07 Apr 2022 08:43:03
Ed001, thoughts on Erik ten Hag as United manager? Surely we can't mess another appointment up.

{Ed001's Note - seems like a good choice, but it does depend on the set up above him being sorted out. On his own though, as an option, he did seem to be one of the better possible options, certainly much better than Pochettino in my opinion.}


1.) 07 Apr 2022
07 Apr 2022 09:21:51
Welsh, as ed1 and all of us posters been saying, Ten Hag has an excellent setup at Ajax. He controls the players and has a big say in transfers. At United, we have a bunch of idiots at the top, they will only do things for financial reasons. If they are prepared to change, sell players who are only there for money, let the manager choose the players he wants based on skill AND character, then we might be moving in the right direction.
One thing for sure, ten Hag is an excellent choice and a very astute manager. He plays the game the right way. But he's also very strict and hard in training. I can see our lot throwing the towel in and that's when the hierarchy at the club need to grow a pair and stand firmly behind the manager.


2.) 07 Apr 2022
07 Apr 2022 10:00:58
AAA,

I think a lot of the players who don’t want to train will be gone in the summer, it could be a complete reset and a good time for a manager to come in with a younger set of lads who want to work hard. It will take time though and I’m not sure our fans will give it to him, but I’m excited for what he can achieve.


3.) 07 Apr 2022
07 Apr 2022 09:42:17
Thanks for that Ed001, I also do feel Poch will more likely go with the current team but and a few "key" players. But ETH I subjectively think is coming with a cultural and identity reset which we need to break this endless mediocre cycle.

Yes, the board has to back the manger and also get the structure fixed.

{Ed001's Note - Poch is weak as well, he does not instil discipline and is more of an arm around the shoulder of everyone type of manager. At a club where discipline is already a problem, that would be a mistake for me. Teams need discipline.}


4.) 07 Apr 2022
07 Apr 2022 11:09:03
If the decision is to go with EtH then they need to have made the call on a reset. I am sure he will keep some players we think should go and will work at improving them but his philosophy and playing style is different to the current team. He will need time and different style of players to impliment it to be successful, if the club are not willing to do this it will not work.
I am optimisitic that if they are making this choice that we are finally seeing football decisions being made, if that also means Ragnick given a meaningful role, Arnold dealing with the commercial side of the club and Murtagh overseeing the football side but bringing in football people with real acumin this could see success (Could Mitchell come in at some capacity) .
Keep saying it, we just need to be patient.


5.) 07 Apr 2022
07 Apr 2022 11:41:44
First buy will be a new dugout - ETH, Fletcher, RVP, Meulensteen, McLaren, Phelan possibly Stam. media taking scattergun approach to naming backroom staff.


6.) 07 Apr 2022
07 Apr 2022 12:17:22
Seems obligatory that there will have to be at least one Fergie old boy in there to keep Sir Alex informed.


7.) 07 Apr 2022
07 Apr 2022 12:43:40
I would love Rene Meulensteen back at the club. A world class coach.

{Ed014's Note - so world class in fact that he’s coaching the Aussie national team ?‍♂️


8.) 07 Apr 2022
07 Apr 2022 13:12:34
Ed014, World class coach, or world class manager?

Plenty of good coaches don't make it as a good Manager.

{Ed014's Note - Rene is currently neither or he’d be in demand which is obvs not the case.

Well unless you’re wanted by a club who are winging it! #United


9.) 07 Apr 2022
07 Apr 2022 13:13:53
Ed014, there is a massive difference between being a good coach and a good manager.

Many excellent coaches have been underwhelming or failed when stepping into management.

Steve McClaren was a fantastic coach and played a key role in the 1999 treble, but has been an average manager.

Carlos Queiroz has been considered the key man in building and coaching the 2008 United side that was so dominant. Yet he flopped at Real Madrid and has been knocking around the international football wilderness ever since.

Football is littered with great coaches who are average or poor managers.

Rene Meulensteen is another one. Someone who is really good at working with the players, keeping them engaged and developing them. He also knows the club very well and is very good at translating Dutch to English. Something that EtH has concerns about with himself. A poor translation can change the meaning of a sentence, having someone to run by what you want to say who can make sure you are getting across what you want to get across will be important for EtH.

He'd be a good choice as someone to have in his backroom staff. Ideally you don't really want an assistant manager who thinks he should be manager, it can cause an awkward power dynamic.

{Ed014's Note - I never spoke of Rene being manager, he’s working as a coach in Aus so obvs not in demand as an alleged world class coach.


10.) 07 Apr 2022
07 Apr 2022 13:29:33
Players who have played and developed under him would suggest otherwise Ed. You don't have to bounce around from top club to top club to be considered a top coach.

{Ed014's Note - ok I’ll take your word for it, you boys do have a tendency to proclaim persons as world class a little to easily for me though.

Personally never seen anything to suggest he is though.


