Mou is clearly a great football mind but the difference for me is that Gill & SAF worked in complete harmony. At least that is what the public sw, who knows what happens behind closed doors. Woodward has a bit of a power trip, as does Mou and the fact so much of what they do is analysed and twisted publically has created a horrible feeling aroud the club. Bad results are always shit but this has an extra sour taste to it.We no longer have Sir Alex, as simple as that. A undisputed leader. A privileged football mind. Now we have too many cooks in the kitchen and one of them knows nothing about football and should stick to getting us commercial deals.
Not backing Mourinho in the transfer window was criminal. If you don't think your manager is capable of identifying the right talent, then you should fire him. You cannot have it both ways.
Fair play for remaining levelheaded but I don't see how you can reach the conclusion nothing is going on between Jose, the board and the players. You can't trust everything you read in the press and on Twitter but no-one who has followed us in recent weeks and months can seriously conclude the last two results are a blip and everyone is singing from the same hymn sheet at United.I honestly just think it's two losses in a row and nothing more.
One game they played like shit and rightfully got embarrassed. Nothing more, in to the next one.
The next one came, they played much better, and got punished for errors.
The only way out, is to keep working and play the next game. We'll see how next Sunday goes.
Again though, are you contending that the whole thing is a complete media fabrication and that Jose, the board and the players are in fact working in absolute harmony? I respect your desire not to be taken for a ride by the media but I would say it is obvious there are issues going on behind the scenes at United, it's impossible to conclude otherwise.Real problem that the fans are perceiving isn't there. The media have made stuff up all summer and have captured the imagination of fans. The club was in crisis before we lost to Brighton and the poor performance served as confirmation. The media have successfully positioned the fans opinions and it is a challenge to change it back, rarely seen in football.
This needs an option 5: all of the above.Not neccesary to write an essay here, the title is quite self explanatory. When the team plays poorly the result is logically poor (Brigton), but when the team plays good (first half especially against Spurs) the result is still poor. Is it quality alone? Fans have been criticizing the board referring to a 'structural' problem, a gap between the business side and the actual football 'know how'. The money is here, the structure is here, yet five years after the last title, the club has not made a convincing title charge whatsoever. The obvious thing that can be mentioned are;
1. Not enough quality
2. No 'identity'
3. Manager
4. Gap between board and the manager
Feel free to add yours.
This 100%.The culture of the club is rotten. Ferguson used to speak about the significance of the ceo to the tea ladies. Nobody at united seems to be pulling in the same direction. We change players and managers and have the exact same issues. The leadership of the club lacks focus, engages in unneccesary pr battles, seems to change approach every few months. The players, for 5 years have lacked motivation regardless of who they are or who our manager is. When theres always somebody to blame theres no accountability.
We need to accept years on the periphery rather than a disjointed grab at getting right back to the top. Woodward should be absolved completely of any role to do with football. He is so out of his depth its untrue. The priorities should be realistic and achievable and build from there. Start with exciting football.
On the Juventus tv series you saw players flown out to do appearances for Adidas. At all the top clubs it is a commercial exercise at this point.This 100%.
When the owners are pimping the players round the world to sell tractors and potatoes, how can we expect a winning mentality in the squad? They're constantly being bombarded with the message that this is purely a commercial exercise, so surely it's only natural that they go missing when times get tough.
Add to that the fact that we've had two draconian managers, who lack the man-management skills of the previous guy in charge, and the problem is obvious.
This sounds all super nice, but can you realistically see a club like United (or Bayern, Real, City, whoever) stick with an unsuccessful coach that long? Not sure that level of patience exists at the top end where so much money is involved.I'd say the key problem is far too much focus on the short-term and not enough on the long-term and rebuilding a dynasty. Hence all the money sprayed around in attempts to quick-fix and the undue focus on big-names.
To begin with, United need to find a young-ish and talented manager whose preferred style of football fits with the United traditional ethos - i.e. generally quite attacking and entertaining - and to allow them several years (at least), regardless of short-term success or the absence of it, because a new dynasty takes time to build.
This manager needs to have complete control of which players to sell and - within an agreed net-spend budget - which players to try and sign. So I would counsel against appointing a separate Director of Football.
True, but at United they take it way further.On the Juventus tv series you saw players flown out to do appearances for Adidas. At all the top clubs it is a commercial exercise at this point.
