Pogue Mahone
The caf's Camus.
Remember when this used to be a dirty word(s?)
A few years back, when United were re-building, I remember getting beaten by Norwich with a team that had a number of un-forced changes from the previous league game and I was baffled as to why SAF couldn't see the importance of continuity. I wasn't a member but I'm sure this place was full of caftards moaning about the need for a settled XI.
Similarly, squad rotation was the stick used to bear Benitez in his initial years in the PL, ditto Ranieri at Chelsea.
Now look what's happened. I don't think there's two United fans out there who could agree on our best starting XI. Every league game brings a different line-up and it's almost impossible to predict which team SAF will pick for any given game. Squad rotation is here to stay.
Obviously, not many clubs have the strength in depth to rotate as effectively as we do but I think SAF deserves credit for predicting a future where we would be challenging for so many different trophies and it would be impossible to continue with the tradition of a "first XI", backed up by "squad players". I think the fact we've been rotating for these last few years has created a squad of players that accepts they won't start every game and realises this is for the good of the team. I think this is our biggest strength right now, our ability to shake things up and still field a team of motivated, hungry professionals who realise that they may not play again for a few games but who don't feel the need to go out there and try to prove a point.
Not sure exactly what kind of discussion I'm trying to kick off here (other than to give more praise to the God-like genius of SAF) but I guess I'm just curious if anyone else gone through the same transition that I have - from finding squad rotation pointless and irritating to realising that it is a crucial part of running a modern football club?
A few years back, when United were re-building, I remember getting beaten by Norwich with a team that had a number of un-forced changes from the previous league game and I was baffled as to why SAF couldn't see the importance of continuity. I wasn't a member but I'm sure this place was full of caftards moaning about the need for a settled XI.
Similarly, squad rotation was the stick used to bear Benitez in his initial years in the PL, ditto Ranieri at Chelsea.
Now look what's happened. I don't think there's two United fans out there who could agree on our best starting XI. Every league game brings a different line-up and it's almost impossible to predict which team SAF will pick for any given game. Squad rotation is here to stay.
Obviously, not many clubs have the strength in depth to rotate as effectively as we do but I think SAF deserves credit for predicting a future where we would be challenging for so many different trophies and it would be impossible to continue with the tradition of a "first XI", backed up by "squad players". I think the fact we've been rotating for these last few years has created a squad of players that accepts they won't start every game and realises this is for the good of the team. I think this is our biggest strength right now, our ability to shake things up and still field a team of motivated, hungry professionals who realise that they may not play again for a few games but who don't feel the need to go out there and try to prove a point.
Not sure exactly what kind of discussion I'm trying to kick off here (other than to give more praise to the God-like genius of SAF) but I guess I'm just curious if anyone else gone through the same transition that I have - from finding squad rotation pointless and irritating to realising that it is a crucial part of running a modern football club?