11.) 07 Apr 2022
07 Apr 2022 14:00:30
His first time at the club and the development of players and success that was had is a good enough indicator for me lol. That success level in terms of trophies clearly won't be the same this time round, but having him back, in my opinion would be a very good bit of business.

{Ed014's Note - what more can I say! ??


12.) 07 Apr 2022
07 Apr 2022 14:36:29
Didn't he fail at Fulham whe he had a stint as a manager?

{Ed014's Note - don’t mention stuff like that MH, he’s a worldie of a coach that’s all that matters! ?


13.) 07 Apr 2022
07 Apr 2022 15:03:25
I'll take your word for it ed014, you probably know more about good coaches ;)

Either way, Rene talks too much, always has something to say in the press. Look forward, not back IMO.

{Ed014's Note - I’d take my word for nowt mate, the only thing I know about coaches is Man City have a very plush Starliner which is amazing inside. ?‍♂️?


14.) 07 Apr 2022
07 Apr 2022 15:36:14
Ed014,

There's me thinking he was just a bench warmer haha.

{Ed014's Note - don’t start thinking either for gods sake! ?


15.) 07 Apr 2022
07 Apr 2022 15:44:33
I remember Van Persie lavishing praise on Rene when we won our last title.
The way he prepared the strikers to target defenders weaknesses.


16.) 07 Apr 2022
07 Apr 2022 16:08:15
The club should let ETH decide on all his staff including coaches that fit his style, mentality and the ubiquitous nature of the sport.

If it's Rene or Steve then fine.

But bringing someone back because the person was a success or has "roots" to us is a recipe for failure.

I thought we had been burnt times enough to learn and stop making these sentimental mistakes fgs!


17.) 07 Apr 2022
07 Apr 2022 16:57:59
I think you’re right there ed001. When I heard that the players preferred Poch it set off alarm bells. I presume they were told by Spurs players that he’s a light touch and that’s all they want. It’s why they we’re happy with Ole for so long.

{Ed001's Note - Shaw and Poch are close, to the point where the other Southampton players used to call Shaw Poch's son. That would probably be the source of any preference, as he treated Shaw like a favoured son and Shaw will have no doubt talked about how nice he was to him. Imo that is the source of Shaw's dietary issues etc, as Poch did not enforce any discipline and allowed him to eat and do what he liked. Which is something you can get away with when you are younger but starts to catch up with you as you age.}


18.) 07 Apr 2022
07 Apr 2022 17:11:53
Only one man should decide who he wants on his back room team and that's the manager.
As yaz says whomever that is, is fine as long as he is the coaches choice. There is all sorts of dynamics to take into consideration.
Everyone will have an opinion but most if not all are talking silly hypothesis or from a position we don't understand.


19.) 07 Apr 2022
07 Apr 2022 19:08:28
GDS, I Hope the slackers and trouble makers are ditched in the summer. But I have no faith in the hierarchy to be ruthless. Some of their decision making is baffling, why would you renew contracts to lingard, Martial, mata, Jones? Why would you keep pogba at the club when all he does is trash the club name? Why give solskjaer a new contract when they saw the demise in our play for months. Why keep Phelan on the coaching staff? Why recruit Fletcher?
The list is endless.


20.) 07 Apr 2022
07 Apr 2022 19:08:43
Steve McLaren I heard ?.


21.) 07 Apr 2022
07 Apr 2022 20:46:24
Ed001, the way you speak about dietary issues and eating what you like catching up with you as you age, it really sounds like you fully understand that problem ?.

{Ed001's Note - trust me I really know!!}


22.) 07 Apr 2022
07 Apr 2022 20:51:35
I agree 100% with Yaz and Ken, we shouldn't get too concerned with who EtH brings in as long as it's entirely his choice.

I really don't like seeing Fletcher sitting on Rangnick's shoulder during games like Rangnick needs to be watched all the time incase he makes off with the family silver.

I didn't like it when Phelan seemed to be pushed on Ole.

Or when LvG was told Giggs had to be a part of his coaching team.

It doesn't set the right example and it doesn't look right.

If McClaren or Meulensteen is EtH's choice, or RvP or Stam then fine. He will have his reasons for hiring them.


23.) 07 Apr 2022
07 Apr 2022 22:47:10
If Ten Hag goes for René Marić as assistant coach, that would be a good choice.


24.) 08 Apr 2022
08 Apr 2022 02:11:34
I think Shaw inherited Anderson's dinner plate in the canteen Ed001 ?.


25.) 08 Apr 2022
08 Apr 2022 07:52:49
I’m hoping for big Jaap Stam for the sole reason that some of our players need scaring/ intimidating to even run around a bit.


26.) 08 Apr 2022
08 Apr 2022 08:19:04
DB,

Shaw does look portly these days.


27.) 08 Apr 2022
08 Apr 2022 12:28:07
Mh he is fat and unfit.


28.) 08 Apr 2022
08 Apr 2022 12:38:44
Rene Meulensteen is as world class a coach as NIck Powell is a world class MF. :P.