Solskjær press conference vs Leicester

[amolbhatia50k]

The injury news is obviously bad but the comments below were the enthusiasm killer.

We can expect our football to very exciting then.

 

[devilish]

Sorry devilish, couldn't help it.

Its cool. Calciopoli was a scandal within a scandal within a scandal. The ones bringing proof against Juventus, Milan and co happened to be Moratti's business partners (ie Inter's former owner) whom, quite conveniently, omitted anything related with Inter while concurrently shifting the blame on others. Basically most top clubs in Italy were blamed apart from, well, Inter.

However that's just a small part of Juventus history, a history btw, who had seen Juventus being a dominating force in the Serie A for 6 decades including their ability to go from Serie B to Serie A champions in just 5 years. That successful stretch boils down not on Juventus ability to spend (they often work on smaller budgets then the typical big club) but on their ability to pick up the right talent for their team, often on the cheap. Considering that we are traditionally not a club who likes throwing money away for the sake of it then we really should have a look at their model which relies heavily on meritocracy with people hired at top level who are experienced in the job they cover rather then on either sentimentalism or ability to do something else. A world class admin team and board of directors can take away most of the manager's responsibilities (recruitment, scouting etc) removing our dependence on brilliant 1 man army type managers.

 

[Eoin McMahon]

Its cool. Calciopoli was a scandal within a scandal within a scandal. The ones bringing proof against Juventus, Milan and co happened to be Moratti's business partners (ie Inter's former owner) whom, quite conveniently, omitted anything related with Inter. Basically most top clubs in Italy were blamed apart from, well, Inter.

However that's just a small part of Juventus history, a history btw, who had seen Juventus being a dominating force in the Serie A for 6 decades. That successful stretch boils down not on Juventus ability to spend (they often work on smaller budgets then the typical big club) but on their ability to pick up the right talent for their team, often on the cheap. Considering that we are traditionally not a club who likes throwing money away for the sake of it then we really should have a look at their model which relies heavily on meritocracy with people hired who are experienced in their job rather then on sentimentalism

Problem is that a change in structure or even just the introduction of new roles within the club that would modernize the running of the club will never happen while the Glazers own the club.
They have been left in charge of a club with no knowledge or experience of doing so and the club will continue to struggle unless a complete restructure happens and allows the club to finally run things with professionalism and knowledge befitting of a club of this stature

 

[devilish]

Problem is that a change in structure or even just the introduction off new roles within the club that would modernize the running of the club will never happen while the Glazers own the club.
They have been left in charge of a club with no knowledge or experience of doing so and the club will continue to struggle unless a complete restructure happens and allows the club to finally run things with professionalism and knowledge befitting of a club of this stature

That restructure doesn't necessarily need an in depth knowledge about football from the owner's side. All they need to do is to embrace the fact that Woodward had failed big time as a football CEO and hire someone experienced in the role instead. If lets say we managed to persuade Marotta to come to United then rest assured that the guy will build that structure himself. That's what he did with Juventus when he brought Paratici and Conte to the club.

 

[Eoin McMahon]

That restructure doesn't necessarily need an in depth knowledge about football from the owner's side. All they need to do is to embrace the fact that Woodward had failed big time as a football CEO and hire someone experienced in the role instead. If lets say we managed to persuade Marotta to come to United then rest assured that the guy will build that structure himself.

If you look at the structure in place at Utd there is very little in place of people that link the playing and coaching staff to board itself. All that links the two is the CEO which is crazy for a club this size to have one man in the modern game to be left that workload and especially one like Ed Woodward who was thrown into the role following Ferguson and Gills simultaneous departure. The lack of a clear plan for after Fergie and Gill left is a huge reason for a the disaster that has followed. The two men who had dealt with all footballing decisions at board level for the past 25 years left a absolute mess behind and not much has changed.

 

[devilish]

If you look at the structure in place at Utd there is very little in place of people that link the playing and coaching staff to board itself. All that links the two is the CEO which is crazy for a club this size to have one man in the modern game to be left that workload and especially one like Ed Woodward who was thrown into the role following Ferguson and Gills simultaneous departure. The lack of a clear plan for after Fergie and Gill left is a huge reason for a the disaster that has followed. The two men who had dealt with all footballing decisions at board level for the past 25 years left a absolute mess behind and not much has changed.

