Solskjær press conference vs Leicester

[Mainoldo]

It's just strange that Dybala and Eriksen keep popping up as players we didn't get.

They were just opportunistic potential buys due to the Lukaku situation and Eriksen not agreeing to Levy's contract.

Who were our main, initial targets before the window began? What about the 2nd choices and please don't get me started on fecking Longstaff! This club is in total disarray! Only God can save us.

Ask Ole. He picked the targets. Also my point I doubt this "committy" he was talking about picked Dybala as a replacement for Lukaku and Eriksen for a replacement for Herrera. If this was the case why did they just appear out of nowhere.. we are the most leaked club when it comes to transfer business and even if this was our plans what the hell was play B? Longstaff?!!!!!

It's frustrating. I've had enough with the board and their incompetence. But too many people are giving Ole a free ride when he is a politician when it comes to his words and what he actually does.

 

[gerdm07]

Think Pogba will be out more than he is in this season until he gets what he wants, a move away.
It would be better if we could move him on in January. Kroos and maybe another player in the deal,plus cash.

I guess you have never had an ankle injury. I can't believe so many of you want to think Pogba has ulterior motives.

 

[M Bison]

I'd rather we went with some of the U23's and got beat, rather than see some of the old boys rolled out. Matic, Rojo, Young, Mata - i'd just gamble with the young lads, it cant be any worse than with those plodders playing.

 

[Eriku]

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.

No, you were just responding to a point about weight. You pivoted like a politician with a favourite talking point. That's all I was saying.

 

[DomesticTadpole]

This gets thrown around here a lot? What does this actually entail? Teams should be scared cos of the name or what? We are certainly not a top team anymore so dunno wat all the fuss is about us being 'Manchester fecking United'. The fear factor had dissappeared with Fergie's retirement. Opposition fans, coaches and players recognise that.

You are right, but wrong as well. We are Manchester United and yes teams should be scared of us, because we should have the best of everything, Stadium, players, manager, coaches everything. The fact that we haven't, whose fault is that? You are right that teams are no longer scared of us and that should never be the case.

 

[Adam-Utd]

I am not Solkjaer out, but even I can see that since the PSG match, we have shown terrible form.
We are currently in 8th place.
Surely, you know/understand this?

Obviously we've had a poor run at the end of last season but context is also important.

We were 2 penalty kicks away and a header away from having 4 wins in a row.

 

[Majima]

Problem with Ole is he has only known good times with United, not sure he knows how to deal with bad times. This will be one hell of a shock to him, he knew we needed work, but he is now on the inside and cannot be impressed with how we do our business. We have not strengthened anywhere near enough. I know you cannot do it all at once, but it could get even harder to recruit quality if we slip further into the abyss. I think Ole is blissfully naive.

Yeah i don't think he realised at the time that this isn't the same Manchester United anymore. The soul has been ripped out and replaced with corporate greed, looking to bleed us dry & leave an empty carcass in their wake as they disappear to the Everglades. I don't know how Ole stands a chance against that, or anyone for that matter. We've seen first-hand, how they have spat out LVG & Mourinho who are infinitely better managers with more respect.

His youth idea is a laudable idea in a vacuum, but it looks like it is being used against him & he is just getting taken advantage of by the owners & Woodward.

 

[DomesticTadpole]

Ask Ole. He picked the targets. Also my point I doubt this "committy" he was talking about picked Dybala as a replacement for Lukaku and Eriksen for a replacement for Herrera. If this was the case why did they just appear out of nowhere.. we are the most leaked club when it comes to transfer business and even if this was our plans what the hell was play B? Longstaff?!!!!!

It's frustrating. I've had enough with the board and their incompetence. But too many people are giving Ole a free ride when he is a politician when it comes to his words and what he actually does.

It's absolutely nuts. How the hell can we go from supposedly desiring Eriksen to then lust after Sean Longstaff. Who is now injured again of course, so we will not see how he deals with Liverpool. It is either we go for apparently out of reach targets or kids who are still wet behind the ears. There are young players out there who are far more established than Sean Longstaff. It isn't like we are great at developing young players at first team level.

 

[dev1l]

Whatever he says he ll get slated for it over here

 

[ash_86]

I dont think ed is the real problem. We just havent hit jackpot with appointing the right manager.

