If we want to be a global footballing powerhouse, we need to act like one. It's a nasty business, filled with nasty characters generally manipulating very poorly educated boys in one of the most lucrative careers in the world. United have been fortunate in that they had a generation of players that were both a bit blue-collar, hard working types but also phenomenal talents that were willing to play for the shirt. I'm not convinced we can expect that anymore. It'd be nice, but I think it's a fantasy.
Look at City at the moment. I'm not exaggerating when I say their home form is simply the most dominant, exciting, attacking football I've ever witnessed in England. But not a single one of those players ever thought they'd play a single moment for Manchester City when they were growing up. There are no youth players there, no sense of history or 'playing for the sky blue shirt'. It's simple - City have spent and they now have far and away the best set of players in the league. It's as distasteful as a gold-plated Ferrari and probably appeals to the same clientele, but that is the market in which we now operate.
There are countless examples throughout history of once dominant companies desperately clinging to their old business models, while the world moves on without them. That's where we are today. We can either use our enormous revenues to play at the true top table of global football, or we can join the also-rans. Who do we want our peers to be? If it's Liverpool, Tottenham, Arsenal, Milan and so forth then so be it. But if we honestly believe we're in the same category as Real, Barcelona and Bayern then we need to start acting like it, because it's very easy to get left behind pining for the good years.
So I say suck it up. Pay the scum agents their fees. Piss on their cash if it makes you feel better, they'll take it any way they can. Because we desperately need some marquee signings, as much for our reputation as anything else.
