Sky Sports: Manchester United must be patient in transitional period, says Gary Neville

[OrcaFat]

It would be typical of United to show patience with the worst manager out of the bunch we have had since fergie left, the time we should have shown patience was with Van Gaal who got us back in the champions league, was able to compete in matches against other clubs near the top, won the fa cup and missed out on qualifying for the champions league again by an extremely small margin, was laying down the foundations of a philosophy that had an emphasis on being comfortable in possession of the ball and was willing to give youth a chance, it's the best we have had it since fergie left and I'm sure had van Gaal stayed on he could have also won the Europa league cup like Mourinho did considering the toughest opposition that we faced that season was an average young ajax side.

It would be typical of United to show patience with the worst manager out of the bunch we have had since fergie left, the time we should have shown patience was with Van Gaal who got us back in the champions league, was able to compete in matches against other clubs near the top, won the fa cup and missed out on qualifying for the champions league again by an extremely small margin, was laying down the foundations of a philosophy that had an emphasis on being comfortable in possession of the ball and was willing to give youth a chance, it's the best we have had it since fergie left and I'm sure had van Gaal stayed on he could have also won the Europa league cup like Mourinho did considering the toughest opposition that we faced that season was an average young ajax side.

Good points re LVG. The “watchability” of the football probably would have improved too. But I don’t think it’s right to say Ole is worse than him or Jose or Moyes. I think he’ll turn out better. If the board are patient we’ll find out. (Doesn’t matter if the fans are patient or not does it? But I am.)

 

[Full bodied red]

Just as long as the Transition Period isn't 30+ years like the Scousers own Transition Period....

 

[RooneyLegend]

What people have to understand is having the wrong people in charge for an extended period will do more harm than good. All this talk about patience is good and dandy but if we're heading in the wrong direcrion, often having patience is the wrong way to go. Imagine if Moyes was still here making it difficult for Newcastle.

 

[Waynne]

Asking us to be patient for the past 6 years now.
Even for die hard fans that's becoming a challenge.
Club needs to pull its finger out and make the right moves behind the scenes then you can have all the patience of the fans.
No director of football is going to test my patience each and every day until one is appointed.

 

[sugar_kane]

Good points re LVG. The “watchability” of the football probably would have improved too. But I don’t think it’s right to say Ole is worse than him or Jose or Moyes. I think he’ll turn out better. If the board are patient we’ll find out. (Doesn’t matter if the fans are patient or not does it? But I am.)

Would it? It was rapidly getting worse and worse, without any signs of it getting better.

His signings (with the exception of Herrera and Shaw who were Moyes buys, and Blind/Romero) were fecking atrocious as well. We're still stuck with some of them.

LVG's reign gets more revisionism than any other because he talks a good game, but in two years we maybe played about five good matches and some of the lows from a performance POV were the worst we've had post-Fergie.

The best we had it was Mourinho's first season - not necessarily brilliant football just fun and it felt like we were finally heading in the right direction.

 

[Matt6677]

Were we not in a transitional phase after SAF left and the likes of Rio, Vidic, Giggs moved on?

It seems like we have been transitioning ever since

I am sorry but this is nonsense from Neville

How long do we fans have to wait for the transitional period to end and for us start competing again? How long?

 

[Offsideagain]

So how long will this ‘transition period’ last until the next one. Guardiola took one season and a shit load of money to update City, Klopp two seasons at Liverpool. If we don’t win a trophy this season, Ole is history transition or not.

 

[Ash_G]

What people have to understand is having the wrong people in charge for an extended period will do more harm than good. All this talk about patience is good and dandy but if we're heading in the wrong direcrion, often having patience is the wrong way to go. Imagine if Moyes was still here making it difficult for Newcastle.

That's true but I think we need to give OGS a bit more time to evaluate- at least till xmas.

On reflection I think there was a difference in the result to Palace than some of the other games we lost/drew with him last season where in those in didn't feel like we could win whereas I think we definitely could have and probably should have won this game. Similarly against Wolves there was a marked difference imo.

That's not to say the performances didn't have problems or there aren't issues in the squad/tactics etc but ultimately from the little we've seen I think there is more good than bad under the surface.

Add to that I think we have improved the defence and with more time they will get to know each other better, there's a lot of new relationships there, essentially everyone is playing alongside someone they've never played with before as even Shaw and Lindelof are on different sides.