I don't want to sound as if I am defending Woodward which I am not. However I think our system has been flawed long before he joined. We had CEOs who refused to give Sir Alex a pay rise unless he bring proof that managers are truly being paid the amount Sir Alex was asking for. We forced the man to sell Stam cause we needed cash flow not to forget the disastrous value strategy under Gill. I believe we won the lot not thanks to the board but despite of it. Now that Sir Alex is gone....... No wonder Gill left the moment Sir Alex did

Financial people should focus on what they know best. They should stir away from football matters

 

[Ban]

Its cool. Calciopoli was a scandal within a scandal within a scandal. The ones bringing proof against Juventus, Milan and co happened to be Moratti's business partners (ie Inter's former owner) whom, quite conveniently, omitted anything related with Inter while concurrently shifting the blame on others. Basically most top clubs in Italy were blamed apart from, well, Inter.

However that's just a small part of Juventus history, a history btw, who had seen Juventus being a dominating force in the Serie A for 6 decades including their ability to go from Serie B to Serie A champions in just 5 years. That successful stretch boils down not on Juventus ability to spend (they often work on smaller budgets then the typical big club) but on their ability to pick up the right talent for their team, often on the cheap. Considering that we are traditionally not a club who likes throwing money away for the sake of it then we really should have a look at their model which relies heavily on meritocracy with people hired at top level who are experienced in the job they cover rather then on either sentimentalism or ability to do something else. A world class admin team and board of directors can take away most of the manager's responsibilities (recruitment, scouting etc) removing our dependence on brilliant 1 man army type managers.

Agree. Just had a wee laugh about you mentioning Juventus. I just feel we're stumbling around trying to get back to top as quickly as possible which is a vicious circle cause we're making one big mistake after another. Dare I say Liverpool is a proof how things can change if you have a plan and right people in right places.

 

[Eoin McMahon]

I don't want to sound as if I am defending Woodward which I am not. However I think our system has been flawed long before he joined. We had CEOs who refused to give Sir Alex a pay rise unless he bring proof that managers are truly being paid the amount Sir Alex was asking for. We forced the man to sell Stam cause we needed cash flow not to forget the disastrous value strategy under Gill. I believe we won the lot not thanks to the board but despite of it. Now that Sir Alex is gone....... No wonder Gill left the moment Sir Alex did

Financial people should focus on what they know best. They should stir away from football matters

You see the structure at clubs for years was the manager and CEO would be the link between board to playing staff and they would control the likes of transfers, contracts and other issues that would directly affect results on the field.
SAF and Gill fulfilled these roles which at the time was the common trend among clubs for years. However when the retired and left the club with that gaping void to fill and no plan in place the club appointed Woodward in a role that he had no experience or knowledge of doing and this along with a number of big decisions such as transfers and new managers were left to the Glazers who had never had to make decisions prior to SAF leaving and this was huge.

Clubs such as Spurs, City and Pool have been under new ownership in that time since and were able to bring in a structure that splits the workload between people that have a clear idea of what needs to be done. This is where we have fallen way behind and continue to fall behind.

 

[devilish]

Agree. Just had a wee laugh about you mentioning Juventus. I just feel we're stumbling around trying to get back to top as quickly as possible which is a vicious circle cause we're making one big mistake after another. Dare I say Liverpool is a proof how things can change if you have a plan and right people in right places.

Sometimes I do get criticised for only highlighting the bad parts of the club. That's a legitimate criticism for someone to make. United's financial aspect of the club is flawless, a model that is envied throughout the world. The likes of Kenyon and Bolingbroke were hired by foreign clubs specifically to try to import that aspect from our club.

However I fear that such a thing came at a price. The club was so busy developing that aspect of the club that they never really developed the football aspect of it. Sir Alex papered the cracks the best way he could but now that he's gone....

As said, certain aspects of our model is envied and copied throughout the world. I see nothing wrong in us doing the same by learning from others and adapt what we've learnt to suit our needs.

 

[sideshow_bob]

So with all the injuries can we finally expect to see Fred on the pitch today or has he retired?

