Would you take Conte at United?

[Rolaholic]

Sure. Conte is well renowned for his success in the Champions League after all.

Poch has yet to do feck all in Europe after inheriting a CL runner up with Neymar and Mbappe.

If he doesn't reach a final now with Messi as well then I see his stock taking a drastic hit but I'm sure even that wouldn't ward off the hard on the board has for him

 

[André Dominguez]

• Ronaldo - 36
• Cavani - 34
• De Gea - 30
• Maguire - 28
• Fred - 28
• Pogba - 28
• Varane - 28
• Bruno - 27

The exact thing we need is a manager to focus on the immediate future and figure out how to get this team competing at the top (and winning). We aren't rebuilding anymore. We are at a win now period, and if you aren't fighting for the top during that window, you find a manager who will.

With the improvement of training methods and sports medicine, nowadays players can perform at top level until 33 y.o. at least, as you can check by a simple google search.
Lewadonski and Bezema are 33 y.o. and they are still delivering, Luis Suarez is 34, Dzeko is still scoring goals frequently at 35, and so on.

 

[spiriticon]

In Fabrizio's own words, he loves the 'structure' at United and thinks we're 'perfect' to start winning immediately.

Of course he does. We're one of the few clubs left where the manager does have a hell of a lot of power, for better or for worse.

The only issue that needs to be resolved is whether he can take it on the chin quietly when he inevitably does not get the signings he wants, because that WILL happen.

 

[Sviken]

My only worry about him is that he'll undo all the foundations that Ole has built.

What foundations has Ole built?

 

[Highfather_24]

3 out of our attackers will play, and the rest will be on the bench, no matter who the manager is. Ole tried to fit 4, and it doesn’t work.

However Bruno or Pogba(not both) can work as 8s in a 4-3-3, and have worked before. So I dont consider them attacking players, and that's why 4-3-3 will be perfect for us.

The problem with 3-4-3 is Bruno will be treated as an attacker in the 3, making the squad even more top heavy, and 3-5-2 will have 5 brilliant forwards competing for 2 positions(Rashford, Sancho, Ronaldo, Cavani, Greenwood). Both these situations are undesirable.

4-3-3 or 4-2-3-1 is the way to go. Just because Ole couldnt make it work because of his tactical limitations and bizarre pressing tactics(or lack therof), doesnt mean a proper coach cannot.

 

[RedDevil-85]

Yes get Conte in right now!
Hope we dont drag this out any longer than needed.
Maybe we can salvage some of the season if we bring him in now.

Ole is done and should have been sacked on sunday/monday morning.

 

[Infra-red]

Well we can't really hire Conte anymore can we - the whole world now knows that fully 50% of the Board are opposed to his appointment. Imagine starting a new job at a place where you knew that half of senior management thought you weren't up it before you even set foot in the door.

Looks like it's Ole till the end of the season or a leftfield caretaker option (Fletcher, Carrick etc).

 

[Rolaholic]

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[bond19821982]

He picked up a team that was full of deadwood, mentally broken, unconcerned about losing and yoyo-ing between Europa League and CL group stage level.

If either you expected a title challenge with this squad, that's your answer.

It could be argued either ways ? Out of all the deadwood he sold, I would still have pretty much all of them except Sanchez. Wasted millions just to get overpriced overrated players. Lost 7 out of 12 CL matches, couldn't get out of the group stages despite getting a head start, couldn't win against Villareal in EL final. Struggling to get out of group stages albeit with a stronger squad in a weaker group.

 

[Infra-red]

It could be argued either ways ? Out of all the deadwood he sold, I would still have pretty much all of them except Sanchez. Wasted millions just to get overpriced overrated players. Lost 7 out of 12 CL matches, couldn't get out of the group stages despite getting a head start, couldn't win against Villareal in EL final. Struggling to get out of group stages albeit with a stronger squad in a weaker group.

I do think Ole has done some good work and deserves credit for dispelling the cloud of negativity that had descended upon the club during Mourinho's tenure.

In terms of legacy though, I'm not sure he will really have one. Most of his signings will be discarded within a few years (many look like misses now, if we're honest) and he never laid the foundations for any kind of style of play. The core of his team will mostly be past it within a couple of seasons, too, likely never having won anything at the club.

He'll probably be remembered as a nice guy, who wasn't up to the job but was a comforting presence and a friendly face for United fans and players alike, during a dark 18 months for football.

 

[Lukinho]

At this point I dont even know what to believe. One second he is gone the next one Conte is a done deal.

 

[Eplel]

To people who say that Conte will be a disaster: Do you consider Ole's tenure a disaster?

 

[Leftback99]

To people who say that Conte will be a disaster: Do you consider Ole's tenure a disaster?