Liverpool pre klopp is the same mess as we are. Brendan hits 2nd and sacked. Kenny.

Ed and the board are just easy scapegoat. Our problems can easilly be solved short term by appointing the right manager. If we appointed klopp instead of Moyes back then, back him with 400m we wouldnt be in this mess.

If magically we have a new sets of owner and ceo it still doesnt make our team suddenly plays better. Ole will still be ole, pogba will still be pogba.

What you are forgetting is to appoint a competent manager we need a competent board. It's them who make all the decisions. If we sack Ole we might easily end up with another manager of same prowess. City's board coveted Pep for years making the perfect stage for his entrance. Do you think ours is capable of doing that?

 

[Sky1981]

Ask Ole. He picked the targets. Also my point I doubt this "committy" he was talking about picked Dybala as a replacement for Lukaku and Eriksen for a replacement for Herrera. If this was the case why did they just appear out of nowhere.. we are the most leaked club when it comes to transfer business and even if this was our plans what the hell was play B? Longstaff?!!!!!

It's frustrating. I've had enough with the board and their incompetence. But too many people are giving Ole a free ride when he is a politician when it comes to his words and what he actually does.

Part of being a good manager is when you can convince your boss to agree with your targets, picking not only the right target but reasonably attainable, and fought for it with the boards if you have to. Fergie has done so, fighting tooth and nails over players he wanted in the past.

It's easy to list messi, bale, kroos, as target and blame it on the board when you dont get them. The board isnt football man, it's up to the manager and agents to know whether they're attainable or not.

Do we make approaches for any other players apart from awb and maguire? I dont think so or we would have heard bits and pieces about it.

There are players with release clause and many more playing for foreign clubs that we can outmuscle financially. For 10m we can handpick any Norwegian players we want and most probably gets him without much fuse. There's alot untapped potential that while may not be guaranteed first starter worth a punt, certainly better than not doing anything at all.

Our best purchase in recent years is a 15m winger from the championship.

 

[Eckers99]

I know. It is sickening. Let's hope we prove people wrong.

The sad thing is, there's a nugget of truth to it. Leicester have improved at pretty much the same rate we've faded. This kind of game is becoming vital to us. The way we've been managed over this period of time is borderline scandalous considering our stature, funds etc.

 

[Sky1981]

What you are forgetting is to appoint a competent manager we need a competent board. It's them who make all the decisions. If we sack Ole we might easily end up with another manager of same prowess. City's board coveted Pep for years making the perfect stage for his entrance. Do you think ours is capable of doing that?

Not really. A board is also human. We're just shifting the responsible from one man to another. I dont think even a board full of footballing sages like saf, Neville, wenger rolled into one can pick the right horse.

For the board to pick a winner they must be lucky with their pick, or has the foresight of a divine being.

If 6 years ago saf was made as dof everybody would have agreed he's the go to man to choose the next united manager. We all know how he ended up with moyes.

In regards with city i think it's the other way around. Txisi is peps extension, and not the other way around. Tsixi didnt set pep how to play or who to buy. More like pep instructed him to set up the structure 1 year prior to his arrival.

For a dof or technical board to success they'll have to be better and wiser than the manager they employ. If the manager is wiser anything the board does will only hampers him. Can you imagine if we set up a board to tell fergie what to do? Who to buy? It'll only hamper fergie. It hampers brendan and rafael benitez at liverpool.

I believe football is simple, appoint the right man to run things. Manager is the simplest way. Appoint a good one and let him lead. We just havent find the right one.

A new owner or ceo will still wont make ole becomes twice as good a manager. This things works in tandem, you install a good manager you trust, and include him in the rebuilt, set up a coach that knows what to do, let him coordinate with our scouts and at the end of the day he'll be the decision maker. Not other way around.

 

[romufc]

A new owner or ceo will still wont make ole becomes twice as good a manager.

Jose was one of the best managers when we appointed him.

You cannot keep changing managers hoping we will get lucky with one, it doesn't actually work like that.

Manager comes in and is promised lets say £200m and 6 months later the board say no to spend that you need to sell, when the CEO is incompetent the manager cannot do anything.

How do you expect a CEO who has probably no clue about football to hire managers? based on what?

 

[ivaldo]

I honestly don't know if you are trolling or being deadly serious here.

We will smash em.

 

[Mark Pawelek]

it could get even harder to recruit quality if we slip further into the abyss.