 

[devilish]

You see the structure at clubs for years was the manager and CEO would be the link between board to playing staff and they would control the likes of transfers, contracts and other issues that would directly affect results on the field.
SAF and Gill fulfilled these roles which at the time was the common trend among clubs for years. However when the retired and left the club with that gaping void to fill and no plan in place the club appointed Woodward in a role that he had no experience or knowledge of doing and this along with a number of big decisions such as transfers and new managers were left to the Glazers who had never had to make decisions prior to SAF leaving and this was huge.

Clubs such as Spurs, City and Pool have been under new ownership in that time since and were able to bring in a structure that splits the workload between people that have a clear idea of what needs to be done. This is where we have fallen way behind and continue to fall behind.

As said, in previous posts, I think the system was flawed long before Sir Alex retired. The difference between then and now was that Sir Alex was here to paper the cracks. Once Sir Alex retired everything went tits up. No wonder why Gill left the moment Sir Alex retired. He knew exactly what would happened when the great man retired.

 

[Ban]

Sometimes I do get criticised for only highlighting the bad parts of the club. That's a legitimate criticism for someone to make. United's financial aspect of the club is flawless, a model that is envied throughout the world. The likes of Kenyon and Bolingbroke were hired by foreign clubs specifically to try to import that aspect from our club.

However I fear that such a thing came at a price. The club was so busy developing that aspect of the club that they never really developed the football aspect of it. Sir Alex papered the cracks the best way he could but now that he's gone....

As said, certain aspects of our model is envied and copied throughout the world. I see nothing wrong in us doing the same by learning from others and adapt what we've learnt to suit our needs.

It's as if we're still acting like we're too big to fail. Instead of making structural changes the club has dropped standards. Instead of trying to get on top now top 4 is a new goal. Or I don't know what the goal is exactly anymore.

 

[minh_loc_xoay]

Clubs such as Spurs, City and Pool have been under new ownership in that time since and were able to bring in a structure that splits the workload between people that have a clear idea of what needs to be done. This is where we have fallen way behind and continue to fall behind.

I don't understand why our fanbase seems to detest the Arabs so much. New ownership leads to change in structure, and the current management structure of our team is horrible. And there is no way the Glazers or Woodward would change that. Other teams have been evaluated or saved from being in the wilderness by their change in structure. Yet our own fanbase seems well against it.

 

[devilish]

It's as if we're still acting like we're too big to fail. Instead of making structural changes the club has dropped standards. Instead of trying to get on top now top 4 is a new goal. Or I don't know what the goal is exactly anymore.

I agree. I often wonder if the Glazers had simply lost hope and are limiting the expenses with the idea of selling up in the near future

 

[Leftback99]

Rashford is more of an Origi then a Salah though. We are stacked with players in first team who should be squad players at best. If you take Martial and Pogba out of the equation then our midfield and forward line is mid tier club level at best

Yeah it's the first XI that isn't good enough rather than the back ups. Two injuries shouldn't make it look so weak.

Not buying extra squad players in the summer isn't the issue, it's that we miss that extra quality starter at number 10 or RW. In the end its probably just going to be Matic for Pogba today from the Southampton game.

 

[POF]

Didn't sign a CM... great I guess Matic will start

Not disagreeing with you but how sad is it that United have a £40m signing from 2 summers ago and a £50m signing from last summer to come into the side and the general consensus is that the squad is down to the bare bones?

 

[Cassidy]

Not disagreeing with you but how sad is it that United have a £40m signing from 2 summers ago and a £50m signing from last summer to come into the side and the general consensus is that the squad is down to the bare bones?

Very!

 

[Needham]

Dybala would look good about now.

 

[devilish]

Yeah it's the first XI that isn't good enough rather than the back ups. Two injuries shouldn't make it look so weak.

Not buying extra squad players in the summer isn't the issue, it's that we miss that extra quality starter at number 10 or RW. In the end its probably just going to be Matic for Pogba today from the Southampton game.

A big chunk of our first team is squad player's level at best while the majority of our squad players are deadwood. What United should have done was to sign as many players at first team level as possible while concurrently get rid of all the deadwood. The likes of Tuanzebe, Chong and Greenwood would have added quality strength in depth.

 

[POF]

It's as if we're still acting like we're too big to fail. Instead of making structural changes the club has dropped standards. Instead of trying to get on top now top 4 is a new goal. Or I don't know what the goal is exactly anymore.