We're clearly gambling on attack and midfield but again on reflection given some of players are not playing at their best/adjusting I think there is promise there. Not enough that this is a midfield/attack that will compete for the league this season but if it can get us top 4 with the likes of Rashford, Martial, Fred, James, McT showing that they can step up then that puts us in a good place to be able to enhance the team by adding the right players who can slot in. E.g I think Martial has had a really positive impact in the 3 games up top and done better than I thought he'd do there, hopefully we get to a point where we're comfortable he can be out number 9 long term and that's then money we can invest elsewhere in the team.

Don't get me wrong I think it's going to be a painful season at times as we have gambled both on players staying fit and in players stepping up, personally I think we should have gotten another attacker as I don't think lingard should be a first team fixture, but I do think we have taken steps fwd and really don't see why we can't compete for 3/4 if we get lucky with injuries as I don't think Arsenal/Chelsea are all that and Spurs seem to be holding themselves back by benching some players.

I know none of us want to be competing for 3-4 but we have to accept where we are currently and so for me getting top 4 and a good cup run would be a result with this young team and I think put us in a better position to really identify and focus on what we need to challenge and help us be a more attractive place for players as they can see we're building something and in line with our history will let young players have a chance. If though we're not going to get Top 4 then I think we have to look at OGS and how quickly he's taking us fwd (subject to funding he's being allowed).

 

[Jambalaya]

So how long will this ‘transition period’ last until the next one. Guardiola took one season and a shit load of money to update City, Klopp two seasons at Liverpool. If we don’t win a trophy this season, Ole is history transition or not.

This.
No need for 10 year transition if you have proper manager with the plan.

 

[fergiesarmy1]

So how long will this ‘transition period’ last until the next one. Guardiola took one season and a shit load of money to update City, Klopp two seasons at Liverpool. If we don’t win a trophy this season, Ole is history transition or not.

I don’t think Ole will get sacked for not winning a trophy, I think he will if we aren’t even close to champions league qualification via the league or Europa come the end of the season.

 

[Im red2]

Transitional period my ass it is the suck dry period and nothing else.

 

[buckooo1978]

sure that moron said we will get it right eventually

silly trying to bring in great decision makers or great players at the club when it simply works on cycles like Gary says....

Ole does deserve our patience though

 

[RooneyLegend]

That's true but I think we need to give OGS a bit more time to evaluate- at least till xmas.

On reflection I think there was a difference in the result to Palace than some of the other games we lost/drew with him last season where in those in didn't feel like we could win whereas I think we definitely could have and probably should have won this game. Similarly against Wolves there was a marked difference imo.

That's not to say the performances didn't have problems or there aren't issues in the squad/tactics etc but ultimately from the little we've seen I think there is more good than bad under the surface.

Add to that I think we have improved the defence and with more time they will get to know each other better, there's a lot of new relationships there, essentially everyone is playing alongside someone they've never played with before as even Shaw and Lindelof are on different sides.

We're clearly gambling on attack and midfield but again on reflection given some of players are not playing at their best/adjusting I think there is promise there. Not enough that this is a midfield/attack that will compete for the league this season but if it can get us top 4 with the likes of Rashford, Martial, Fred, James, McT showing that they can step up then that puts us in a good place to be able to enhance the team by adding the right players who can slot in. E.g I think Martial has had a really positive impact in the 3 games up top and done better than I thought he'd do there, hopefully we get to a point where we're comfortable he can be out number 9 long term and that's then money we can invest elsewhere in the team.

Don't get me wrong I think it's going to be a painful season at times as we have gambled both on players staying fit and in players stepping up, personally I think we should have gotten another attacker as I don't think lingard should be a first team fixture, but I do think we have taken steps fwd and really don't see why we can't compete for 3/4 if we get lucky with injuries as I don't think Arsenal/Chelsea are all that and Spurs seem to be holding themselves back by benching some players.

I know none of us want to be competing for 3-4 but we have to accept where we are currently and so for me getting top 4 and a good cup run would be a result with this young team and I think put us in a better position to really identify and focus on what we need to challenge and help us be a more attractive place for players as they can see we're building something and in line with our history will let young players have a chance. If though we're not going to get Top 4 then I think we have to look at OGS and how quickly he's taking us fwd (subject to funding he's being allowed).

I agree that there are slight improvements but ultimately Ole will fail cause the squad isnt where we need it to be. What's concerning is that he seems to think that it is. Rashford, Lingard and James behind the striker and McT in midfield is asking for trouble. Thats 4 players not good enough to be in a side challenging for top honours in our front 6. Ive never heard of anyone being successful under these conditions.

If he continues to believe in angel dust then he'll fail us. If he continues this British angle we'll be dust. We aren't building a side good enough for the highest level of the game withì these lads.

