yes agree with that - such a range of skillsets we had with scholes, carrick, fletcher, Anderson and Hargreaves and they were all very good footballers
Duncan Castles : Jose Mourinho on collision course with Ed Woodward over Manchester United transfers
- Thread starter Maradona10
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It's funny, i was one of his biggest detractors for years, didn't like him, nor his methods. Yet now he is our manager, i'll back him, although i haven't changed my opinion of him. I am just accepting of what he is, and how he does things, and i have no expectation of him becoming anything other than he is, nor do i believe he will customize his tried and trusted methods to 'fit in' better at Utd.
He is paid to bring success and if he gets what he wants im sure he will provide it, as he has done previously. It certainly won't be plain sailing along the way though, never is with Mourinho.
Hmmm I think that even the BBC has no clear idea on what we want or what is happening behind closed-doors - what if we get Fabinho in, even though the BBC reported that we are not interested? We are running a very tight ship, and it's not as if we have done zero transfers, or that we are leaving for the tour tomorrow. Even if we fail to get our targets in before we fly to the US, we can still get targets in and fly them to meet up with the rest of the team. I think this is one of the few clubs that allow Jose to pick his own targets rather than having the club owner or director of football to decide the targets for him, and I don't think he will want to spoil his relationship with Woodward when the season has not even started yet - does not make sense to me. Sounds more like the press have no idea what is going on, and run a few stories based from "hearsay" to generate clicks - one paper/source just has to say it and the other outlets will start to say the same thing.
Clashed heads? When Woodward brought him the targets he wanted so quickly in last summer? And when other rivals at the moment are in the same situation as us transfer-wise? Nope.
It's been mentioned somewhere on here before, BBC only print stuff that has been tripled sourced.
Absolutely nothing in that article is a recent comment. It's just a bit of guesswork on Castle's part...it's even got the obligatory "close friend" comment in there which usually means they're an imaginary friend.
Providing his targets are 'sensible' it's hard to disagree with him. He has huge pressure on him and in order to deliver he needs the right players.
It's funny how they keep saying that Woodward has only secured ONE new player - so, the other clubs have got like 4 or 5 targets in already?
Yes, I know that BBC is more reliable than the other outlets, but I will not take their news as absolute truth. They may have gotten their news from the club itself, but that does not mean that this news is not what the club WANTS the press to report, when what is going on behind the scenes is something else entirely.
So, if we assume this stuff from Big Dunc is well sourced, what's Mourinho's end game here? It's not like throwing a tantrum like this is going to reinforce the relationship between the two.
While I do understand what you are saying and do agree to your point (especially in the case of Perisic), what i'm saying is that if Jose thinks Perisic is a priority then the club should back him. What is the point of appointing a successful manager like Jose if you are then to deny him of the players he wants? Especially when we are the richest club in the World and have had no issue splashing money the last few years. Woody himself has said on many occasions about how we can afford to spend alot of money etc.
I do understand that at some point it does need to calm down and you would think as Jose establishes the team he wants that would be the case. But you can't turn around in the guys 2nd Summer and then suddenly decide to not back him. Especially after a season in which we didn't even finish in the Top 4 league wise. Add the fact that the market is broken anyways. Nearly every deal is going to be inflated. So while I don't want us to go stupid either, we simply may have to overpay for a deal or two unfortunately it's just the nature of the beast. I would hate for us to be scrambling around late August and then overpay anyways (ala Fellaini). But let's stay calm and not worry about that until it happens (hopefully it won't
).What an absolutely ridiculous article.
Firstly, you have this mess of a title: "Jose Mourinho faces Manchester United nightmare as he searches for FIVE new signings to bring overpriced, overrated group up to scratch", and then you have within the first paragraph the need to supposedly sign 5 'champions league' standard players to win the league. Ignoring the fact that this crop of 'overpriced, overrated group' won 2 trophies last year, playing awful football that stemmed systemically from the top.
We only have 'six and a half top performers' -- blimey. Mourinho has done such a good job it seems, we should've been closer to relegation!
The more you read into it, the worse it gets. Jesus, man.
Liverpool - Salah
Chelsea - Cabelero
Arsenal - Nobody
City - Silva & Brazilian goalkeeper
Spurs - Nobody
Up to now, this is the total amount of players each of our main rivals has bought. Everton may very well have bought four players, but they aren't players who would improve any of the top teams.
The media and press are just creating a storm in a tea up, of course, we would have preferred to have signed our targets before the US tour. Unfortunately, we haven't has of yet. I will only worry if it gets to the start of the season and we're still only at the one player signed.
