Wednesday at Stoke
Full Member
This is how you lose a squad.
It could easily be from one of the many random staff members who want a bit of extra money on the side. Or a family member or friend of one of the players (I guess in a sense that player is still part of the leak, but he wouldn't be the one going to the press himself). That's not to say it couldn't be a player doing it himself, but it's not the only scenario.If the players aren’t happy it would obviously come from them.
But it’s probably a lot of crap.
One of Fergie's core strengths was squad rotation and the politicking therein. He gave players in his squad hope and didn't isolate nor was his favouritism such that poor players had indeterminacy with regard to their place in his xi.I'm frustrated by some players' inability to keep things in-house and go cry to the media. It's unacceptable.
Imagine if some shite like this came out during the SAF era... they'd need to take out a life insurance.
And how do you know they haven't done those things? How long into a season that is falling apart should the status quo remain?No, theyd need to take out travel insurance. Because they would be gone. All this silly crying makes them look pathetic, if true. Go to the manager, bring it up a team meeting, dont go crying to the press. All it does is feeds the click bait bullshit that puts pressure on the team.
Well said!Press shit stirring again I see. To think they get paid handsome salaries for this shit.
Feck it, this forum may as well become pay as you post. Dont need The Times telling me what the average goon is thinking.
If these reports are true then it's part of a trend that's been going strong since SAF retired. Players crying to the media. A serious lack of discipline.One of Fergie's core strengths was squad rotation and the politicking therein. He gave players in his squad hope and didn't isolate nor was his favouritism such that poor players had indeterminacy with regard to their place in his xi.
All this to say the conditions that generate such fissures and animosity weren't there for any kind of like-for-like situation to even have legs, so it's all well and good saying this doesn't happen under Fergie, but don't forget the reasons why before even respect for him is considered.
This could easily be considered a by-product of Mourinho's management style.
We've had the same issues since Fergie retired with poor man-managers all doing the same thing, so it's not a surprise.If these reports are true then it's part of a trend that's been going strong since SAF retired. Players crying to the media. A serious lack of discipline.
We've had a problem with having not good-enough players feeling unhappy about not only getting their completely undeserved wages but also not having their own way. I would understand if Pereira is unhappy. He could make some comments to that effect under his own name. But we've got a host of players who everyone knows aren't good enough and would never get anywhere near the wages they're on elsewhere, let alone at clubs looking to win anything.We've had the same issues since Fergie retired with poor man-managers all doing the same thing, so it's not a surprise.
Let's toss the other stuff out and focus on on-field favouritism as it is the crux of this discussion. If you've a team-mate who constantly underperforms in your position but gets no reprimand for it whilst the manager just leaves you out to pasture, you're going to have animosity in-camp, how can you not? If you don't, it simply means the players being dumped don't even care and are just happy to train and pick up wages.We've had a problem with having not good-enough players feeling unhappy about not only getting their completely undeserved wages but also not having their own way. I would understand if Pereira is unhappy. He could make some comments to that effect under his own name. But we've got a host of players who everyone knows aren't good enough and would never get anywhere near the wages they're on elsewhere, let alone at clubs looking to win anything.
It's too easy to merely blame the managers. Levy is maybe a bit of a sour puss, but he'd never reward mediocrity like our board does. Also, with the players being unhappy about Sanchez' wages that's not down to Mourinho, you know. So the problems we have with granting new contracts to Martial, De Gea and (maybe) Pogba, is entirely self-made by the board.
The caveat is pretty important. That being said, I don't expect Jose to keep faith in Matic much longer but I think he's not there because he's the favourite but because he follows instructions. He's definitely in bad form now and hopefully Pereira gets his chance. And again, on the topic at hand, it is a huge problem that players feel they can undermine the manager by complaining anonymously to the press. If they can't do so in-house, I'd rather they do it openly.Let's toss the other stuff out and focus on on-field favouritism as it is the crux of this discussion. If you've a team-mate who constantly underperforms in your position but gets no reprimand for it whilst the manager just leaves you out to pasture, you're going to have animosity in-camp, how can you not? If you don't, it simply means the players being dumped don't even care and are just happy to train and pick up wages.
