Transfer Rumours Let's ignore the big ****ing elephant and blame the latest manager, again. Are we nearly there yet?

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Something I thought about before.

It's often said that we should only employ proven winners, and an answer is that everyone has a right to start somewhere. I've probably said it myself on occasion.

Since Fergie, the only trophies we've won are under LVG, Mourinho and ten Hag. And they'd all won stuff before.

Moyes, Solskjaer, Rangnick? No, they hadn't.
 
ETH was a great choice as a manager because it wasn’t a gunshot approach and he wasn’t exactly a celebrity media choice. Even with the challenges we’ve had, Southgate would be a terrible choice to replace him. We might as well leave ETH to the job if he can convince the board we are on the right path by taking lessons learned so far and using those to make us better next season. We also have better oversight in Ineos which should help. There’s actually more risk involved in simply starting again with a new manager who would have no idea what Manchester United is.

With that, I am somewhat convinced that if ETH is the manager next year, we won’t make the same mistakes as we’ve done this year.
 
If ETH were to continue as manger beyond this season, then for the very fact of providing stability and certainty, I would have expected an announcement by now. The silence is deafening.
 
If ETH were to continue as manger beyond this season, then for the very fact of providing stability and certainty, I would have expected an announcement by now. The silence is deafening.
Why?
As long as the people involved in the decision all know about it why should it be fed to the papers, keep in house business in house and **** the news outlets.
 
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Why?
As long as the people involved in the decision all know about it why should it be fed to the papers, keep in house business in house and **** the news outlets.
Exactly! I hope we will stop the era of dripping news to the media.

My issue isn't about who the likely next manager will be. But I'm starting to acknowledge that from the list of options that's been drawn up, every single one of those candidates will still be a gamble when next season starts, especially Southgate who has never managed at this level. I would rather see where ETH starts next season for the first 5-10 games. And given we will have a new director of football, it's not like we need to have a new manager in place who will be responsible for transfers in the summer.
 
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Exactly! I hope we will stop the era of dripping news to the media.

My issue isn't about who the likely next manager will be. But I'm starting to acknowledge that from the list of options that's been drawn up, every single one of those candidates will still be a gamble when next season starts, especially Southgate who has never managed at this level. I would rather see where ETH starts next season for the first 5-10 games. And given we will have a new director of football, it's not like we need to have a new manager in place who will be responsible for transfers in the summer.
You have to look at who has drawn that list up, Pundits and journos.
Do you really think United would announce a list of possible manager replacements whilst the encumbant manager is still in the job?

I think most of us would agree/accept that Ten Hag did a fairly good job first season despite having a few problems in house (Ronaldo etc). Now in his second season he has had a **** lot of long injuries to important players plus their backups, Martinez/Varain, Casimero, Eriksen, Shaw/Malacia, Wan Bissaka, Mount and frequent short term injuries to others.
He also had the situation of Sancho spitting his dummy out because he was told he's a lazy twat in training.

All these things disrupt the flow of the team and the season in general so imho he's not doing terrible this season either and deserves at least until Jan to make thing click on a regular basis.
 
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Mainoo should be signing a new long term contract soon. Full credit to ETH for easing him into the team. It is far more gratifying watching homegrown talents than chasing after transfer market players which still carries a 50/50 gamble of failure.
 
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So, here we go again.

I can see us losing heavily at home to Liverpool after last night, which will have just deflated the 'team' even more, and that will be the final nail in Ten Hag's coffin.

I still maintain no point changing till the end of the season, and we'll definitely not beat City in the cup final if we get there, as I don't trust Ten hag to get a performance out of the team. (they aren't one)

The list of alleged candidates is pretty scary though;

Southgate, de Zerbi, Potter, Frank, McKenna! Not sure I'd have any of them ffs.

I'd personally go for Tuchel. He'll rattle some cages. He wouldn't be daunted by being United manager either.
 
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In what way, we might actually compete for something?
For one, Tuchel hasn’t exactly got the best track record for uniting a squad and I don’t think ruffling feathers is what we need. We need someone that can get the best out of the players, a good man manager, adapt during games, and keep the players motivated for the next.

He would be a step backward.
 
For one, Tuchel hasn’t exactly got the best track record for uniting a squad and I don’t think ruffling feathers is what we need. We need someone that can get the best out of the players, a good man manager, adapt during games, and keep the players motivated for the next.

He would be a step backward.

That's a reasonable concern BUT what the players really need imo is a manager with a clear style of play which is effective and they all buy into. That will unite a squad and motivate them above everything. Love him or hate him, that's what Klopp focused on and everything in terms of squad unity followed from that.

It's a big part of man management. Otherwise you end up with Oleball where everyone does whatever they want and get a free pass bcos the manager is too worried about ruffling feathers and wants them to be his mate.
 
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Btw that doesn't mean Tuchel will be a success. What it means is that the main concern should be the football he is capable of instilling and how effective it is.
 
That's a reasonable concern BUT what the players really need imo is a manager with a clear style of play which is effective and they all buy into. That will unite a squad and motivate them above everything. Love him or hate him, that's what Klopp focused on and everything in terms of squad unity followed from that.

It's a big part of man management. Otherwise you end up with Oleball where everyone does whatever they want and get a free pass bcos the manager is too worried about ruffling feathers and wants them to be his mate.
I would argue that ETH had those qualities when he came in. He also wasn't afraid to ruffle feathers. It started well enough for us, but this season came too fast and we just never got a grip of it.

Manchester United is like a burning house. Everyone thinks they can go into it and save the day, but no one really knows what it is like to be in the dead heat of the flame. Effectively, it will always be a gamble regardless of who comes in as a manager. We have to build from the bottom up, which is why the moves off the field by Ineos group are probably far more significant than simply choosing another manager.
 
Our football is so poor <laugh>

Just watching tonight's game.

This is us... move the ball 10 yards forward pass it back 5 yards, move the ball 10 yards forward pass it back 5 yards, move it 10 yards forward pass it back 5 yards... rinse and repeat. End up in the final third with the whole of the opposition defence nicely organised, and comfortable and few clear cut chances possible.

Other than Garnacho we have no one who actually runs at players. In fact our football is designed so that no one is able to run at players because it's so fcking cumbersome.

Meanwhile the opposition go direct, go forward, run at us... and score twice <doh>
 
We just need to keep getting results - win ugly, win hard, but win, we can slag off the quality of the football all summer. For now, every point counts, however it comes. Hard won game against stubborn opposition but the team dug in, and fought for a decent result.
 
Interesting you think points are still important. I don't even pay attention to that, we're not getting 4th with 4 games to go. Think it's clear Ten Hag is gone in the summer.
 
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Interesting you think points are still important. I don't even pay attention to that, we're not getting 4th with 4 games to go. Think it's clear Ten Hag is gone in the summer.
We can't just stop and give in, who knows what can happen to the teams above us, the points aren't awarded in April - lots to play for still.