The abyss is the Championship. United finished 6th last year not 17th.

 

[ash_86]

Not really. A board is also human. We're just shifting the responsible from one man to another. I dont think even a board full of footballing sages like saf, Neville, wenger rolled into one can pick the right horse.

For the board to pick a winner they must be lucky with their pick, or has the foresight of a divine being.

If 6 years ago saf was made as dof everybody would have agreed he's the go to man to choose the next united manager. We all know how he ended up with moyes.

In regards with city i think it's the other way around. Txisi is peps extension, and not the other way around. Tsixi didnt set pep how to play or who to buy. More like pep instructed him to set up the structure 1 year prior to his arrival.

For a dof or technical board to success they'll have to be better and wiser than the manager they employ. If the manager is wiser anything the board does will only hampers him. Can you imagine if we set up a board to tell fergie what to do? Who to buy? It'll only hamper fergie. It hampers brendan and rafael benitez at liverpool.

I believe football is simple, appoint the right man to run things. Manager is the simplest way. Appoint a good one and let him lead. We just havent find the right one.

A new owner or ceo will still wont make ole becomes twice as good a manager. This things works in tandem, you install a good manager you trust, and include him in the rebuilt, set up a coach that knows what to do, let him coordinate with our scouts and at the end of the day he'll be the decision maker. Not other way around.

The prior step to that is first they(City's board) decide who the right candidate to take them forward. They come to the conclusion Pep would be the right one given the players they have, and the way they want to play. Then they had to convince Pep to come to City(while he was in bayern winning leagues left right and center). This is no mean feat and only a highly competent board could get done.

Coming to our Board, i'm sure you know that Ed met with Klopp before he took over Liverpool. We also know how that meeting ended and eventually Klopp signed for Liverpool. Also remember Klopp was a free agent when this happened and not tied to another club. If our board could not convince Klopp when he was a free agent about our vision and club, what are the chances we get highly rated managers contracted to other clubs? This is where a role of CEO/DOF comes into picture. Even if they find the best of the managers, i have no hope that they could convince them to come and manage us. That is why i say we need to focus on the board rather than the manager.

 

[romufc]

That is why i say we need to focus on the board rather than the manager.

Most sensible people will say that.

 

[arthurka]

Oh come on relax mate, just made fun of the state of this place recently.

Good to know you are ok.. Hope the weekend treats us good.

 

[arthurka]

He eats Dalmatians for breakfast and shits kulen. He has a right to be aggravated though, the club run like a circus. Let's hope the lads have a good game and we come out with a win.

Yes we should hope for something positive for once. Let's Secret the shit out of this.

 

[Enigma_87]

The prior step to that is first they(City's board) decide who the right candidate to take them forward. They come to the conclusion Pep would be the right one given the players they have, and the way they want to play. Then they had to convince Pep to come to City(while he was in bayern winning leagues left right and center). This is no mean feat and only a highly competent board could get done.

Coming to our Board, i'm sure you know that Ed met with Klopp before he took over Liverpool. We also know how that meeting ended and eventually Klopp signed for Liverpool. Also remember Klopp was a free agent when this happened and not tied to another club. If our board could not convince Klopp when he was a free agent about our vision and club, what are the chances we get highly rated managers contracted to other clubs? This is where a role of CEO/DOF comes into picture. Even if they find the best of the managers, i have no hope that they could convince them to come and manage us. That is why i say we need to focus on the board rather than the manager.

Which is easier to change? Board or the manager? And what is more likely to happen in order to change our fortunes - come across a good manager after the Nth sacking or change the board with Ed included?

Even if we focus on the board, how realistically we can change the CEO? Wouldn't it be more viable to get it right like Pool did when learning from their previous appointments and finally getting it right? Their board was seen just as incompetent before that.

 

[devilish]

10:39
Experience over youth?
Solskjaer has a few experienced players who he can turn to.

Not much choice for United, but sounds like Solskjaer will opt for experience over youth in the starting line up.

Ironically think facing an attacking side like Leicester might favour them on the break, and I really wouldn't be surprised if #mufc avoid defeat tomorrow

— Rich Fay (@RichFay) September 13, 2019

As expected, the youth academy talent was used as an excuse for such shambolic transfer strategy. Now that things got real we'll revert to the same old players who let us down in numerous occasions.

