The Fall of Manchester United - ‘where careers go to die’

In an article from the Daily Mirror, the paper says there are six major reasons why the club has fallen from grace. 

As mentioned the Glazers are not popular amongst fans. They’ve taken more than a billion pounds out of the club in dividends and are known for treating fans with contempt. 

The general attitude from fans is that the Glazers have used the club for personal financial gain and their lack of success over nearly a decade adds credence to that. 

But beyond ownership, who else is to blame?

Signings

When Man Utd was at the top, they didn’t struggle to sign players – they got whoever they wanted. The club’s status and finances virtually guaranteed the best players in the world would be at United. But following the Fergie era “their transfer policy has been a shambles, with more than £1bn spent on players since 2013.” 

City and Liverpool are now known for their “superb” buying and selling of players with little fuss, whilst Man Utd are “embroiled in drawn-out transfer sagas or end up paying over the odds for players simply not worth their fee.”

There are plenty of players who highlight this – the most glaringly obvious is the club’s captain Harry Maguire, whose ability and dedication to the game have been questioned in recent months. 

Manchester United are also failing when it comes to retaining players – Paul Pogba, Jesse Lingard, Juan Mata and Cavani are all out of contract this summer and leaving as free agenda. Man Utd have a few long-term contracts for players who simply don’t get enough game time such as Phil Jones. 

Coaching

Since Fergie, Manchester United have failed to secure another long-term manager and that could play a role in failing to see player improvements. 

Players like Harry Maguire, Marcus Rashford, and Wan-Bissake have all regressed during their time at the club. Ole Gunnar Solskjar was heavily criticised for his backroom coaching staff, Rangnick faces the same complaints and many are hoping Erik ten Hag will get it right. 

It’s clear Rangnick’s tactics are not working on the field. He bought in Chris Armas and Ewan Sharp – the former American with no Premier League experience who had been sacked from two MLS clubs.  

His high pressing style since stepping in as interim manager has not been seen on the pitch, with coaches failing to get their ideas across to players. Perhaps players aren’t listening because Rangnick is an interim manager. 

Players

It appears there is a division between players in the dressing-room, though it’s been strongly denied by the players. 

The Daily Mirror claims there is “a power struggle between Ronaldo and skipper Harry Maguire”. The newspaper goes on to say the other Manchester United players have lost faith in the skipper to lead the club because of his won poor performance. The body language on the pitch shows the players appear to have little fight or commitment – they are playing like individuals and not a team. 

When Ronaldo returned to the club and in turn the Premier League, genuine excitement was seen amongst football fans. But clearly, Ronaldo has returned to a different era of Manchester United. And his frustration, week-on-week, is clearly etched on his face. Some critics claim Ronaldo’s return proved to be a distraction and it’s the reason this season’s performance from the team has been so poor. But Ronaldo has constantly bailed them out – even when they’re losing, he remains the only player completely dedicated right until the whistle is blown. 

Manager 

Erik ten Hag has been appointed the new manager of the club – the fifth permanent manager in nine years. He’ll join in the summer. It’s a massive contrast to Liverpool who have had Klopp since 2015 or City who have had Pep Guardiola since 2016. It’s also a massive contrast to Sir Alex Fergurson’s 26-year career as Manchester United’s manager.

Both Liverpool and City went out and recruited the manager they both wanted and ensured the correct support structure was in place for them to succeed. 

Manchester United have seen David Moyes (who many initially tipped to be a long-term successor to Sir Alex, but was sacked in the first year), Louis van Gaal, Jose Mourinho and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer. 

Erik van Hag must be given time and space to succeed. It won’t just happen overnight and additional changes may need to be looked at. 

Old Trafford no longer Theatre of Dreams 

Manchester United’s ground – Old Trafford is known as the Theatre of Dreams – but is now in a state of disrepair. Under the Glazer family, the grounds have been neglected and fallen behind other top-six clubs’ grounds. The likes of City, Liverpool, Arsenal and Spurs all have top-level, state-of-the-art stadiums.

The Old Trafford roof leaks, there is no giant screen to inform fans of team news or VAR decision and the entire structure needs an overhaul. 

It’s the news every Man Utd fan has been waiting for – a new permanent manager has been selected. After many months of speculation, Dutchman Erik ten Hag has taken up the job. He’ll start this summer and unlike interim manager Ralf Rangnick, he’s been tasked with the job of returning Manchester United back to its glory days. 

Ten Hag needs time to revolutionise the club. The trophies won come overnight but he could be the catalyst that brings the silverware back to the cabinet. 

European football experts Guillem Balague, James Horncastle and Julien Laurens are joined by Dutch journalist Marcel van der Kraan on BBC Radio 5 Live’s Euro League’s podcast to discuss whether the current Ajax manager is the man to transform the club. Here’s what they said: 

‘It will take more than three years to make an impact’

Guillem Balague: Ten Hag is the type of coach everyone agreed was needed. Manchester United have gone for big names, then nostalgic names, now he is the first tactical modern coach the club will have.

To change the culture of a club that has been going the wrong way for a long time, to get Ronaldo out and to also persuade the directors what he is doing is important, well it’s going to take longer than three years for Ten Hag to have an impact.

At a time when you need to be in love with your leader, that won’t happen with him. Manchester United are going with someone who doesn’t have an aura about him and that matters to people outside the club, if not inside. The fans want a spectacle even in press conferences. But is he prepared? Absolutely.

We know what is going to happen. Ten Hag is going to get the blame for everything. This guy is prepared. He can do it, but if it doesn’t happen then the analysis has to go much further or else we will be fooling the audience.

James Horncastle: For decades English football has judged managers on personalities as well as results. Look at Unai Emery – he had repeated success but was mocked and ridiculed on social media, especially in the English press. Does Ten Hag have that personality?

‘Ronaldo has to leave for Ten Hag to work’

Julien Laurens: I can’t see how it can work with Ronaldo. Ten Hag wants his forwards to be very aggressive, but Cristiano is not.

He is an amazing goalscorer but he doesn’t do anything else that Ten Hag wants from his number nine. He is coming to United to implement his philosophy, not use a 38-year-old player who doesn’t do half of what he wants his striker to do.

Horncastle: Is there a fit for United? If you sign a player like Ronaldo you have to shelve the idea you are going to appoint a manager who is in step with modern tactics, like Ten Hag. The only fit for United if you were to keep Ronaldo is to appoint someone like Carlo Ancelotti.

There is an incoherence between the appointment and the star. It will need time and patience because the media will have to accept this might not work immediately with the coach’s ideas and the personalities available.

Balague: Ten Hag doesn’t fully fit this Manchester United right now.

Ronaldo has to leave for Ten Hag’s style to work. He creates a machine and players are just cogs in that machine. The players he is working with have to be ready to accept what he is telling them with the idea of punching above their weight. He hardly has anyone like that at Manchester United.

It is going to need more than three years because he is going to need every transfer window available to do that. But is every player willing to buy into the plan? Some players will have to go, the fans have to accept that, and the media will have to accept the transition will be long and the club has to accept the changes will be deep. I don’t see that willingness.

For Cristiano to accept Ten Hag he has to offer less of what he is able to do and he has never done that. He wants the whole design of the team to be for him to get more numbers, more goals.