Do you like United as much as you used to?

Hmmmm... caveats on club supporting. Interesting subject for someone who was born and raised a Peñarol fan but always had a second club (Juve 80s, Barca 90s, United 00s).

Juve was an interest, while I still went to the stadium to watch my team every week. I never studied their history or anything, didn't need to or cared as Peñarol had everything I needed from that perspective.

Then South American football started getting increasingly poor so my interest switched to La Liga, where most of our players were going from a young age now. I loved watching the Dream Team play, with greater resources (and now based in Europe) I could delve into the history, the Catalan factor, the Dutch influence... It all intrigued me, but I frankly never felt any form of identification.

Then around 1997 I went to watch Peñarol at a stadium for the last time. It was terrible, South American football has truly turned to shit, there's nothing, absolutely nothing, that hasn't been eviscerated from it. I love the club's history, but in its current reality it's all gone, unrecognisable, nothing of what made it special has remained. There's no link between past and present bar a few old-timers who carried on as coaches (Tito Goncalves, Ladislao Mazurkiewicz, Roberto Matosas...) and they have already started dropping like flies. Teams are a bunch of cobbled together spare parts: U-20s who haven't been snapped up yet, over 30s who are too old for Europe, and the dross in the middle that no one wanted (often still players who went to Europe and failed and have returned momentarily to get some football before another lucrative move). Half the starting XI changes at every transfer window, that's the norm. If a player stays more than 1/2 seasons he is probably useless. It's not a football club any more but an agonical exercise in firefighting.

And that's why I think United captured my imagination: there's a compelling history and style which I can relate to, but evidence of it still being very much there as an underlying force. There's such a thing as a "United Player", and players I would rather stay clear of even if they are a bit good. And that's where all this transfer business shit doesn't bother me: if a player isn't desperate to be joining United, they probably don't get it and I couldn't care less about having them. If they prefer London because it's a better location, they'd better stay in London. If they prefer City because they pay more, they can feck off there for all I care. In a way, I empathise with Liverpool fans, because they are so far behind and irrelevant they can no longer demand such standards. It must be excruciating.

If it costs us in points/titles whatever, I don't care, because what I value most is having a team that is committed and understands what it means to play for us. Sometimes they'll be better, sometimes they'll be worse, but that's what makes the games entertaining and what has you cursing and jumping for joy, and loving X the feckin' beauty... Trust me, titles are overrated, Peñarol carried on winning domestic titles for many years, but I don't care any more because what I see on the pitch isn't the ethos, style, attitude and commitment that I grew up admiring. It's an empty shell, much like Rooney these days (that, more than his effectiveness, is what worries me about him).

I love this current bunch and am ready to go on the rollercoaster journey of fighting it out through a season, with all its ups and downs. Results are a bonus.

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I still love United but with age has come natural cynicism & the realisation that Football in England has become nothing more than a distraction for the masses & that we're all just customers for the associated brands.

There's still little else more exciting than watching a great game full of drama but I think for most people (I include myself in this) it probably takes up more of their time, energy & thoughts than it should do. Especially once you realise that the whole thing is engineered to do just that.
 
Liking United more than I used to, loving football more than I used to too. Always wanted United to play with a philosophy like this one. LVG was the only candidate at that time which would've brought us in this direction so his installment as manager has brought a greater attachment for me. It's clear that we are in transition and that the philosophy will take some years to take full effect probably after LVG retires but I am looking forward to the future because this is a step in the right direction.
 
Love United as much as ever - I don't enjoy watching football in general as much as I used to however. Used to watch any and every game I could find, now I don't really 'watch' anyone bar United properly unless I'm having a few beers in the pub or whatever (I'll have football on as background noise in the house while I'm doing other things though). Not sure why - it's just that the prospect of slogging nearly two hours watching something I have no vested interest in seems a bit daft when I've got other things to do.
 
It's a bit of a strange time to be supporting United. It's not only the departure of Sir Alex, but I feel a disconnect from the players like I had never felt before. Maybe we were a bit spoiled with the class of 92 that we grew up watching year after another. Recently there has been such a huge turnover of players that right now I don't feel any connection with many of them. Maybe once everything stabilizes I'd begin to feel differently.
 