Chelsea - Cabelero
Arsenal - Nobody
City - Silva & Brazilian goalkeeper
Spurs - Nobody
Up to now, this is the total amount of players each of our main rivals has bought. Everton may very well have bought four players, but they aren't players who would improve any of the top teams.
The media and press are just creating a storm in a tea up, of course, we would have preferred to have signed our targets before the US tour. Unfortunately, we haven't has of yet. I will only worry if it gets to the start of the season and we're still only at the one player signed.
I've seen a couple of posters say Mourinho is just trying to get excuses in early but if you don't have the right tools to carry out a certain job then of course you will complain. We are arguably weaker right now because we don't have Zlatan yet the expectation will be to challenge for the title. If I was Mourinho I would just tell Woody to go nuts, we may get ripped off but I'd rather we not end up like Arsenal.
Cause we threw the games to focus on winning a European trophy. If we went all out for 4th rather than winning the Europa (which would be incredibly moronic), Liverpool wouldn't have even qualified for the CL. So we did them a favour.
What did Spurs, Liverpool and City win? They should be more worried than us. We're further in the CL than the latter two.
Why, if fans think that a DOF position is required, should Mourinho be involved in transfer negotiations?
Why would the board know that 50m for Perisic is not the right value if they are not 'Football men'?
Given what we know about Mourinho's detail-oriented nature, why should we assume that Mourinho's list consists of only one target per position and not have backups?
Why do we assume that Castles must be speaking on behalf of Mourinho?
Why do we assume that Mourinho is buying the likes of 28 yr old Perisic means that he is never thinking beyond 3 years at a club? How does Morata and Pogba fit into that narrative then?
Why Do we conclude it is the fault of Mourinho for going public, when we don't know if he has, when it is all based on assumption that Castles is his mouthpiece and when there is no real proof that negotiations are going that poorly?
Why are we readily jumping to conclusions that the apparent lack of transfer activity is due to our own shortcomings instead of the very obvious fact that for transfers to happen, it takes several parties to agree and a deal can break down if any single one party remains intractable?
Why do we assume that Ed is doing a bad job when it is only the first week of the transfer window, when most big clubs haven't made that many key signings (bar Everton), and when we know that clubs will try to wring as much as they can from us?
Why do we choose to ignore the fact that Mourinho more often than not, delivers success with his methods but instead choose to focus on "embarrassing" aspects like speaking to the press?
Why are we so quick to criticise and vilify our manager and CEO?
Why are so many fans behaving so spoiled, impatient, petulant, lacking in perspective, and so eager to compare transfers as if there was some kind of prize to be won for the transfer window?
Why would the board know that 50m for Perisic is not the right value if they are not 'Football men'?
Given what we know about Mourinho's detail-oriented nature, why should we assume that Mourinho's list consists of only one target per position and not have backups?
Why do we assume that Castles must be speaking on behalf of Mourinho?
Why do we assume that Mourinho is buying the likes of 28 yr old Perisic means that he is never thinking beyond 3 years at a club? How does Morata and Pogba fit into that narrative then?
Why Do we conclude it is the fault of Mourinho for going public, when we don't know if he has, when it is all based on assumption that Castles is his mouthpiece and when there is no real proof that negotiations are going that poorly?
Why are we readily jumping to conclusions that the apparent lack of transfer activity is due to our own shortcomings instead of the very obvious fact that for transfers to happen, it takes several parties to agree and a deal can break down if any single one party remains intractable?
Why do we assume that Ed is doing a bad job when it is only the first week of the transfer window, when most big clubs haven't made that many key signings (bar Everton), and when we know that clubs will try to wring as much as they can from us?
Why do we choose to ignore the fact that Mourinho more often than not, delivers success with his methods but instead choose to focus on "embarrassing" aspects like speaking to the press?
Why are we so quick to criticise and vilify our manager and CEO?
Why are so many fans behaving so spoiled, impatient, petulant, lacking in perspective, and so eager to compare transfers as if there was some kind of prize to be won for the transfer window?
People do realise that 'The Tales of Duncan The Egg' are fantasy right? The window opened 4 days ago and doesn't close until August 31st.
Would I want all our signings to be done before the start of the tour? Of course I would but when you ask Woody to negotiate with Real, Inter, Monaco and Chelsea you can't expect them to capitulate the moment we take our chequebook out.
Would I want all our signings to be done before the start of the tour? Of course I would but when you ask Woody to negotiate with Real, Inter, Monaco and Chelsea you can't expect them to capitulate the moment we take our chequebook out.
I think castles held back in Yahoo sport and now has Put the boot in, in a newspaper where he seems to be most important sports writer.
