You don't need to be an 'investor' to invest in Singletrack: 6 days left: 95% of target - Find out more
John Terry
They need a long term manager with a plan, Zidane would be short term. As Binners says, who would want it? £500m should get them a new right back, two centre halves (one to partner Varane, one as back up), two central midfielders and maybe a striker. Ship Ronaldo off to MLS.
Erik ten Hag might be the manager that they can get, would take the chance and accept the job, and could possibly do something as manager.
Realistically the right manager may not be available until summer. But I think just about anybody could do a better job now as he’s lost the players. Just need to change him and get the players heads straight/organised
Rooney!
Brucey is at a loose end 😂
Apologies for the Daily Mail link but it’s bang on
https://twitter.com/ollieholt22/status/1462193127918342153?s=21
And he’s only stating what we’ve all known for years. The main problem isn’t the manager. It runs far deeper than that. The problem is the leeches we have as owners and the money-obsessed morons they tasked as their representatives on earth, to whom the next sponsorship deal is far, far more important than being title challengers.
I doubt many sponsors will be particularly interested in a mid-table side, a million miles off being title contenders and played off the park by Watford, no matter how many Ronnie shirts they sell in the club shop
THe money obsessed owners who've given you countless millions upon millions to spend ? Sure they're taken plenty out, but Utd have spent hundreds upon hundreds of millions. The problem is NOT the owners in the context of the football being played, it's the team and the manager.
They only gave Ole £400m. At least double that needed to challenge for the league again. And that says it all about the deluded, detached from reality Premier League. I love it!
Getting back to the actual footy; I wonder if scoring against the mighty San Marino will tempt Kane out of his holding midfielders role to maybe have a shot or two today?
On Kane, I suppose it depends on where his dial is on his sulkometer.
Ole’s gone.
Presumably they have some mug already lined up?
What makes you think that?
Have you not seen how this club is run?
I reckon Ole’s iPad will be in charge when we lose 6 or 7 nil to Chelski next weekend?
I'm more interested in where Ole ends up. He has done ok (until recently anyway) tbh but I can't see him getting another PL job.
The problem is the leeches we have as owners and the money-obsessed morons they tasked as their representatives on earth, to whom the next sponsorship deal is far, far more important than being title challengers.
And all the deluded nostalgic fans who thought for some reason Ole was the man to bring back former glories.
Pretty disingenuous to Stan and Olly as sometimes they did get the piano down the steps.
Interim manager until the end of the season seems odd/risky? Darren Fletcher/Michael Carrick? And if they do ok will they then get the gig a la Ole? If they bomb and fail to get in the top four which super coach is going to want to take over?
I reckon Binners criticism of the way the club is run and the lack of a plan is pretty bang on and may now deter rather than attract the best coaches.
I’m totally shocked to see that there’s nobody in place, despite the writing being on the wall for weeks, no plan whatsoever and Ed, Joel and the rest of the muppet show are sketching it all out on the back of a fag packet again
I’m sure it’ll all turn out for the best
And all the deluded nostalgic fans who thought for some reason Ole was the man to bring back former glories.
Coming from a Scouser? 😂
Win a title and you think we’ve all forgotten the last 3 decades?
I don’t think any of us have ever thought ‘it’s our year’ since Fergie retired.
We’re a bit more realistic at this end of the M62. We can see how far off being title challengers we are. We’re nowhere near!
I'm sure they'll get someone in soonish, but to be fair, would you want to come in as a manager at a time when the club is in turmoil, you have Ed Woodward leaving and looks like he'll be replaced by his mate who's at the club, so no progress in the hierarchy for any new manager, you have the player problems to deal with as well, Pogba out of contract and just a shadow, Ronaldo overshadowing the entire club, a lot of depression and so on.
But, they do have a huge squad of quality players, and if you could get a team out of them it could be a good project for someone, but i do think it needs a bit of ruthlessness to start with, to really put an end to this whole cycle of the players just costing manager's their jobs, there's something not right in that squad just now, and it needs to be weeded out and binned quickly.
That's exactly the point binners - Man U have become a nostalgia club just like Liverpool used to be (and were mercilessly slated for by Man U fans).