 

[devilish]

We'll lose comfortably. Its laughable we allowed ourselves to enter the season with such a weak squad.

You're underestimating the hunger and the intense fitness of Ole's boys.

 

[Adam-Utd]

As expected, the youth academy talent was used as an excuse for such shambolic transfer strategy. Now that things got real we'll revert to the same old players who let us down in numerous occasions.

I really did think Ole would give Chong/Gomes/Greenwood more minutes but perhaps they'll be playing on Thursday night. They can't play 3 times a week.

We have to rely on the (poor) squad to do the business.

 

[devilish]

I dont know

But selling buying player has and always been the manager prerogative at manchester united so the bucks stops at the manager. Pricing and wage you can pin that on ed.

It seems that we're being blinded by the hate for the board and ed that everything's wrong with our club is pinned on ed.

Player being fat, blames it on ed
Player cant pass more than 5 yards, blames it on ed
Manager cant find a starting 11, blames it on ed

Ed is just a ceo. Apart from picking managers (which he does a bad job at it) most of the things we see on the pitch is down to manager. I honestly dont think ed cares or meddles around with how we train, what formation we should play, etc.

ED's negotiating strategy is a mess. He takes too much time to negotiate a deal and when he does conclude a deal he tend to overspend both in terms of fees and salaries. However, his biggest mistake is not appointing someone to do the thinking on the football side of things. That gives managers too much power in an area of expertise they know little about (ie spotting players). I mean ask yourself this simple question. Do you think if we had a top top DOF, he would have allowed Moyes/LVG/Mou to spend shit loads of money/salary on the likes of Fellaini, Bastian, Lukaku, Sanchez and co? Of course not!

 

[devilish]

I really did think Ole would give Chong/Gomes/Greenwood more minutes but perhaps they'll be playing on Thursday night. They can't play 3 times a week.

We have to rely on the (poor) squad to do the business.

So all this outrage about us not spending money because we've got this amazing talent of ours only to then limit their play time against the likes of Astana? FFS we can ask the class of 92 to play that game and they'll probably would do the job. Bloody hell even David May, Bojan, Fortune and Lou Macari from MUTV would probably give these guys a run for their money.

 

[ash_86]

Which is easier to change? Board or the manager? And what is more likely to happen in order to change our fortunes - come across a good manager after the Nth sacking or change the board with Ed included?

Even if we focus on the board, how realistically we can change the CEO? Wouldn't it be more viable to get it right like Pool did when learning from their previous appointments and finally getting it right? Their board was seen just as incompetent before that.

The Liverpool owners have history of turning mediocre sports teams into successful ones (see Red socks and now Liverpool) which is highly in contrast to our owners who does the opposite. After Kenny , Both the managers appointments have been a successful for them. Ole is the fourth appointment by our board and we look as clueless as we were in 2013.

We cannot change the CEO but we need to put enough pressure on Woodward to bring in competent footballing personnel. Season after season ED hides behinds the manager and uses them as shield. We first need to realize this and start revolting agains the CEO and board. At the end of the day Ole is just a sacrificial lamb who might not even last the season. Problem runs deeper than that and we forget this point after every managerial appointment.

 

[Adam-Utd]

So all this outrage about us not spending money because we've got this amazing talent of ours only to then limit their play time against the likes of Astana? FFS we can ask the class of 92 to play that game and they'll probably would do the job. Bloody hell even David May, Bojan, Fortune and Lou Macari from MUTV would probably give these guys a run for their money.

I mean i'm sure eventually they'll play harder opposition, but the Europa league isn't a bad place to start.

It'll be a logical step up for the likes of Garner and Gomes who haven't had a lot of mens football yet.

 

[Enigma_87]

The Liverpool owners have history of turning mediocre sports teams into successful ones (see Red socks and now Liverpool) which is highly in contrast to our owners who does the opposite. After Kenny , Both the managers appointments have been a successful for them. Ole is the fourth appointment by our board and we look as clueless as we were in 2013.

We cannot change the CEO but we need to put enough pressure on Woodward to bring in competent footballing personnel. Season after season ED hides behinds the manager and uses them as shield. We first need to realize this and start revolting agains the CEO and board. At the end of the day Ole is just a sacrificial lamb who might not even last the season. Problem runs deeper than that and we forget this point after every managerial appointment.