One thing that is encouraging is that Mou wants players and not just 3 like some outlets reported, but it looks like he really wanted them quickly and has had to resort to leaks to the press to put pressure on Woodward. Woodward himself is no Saint in the using the press game, he put pressure on Moyes and sacked him in the press before sacking him himself, same with Lvg when in december there was news, united had talked to mourinho and not just rag papers but on BBC. Constant leaks of how LVG rejected Kroos and Moyes Reject Thiago were made. I think Mourinho is playing the game that he knows will be played with him unless he delivers, he will only be able to deliver if he gets the player he wants. I think if ed is sitting in NZ and not taking transfer business seriously then he deserves a kick up the backside.
Good point. I think people are generally impatient because there's no football and transfer usually fill the void.
I thought he had specifically said there were several possible targets per position?
Edit: I just looked back and Im wrong about that, he didnt say. But maybe he said he gave Woodward multiple targets per position last summer? Im pretty sure he will have done anyway.
But we dont just have 4 targets, we have as listed by many journalist at least three alternatives for every position in their preferred order. Lukaku and Belotti aside Morata was the third alternative for us, how would you feel if you are the manager and you have no senior striker to begin training with? I think every top flight manager will be rightly pissed. I think if we had a striker in, these articles wouldnt surface, the facty is we go into pre season where we practice tactics and formations without a frontman who is expected to play all season is stupendous .
I'm still trying to get behind him and I'm sure this is paper nonsense but Mourinho's reign is going just as I feared.
It's got to be Castle's trolling surely? I refuse to believe that Mourinho is that dumb to have this out there implying it's coming from him. If he hasn't said anything to Duncan shitbag then he needs to have Mendes call him and tell him to pipe the feck down. Plus what a way to make your current players feel good. This has got to be all on Castle - can't be Jose being this much of a destructive dick.
You can be such a dramatic fanny sometimes.Regardless, we were a long way away from the title. His point stands. A club like Manchester United shouldn't be content with finishing in fourth place anyway.
Pretty much. If your target list includes top players playing at big clubs, negotiations won't be a breeze.
Definition of a spoilt cheque book manager right there. He basically needs another half a billion quid to get all the players he wants in that article. What a top achievement it'll be if he wins the league after that outlay. That's not been put out with out mourinho approving it. Rose tinted specs off, he's a blame shifting manager who underachieved hugely last season. With all these briefs to castles, I would love to be the fly on the wall of the next meeting with Ed and Jose.
The window just opened a few days ago so we should begin to see some activity. Its not the end of the world if a new player doesn't come along on the U.S. tour. What's important is they are with us when the season starts.
Madrid, Barca, PSG, Chelsea, Juventus and other big clubs have also not made any significant buys so this idea that we are behind is a myth. I'm sure activity will pick up in the coming week or two.
We do have 2 teenage strikers. Rashford, and Martial.
I don't believe this idea that Castles knows what's going on. He's just as clueless as the rest of them.
Also, I wouldn't exactly class Mourinho as a cheque book manager. He simply asks for certain players and its up to the club to buy them. The likes of Morata, Lindelof, Perisic, and Fabinho aren't by any stretch considered galactico buys - just good footballers who fit the Jose mold.
We need a 'Keep Calm' meme for this transfer window.
If everyone relaxes their sphincters, it's a little easier to see how well the Club has conducted itself amidst a flurry of attention-seeking outbursts from players, agents and journalists.
Griezman - being touted by the press for months. Advertisers got in on the mix like with Pogba last year. And then the transfer ban was upheld, AG graciously extends his Atlético stay. I don't recall a single statement from United of arrogance during this saga that left us with mud on our face after. Extenuating circumstances. Media was all over it, drooling for the summers first big move that could then spin off tons of click bait pieces - AG is the solution for MUFC, AG isn't what United need, Can AG do it in England, etc etc. But now that media boon has gone and they've been desperate for a new story.
Ronaldo - could this get any better? Worlds best (or second for some) gets caught by the taxman and throws a hissy fit. Media (and agent?) tries desperately to draw us into the mix but nothing but crickets and unsupported reports we weren't keen. Then Ronaldo shuts up. The stories disappear overnight. Barely a peep since. Time for the next story.
Morata, Perisic - media and the respective clubs doing their best to create a fuss, out pressure on us to rush into an expensive deal. Certainly fans seem to feel the heat. It's questionable whether Jose is seriously as degruntled as these story-starved journalists are presenting. The BBC story is so skint for fact and honestly, hearing the same thing from Chelsea and Conte I wouldn't be surprised if it is all media driven nonsense. These are the two clubs whose biggest transfer spending scoops has until now been a huge denouement.
