do it without the backing of a bottomless pit of oil, I'm all for it personally.

Makes some good - if obvious - points though, to be fair.
 

Rood

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Paul Ince? He can feck right off the fauxScouser!

Im all for having a go at Woodward and he deserves plenty of criticism but there is a lot of total bollocks in that letter

No surprise to see that this letter comes from Paddy Power - just more publicity hunting for them basically
 

SirAnderson

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Preached truth but Wow, does he think it would even get woody's attention?
Guy is gormless. Woody that is...well Ince makes a good case for it as well.
Anyway, like water off a ducks back yeah!
 

RedNed77

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Fecking hate this bellend. A scouser masquerading as a United fan, feck no. I stopped after a few lines, I genuinely couldn't give a feck what his points are anymore than if StevieG wrote an open letter to Ed. Feck this guy and feck any of you lot paying any attention to what this cretinous bellend has to say.
 

LJJT

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Like any one, he has some valid opinions and some bull shit ones. Ince was a great player for us but he’s paid to be controversial and shocking, take what he says with a pinch of salt. He’s the last person to be judge or jury
 

Tom Van Persie

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Ince is so clueless. :lol: Calling the players coming through our academy not very good. Bellend.
 

Tiber

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Paul Ince should be ignored at all times, especially when he is talking about Manchester United.
 

andersj

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I’m surprised. Somehow he manage to appear more stupid writing than he usually does when talking.

Oh, btw, AWB is 22 in a few months. How old was Jesus, Sterling and Sane when Man City bought them?
 

charlenefan

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A disgrace that's he's basically saying abandon playing academy players because that's not what City and Liverpool do (Liverpool who FYI have Arnold and Gomez in their starting XI)
 

Catt

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Don't like him. This is what some kid on twitter would do.
 

King Eric 7

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I am struggling to figure out why he name dropped AWB. He's good enough for the England senior team and his price tag is irrelevant.

Bet he never thought about writing this letter when we were signing the likes of Falcao, Schneiderlin and Schweinsteiger.
 

ManchesterYoda

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Didn't City buy 3 FBs in one transfer window? Why is buying Wan-Bissaka for £50 million the "wrong way to go"?
 

Guapa

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Paul Ince can do one.Never liked the guy.(He's right though)

:D
 
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bond19821982

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Well,at least this year we seem to have a plan rather than scatter gun approach. The damage was done long back and it didn't happen overnight. Similarly a fix wouldn't happen over one summer. It will take a good couple of years.
 

Hugh Jass

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Right about Jesse. No way would Ferguson have tolerated his social media presence. Its alright after you have won the league or champions league.