None of those clubs are have the problems that United do. And Bayern and Real don't have to play in such a competitive league as the Prem.This sounds all super nice, but can you realistically see a club like United (or Bayern, Real, City, whoever) stick with an unsuccessful coach that long? Not sure that level of patience exists at the top end where so much money is involved.
And secondly, where do you find a coach like this? Any names in mind? If Tottenham were faced with the need of a new manager, who would you like to see come in?
Me personally I would like us to hire internally I.e McKennaNone of those clubs are have the problems that United do. And Bayern and Real don't have to play in such a competitive league as the Prem.
The lack of patience at United is precisely the problem I'm pointing too, albeit within the context of first needing to appoint the right manager. Yes, a lot of money is involved … but how much money have United wasted on transfers since Fergie retired? I can't see that a more patient approach is going to cost United any more money than the 'quick-fix' approach has.
As for who the new manager could be. Well, Pochettino would be ideal, but that's a non-starter. At any rate, United need to escape from thinking that they need to appoint a manager with a proven track record of winning trophies.
Eddie Howe is one possibility for United. I'd not be unhappy if he took over if Pochettino were to leave Spurs.
Agreed for the most part. I think a DoF has it's benefits. I'd like a DoF and a young talented manager to be hired together, and they can forge a partnership that yields results on and off the pitch.I'd say the key problem is far too much focus on the short-term and not enough on the long-term and rebuilding a dynasty. Hence all the money sprayed around in attempts to quick-fix and the undue focus on big-names.
To begin with, United need to find a young-ish and talented manager whose preferred style of football fits with the United traditional ethos - i.e. generally quite attacking and entertaining - and to allow them several years (at least), regardless of short-term success or the absence of it, because a new dynasty takes time to build.
This manager needs to have complete control of which players to sell and - within an agreed net-spend budget - which players to try and sign. So I would counsel against appointing a separate Director of Football.
Media are reactionary, they write articles based on what United does on the pitch, not the other way around. The day the media are silent about United under performing is the day United ceases to be a top club. The record league champion and biggest club in the country falling of their perch is big news. It's not personal, it's just journalism.In the great words of Morpheus, 'there is no spoon.'. What exactly are our problems that havent started in the media? Jose plays shit football says the media, so he plays good attacking football. Media response, 'why are you taking chances like that?'. Media talks shit about the club, the players, the fans all week. Jose comes in to the presser having read all of that, and the press cant understand why he might hate them? No, its Jose being unreasonable. The fact we see him during the game laughing and smiling with the opposition manager, and then see him utterly disgusted having to sit in front of shit stirrers and have to answer shit stirring questions says it all.
The problems at the club have been here since before Jose got here, so I dont see how it can be his fault. We've needed new players for years, and while jose might have got us some under performers, hes at least trying to fix it and not just sticking with the guys hes brought in to save face. He knows they arent good enough, and he was trying to get cover for that defence. We attacked quite nicely last night. It was fun to watch, until for a second week in a row our defence fell apart after going down a goal and almost right away conceded another.
Maybe Jose does need to go, or maybe he doesnt. But one thing is for sure, Ed needs to go. He was told our defence wasnt good enough and he still refused to shore it up. Hes been in his position since SAF left and hes the one thing thats remained true under three under performing managers. He brought Moyes in, fecked up the transfers, and then fired him in the press. He brought LVG in, brought in a flare player that was never going to work in an LVG set up, and who never wanted to be here anyway, and then fired him after winning the FA cup. He brought Jose in, even though a large part of the criticism of LVG was the defensive nature of his style of play. Its like giving someone a pepsi because they dont like coke. Now hes giving Jose a new contract, and then followed that up by not only refusing to back him with the players he needs but also talking shit to the press, and making stupid photo ops for the media by sitting in the stands making weird faces he knows will be used against Jose and the club. All this shit show media, is whats destabilising us. The constant horse shit about player fallout, lost dressing rooms, pressers meltdown, third year, blah blah blah. Rashford the youngster sitting reading the news, and he starts thinking 'should I be playing more?', Pogba, 'should I be getting paid more?' Martial, 'is Jose treating me like shit no matter what I do?'.
Take all the media shit out of it and you have a team that last night went to town on spurs and played very well, but were ultimately let down by silly defensive mistakes and not being clinical in front of goal. Last night is what all the moaners have been asking for, attacking football. We didnt take our chances, and we paid for it. That happens to everyone at some point, and it will happen again to everyone at some point. Whether you like Jose or not, the media is the first problem. They have been screwing us since SAF left, and we've let them. The destabilization starts there.