Not nearly as much. I started investing more of my free time following Galway Utd just in the road from me and the League of Ireland a few years ago. The level of football on display isn't as good but there's less of a soap opera going on around it. Things are simple, much more down to earth (if that makes sense) and there's much more of community/family aspect to it. Hard to beat getting a live football fix every week or so too. I still watch every Utd game and like when they win and stuff but I'd take a Galway Utd loss more bad now than when Utd lose.
 
The Black Pearl said:
Not nearly as much. I started investing more of my free time following Galway Utd just in the road from me and the League of Ireland a few years ago. The level of football on display isn't as good but there's less of a soap opera going on around it. Things are simple, much more down to earth (if that makes sense) and there's much more of community/family aspect to it. Hard to beat getting a live football fix every week or so too. I still watch every Utd game and like when they win and stuff but I'd take a Galway Utd loss more bad now than when Utd lose.
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But it seems more "real" yes? :)
 
Anyway, yes, my interest post-Fergie is a bit waning. For all the stick Fergies got in his last days, his team still had that blueprint that make them one of the most followed football team in the world: flair, speed, and play to the 'last minute' attitude.

Now we are like that 'boring' Germany NT in the 90's: compact, systematic, grind out result, but uninspiring. LvG can't even appreciate the little spark in Herrera, for god sake.
 
Absolutely. I'm less affected by whatever happens though which is natural as you get older.
 
Considering that I was born into a family that included two foaming-at-the-mouth, United supporting uncles, and that they saw to it that my knowledge of football was established hand in hand with my introduction to this club, I never really had any option of what club I was going to follow. That isn't to say that in the 40 something years since then that I've ever resented their brainwashing.

I guess I can understand that for those who have only ever known a United under SAF that there would be a period of mourning and disinterest. It's only human nature to be resistant to change and weary of the unknown. I've definitely gone through periods when I didn't have to know the results of every match as it happened. Whether that was because of school or logistics (pre-internet & travelling) or back when I was, uhmmm...sowing some wild oats? Let's just say that there are times in a young man's life when grown men kicking a ball takes a back seat to other, things.

That really wasn't me losing interest in the club in particular, however. It was just circumstance and a result of the turbulence created during the transition from post-adolescence into adulthood. It was also never a situation where I stopped enjoying football or started to lose my underlying emotional attachment to United.

While I'm plenty sad to see the Fergie era come and go (a sadness which for me honestly has less to do with football and more to do with the dawning realization of just how quickly time moves; how fast life passes us by), I'm actually as excited and interested in the team and in the sport now, as I think I ever was when I was young enough to still idolize grown men in short, shorts. The anxiety created from watching the transition from our last era of football to the next is actually pretty damn exciting to me. There's a nervous energy created from not knowing what to really expect and, if you allow yourself the ability to enjoy some small amount of optimism, it's actually quite fun.
 
More now if anything. It feels like we're backed into a corner and fighting our way out. I did lose interest with Moyes in charge though.
 
My love for United won't change regardless of who is at the club and how shit we play. But I don't cheat on my girlfriend so there you go. I must be loyal.
 
Yes, definitely. One of the things with being so dominant is that you lose the thrill of having to wait for a success. It's no lie to say that our next winning campaign will feel like the best one in years and years.
 
I love United, but I have grown to really hate the drama and media that surrounds the game. The only pleasure I get from football anymore is when I watch/attend a match or if I read an autobiography/in depth discussion.

The short-term soap opera hysteria around the club and the media really turns me off.
 
I like United as much. I don't like football as much I don't think.
 
No. Since SAF retired, since the legends of the 99 era have left, since Ferdinand, Vidic, Evra etc have left, even the likes of Brown and O'Shea. Since we sold the likes of Welbeck and Cleverley (who weren't great but were United through and through) since Rooney mugged us off for a new contract. All these things make me feel less of a connection with the club, I still love United but I preferred it when we had that pure passion, that core of loyal United players and a British base with youth coming through. We have it somewhat now but nowhere near to what it was like before.

Times change and football has changed but it just feels like the club has lost its soul a little in the last couple of years.
 
