Off Topic How long is Rafa Benitez going to last in his dream job?

That actually came out wrong, nowt to do with age tbh. Dinosaurs of the game, as in having a tired old approach to the game, won't adapt and haven't moved with the times

And Fergie never lived off past glories as manager, he left still at the top.

 

They have people to move with the times for them, Fergie for instance gets all the praise(that's the norm)but there were plenty of others employed by utd due to the change in attitude to players diets, overall health as well as fitness, and bringing the youth through the ranks to go on to be successful first teamers etc.
Back in the day it was only the manager, trainer, magic sponge man and the tea lady and eating steak before games, smoking, drinking heavily, playing on with serious injuries was the norm.

 

Some of my best friends were dinosaurs.

 

That's true I suppose but does depend who you bring in as well. Maybe that's why Wenger is a dinosaur bcos he wont bring in anyone to sort out the defence!
I remember Paul McGrath said about his time there when Fergie came in. Great defender, one of the best of my younger days, ended up falling out with Fergie cos he couldnt adapt from the drinking culture, but admits now that he wish he had.

 

I just look back to utd 3 Liverpool 3 for everything you need to know in one game about why lfc were nowhere.

If you look on youtube.

Just look at the scenario. Utd miles ahead in table. Look at the players in 1994. Utd had athletes. Lfc had fat ruddock and Dicks.

Even Bruce was fit...

Utd were light years ahead in terms of training and fitness.

That's why they could dominate. They also had good players but they consistently developed them.

Roll this forward and what arsenal did in 2000s was compete on power, pace, tactics but wenger failed to rebuild. Then the money flowed in.

Now utd are also rans, behind the times on tactics, on methods of training, on club structures... but rich as **** and still so far retaining youth development.

 

I go over to Wexford a couple of times a year to see mates of mine, he lives in the same area as them and I've spoken to the feller a a couple of times in the pub, nice lad and he still loves his Guinness.

 

Fair appraisal including the last bit.

 

Ferguson was miles ahead of so called foreign experienced guys like souness who was a joke.

Until wenger came in utd were miles a head in every department.

Now utd need football men in the directors box shaping the club but you wonder what's going on with charlton and Ferguson and where's the real ceo and power.

If mourinho comes in and giggs leaves the past two years seem rather a waste.

 

Nah, once you go a tier below the first team squad their club is in good nick, it's the first team manager that's ****ing things around, if it's not broken don't fix it is a lesson Moyes learned too late and LVG has ****ed the first team up so much its only through his own mistakes hes brought some decent kids through.

He likes to pretend he meant to give youth a chance when the world knows his stubborn training policies were the reason.

 

Tbf Moyes did more damage in getting rid of the back room staff than either manager did on the pitch combined

 

that was a big no no lol, way over his head club wise, but to get rid of experience around him was just plain stupid.

i enjoyed that season though you want him back

 

Who's minding that system though? In 5 years time will it be robust or not? Who's keeping scouts hired and working? That's the fear.

You are right the firsts are all over the place. I still think rashford might never ha e played if not for martial injury.

As of now... well.... who knows. The issue I would be worried about is lack of direction behind d the scenes degrading that underage and scouting etc.

 

He was out of his depth, but in fairness would he have done better given time and the players we have?

The funny thing is we went from a manager who had absolutely no concept of holding onto the ball (Moyes) to one who wants us to hold onto the ball at the expense of everything else

And no, like fck I do!!

 

LVG & Moyes dream team next year then?

 

Rafa came in too late to safe the toon army.

Championship is beckoning.

Have to cut and run now !.