Moyes was terribly isolationist, as was (My captain shall always play) Van Gaal. Mourinho is on another level to both of them in this regard and it's a great strength of his when it works, and a terrible weakness when it doesn't.
These managers create a rod for their own back that the likes of Fergie were skilful and mindful enough to avoid from the outset. The caveat here, of course, is that, unlike all that have come here since, the squad Fergie had was his - all his players, and thus all of one, hive (in a good way) mind. All these other managers have inherited mish-mashes from one another, so you've immediately got friction in that they've got players in their squads they didn't want and would get rid of if they could. Still, the skill there is to at least make those you don't want feel like they have worth and can do a job for you when and as you need them to. Creating such a lopsided and favoured set of players against 'the rest' vying for their position is a recipe for disaster unless 'the chosen' are playing fantastically well. When they don't, but get played regardless... it's poor man-management.
Fred has been on the bench.I don't buy this story, but I personally am frustrated that Matic keeps getting played, so wouldn't blame them if this were true.
What about Fred and Herrera?
Doesnt matter if they have or not, running to the press doesnt help and should never be an option. You cant have squad unity if you dont trust the man next to you. The press doesnt care about making things fair for a player thats being left out, they only care about generating clicks. At the end of the day, its a team game. You do what you can for your team, not yourself. And if really really unhappy, well thats whats transfer requests are for. No manager has ever backed down because his team went crying to the press.And how do you know they haven't done those things? How long into a season that is falling apart should the status quo remain?
There are players being given disparate chances to fail; how much anger do you think that generates in non-favourites who are being directly affected by the selection bias?
These leaks, if not made up, don't put pressure on the team - they put pressure on both Mourinho and the underperforming player.
It’s not uncommon to have a leak in the dressing room as we have had in the past as well which was obviousTBH, it's clearly a BS story based on journalist assumption. I doubt he went to the dressing room to ask the players about Matic. That doesn't change that I want Matic dropped ASAP, but English journalists publish such stories because they know it will appeal to certain group of readers, many of them are in this thread.
When the going gets tough you start hearing these things. Chelsea, Madrid etc all have them when they’re badI never hear these leaks about any other teams.
Either our players are snakes or the journalists are. I hope it's the latter.
In what world is Fernandinho a nimble, highly technical attacking midfielder?Matic always plays as he has the physical attributes that Jose loves and believes must be present in a successful team!
Problem is, he's 15 years out of date! City are proving (before them Barcelona) that three nimble, highly technical attacking midfielders that can press and tackle will outdo tall sloths! Mou won't change though
Considering he's 33 i'd say he's doing alright.In what world is Fernandinho a nimble, highly technical attacking midfielder?
Umm, ok? How does that make him a nimble, highly technical attacking midfielder?Considering he's 33 i'd say he's doing alright.
Swap him for Matic and we'd be a hell of a lot better.
Well he beat Lingard in a foot race? can't be that bad after all.Umm, ok? How does that make him a nimble, highly technical attacking midfielder?
I'll give you a clue, it doesn't.
He'd probably be a second Fellaini for you (in both good and bad ways).Considering he's 33 i'd say he's doing alright.
Swap him for Matic and we'd be a hell of a lot better.
We will be better because he defends and tackles better, and disturbs loads of attacks before they even begin with his tactical fouling, not because he's technical or attacking midfielder. That's imagnative point.Considering he's 33 i'd say he's doing alright.
Swap him for Matic and we'd be a hell of a lot better.
He's much better on the ball and at building up the passing from the back.He'd probably be a second Fellaini for you (in both good and bad ways).
From someone in the team that has our backs.Where do they get these stories from?
You're acting like there is no evidence to back up this story. its clear Lukaku, Matic and Fellaini get a lot less grief from Mou in pressers compared to Rashford/Pogba/Martial/Shaw. If any of the latter 4 have a bad game they are questioned on their abilities and commitment in public and dropped for a run of games. If the others have a bad game they start the next match and are never bad mouthed by Mou.Reporter writes article based on fans opinion of a player. Reporter says he has inside knowledge that staff and players are unhappy of the decision without providing any evidence to back up his claims. Large majority of United fans read this, who already dislike the manager just assume it's true because its in the paper. I cannot believe how dumb some people really are.