Did you read that article I posted up before we played you. It said exactly that. Old Trafford is now a theme park
In other news...Norwich got their second win of the season....let's be avin ya!
****ing sick of seeing shirt pulling and anything else involving arms in a dead ball situation.
Seeing manUs wheels continuously fall off is highly entertaining.
They're rotten from top to bottom. Ole was a decent, if overpromoted man in a shit job.
I know you don’t care, entertaining as it is, but how do you think it feels for us to see a man we rightly revere as a club legend be spat out by a bunch of parasitic ****s who couldn’t care less about him, the supporters or anything else other than how many billions they can milk out it?
Amusing as it is for the ABU’s, how would you feel if you’d had to watch this happen to the club you’ve supported all your life? I’m sure Newcastle fans have some sympathy, as we have had for them as Mike Ashley has wrecked their club?
The Glazers have pretty much destroyed this club already, but I think we’ve got further to fall yet while these leeches with their leveraged buyout, mountains of debt they’ve put on the club and clueless management by soulless bean-counters continue
I don’t care if you hate Manchester United, but have a think about how it would feel to watch this happen to your club?
FFS! Just look at them…
I don't hate Manu. I'm a bit perplexed as to why most people seem to support a club they have no real connection to. A little like me going through anguish and joy if Barca win/lose. But anyway there are Mancunians that rightfully support their hometown club.
I suppose it's a little annoying that it made the headline of the news, but being a world club I suppose that's inevitable.
Reading also have blood sucking leaches as owners.
there are Mancunians that rightfully support their hometown club.
Yes, they support City not that lot from Salford
😜
Get a grip, Man U aint finished in the bottom half the table for over 40 years...you'd think they were in Div 1 with all this nonsense, lot's of club 'legends' go back as managers, after a period of time it's best to part ways, he did a job then lost the room, thanks for the memories, come back for who ever's testimonial...it's business.
Clubs have gone to the wall because of terrible ownership, Man U won't, you'll prob's make CL next year, have some perspective.
they are weeping in the streets of Singapore
Man U won’t, you’ll prob’s make CL next year, have some perspective.
I think that on present form Thursday nights in Kazakstan arean ambitious outcome of this season, as the club appears to have written it off already. Theyre appointing an interim interim manager while they look for an interim manager. You couldn’t make it up
Realistically they're only 6 points off the top 4, and West Ham are more than likely going to tumble with a small squad the longer the season goes on, if ManU get someone in to steady they can easily make it into the CL next year, go for the cup and so on, folk acting like the season is over, it's not even Christmas for them yet, if they could get an interim manager who can do what Ole did the first time round it would work, the only thing that went wrong that time was they gave the job to Ole full time.
They just need someone strong enough to actually instil some discipline in the team and who really doesn't want the job full time!
I’m sure Newcastle fans have some sympathy, as we have had for them as Mike Ashley has wrecked their club?
Maybe a little but not much. Sympathy in that you probably grew up with Edwards and Fergie running the club during a period of ridiculous success. That in itself has, perhaps not unreasonably, shaped the demographic and sense of expectation from many (but not all) Man U fans. I have considerably more sympathy for Derby, Bury, Macclesfield or Wigan fans. Granted, your issue seems to be poor appointments and giving them too much money to spend (who in their right mind gives OGS £373m!). Surely that is a CEO/DoF issue rather than the owners per se?
Ashley ran things into the ground to such an extent that the CEO (who used to hand the reserves teamsheets out) was the only Director, the training ground had no investment for 15 years, TV's in the concourse were replaced with smaller ones and as one further example, when new owners arrived, they contracted some window cleaners to clean the Gallowgate end glazing. You'd think from the reaction on twitter, we'd signed Mbappe. Genuinely, interested: are the Glazers neglecting the ground/infrastructure as well?
Isn't this about regression to the mean? As far as I know, only Busby and Ferguson have been unqualified successes since WWII, which isn't great odds for any new appointment.
Genuinely, interested: are the Glazers neglecting the ground/infrastructure as well?