Tactically he's had good games and bad ones. On the whole i dont think he's as bad a coach as some suggest on here. It means nothing if he cant identify the quality the team needs to be competitive though.

 

[Lee565]

Will be interesting to see how Chelsea do this season, lost their best player and sold on the likes of Luiz and Morata whilst not being able to sign anyone, an unproven manager having to work players that have been loaned out by Chelsea in the past due to not being trusted to play at the highest level.

If they thrive better than us this season what excuses will the board, Woodward and Solskjear have to fall back on for more patience?

 

[Ash_G]

I agree that there are slight improvements but ultimately Ole will fail cause the squad isnt where we need it to be. What's concerning is that he seems to think that it is. Rashford, Lingard and James behind the striker and McT in midfield is asking for trouble. Thats 4 players not good enough to be in a side challenging for top honours in our front 6. Ive never heard of anyone being successful under these conditions.

If he continues to believe in angel dust then he'll fail us. If he continues this British angle we'll be dust. We aren't building a side good enough for the highest level of the game withì these lads.

Tactically he's had good games and bad ones. On the whole i dont think he's as bad a coach as some suggest on here. It means nothing if he cant identify the quality the team needs to be competitive though.

I understand the concerns I just think we need a bit more time to really draw a conclusion.

For me I think Rashford, although frustrating at times is still a good talent and we have to remember that he is playing in a team where he is meant to be one of our main players. When Rooney/Ronaldo were coming through they had many very experienced and good players around them such that it wasn't always on them to perform. I think a Rashford playing in City/Liverpools team would still have poor/frustrating moments but he'd probably get more chances and we'd would accept the annoying aspects more because there are other players who will deliver.

I personally have been quite impressed by James, there's a long way to go with him but I don't think he's just a pace merchant I think he's got a football brain and his workrate is something most players could learn from.

Not all of these players will make it but I don't think it's the long term plan that we settle with all these players long term but more that they're part of a phased transition. Some of them hopefully can become genuine stars e.g. Rashford, Martial maybe James, some of them might just be good squad options e.g. McT maybe even Lingard. I'm not sure though that we should be worried that we're just settling for these players long term I think it's that we're trying to develop the squad by bringing in the right players where we really need them and who want to be here for more than just big money.

Like I said if we can get top 4 with these players and hopefully a defence that is finally where it needs to be than next summer I'd expect we can focus on the midfield and attack and then all of a sudden things could look very different.

It is all speculative and as I've said we have taken a big gamble and we do have to wait and see but I just don't think it's all doom and gloom and I think there is some logic in what we're trying to do (although as said I think we've been overly aggressive in trusting the younger players to step up).

 

[Makaveli1]

6 years patient enough?

 

[RooneyLegend]

I understand the concerns I just think we need a bit more time to really draw a conclusion.

For me I think Rashford, although frustrating at times is still a good talent and we have to remember that he is playing in a team where he is meant to be one of our main players. When Rooney/Ronaldo were coming through they had many very experienced and good players around them such that it wasn't always on them to perform. I think a Rashford playing in City/Liverpools team would still have poor/frustrating moments but he'd probably get more chances and we'd would accept the annoying aspects more because there are other players who will deliver.

I personally have been quite impressed by James, there's a long way to go with him but I don't think he's just a pace merchant I think he's got a football brain and his workrate is something most players could learn from.

Not all of these players will make it but I don't think it's the long term plan that we settle with all these players long term but more that they're part of a phased transition. Some of them hopefully can become genuine stars e.g. Rashford, Martial maybe James, some of them might just be good squad options e.g. McT maybe even Lingard. I'm not sure though that we should be worried that we're just settling for these players long term I think it's that we're trying to develop the squad by bringing in the right players where we really need them and who want to be here for more than just big money.

Like I said if we can get top 4 with these players and hopefully a defence that is finally where it needs to be than next summer I'd expect we can focus on the midfield and attack and then all of a sudden things could look very different.

It is all speculative and as I've said we have taken a big gamble and we do have to wait and see but I just don't think it's all doom and gloom and I think there is some logic in what we're trying to do (although as said I think we've been overly aggressive in trusting the younger players to step up).

Rashford does have alot of talent however im not convinced he'll be a star being used the way he is. James im completely unconvinced by and McT and Lingard will never be good enough.

As you say we used to have a bunch of players we could rely on to produce the goods, now we dont. Unless we get players like that we'll continue to chase our tail. Strangely at times we've tried to sign stars and its gone horribly. We need to start getting that right.