The Law of Denis said:
I love United, but I have grown to really hate the drama and media that surrounds the game. The only pleasure I get from football anymore is when I watch/attend a match or if I read an autobiography/in depth discussion.

The short-term soap opera hysteria around the club and the media really turns me off.
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Good point.
I lost the will to live watching the Villa game, such was the overkill commentary.
There is no need to inject drama in sport. If you are watching it, it is because you already have an interest in it.
 
this is my third season with season tickets now, but 94/95 was my favourite team. Back when 4-4-2 was the magic formation, pacy wingers, box to box midfielders, none of this "holding midfielder" bullsh!t. None of this "false 9" or wingers playing the side of their weaker foot to "cut in".

Proper centre backs with sheer power at the back, legendary goal keeper, rock hard front to back.

Play your first 11 pretty much every week.

Glorious days.

That's nostalgia for you though
 
I don't like how football is heading into this media fuled muppet garbage, spend spend spend, topping the sky sports transfer table over the summer seems as important to some than topping the actual league table, otherwise I still enjoy watching/talking about United.
 
Nothing has changed for me as far as loving the club, just feel that we need a different person in charge of the team.
 
Just feel that as you mature you relate differently to sports in general then when you were young. I bet there is a younger generation of United fans who feel that their life is driven by how United perform in that particular week.
 
Not sure really. I felt more attached to the players in the past (Keane, the Fledglings, Ronaldo, Rooney (before 2011), RVN, and VDS) but I think this is a transition for me where I am still finding my love for the new bunch. Makes me feel less attached to the team. But, I still very much love United as much (if not more). I am following every game more closely than before to see the level of progress, and the enjoying the smaller steps - 4th place, Brugge victory, hopefully a title challenge etc.
 
Still love United as much as I did when I started supporting them in the early eighties but have found that I have lost a little interest in Football in general where as before I would search for a stream for a game I usually follow the games over the BBC Sport website now.
 
It was the amazing aura of Scholes, Giggs and SAF, as well as United's attacking flair that brought me to United. all those things are gone, nor have we replaced them with people of equal merit.

LVG is leaving after next season, or he might be up to the task of following SAF in the long term. But we have no one with the aura of Scholes, who never had an agent, or Giggs who carries himself with such an air of distinguishment, who leaves it all on the field and lives and breathes winning.

Scholes and Giggs are up there with Maldini, Zanetti, Charlton, one club players who didn't chase money and were more than football players, they conducted themselves with amazing dignity and honor on the field.

I can't think of anyone in football now who has that aura, respectful and respected by players across the world.

Iniesta is one.
 
dogrob said:
Still love United as much as I did when I started supporting them in the early eighties but have found that I have lost a little interest in Football in general where as before I would search for a stream for a game I usually follow the games over the BBC Sport website now.
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I know what you mean - 3 or 4 years ago I could easily watch 5 or 6 live games in a day and maybe 20+ in a week - even Brazilian 2nd division at 2am :D - now only watch United games and the odd England one - more down to duty now than real interest
 
Always been a United fan and always will be. Just worried about all the money that is coming into the club not being invested into the club. Too much going out and being pocketed. Currently the balance for this summer transfer window is -15 million pounds. Despite a 750 million 10 year deal with addidas and a 47 mill a year deal with Chevrolet. United are the biggest club in the world and would be able to outbid any other team if our owners used the cash generated by the club to actually benefit the club. Seems to me that the aim of the owners is to have a cash generating club regardless if the club wins trophies or not. Main aim is to keep cash coming in. And that is how I see it.
 
No love has been lost here. Supporting and watching united is my favorite thing, match day is the most exciting day of the week just as it was years ago.

When we have lost a match I tend to afterwards avoid highlights or news of that game, only because I love united and it pains me when we lose. If we win I like to watch the highlights over and over and sometimes will watch mutv on a stream so I can watch that particular game in full with Paddy and Stewart commentating.

I think its an exciting time to be a united fan, my interest and love has not wavered at all.
 
I want to care less but I can't, the stress United have brought me post Fergie has been unhealthy.

I love the club from the bottom of my heart, but I wouid like to detach myself a little more during the summer...... maybe next year.
 
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