Yep. Old Trafford is pretty shabby nowadays. They spend the bare minimum on maintenance. The North Stand has water pissing in through the roof when it rains (and of course, it always rains) and as an example the beer fridges at the refreshments place where we usually sit have been broken for as long as any of us can remember. Mmmmmmmm… lukewarm Carling
A couple more performances like that and he’ll get the job full-time 😂
Five year contract will be signed tomorrow!
Your thoughts Binners on rumours Ed Woodward is going to delay his December departure to assist with the new manager search?!
Like most United fans, I saw Ed’s non-departure coming a mile away. He’s like a politician. Like Boris, even, who he coincidentally had a meeting with a couple of days earlier.
He obviously just said it to take the heat off himself at the height of the Super League fiasco, and clearly had absolutely no intention whatsoever of actually doing it
Apparently he wants to leave ‘a legacy’. Well he’s certainly done that already. I could describe his ‘legacy’ but I fear I may not just break the sweat filter as completely destroy it
On a positive note, I actually enjoyed the second half and it’s brilliant to see Sancho open his account in such emphatic fashion. That’s why we bought him, so play him! He looked good tonight
Chelsea looked massively imperious tonight.
Reece James certainly knows how to kick a football
Valverde, eh? Seems a good idea. No connection to the mythical 'glory days' when the taps at Olde Trafforde flowed with Unicorn tears and the dressing room was tiled in gold. Enough stature to be able to tell Fergie to ferg off. Get rid of Fletcher and Carrick, bring in his own staff and they might stand a chance of turning a page. Had enough egos in a team to know how to manage Ronnie. The kind of tactical ability to be able to fiekd a team worth the name from a bunch of solo artists.
So probably won't happen. Cos what if Pocchetino decides to flee PSG 5 minutes after they ink a contract with him.
Chelsea looked massively imperious tonight.
They do every week. Yet another clean sheet. It’s fair to say that I’m not looking forward to the weekend. We’ll be very lucky to avoid another complete embarrassment with the present yawning chasm in class
Chelsea are just a full squad supporting the team, they have no weaknesses, 4-0 against Juve and that is with the defence that has Bonnuci leading it, could've been more, and the first 3 scored by their academy players, with Lukaku not even coming off the bench.
As for the ManU merry go round, think Scholes summed it up last night, they've known Ole was going, they've had at least a month to work out Plan B, and they are acting clueless, they clearly want Pocchetino but haven't a clue if or when they could get him, with the current set up at ManU, and the players they need to get some confidence in i'd have thought someone like Zidane was the man to fill it as interim, with a chance of going permanent, but at least have that ability to manage the club until summer 2022 or 2023 and choose a new manager then after a real search, Zidane for me would be respected by all players, and won't shirk from an argument with any player who crosses him, a bit like a Roy Keane who can actually manage!
I'm struggling with why Poch would want to take it ? Even if there's some issues at PSG with transfers etc, he's likely to pick up trophies, have a budget to spend, some exceptional players and live in Paris...
Or have Luke Shaw and Lindellof on a wet Weds in Salford lol.
There speaks a man who’s never been to Eccles 😂
I can see why he’d leave.
Most weeks he’s playing his expensive squad of internationals against a pub side, then he’s got a Champions League game, a competition that he’ll never ever win because most weeks he’s playing his expensive squad of internationals against a pub side, so when they come up against proper opposition they can’t cope
He’d have his work cut out at United though as they also presently resemble a pub side
He's got more chance of winning it with PSG than Utd in the next 5 years though ?
I used to go to Alderley Edge for Compaq/HP training 🙂 I also used to buy PC parts from just down the road from Old Trafford.
He’s got more chance of winning it with PSG than Utd in the next 5 years though ?
Neither are going to win Champions league at any point in the next decade
Neither are going to win Champions league at any point in the next decade
Not sure i agree with that on either front.
You'd have easily argued that about Liverpool in the last 20 years.... but they did... twice..
With the right manager and backing i think any of the big players can win a CL within 3-5 years.. City have been the exception i guess but a little unlucky. In the same time period, other teams have been lucky..