No some of us have memories beyond this season.

 

[hobbers]

The fact that the football illiterate cowards on our board, and the blinkered and deluded ex-player pundits like Neville, don't want Conte. Probably tells you he'd be the right choice.

 

[RedStarUnited]

No some of us have memories beyond this season.

Ah the great old days of getting knocked out of the CL, heck Liverpool last turn out at OT they put 4 past us.

 

[Infra-red]

The fact that the football illiterate cowards on our board, and the blinkered and deluded ex-player pundits like Neville, don't want Conte. Probably tells you he'd be the right choice.

I certainly like the way he deals with lazy players:



I wonder if Woodward and Arnold are worried that he might deal with incompetent Chief Executives the same way.

 

[Rolaholic]

No some of us have memories beyond this season.

Ah yes, can't forget the beautiful heights of a handful of lost semis, a final loss against Villareal and annually being out of the title race by new years

 

[Leftback99]

Ah yes, can't forget the beautiful heights of a handful of lost semis, a final loss against Villareal and annually being out of the title race by new years

Ah we're going by the spoilt child meaning of the word disaster. I should have known on here.

 

[Rolaholic]

Ah we're going by the spoilt child meaning of the word disaster. I should have known on here.

I didn't call it a disaster, just curious as to what exactly has happened prior to this season that can be looked back on fondly as a success...

 

[spiriticon]

I didn't call it a disaster, just curious as to what exactly has happened prior to this season that can be looked back on fondly as a success...

Reaching a European final and qualifying for the CL is a success in the weakest sense of the word. It's definitely not a failure.

 

[el3mel]

Reaching a European final and qualifying for the CL is a success in the weakest sense of the word. It's definitely not a failure.

Reaching Europe League final after getting KOed from CL group stage isn't success. It's a huge failure to not win it after the huge CL embarrassment. Winning it was actually the bare minimum expected from United.

Sick of people calling it a European final as if it was some sort of an achievement.

 

[spiriticon]

Reaching Europe League final after getting KOed from CL group stage isn't success. It's a huge failure to not win it after the huge CL embarrassment. Winning it was actually the bare minimum expected from United.

Sick of people calling it a European final as if it was some sort of an achievement.

Tumbling out of the CL was a failure, but reaching the Europa final was a small success.

If we had gone out of the Europa league at the first round, that would be a disaster.

 

[Dobba]

Unless Conte's spent his break getting to grips with the Champions League, some posts in here will need editing when we still can't get out of the group with him in charge.

 

[Leftback99]

I didn't call it a disaster, just curious as to what exactly has happened prior to this season that can be looked back on fondly as a success...

Maybe check what you are responding to.

 

[el3mel]

Tumbling out of the CL was a failure, but reaching the Europa final was a small success.

If we had gone out of the Europa league at the first round, that would be a disaster.

No it wasn't. United should steamroll through this shit competition to win it especially considering we were a CL team this season. We were playing teams far, far inferior to us. We lost the final to a team who have never actually won any trophy in their history before. Not winning it is a failure.

 

[spiriticon]

No it wasn't. United should steamroll through this shit competition to win it especially considering we were a CL team this season. We were playing teams far, far inferior to us. We lost the final to a team who have never actually won any trophy in their history before. Not winning it is a failure.

United wish they could steamroll through everything but the stark reality is that we are really not that fecking good anymore.

 

[Spoony]

What concerns me about Conte is that he'll be great for year and then do a Conte and we'd be left with another rebuild.

 

[Hugh Jass]

Tumbling out of the CL was a failure, but reaching the Europa final was a small success.

If we had gone out of the Europa league at the first round, that would be a disaster.

We should have won the final. Not comfortably but a good tough two nil win.

Our performance in the final was awful tbh. The writing was on the wall since then IMO.

 

[hobbers]

Reaching a European final and qualifying for the CL is a success in the weakest sense of the word. It's definitely not a failure.

Reaching the Europa League final is by definition a failure to qualify through the group stage.

You cant get there without an embarrassing failure, therefore it is a failure.

That's before we even get to what actually happened in that final.

 

[el3mel]

United wish they could steamroll through everything but the stark reality is that we are really not that fecking good anymore.

And that's thanks to our current manager being shit in his role even though he has been here for 2.5 years and yet can't even win Europe League.

 

[spiriticon]

We should have won the final. Not comfortably but a good tough two nil win.

Our performance in the final was awful tbh. The writing was on the wall since then IMO.

I agree. I had my first foot in the OleOut door after that match. Abomination of an experience.

But overall I disagree to say that there were no successes in his tenure. There have been small successes, but yes it's underwhelming for the time he's had.

 

[Lecland07]

Yes, I would take him. I know people say he leaves his team in a mess, but that is a myth.