Fabinho, Matic, Dier - I haven't heard anything from the club outside of not being interested in Fabinho. If we sign him great. If we sign any of the other two great. If we sign none of them and wind up with a less known name...we will have many a fan (esp on here) cry about it and a few journos will wank over it. But in the end, next seasons results will be the telling marks.
Lindelof - rumors popped up early, got quiet then we signed him. Bam.
Woodward and co. seem to be going about their business with a strong mindset of not being swindled. THAT to me is the takeaway from all of this. After years of being a relative pushover, it's refreshing.
If everyone relaxes their sphincters, it's a little easier to see how well the Club has conducted itself amidst a flurry of attention-seeking outbursts from players, agents and journalists.
Griezman - being touted by the press for months. Advertisers got in on the mix like with Pogba last year. And then the transfer ban was upheld, AG graciously extends his Atlético stay. I don't recall a single statement from United of arrogance during this saga that left us with mud on our face after. Extenuating circumstances. Media was all over it, drooling for the summers first big move that could then spin off tons of click bait pieces - AG is the solution for MUFC, AG isn't what United need, Can AG do it in England, etc etc. But now that media boon has gone and they've been desperate for a new story.
Ronaldo - could this get any better? Worlds best (or second for some) gets caught by the taxman and throws a hissy fit. Media (and agent?) tries desperately to draw us into the mix but nothing but crickets and unsupported reports we weren't keen. Then Ronaldo shuts up. The stories disappear overnight. Barely a peep since. Time for the next story.
Morata, Perisic - media and the respective clubs doing their best to create a fuss, out pressure on us to rush into an expensive deal. Certainly fans seem to feel the heat. It's questionable whether Jose is seriously as degruntled as these story-starved journalists are presenting. The BBC story is so skint for fact and honestly, hearing the same thing from Chelsea and Conte I wouldn't be surprised if it is all media driven nonsense. These are the two clubs whose biggest transfer spending scoops has until now been a huge denouement.
Fabinho, Matic, Dier - I haven't heard anything from the club outside of not being interested in Fabinho. If we sign him great. If we sign any of the other two great. If we sign none of them and wind up with a less known name...we will have many a fan (esp on here) cry about it and a few journos will wank over it. But in the end, next seasons results will be the telling marks.
Lindelof - rumors popped up early, got quiet then we signed him. Bam.
Woodward and co. seem to be going about their business with a strong mindset of not being swindled. THAT to me is the takeaway from all of this. After years of being a relative pushover, it's refreshing.
All the clubs are doing it though, Everton have spent £100m......Everton. The English clubs have money to burn and they're all strengthening, what do you want? Jose to spend £50m and expect a league title with that squad? No chance.
Why do people keep on saying other clubs haven't done much business? True some haven't but they don't need to as much as us, cheslea and spurs already have excellent squads, arsenal are adding, city have added and will continue too. We can't go into the new season with 1 or 2 new faces. We need to sell a few players too but without new faces we won't be selling either. If Jose gave Ed his list months ago then there shouldn't be any excuses unless the player decides to sign a new deal at his current club, yes will always get quoted high prices for players but you would expect that seeing as we are the world's richest club.
If nothing else we need our main striker sorted before we go as it's a fundamental part of how the team plays in a mourinho system.
The others need to be able to adapt to his style.
The others need to be able to adapt to his style.
Yeah I check the twitter feed at least 20 times a day to see what rumours are out there even though I don't have any faith in them. I never really believe a player is coming until Man Utd announce.
It's got that bad that I have started watching Adam McKola's live stream @ 8 O'Clock.
I understand the addiction I just don't trust the media.
a real tear jerker there...how has poor Mourinho managed to be soooo amazing with only 6 players to depend on.....
if you are Woodward how do you not get angered by this from Castles - jibes about being in New Zealand and buying an All Black- if this article echoes Mourinho's frustration (and I believe it does) then Jose is on very thin ice
I don't buy into the whole most expensive squad nonsense but to read that shite it makes you think we picked up our players from the conference- ignoring Mourinho's awful treatment of some and his negativity
someone like Klopp would be delighted with our squad
careful Jose or you won't see the Super Cup
They are?
I thought the gospel version on the Caf was that Dildo Head was Mendes' mouthpiece and basically published his ill-formulated trash with Mourinho's approval?
Seemed to be the case not more than a couple of months ago, but who knows these days - the landscape's a-changing all the time depending on what twat is looking at it, it would appear.
It is really difficult to understand this for some.
I regard Castles as just another journo. The bit about him being some sort of oracle on all things Mendes and Mourinho is a complete myth imo.