This made me laugh:
There speaks a man who’s never been to Eccles
I used to go to Alderley Edge for Compaq/HP training
..yeah. Much the same 🙂
hilarious. has Zidane turned Utd down? Not sure why people would rather have poch (won **** all except french cup) vs Zidane (3 x CL etc). Zidane as an interim manager? wtf. Utd fans really do think too much of their club.
What's wrong with Eccles?
Utd fans really do think too much of their club.
I don’t think it’s the fans. We mainly still inhabit the real world. It’s the owners and the board who seem to exist in some sort of parallel universe.
Given the way the club is run, who’s in charge of taking major decisions and the fact that he looks like he’s now going nowhere, I can’t see why anyone would want the job
Thoughts go out to John Fleck and family. Was quite harrowing to watch him collapse on the pitch, having what appeared to be some sort of seizure last night.
He was treated on the pitch for a good ten minutes, then taken to hospital.
Thankfully, he's well enought to have been discharged from hospital today
I heard Zidane isn’t interested; I think Dave Hockaday is available 😉
I’m enjoying this immensely 😆
MOT
He’d have his work cut out at United though as they also presently resemble a pub side
Bit harsh on The Old Drover's 1st 11..
Zidane was the man to fill it as interim
With ZZ's track record of winning the CL don't be surprised if he's gives MU the finger if that's the scope of the thinking! Quite frankly such an offer would be derisory at best..
If Manu U fans need cheering up, they could look at Spurs. They just lost to the worst team in the worst European competition. Ouch.
If Manu U fans need cheering up, they could look at Spurs. They just lost to the worst team in the worst European competition. Ouch.
Only because Man U haven't played them yet 😉
If Manu U fans need cheering up, they could look at Spurs. They just lost to the worst team in the worst European competition. Ouch
Fair point, but it is Spurs. The gift that just keeps giving. Bless ‘em!
However, In the same way that a stopped clock tells the right time twice a day, it appears the clowns that run the club seem to have somehow inadvertently pulled off what looks like a decent managerial appointment
We’ll still get tonked on Sunday, mind
Good draw for both Scotland and Wales in the World Cup play offs - reckon both will fancy getting through the semis and beating each other in the final. A shame one side won’t make it. Also one of Italy or Portugal won’t be at the World Cup!
I briefly tried to give a flying **** about international football, but it was a step to far, I’m afraid
Scotland should have enough to beat Wales, but both have a tough semi to get through first.
Zidane has always, and repeatedly stated that he isn't interested in working in England. He doesn't think he'd like living there so it's never been on the agenda really and it was only ignorance that got him on the list of possibles.
Why might Poch want to go there - better fit I'd say, for both parties. He likes to build teams from inside - that doesn't happen at PSG , and it's not his job either. He doesn't decide overall strategy (and thus transfers) - that's decided by the club/Leonardo - Poch is simply there to implement that strategy, and if he can't, then he'll be changed out for another trainer (as disctinct to manager) that will potentially do the job better- This is how it works at the big European clubs as opposed to the UK, although they're moving in that direction too (Chelsea more than most)
Rangnick is a good bet for MU.
Should Newcastle buy Neymar?
No idea how Zidane was ever linked, he's only managed an elite club, he's hardly cut his teeth on a European Crewe. He's also stated several times that he has no ambition to manage here. And so has his wife.
Poch's family still live here.
There has certainly been a big PR push for Ralf Rangnick, only a very few few commentators going off the accepted script and asking some questions. Why if he is so good was he only a technical director out in Russia? why has he never been considered for one of the big European clubs before? How will he handle the star names, something he hasn't had to do before.
Even if he is as good as his new publicity suggest, getting that team to be a high energy pressing team isn't going to be easy, it will take time and united still have a big challenge to qualify for the CL next year.
I have not been worried about Leeds this season until tonight's performance. Something is badly wrong.
I have not been worried about Leeds this season until tonight’s performance. Something is badly wrong
They've not really kicked on, seem to have a Championship team mentality, their defence is incredibly flaky.
Leeds have a couple of key injuries and a loss of form, plus the old second season issue, the other teams know how they're lining up and working now, they got a point though, and Brighton are on a run so take what you can get just now!
