01 Jan 2014 20:51:53
Whilst everyone is looking at the result perhaps we should consider where we are now.
Firstly whether you want to be considered pessimistic or optimistic the real life situation is that our league position is not encouraging in respect of making the Champions League next season. It is 1st January and we already look out of it, we look like Everton in all the last few seasons. Whether we can go on a great run or not, prospective players won't be able to see it nor will they see us as attractive as we were last season with SAF in charge. Do they trust in Moyes to turn it around, and what would that be based upon? Therefore how on earth are we going to attract any top players in January let alone summer if all they can see is no top level football next season? Perhaps we have to pay over the top, not for Baines, but can anyone see that of our owners?
Secondly, whilst we have started to struggle losing games at home and looking distinctly ordinary suddenly I don't recall many new fancy sponsorship deals being announced. The Nike deal is up to where? Are we as attractive a proposition as we were only six months ago? If honest almost certainly not, our football isn't great and whilst it wasn't last season we won. We had a manager everyone feared now we have a manager who only knows Everton, his profile would not have been high across the globe. They are struggling to put high profile players forward as the face of United, bar maybe Rooney and RVP but with no Champions League football how long will they be around?
Third, the owners must now be concerned at the direction we are going in. They haven't provided the level of funding, then appoint a high risk manager and now are reaping the reward which puts their asset value in a high risk situation. Their response this month will be interesting, because we have already had the whispers we can't, won't buy. Maybe Moyes will talk up the existing players, we don't need to buy because they are so good, ah that has already happened. Or will he talk up the youth and bring loanees back because those top players can't be bought in January (or summer), ah already talked about. It looked like we were being softened up for a dry January but today's result gives them a problem.
Lastly, Europe's top clubs are up there for a reason, sit back and seriously ask yourself whether in similar circumstances they would stick with a manager who has taken the champions to also rans in six months?
Implications, the implications of the path we are on are potentially disastrous and the Glazers need to make some big decisions and soon

1.) 01 Jan 2014
"whether you want to be considered pessimistic or optimistic. "

*proceeds to post the most pessimistic post I've seen on this site to date*

2.) 01 Jan 2014
You are obviously pessimistic. You say the owners appoint a high risk manager, but that was Fergies pick. You also say there is no level of funding but we have spent big on RVP and Fellaini. I believe they will spend the money, its up to Moyes to get the players we need, the midfielders that Fergie wouldn't buy.

3.) 01 Jan 2014
Careful redman you will have all the armchair experts on telling you to go and support city or chelsea

4.) 01 Jan 2014
Bloody good post if you ask me.

5.) 01 Jan 2014
A fair and balanced well thought out assessment tbh

6.) 02 Jan 2014
Inhope I would just like to make the point, rightly or wrongly, that we may well have spent money on RVP and Felliani, however, both of those players were bought for under the 30million mark. The reason this is significant is the fact that for instance barca paid 50 odd million for Neymar this summer could you see the owners allowing that at united? We haven't paid anything more than 30 million for a player and in today's climate that's not enough to compete with Europes elite!

7.) 02 Jan 2014
REDMAN

Long reply


Not fair or balanced at all and not sure what kind of business you are in but that is not how businesses operate or work. Unfortunately it is just a typical post to argue your case that DM is the wrong guy.

You seem to continuously warn about a manager being high risk and not able to attract players or not win at this level or this or that.

I tend to disagree with you completely as when it comes to hiring senior people including CEO's, (I sit on 2 boards as non executive) people look at track record and many other qualities in leaders.

What you believe is the prerequisite for the job and classify as track record because he has not won might be totally different to what people at the club believe are more relevant to being a long term success at this club. in short track record is a lot more than just having won and there are many other qualities you look for when you hire senior people.

I will not even get into attracting players stuff nonsense because that is quite naive and you clearly underestimate Manchester United as club and organization. On this subject I do want to point out one thing that almost all our legends at this club were not superstars before they got here. We have never had the Galactico business model and more about spotting young talent internally and externally and making them into superstars during their united careers, through the accomplishments of the clubs.

Finally, whilst you try to represent your argument as a paradox it is really what I have seen over the years as Don Quixote Syndrome.

What you represent as a crisis is sometimes not seen that way and in most parts expected and planned for.

Finally, just to have a little bit of fun using similar paradox here is a go at Klop.

How does he take a team that won the CH in 2012 to lose it by 17 points in 2013 and they are already 15 points out and in 4th place in 2014. There must surely be problem with Klop or his management style or has he lost the dressing room or is it his training methods. Why are players like Goetze, Lewandowski, Kagawa and maybe soon Gundogan all leaving the club. After all they have CL football, 80,000 people watching them every week, they were league and cup champions and all seemed good and the world was his oyster. Do we sack him as he is clearly going backwards?

In real life I see it as him having injuries this year that is affecting his teams performance and market forces and nature of the transfer market is making it difficult for him to hang onto his players but he is still a good coach.


"It is only a crisis for those who did not expect, plan for it and were blind to it."

Am I convinced he is right guy, I don't know but I definitely have not seen enough by any measure given the circumstances to have a view that he is wrong for us and until then he is the manager of my Beloved Club and will have my support.