14 Oct 2015 10:18:15
{Ed's Note - We have posted a new article entitled, Manchester United's Summer Was Wasted In Fruitless Chases


1.) 14 Oct 2015
14 Oct 2015 11:44:53
Good article, I completely agree. People talk about the loss of Sir Alex, but Gill leaving the same summer should never have been allowed to happen. It left us rudderless for a season and there are still signs that Woodward hasn't gotten to grips with the task.
He has more to prove than our manager imo.

{Ed001's Note - I would agree with that completely Shappy. His role is more pivotal to the club's long term future and it is bizarre both changed at once.}


2.) 14 Oct 2015
14 Oct 2015 12:29:45
Woodward is slowly improving. But this arrogance of how much money we have has to stop, it makes it much harder for us to buy players and makes us look really stupid when we don't. At least the public pursuit of players has stopped to some degree.


3.) 14 Oct 2015
14 Oct 2015 12:44:02
I don't see how he is improving.

First season he completely blew it. Chased shadows all summer and ended up paying over the odds for Fellaini. Then brought in Mata when the manager clearly didn't have any plan on how to use him.

Last summer, a few positive signings. Then splashed the cash on a player that clearly didn't want to move to Manchester, and didn't fit with the manager's philosophy.

This summer. Again started sensibly bringing in players the manager wanted. But then spent the last two months helping players at other clubs get fat contracts, and ultimately failing to bring in a defender paying vastly over the odds for a young prospect.

It's clear as day that his main focus is sponsorship deals, and after three summer windows he still doesn't seem to get how the transfer market works. Perennial mug.


4.) 14 Oct 2015
14 Oct 2015 12:43:40
Yes I agree with the article, the whole Bayern/Muller thing recently, further emphasises what you were saying Ed.

{Ed001's Note - damn, I knew there was another one but I just couldn't remember what it was and couldn't think of the right search terms to get it to show up.}


5.) 14 Oct 2015
14 Oct 2015 14:18:32
How many big signings to Gill make in last years of his tenure? I suppose RVP can be counted as a big signing, but I am of the understanding that it was a conversation between SAF and Wenger that got the deal done.

How many players have been brought into the club while Woodward has been in charge?
His first year wasn't helped by the dithering of Moyes'. The club had already done the ground work to bring in some good players, but Moyes' didn't want them. He instead wanted unrealistic targets.

We can all talk about this player and that player, but at the end of the day, Munich didn't want to sell Muller to us; but I suspect that it will be a different story in the summer if we are still pursuing the player.

{Ed001's Note - why would it be a different story? The player has no interest in the move and the club have no interest in selling him. It would be a major shock if either of them changed their position over the course of the season.}


6.) 14 Oct 2015
14 Oct 2015 14:27:08
I don't recall Muller ever coming out and saying that he would never play for United. I do recall hearing that Munich didn't want to sell.
I don't believe the player is averse to the idea; and why would he be? His former team captain joined the club, and by all accounts, is enjoying the experience.

It seems it is more of a case of trying to convince Munich to sell him. I am pretty sure if a deal could be struck between the two clubs in the future, the player wouldn't have a problem joining.

Alas, none of us possess any psychic ability that allows us to see into the future, so it really is conjecture.

Things change all the time in football.

{Ed001's Note - just because he never said it publicly does not mean he has not said it privately.}


7.) 14 Oct 2015
14 Oct 2015 15:06:59
Shappy, you're absolutely right and I think some mentioned the same last year. It was like a double whammy to lose both, the club should have been aware of this and should not have allowed it. But I honestly think the owners have appointed a man who is doing what they want. Woodward is carrying out their instructions down to a tee. It is not what the fans want, but it is what the owners want.


8.) 14 Oct 2015
14 Oct 2015 16:01:34
schmidfield

You can be quite naive mate. The CEO's of any private or Public company answer to either owners or boards of directors. I am not sure why you think the fans would have any say in how a club of our size is ran or conducts its business.

BTW we missed out on loads of players during David Gil and SAF's era for various reasons like players changing their mind, agents fees, inter mediatory fees, players demands or selling clubs demands.

Happens in football to all clubs, in our case being who we are the media just can't stop writing about us and some of you just can't stop complaining about everything. Half the stuff written in the Media is Bs anyway. Happens in life to any form of transaction.


9.) 14 Oct 2015
14 Oct 2015 16:21:21
schmidfield

all transfers incoming and outgoings are LVG's call. He does not negotiate the deals but calls the shots in terms of who he wants in and who he wants gone.


10.) 14 Oct 2015
14 Oct 2015 17:04:30
Gcu, please read my post again. I said that the owners of whom there are three brothers together with other board members, elected Woodward and he is working for them. I went on to say, his actions and comments might not be what the fans want, but it is what the owners want. It is their business after all and us fans have no say.


11.) 14 Oct 2015
14 Oct 2015 17:50:43
Schmidfield

He is acquiring and disposing of players based on the managers wishes and like any ceo there is checks and balances that needs to be applied. I get your frustration with our football but you are now starting to blame everyone and everything. The buck stops with the manager and he has been supported like no other manager in our history.


12.) 14 Oct 2015
14 Oct 2015 18:13:32
GCU - This is just my view.I watched an interview with Woody bragging about our spending power. He is the person primarily to blame. Obviously we attract a lot of media attention and a rebuild like this was going to link us with loads of players. Woody had just been piping up far too much for somebody in his position.

I don't think many people would complain too much if Woody did his talking in the boardroom rather than to the TV cameras. The fact he is doing this to cover up his blunders just makes it look worse.

Ed - going back to your point to Schmidfield.

I think he struggles because he is a salesman and salesman make the worst buyers. He struggles because he knows Man Utd the Business Brand, but he doesn't know Man Utd the football club as well as he should imo. He should do his commercial deals and pass the baton for transfers to somebody with a bit more expertise. The Glazers care about the bottom line and Woody brings in money, it would be ideal if we could have him on one side and somebody not writing blank cheques or mouthing off on the other. Almost every deal we over pay in wages, transfer fee or both - that is because he is a commercial salesman, selling a product he has a gift for, he clearly isn't good on the buying side so should swallow his pride and move aside from that responsibility.

{Ed001's Note - I agree with you completely on this, it is clear he is not the right man for the buying role.}


13.) 14 Oct 2015
14 Oct 2015 15:16:11
SchMidfield, you say he is carrying out the instructions of the owners, but what exactly are those instructions? It isn't as if Woodward has been penny pinching of late. We have had to pay top dollar for most of the players we have signed.


14.) 14 Oct 2015
14 Oct 2015 19:04:59
@ Beast, you make valid points, but we don't get to hear the half of the ins and outs of deals, so commenting on Woodward paying high wages you don't know this for a fact, also with the exact amount with transfer fees.


15.) 14 Oct 2015
14 oct 2015 20:42:16
fzz - fair point mate, unfortunately we are just bystanders, drip fed some facts with a lot of fiction. At least we all enjoy talking about it.


16.) 14 Oct 2015
14 oct 2015 20:57:12
no club talks about individual wages and all the cost of the ins and outs guys and never been public knowledge not in the pl or anywhere else.