Based on the last 6 years it would seem to be to waste as much money as possible.

 

[Ban]

Based on the last 6 years it would seem to be to waste as much money as possible.

That too. Throwing shit on the wall and hope it sticks.

 

[Judas]

I don't understand why our fanbase seems to detest the Arabs so much. New ownership leads to change in structure, and the current management structure of our team is horrible. And there is no way the Glazers or Woodward would change that. Other teams have been evaluated or saved from being in the wilderness by their change in structure. Yet our own fanbase seems well against it.

If you don't understand why most people with any sense are against a Saudi takeover then you can't be paying much attention. We all know what they could do on a sporting level for the club, but some things are bigger than that.

 

[Revaulx]

I am not referencing weight control. There is something wrong with our sports science/physio's. It's not normal year after year to have so many muscle injuries like this.

Afraid I muddied the waters with the weight issue. I was merely using it as a further example of the medical/fitness team’s uselessness.

 

[AFC NimbleThumb]

I don't understand why our fanbase seems to detest the Arabs so much. New ownership leads to change in structure, and the current management structure of our team is horrible. And there is no way the Glazers or Woodward would change that. Other teams have been evaluated or saved from being in the wilderness by their change in structure. Yet our own fanbase seems well against it.

It’s the elitism that riddles our fanbase. It makes some sleep better knowing that despite being a far better run club for about a decade City are FFP scoundrels & their owners are bond villains.

Same people have no issue supporting companies like Facebook that will exploit users information etc. but god forbid these sand people touch our club.

As if we haven’t got a shameful poverty rate in this company & ‘unskilled’ workers aren’t exploited with 0 hour contracts.

I digress, bring in the Saudis!

 

[GlastonSpur]

SAF and Gill … when the retired and left the club with that gaping void to fill and no plan in place the club appointed Woodward in a role that he had no experience or knowledge of doing and this along with a number of big decisions such as transfers and new managers were left to the Glazers who had never had to make decisions prior to SAF leaving and this was huge.

Clubs such as Spurs, City and Pool have been under new ownership in that time since …

Spurs have had the same owners for the last 18 years and counting.

 

[sugar_kane]

Don't be nervous, we'll win comfortably.

Leicester fan?

First game of the season for me today. Was excited when I booked the ticket back in July, still excited now but way less confident about a result.

 

[Mainoldo]

Leicester don't have the same expectations as us, can't compare unless our board has shifted the clubs ambitions, which wouldn't surprise me at all tbh, let's just aspire to make top 4 on a regular basis and make a profit instead of gambling a lot of money and try to be the best.

I don’t see how spending 80£m is having the same expectations.

You’re missing the point. Don’t matter what the scale business is business.

 

[Denis79]

I don’t see how spending 80£m is having the same expectations.

You’re missing the point. Don’t matter what the scale business is business.

Oh it matters, if a business has plans to let's say expand, become bigger, better, they invest, in infrastructure, machines, personnel depending on the trade. While other stay happy with what they got.

The old security firm I worked at never sent us on different training programs and had us use very old equipment, the people in charge were happy where they were and made a great profit.

My new firm invest in state of the art equipment, hires consultants and sends us bi-monthly to different training programs, they want to grow and become a top security firm. The last 4 years they've made no profit but they are hoping to become one of the best firms within the sector and hopefully reap the rewards then.

All companies are not run the same, they reflect the intentions of their owners.

 

[Mainoldo]

Oh it matters, if a business has plans to let's say expand, become bigger, better, they invest, in infrastructure, machines, personnel depending on the trade. While other stay happy with what they got.

The old security firm I worked at never sent us on different training programs and had us use very old equipment, the people in charge were happy where they were and made a great profit.

My new firm invest in state of the art equipment, hires consultants and sends us bi-monthly to different training programs, they want to grow and become a top security firm. The last 4 years they've made no profit but they are hoping to become one of the best firms within the sector and hopefully reap the rewards then.

All companies are not run the same, they reflect the intentions of their owners.

Good point but you answered your own question. A ‘new’ firm and willing to make ‘no profit’.

So who in EPL is that then? Wolves? Because it’s sure not no one else. United will not be taking those risk either. So unless we get a high quality manager of the level of Pep and Klopp get use to it.