Juventus went on to win Serie A for six more seasons after he left.

At Inter Milan he won Serie A, breaking that Juventus dominance. He also left them with Lukaku and Hakimi, who they sold for a combined amount of £159.50m (£52.2m profit). When you take into account these profits, the net of his player's bought and eventually sold comes to a net of £93m. Barella (£40.05m) is still first team. Radu (£9.54m) is still their second goalkeeper. In other words, you can say, at most, £43.41m was wasted to win the Serie A.

So, where is this idea that he leaves his team in a mess even coming from?

 

[spiriticon]

And that's thanks to our current manager being shit in his role even though he has been here for 2.5 years and yet can't even win Europe League.

He's shit, but not shit enough to go out of the top 4 or out of the Europa League in the first round.

You can measure success by how many teams we've steamrolled on the way to a major trophy, but I see a United team that is far away from that level so there's no point thinking about it. Even when Jose won the Europa, we had to fight tooth and nail and sacrifice league position to get to the final and win it. It wasn't easy.

 

[Hugh Jass]

I agree. I had my first foot in the OleOut door after that match. Abomination of an experience.

But overall I disagree to say that there were no successes in his tenure. There have been small successes, but yes it's underwhelming for the time he's had.

Agreed. Even if we had won the penalty shoot out it was worrying.

 

[padzilla]

I was going to post I am not sure this perception of Conte leaving clubs in disarray and requiring massive overhauls is fair at all. Then I went into his wikipedia page and found this about his time at Atalanta:

On 21 September 2009, Conte replaced Angelo Gregucci as manager of Atalanta.[27] Despite a good start at the helm of the Orobici, the club found itself struggling by November, leading to protests from local supporters and friction between Conte and the club's ultra supporters.

On 6 January 2010, Conte was repeatedly confronted by Atalanta fans during a home game against Napoli which ended in a 0–2 defeat for the Nerazzurri. The match ended with Conte receiving police protection to avoid an altercation with the Atalanta ultras.[28] The next day, Conte tended his resignation to the club, leaving them in 19th place.[29]

To be fair, our lot would probably be singing his praises and saying anyone who didn't back him wasn't a real fan.

 

[Ixion]

I see people say Conte would do a Mourinho and leave our squad in tatters (which I don't really agree with re: Jose) but I look at Chelsea who have had both managers in the past 8 years among like 6 others and they have won the League, CL and FA Cup all in that time. They have the occasional off season but they generally challenge for things. I don't why if they can go through half a dozen managers without needing 3 years recovery between each one that we can't.

 

[Carolina Red]

Did he ever win anything with a 4-3-3 though?

I hope he plays a 4-3-3 if he comes here.

I mean... he used it a lot in his undefeated 2011-2012 Scudetto winning season.

 

[izec]

Not sure about him. We are stuck between a rock and a hard place. He is the best option available now, but not the ideal candidate. Wait until summer? But the season can still be saved.

If Ole wasnt a complete disaster, i would wait til the summer. We need someone now though. Not sure who would be available til the end of the season and could do a genuinely good job. Not some rookie or legend obviously.

Laurent Blanc anyone?

 

[tenpoless]

I see people say Conte would do a Mourinho and leave our squad in tatters (which I don't really agree with re: Jose) but I look at Chelsea who have had both managers in the past 8 years among like 6 others and they have won the League, CL and FA Cup all in that time. They have the occasionally off season but they generally challenge for things. I don't why if they can go through half a dozen managers without needing 3 years recovery between each one that we can't.

Difference is Chelsea controls the manager. When the results arent good anymore they get the sack despite having won trophies with them. With ManUnited, the manager controls the club. Staying for too long so they eat up more transfer budgets, the good players are much older by the time they leave and winning nothing or very little.

In my mind if we have to rebuild aka buying 4-5 first team players everytime a new manager comes but we have won multiple trophies before that, its a good investment. Winning feck all and playing shit football after spending loads of money is not an investment, its burning money and time.

Lets be honest. How can we be sure the next manager after Ole wont try to buy 4-5 players anyway? nobody is like him in the world of football. Squad is bloated and the midfield is still non existent, the playstyle is also lacking so we cant appoint manager with similar playstyle. Its only ideal or makes sense for him probably. And Ole is the best out of the other ones we had when it comes into buying quality players and top talents. Before Ole it was even worse. We took too long. Lampard is the recent example, he signed good talents, kept producing bad performances, got the sack. He wasnt given chance after chance to "finish" his ideal team when the performances werent good enough.

 

[VivaJesperBlomqvist]

Anyone else warming to the thought of seeing the crazy, excitable Italian Conte bouncing around, gesticulating from the Technical Area ?

Does he not have an ipad?