No one who wants to change the manager denies that the problems are much deeper. Of course it begins with the CEO who appoints those managers in the first place and even with a new one no one will forget that we need a proper structure, despite some fans who might be fickle and think it’s all ok after a purple patch.

The solution however lies more in getting a proper manager who will bring proper coaching staff and that’s much more likely scenario than trying to oust the CEO in my opinion.

 

[devilish]

I mean i'm sure eventually they'll play harder opposition, but the Europa league isn't a bad place to start.

It'll be a logical step up for the likes of Garner and Gomes who haven't had a lot of mens football yet.

If we can't trust the kids against real opposition then we might as well have signed new players.

 

[roonster09]

I mean i'm sure eventually they'll play harder opposition, but the Europa league isn't a bad place to start.

It'll be a logical step up for the likes of Garner and Gomes who haven't had a lot of mens football yet.

Yeah, should be a good test. Hopefully players like Gomes will get start instead of sub appearance.

Also so many don't even understand what focusing on youth means, they just assume everyone will be promoted from academy to first team. We have already reduced the age of first team.

Out attack is 21 year old Rashford, 23 year old Martial who both were squad players last season and also 21 year old Daniel James.

Our midfielder is 22 year old McTominay

Defense is 21 year old AWB.

Our oldest outfield player is 26 year old Lingard.

Apart from this, we have replaced these players with younger players on the bench. It takes time to integrate them. We already have youngster team in the league. Hopefully young players will improve and push players like Lingard out of starting 11.

 

[Mr President]

Ole " Good morning"
Redcafe " That's it,Get the feck out of our club! "

Funniest shit I've read in ages. Also very true sadly.

 

[90 + 5min]

Football Manager fans here should take it easy. What is wrong with what he said? What are you expecting from him? It doesn't matter what Ole does or says, there are always those who will be against him.

 

[Sky1981]

ED's negotiating strategy is a mess. He takes too much time to negotiate a deal and when he does conclude a deal he tend to overspend both in terms of fees and salaries. However, his biggest mistake is not appointing someone to do the thinking on the football side of things. That gives managers too much power in an area of expertise they know little about (ie spotting players). I mean ask yourself this simple question. Do you think if we had a top top DOF, he would have allowed Moyes/LVG/Mou to spend shit loads of money/salary on the likes of Fellaini, Bastian, Lukaku, Sanchez and co? Of course not!

Nope. But if you hire Mourinho or lvg would you listen to your board or them? Without a hindsight.

You dont hire top managers only to let the board put a leash on how they should play and who they should buy.

It all amounts to appointing the right man. If we appoint klopp he can do the job without the board. And if god forbid we hire the wrong board we'll pretty much make a bigger mess.

 

[mitchmouse]

Obviously we've had a poor run at the end of last season but context is also important.

We were 2 penalty kicks away and a header away from having 4 wins in a row.

and if the sun shone until November we could call it summer....

 

[mitchmouse]

please tell me we won't have to suffer Young and his dreadful passing and even worse defending. Ole is digging his own grave here - but I suspect that was the board's plan all along

 

[#07]

 

[Giuliano Maiorana]

After watching Kompany's testimonial the other night I am convinced that Carrick could do a job tomorrow. Genuinely. Jesus I would take Gary Neville too if Wan Bissaka is out, even with his hammy gone, and Scholes and Giggs

Imagine the meltdown if we see " Carrick rejoins Man Utd for injury crisis"

Or "Scholes is back ( again )”

Brilliant

 

[simonhch]

This is going to brutal. I’ll just check the score later in the day. It’s a waste of time watching us these days.

 

[devilish]

Nope. But if you hire Mourinho or lvg would you listen to your board or them? Without a hindsight.

You dont hire top managers only to let the board put a leash on how they should play and who they should buy.

It all amounts to appointing the right man. If we appoint klopp he can do the job without the board. And if god forbid we hire the wrong board we'll pretty much make a bigger mess.

Managers are there to manage the team not to find new talent. That requires a different skill set and ample time to scout, talk to agents and to analyse the attitude of the targets in question. Meanwhile CEOs like Woodward are experts in numbers and marketing not football

Our biggest issue is the huge void that exists between the manager and the money guys. We have people who are messing into areas they know little or nothing about. That leads to bad decisions and inefficiency