 

[gerdm07]

Crap, the match is not on TV in the US. This is what happens when a club with a large following becomes a little better then average. Is this what you wanted Glazers? It used to be United was on every week in the US. I could see NBC deciding soon that United should only be on TV every other week, or every three weeks. Glazers, do you understand that United's world following will decrease if we continue down this path? We have to spend more wisely on players! It boggles my mind that management spent so much money on Fred, Mikhi, Schneiderlin, Schwiensteiger and Sanchez.

 

[Denis79]

Good point but you answered your own question. A ‘new’ firm and willing to make ‘no profit’.

So who in EPL is that then? Wolves? Because it’s sure not no one else. United will not be taking those risk either. So unless we get a high quality manager of the level of Pep and Klopp get use to it.

My firm isn't new, just new owners who aspire higher than the previous ones, it's new to me because I was recently employed. I get your point just saying all companies aren't run the same with the same ambitions, same model.

 

[Denis79]

Unfortunately bud me to, I would be stunned if he goes for the first line up, hope I am wrong but have a bad feeling we will be sat watching Matic Mata Pereira getting smoked quite comfortably by Leicester

And so it was...

 

[Eoin McMahon]

Spurs have had the same owners for the last 18 years and counting.

True the ENIC group have been majority shareholders since 2001 and also had a similar structure to us and many other clubs at the time. I feel that the changes the club has undertaken over the last 10 years from the structure of the club to the transfer dealings and finally the new stadium that caps off an incredible transformation for Spurs that they can be proud of.

The willingness of the likes of Levy, Lewis and the board to adapt and to embrace the modern games ideas and methods in which has proven to have improved the clubs that did. I can see where your coming from guy in how a change in ownership won't guarantee the changes that we need will be made, however surely you can see that the Glazers will not take the plunge that Levy and ENIC did and possibly harm there cash cow. Cheers for the little correction btw the spurs owners are 18 years over the club I suppose thats not new or old ownership really. But anyway good talk!

 

[GlastonSpur]

True the ENIC group have been majority shareholders since 2001 and also had a similar structure to us and many other clubs at the time. I feel that the changes the club has undertaken over the last 10 years from the structure of the club to the transfer dealings and finally the new stadium that caps off an incredible transformation for Spurs that they can be proud of.

The willingness of the likes of Levy, Lewis and the board to adapt and to embrace the modern games ideas and methods in which has proven to have improved the clubs that did. I can see where your coming from guy in how a change in ownership won't guarantee the changes that we need will be made, however surely you can see that the Glazers will not take the plunge that Levy and ENIC did and possibly harm there cash cow. Cheers for the little correction btw the spurs owners are 18 years over the club I suppose thats not new or old ownership really. But anyway good talk!

I'm not disagreeing that United could do with new owners.

 

[Eoin McMahon]

I'm not disagreeing that United could do with new owners.

I never asked what your opinion is on the ownership, I just put your correction of me about the Spurs owners being not really new owners into a more detailed and through correction for you so your post would be better understood by anyone scrolling through.

 

[StrettyEnder07]

And so it was...

Haha yeah just as predicted, lucky to snatch the win but will take it

 

[Denis79]

Haha yeah just as predicted, lucky to snatch the win but will take it

Did well considering our injuries, McTominay showed some real gusto!

 

[nainaisson]

Crap, the match is not on TV in the US. This is what happens when a club with a large following becomes a little better then average.

No, it's because greedy NBC want people to pay for their streaming service. If NBC show every United and Liverstool game on television, the two most popular English clubs in America, no one will sign up for NBC Sports Gold.

 

[oz insomniac]

No, it's because greedy NBC want people to pay for their streaming service. If NBC show every United and Liverstool game on television, the two most popular English clubs in America, no one will sign up for NBC Sports Gold.

Even worse here in Oz, they sold the rights to a phone company for streaming who won't on sell to cable or free to air tv. It was all about getting phone subscribers, now the EPL is not as much in conversation as before.

Greed in the name of the game, not the distribution it seems. The NFL is gaining traction as it is on both free to air and cable, greed for dollars is not benefitting the game overall.

 

[StrettyEnder07]

Did well considering our injuries, McTominay showed some real gusto!

He was everywhere, brilliant! Yeah big win that, suddenly our start does not look to bad, big game next week at West Ham, smoked there last year