We cant have youngsters here with no real upside (i.e McT) and think its going to work out for us cause apparently we're in transition. All that'll do is further cement our mediocrity. This past window alot of quality got moved around and we didnt even look interested, that is the wrong way to go.

This transition talk would be a good sell if there was a clear plan in place but there clearly isnt. No team trying to reach the pinnacle of the club game would do what we've done and for good reason.

 

[Im red2]

Ole is not at the wheel, Ed Woodward is the one at the wheel and he overrules manager decisions all the time that is the reason we are shit right now. It is like Ole is the manager and making decisions, then comes the Woodward bug and says, you cannot do that. Getting Woodward out of the club would be a great start in a revival of our fortunes.

 

[Im red2]

Is everyone blind? we are a top ten team at best right now, and will remain so until that puppet Woodward is sacked, that might not even solve the problem as the owners are the real problem. They do not give a shit about winning anything as long as the cash is coming, if the cash starts drying up then the Glazers will start to waken up.

 

[slir32]

We are in another transition i get it and we have to be patient again but what i can't understand is losing two midfielders and not bring even one in.

 

[edcunited1878]

How can you have patience when you cannot trust someone?

 

[JK-27]

We've been patient for 6 years Gary, enough is enough.

 

[devilish]

We know for a fact that we were trying hard to sign Dybala and Eriksen. All this nonsense that he won't sign anyone who isn't English is exactly that; nonsense. He obviously wants a British core so he prioritised that this summer as it wasn't there previously. We all know that he'd have had Dybala in a heartbeat, but we couldn't make it happen. I can't think of an all time great team that didn't have a core of players from the country they're from, so it's hardly rocket science.

People here are trying to make out that if a top foreign player becomes available, we're rejecting it because they're foreign. It's complete rubbish, and I have no idea why it's being peddled.

Ole has spent all summer pandering to Pogba despite being undermined by his declarations that he'd like to leave (Ole had said earlier in the summer that Pogba would be staying), and he has made DDG captain. Does this sound like a man who is anti-foreigners. I mean, he is foreign himself ffs. It beggars belief.

Well Shitty doesn't have a British core and they are doing just fine without it aren't they? We on the other hand has always had a British core. What did our current British core achieved exactly? Its talent and attitude that makes team successful not nationality. Keane was Irish and he had more attitude, passion and talent then all our British core put together. Same can be said about the likes of Vidic, Cantona etc. All Sir Alex's teams had been heavily influenced and sometimes dragged to success by the brilliance of non British players from Cantona to Schmeichel from Keane to Stam right to Ronaldo who was the most talented player Sir Alex had ever worked with and RVP whose goals had papered over the cracks of a very weak team allowing the guy to retire with success.

As said talent should be key irrespective of nationality and in a situation like ours when we've got a massive rebuilt in our hands and little financial support from the owners to do it, I do question the wisdom of buying from a league were players are ridiculously overpriced.

 

[tenpoless]

Anyone wants to bet? He'll never say anything that suggest We should fire Ole regardless of how bad the situation is, just like He did with Moyes.
If He does it I'll buy you a KenWood juicer.

 

[Escobar]

Neville talks some more nonsense. In a transition period you need to see progress but we are still stuck for 6 years with the wrong management, structure and transfer strategy

 

[shahzy]

Let's stop using terms like moron and imbecile, shall we? Especially for a club legend.

Sorry to disappoint but i don't subscribe to that way of thinking. A person's character is far more important to me than their status as a legend or not at the team i support. That goes for anyone in life as well. Its not a bandwagon against Neville that's just started

 

[Bobcat]

Have we been in transition though? Until recently a lot of the side were leftovers from SAF and most of the so-called transition players have gone. That seems a bit the wrong way round to me. Most players bought after SAF have been ditched by the following manager. That is probably the biggest conumdrum. Is it bad choice of managers? Should be have kept one of these managers longer or just awful player recruitment? Are we now trusting the same people who made these decisions to back Ole?

