As a very longstanding old-school United fan (65 years) I think this is an excellent post. For starters, our game has been highjacked by prima-donna superstar MANAGERS now as well as over-SELF hyping players. Some of these fellas I wouldn't piss on were they on fire!
Having grown up with the great tradition established by Matt Busby and Jimmy Murphy and seen some wonderful young and frankly GREAT talent come through from the early '50's and onwards, I can't help but be jaundiced about the state of our game today with this ever-increasing obsession with sponsorship deals, marketing and merchandise. I went as a 6 year old with me dad to see my team play. We queued up in the pissing rain with our cash in our mitts and paid at the turnstile and smelled the entire aroma of match day. I can remember smelling a funny tangy smell I'd never smelled before and it stung my nose - it was liniment as it turned out. The smoke and the smell of the train just over the main stand swirled over the roof and all around the ground - magic to me it was. The whole experience was a combination of being part of a collective identity, a sense of belonging and community. With the emergence of the great Babes side in the mid-50's I never missed a home game if I saved up me tanners o'course! I was as happy as a pig in shit.
I've never taken well to gobby bastards - be they players or managers (sorry coaches!) you know the great "I am" types more interested in whether they personally are headlining on the back pages rather than the team. This twat Mourinho is an anathema to me. Self-praise is no praise my old Nin used to tell me as a lad and that stuck with me all my life. Maybe the Special One didn't have a Nin eh?
I have no interest these days in how "United are faring" other than a deep primordial childhood allegiance. In a way, it's long since ceased to "belong" to me and probably to a great many others of my generation. Cannot abide the Portugueser I just can't. If you don't have the ability to recognise and develop real special talent, and go out there waving £85 million cheques to improve your side, WTF is that about? Why aren't you regularly watching the academy lads, the youth, the reserves to see what's already emerging under your nose? Why aren't you in touch with your trusted scouting team across at least your region if not the country? Oh feck I remember why now! It's because no-one in the media would get to see your mush or hear your latest pronouncements !! Can't have that can we Jose?
Well Jose, that's what a real manager (by real I mean a fella whose love for the game and for his job responsibilities overrides any press conference, any celebrity presentation etc etc) calls "doing his job".
I remember my cousin Paul (Power of City and Everton) telling me that when Mark Hughes was managing at City and Paul was part of the youth development set-up that Hughes came there and surrounded himself with an entire Welsh entourage. The existing old hands at City of course referred to them as The Taffia! Paul said to me that - and it must have near killed him to say it - Ferguson as often as he possibly could would be watching the academy/youth cup games because Paul was used to seeing there. He said Hughes NEVER watched the youngsters at City. That for me tells me loads about the fella. Where was his passion, commitment and basically giving a shit about the future stars of the club?
For me the game today is of passing rather than passionate interest. But one thing I am certain of. Mourinho is the wrong man for the club that once was my passion. Just plain wrong.
On a lighter note, I love the passion and the integrity of your fella Klopp. So bloody refreshing to see there are still some highly-paid managers ( oops coaches) still around that genuinely care for their fans, their players and probably most importantly of all who care about their own personal values both as a man and as a professional. I wanted him to come to United before V Ghoul - just a passing thought as I didn't care either way. Anyway, that's my 2 pennorth on the club I used to worship.
from me that one)