As for ManU, i think it's an uphill battle for the new manager, they have a fantastic group of players, but no real team, it's quite scary how football changes, the success of today is down to teams that can play a high pressing game, players who understand what they do with the ball, and more importantly, without it, the days of losing the ball and then just throwing your hands up in the air and complaining are gone, that's why the likes of Bruno, Ronaldo, Messi, etc struggle these days if they're not on the ball a lot, it means the rest of the team are hunting down the ball and being picked apart at times without everyone pressing the ball.
Will be interesting to see the short term changes the new guy will bring in, can't see him keeping up with 3 up front who have limited defensive mentality, but how long will it take him to change the mindset, the likes of Greenwood and Rashford could do it quicker, but would you really drop Ronaldo or Fernandes to accommodate?
Haven't Leeds lost their amin goal scorer to injury? They weren't good today, except in parts. Calvin Phillips looked off the pace. James struggled. I think they just had an off day. It happens. Brighton still struggled against them.
I think Rangnick has always favoured the technical director role over manager. He has certainly played a big role in the development of other managers, including Klopp and Tuchel. He's worked in Germany, is credited with 'inventing gegenpressing.
I can't see Ronnie finding a place in his team except as a super sub.
Not sure I get that. Sure Ronaldo doesn't track back but he's scoring winners - how can he be dropped? Rashford etc can't hit a diplodocus' arse with a banjo.
Whoops, why am I commenting on a team I don't follow.
Yeah, Ronnie and Bruno are two that do tend to press for effect, but not as part of an effort like gegenpressing, it'll take some amount of work on the training pitches, and how many of the coaching staff have changed to assist in this, that's the big question.
I do hope ManU do come back a bit, they were on the right road for a while last season, guess the good thing for them is they have a big squad of quality players, but again, who's changed upstairs to assist him if he wants to bench big names, or put his own stamp on the squad in January, rumours are Woodward is thinking of extending his stay!
Why does Arteta look so unhappy all the time, even when Arsenal are winning?
Not sure I get that. Sure Ronaldo doesn’t track back but he’s scoring winners – how can he be dropped?
Basing your play around getting the ball to the best player so he can do something brilliant has some pretty obvious drawbacks. Especially when he's 36.
Martinelli’s goal for Arsenal today was a bit special. A volley with a ball dropping over your shoulder? Superb finish. Wasn’t it his first touch after coming on too? 😳
Very reminiscent of a certain other former Arsenal player who I couldn’t believe ended up at Old Trafford. One of Arsene’s most inexplicable decisions. Absolute class
Yep, at a loss why he's not first choice.
I know what you mean about the van persie goal. Berhkamp scored similar in the world cup.
Not sure I get that. Sure Ronaldo doesn’t track back but he’s scoring winners – how can he be dropped?
To be scoring winners, they'd have to be winning. I think that's the crux of the issue. As I said before Ronnie doesn't press cos he's and attacker. Ronnie can't press cos he doesn't know how and doesn't have the legs for it anymore. Which means the backline can't play high, which means there is too much space in the midfield, which leaves too much work for the two centre mids, which leaves too much space around them. You have to get pressure on the ball higher up the field. You cannot do that with Ronnie on, unless you play a 3-4-3 or something. Solskaer couldn't solve it but wouldn't drop ronnie either. I doubt Rangnick will be so sentimental.
The fact Ronaldo was bought by the owners made it very hard for Ole to not play him. I don't think Ole really wanted him there, it changed the system with the results we see.
But he is a class act and will do spectacular things in attack and score goals, his record is top drawer. Which also creates an issue, because on paper at least he's 'performing'. If Ole had left him out and not got results he'd have been ****ed as well.
I wonder if Rangnick will have already covered that with owners - laying down a style he wants to play and telling them that Ronaldo can be used as an impact sub, but he's not going to be starting XI. And if the owners don't like that, then Rangnick's not the man for them.
Given his age, is it in Ronaldos own interest to take on that impact sub role, less paying time but longer career?
Can Ronaldo's ego cope with being an impact sub though.
Can Ronaldo’s ego cope with being an impact sub though.
True. But can his knees cope with not doing it? He'll miss them when they're gone