I agree with the sentiment. The treatment of LvG on here by brainless morons who are willing to write-off LvGs entire CV to convince themselves the likes of Mata, Herrera, Shaw, Rashford and Martial are world-class talents is embarassing
The man was a legendary coach who won almost everything the game had to offer and managed some of the greatest players ever to play the game. The fact that he couldn't take a FrankenTeam of not good enough's, never will be's and has-beens and have them dominate English football is not a reflection on him at all
BTW - you could say exactly the same about Jose. It's easier for fans to blame the manager because it deludes them that we are just "one competent manager" away from another treble and they live in this mythical Football Manager-style simulation where players abilities are ranked and defined by a spreadsheet, you can sign 15 players in a window and sell the same number, contracts are handled by the manager who offers wages using a toggle bar, tactics are moving a counter around a 2D pitch and you can "motivate" a player by clicking a mouse
I"ll go as far to say anyone who think any of our managers are to blame are actually detrimental to the long term health of the club
I started reading your post and the opening line had me agreeing but to then write off the likes of Rashford and Martial completely? Daft!
There's a happy medium in your sentiments to be found here.
At the point of winning the FA Cup and LVG's sacking and Jose impending arrival, we had 2 of world footballs hottest young talents in Rashford and Martial. The latter won the world young player of the year award for his efforts in his debut season. With the right coach taking over, or perhaps LVG staying for that final 3rd year, we might well have a genuine world class attacking player in Martial on our hands and possibly another with Rashford.
Instead what happened? Jose phased out Martial almost completely. Lukaku played nearly the same amount of minutes last season as Martial did over Jose entire tenure at the club. He was clearly a young kid with huge potential and he ruined the kid those 2 years, we need to get him back on track now with Ole.
The bold part is absolutely ridiculous, are you seriously telling me Jose was not at fault at all? It wasn't Jose's fault for falling out with everyone at the club and by that I mean even the backroom staff? Right through to the cleaning ladies and even the club receptionist! The man was pure poison, He has done this repeatedly at his last 3 clubs. Jose publicly slandered the club, its players, the board and its fans. He told them not to attend games, he undermined our history continually. Something many supporters aren't aware of that Jose done was to show up at the 50th anniversary of Munich in a feckin tracksuit! He was lectured and told to put on a club sports jacket with the club crest and the pics of him at the ceremony are grim, sulking like a petulant child.
The man didn't care one single iota about our great club. It meant nothing to him what so ever.
LVG on the other hand, he very much respected our club traditions and done his upmost to always keep that in mind. I agree the football was painful to watch but I'm fully convinced that if he had season 3 he would of added to our attack and tweaked it to be more entertaining.
a disaster transfer wise
sold Rafael, Van Persie, Evans, Kagawa, Nani, Zaha, Michael Keane for about 25-28 million combined
bought Schneiderlein for the money recouped
Zaha, Kagawa, Keane and Rafael should all still be valuable squad members
Wasn't a disaster at all, all those players were rightly sold.
RVP was getting injured regularly again and hasn't done much of anything since he left.
Rafael like wise was a sick note. He was a superb RB and there wasn't any doubt over his quality, just his ability to stay fit.
Kagawa never settled to PL football, Ferguson misused him throughout and he never stepped up in reality.
Nani, likewise went on to do nowt and hardly made us eat humble pie.
The one we ballsed up was Zaha, that's about it.