I think both. Moyes got only 10 months. Maybe he should have gotten more time, but he did after all take the league winners and took them to 6th so it was understandable he was sacked.
Inn: Fellaini, Mata
Out:

Van Gaal did better, but the football on display was the most mind boring trash that i have ever seen
Inn: Di Maria, Shaw, Herrera, Rojo, Blind, Falcao Marital, Schneiderlin, Depay. Darmian, Schweinsteiger,
Out: Welbeck, Kagawa, Zaha, Evra, Hernandez, Fletcher, Vidic, Ferdinand, Nani, Di Maria, Evans, RvP, Rafael

Then comes Jose, and we all know how that went:
Inn: Pogba, Mkhitarian, Baily, Zlatan, Lukaku, Matic, Lindelof, Sanchez, Fred, Dalot
Out: Schenderlin, Depay, Schweinsteiger, Mkhitarian, Januzaj, Zlatan, Rooney, Blind

Personal opinion, and with the power of hindsight, i see only the bolded ones as decent transfers, so over the year there have been a LOT of bad business done by the club. Another issue is that none of these have managed to replace relics from the Ferguson era like Jones, Smalling and Young and in fact they have been mainstays in many sides.

The amount of wasted money on failed transfers and silly wages have been astronomical.

 

[MrBrightside1989]

How long do transition periods last? We have been in one since the day sir Alex left.

 

[Alexit]

How long do transition periods last? We have been in one since the day sir Alex left.

Yeah, for all the talk about "transition", no one is saying when it started and how long it's expected to last. We've been in "transition" since SAF retired. A lot of the signings since then are no longer at the club, and, with the likes of Ashley Young still around it seems like we're, for the hundreds of millions spent, still "transitioning".

Perhaps that is the new United, never quite settled but in a perpetual state of transition. Oh joy.

 

[rocks12]

Gary thinks his 'mate' Ole is doing a great job - big shock!

 

[fallengt]

Bringing buzzwords and taking everything else out of context. How to be a football pundit 101

This trasition period has been dragged out for way too long and for the most part, it was just the board making wrong decisions.

I'm sure United will figure it out one day but how long till then? We dont fecking know, neither does Neville. He sounds like a man who loves masturbating to his voice

 

[Josep Dowling]

We are in another transition i get it and we have to be patient again but what i can't understand is losing two midfielders and not bring even one in.

Exactly. All this talk of transition but the truth is we have sold or moved on a lot of players and not replaced them. That isn't a transition. The club should be able to spend more than £70m net and we didn't, just like last summer as well. This 'transition' could be done in 2 summers, especially for a club the size of United and getting the right manager in.

 

[Lee565]

If we are languishing around 10th position come January do we still remain patient through this supposed "transition" period? It may sound crazy to think we would be that far back but I'm really not sold on Solskjear being able to manage a team like Newcastle without ending up getting them relegated let alone manage to get United in the top 6.

 

[VeevaVee]

Would it? It was rapidly getting worse and worse, without any signs of it getting better.

His signings (with the exception of Herrera and Shaw who were Moyes buys, and Blind/Romero) were fecking atrocious as well. We're still stuck with some of them.

LVG's reign gets more revisionism than any other because he talks a good game, but in two years we maybe played about five good matches and some of the lows from a performance POV were the worst we've had post-Fergie.

The best we had it was Mourinho's first season - not necessarily brilliant football just fun and it felt like we were finally heading in the right direction.

It's mad how much some people cling on to a few decent performances as if it showed what they would be like consistently one day. Seen it with players loads.

 

[Grande]

How long do transition periods last? We have been in one since the day sir Alex left.

That depends. Moyes transitioned the entire training staff and partly the style of play. Others have commented that this was a transition for the worse, which makes it a good thing he didn’t get much time.

LVG transitioned much of the squad and completely the playing style. His philosophy was a better fit to the club than Moyes’ principles, but the playing style was never going to satisfy United fans, not if you actually saw his Barca sides play. And the players bought in were, in retrospect, a negative squad transition on the whole, wether that be on Woodgate oer Van Gaal or both.

Mourinho found a squad with anti-Mourinho playing style and anti-Mourinho squad. New transition needed. Mourinho transition mostly means, as is well known, mentally tough and experienced players suited to his playing and coaching style in, quick success, and he leaves after him the need for a new transition of squad and playing style. We knew that, and he did okaish after his own standard, based on the starting point.

You could call this a six year transition, but as there have been no continuity at almost any level between managers, it’s really three different transition periods, leaving us with a necessity of one more. You can like it or not, but three years of Mourinho and that playing squad, we are in a transition period now whatever we do.

The most important question to me in a transition is - does it look like we are developing the squad, philosophy and playing style in a direction where we would like to continue from in a couple of years, regardless of who will be manager then. This is what we would have wanted a DoF over Woodgate for anyway. I would say many factors point towards that we are finally building the right direction. Wether it’s fast enough, I’m not sure.

 

[Isotope]

He’s like Lingard. Once he scored or assist in his shite season, his fans start calling him Lingod.