LVG: Man Utd is a commercial club, not like Bayern Munich.

[Ian Reus]

Such a stupid statement.
If the German league was even half as competitive as the EPL, Bayern would have become much more commercial.
As it stands, they can pretty much buy all the best German players regardless of who they play for.

 

[Nikelesh Reddy]

In his latest interview with sport bild

"I wanted to sign Hummels for Manchester United," Van Gaal told Sport Bild. "But because at that time he was coming out of a poorer season, we didn't do it in the end.
"I can confirm that I wanted Muller. But there was nothing we could do. FC Bayern made it clear that they would not sell him."

"Manchester United, who I last coached, is a commercial club," he added. "Totally different to Bayern. The bosses, like Karl Heinz Rummenigge and Uli Hoeness, are former players who know what they are talking about.
"Football is the most important thing, not money like it is now at United. That's why I love Bayern."

Van Gaal has criticised his successor for how he handled the respected former Germany captain.

“Schweinsteiger was older, of course, but not too old,” he told German daily Sport Bild.
“Still, his body was not able to keep up with the high demands of Premier League.
“Bayern sold him to us as fit player but, in reality, physically he had reached the end.
“How Mourinho treated him after me, Schweini did not deserve this.
“But it also explains how things were with Schweinsteiger.
“It’s a shame because he is a player like Luis Enrique, Mark van Bommel or Philipp Lahm, a character always present on the pitch.”

Well he was sacked by Bayern for finishing 3rd in his 2nd season,even though he won the league and reached a CL final in his first.I would argue that we were probably a bit too patient with LVG,the results and the performances were truly unacceptable under him.As for Hummels and Mueller,I think it was very widely reported that we were seriously interested in both those players so he isn't telling us something that we didn't already know....

 

[Akshay]

There is nothing wrong having a commercial focus, but at Utd the commercial side has been overtaking the importance of the football at the club 10 fold. It is also not the first time it has been suggested that even in the recruitment of players they look at the potential commercial value and otherwise pay way over the value for the player to create the commercial hype. Should it happen and God forbid we don't make Top 4 then we too will be looking for a new manager just like the last two, showing just how important the commercial side has become. I would mean that they loose money, starting with the CL money and a percentage of the Adidas sponsor money. At that moment in time it won't matter what Jose is trying to build here or what he won in his time here, he will be out on his ear and that is the point LvG is trying to make in his own clumsy way.

You seriously believe the club intentionally overpay on players to generate hype? Reportedly Woodward was looking for LVG's replacement as early as our exit from the CL group stage in 2015 - he wasn't sacked merely for failing to achieve top 4 but rather for underwhelming on a variety of criteria. In any case, failing to quality for the CL is a footballing underachievement for this club so I don't see why that's a stick to beat us with.

 

[Mciahel Goodman]

Allianz Arena. OK.

 

[redIndianDevil]

OK. But if I remember our (very interesting - and that is not sarcastic) exchanges on this topic in the past, there is a bit more to it than that. I think I do remember rightly because you made a very interesting and convincing case that could not be summed up in a couple of sentences. It was all to do with having money people and football people and managers and a balance of power between them so that in any given situation each factor was considered and weighed against other factors and sense would prevail. The money interest and the football interest would always be considered while neither would always get priority. Each situation would be judged on its own particular merits. (And of course a strong working relationship would flourish and nobody would feel territorial or threatened by anyone else - which was always my main worry with this idealistic sounding plan.)

I think LVG actually has at least part of a point here. Not necessarily that Bayern are so righteous, which I can see you strongly disagree with - fair enough. But that, as manager of United, with only Woodward above you, there is an absence of "football people". I do think we put a bit too much emphasis on commercial considerations. I understand we have to think about these commercial considerations, but I am not 100% convinced we have the right balance at this point. We sign Sanchez but seem to have spent more time thinking about his unveiling (which, to be fair, was awesome) than where he is going to fit into the team. Im sure itll all work out in this instance, but still.

Anyway, I am not defending LVG's record at United. It wasnt good enough. Im glad he is no longer manager, for sure. But that doesnt mean everything he says, every observation he makes, now that he has gone, is inherently wrong, or necessarily born entirely out of bitterness. For one thing, I imagine the reason he keeps talking about us is because journalists keep asking about us. And journalists keep asking about us because we are United, big news, click-generators in chief.

The piano thing was extremely cringe worthy to be fair.

 

[Cristiano Lell]

Such a stupid statement.
If the German league was even half as competitive as the EPL, Bayern would have become much more commercial.
As it stands, they can pretty much buy all the best German players regardless of who they play for.

It's exactly the other way round.
We are dominating our league because we're the only club who has managed to be consistently successful on the commercial front, because we're the most commercial club in Germany, if you will.
It's precisely in terms of commercial income where we're a level above all other Bundesliga clubs.

As for van Gaal, it's not worth getting riled up. He will always say stuff that is self-aggrandizing.

 

[Jeffthered]

He is bitter and outspoken, and rather silly at times for someone who is clearly an interesting, experienced and intelligent guy. His insights into football are probably fascinating IF he could just manage his ego - which he clearly struggles with. He took far too long to really understand and get a grips of the Premier League, that's his fault, along with his backroom team, no one else.

However, I do agree with his statement re having former players involved at the Executive level and how this defines the club. Rummenigge, and Hoeness are icons of German football, and of Bayern Munich, it was interesting that it was Rumminigge who said “What we've seen tonight was not Bayern Munich,” and expected "consequences..." following Bayern losing to PSG last Autumn. Days later, Ancellotti was out.

You would never have Ed Woodward saying a damn thing about United from a football perspective. I don't know how healthy that is. Look at Arsenal, no executive interest in the team's performance, and the result is a manager with an ego, simply living in another world, and a massive, massive club going nowhere. You may not like Chelsea, or Abramovich, but he runs that club, and if things are not working on the pitch, he makes changes. And this ruthless approach, although rather unpleasant, has definitely resulted in rewards and success on and off the pitch.

I worry that under Ed Woodward, we are in a period of drift... we pay over the odds for players, we pay over the odds for wages, and we don't seem to have that balance between managerial appointments, success, and retaining the traditions of Man Utd. Even Pep had to adapt and compromise his game, to suit the Bayern Munich way of play, not the other way around.

I read comments on this forum about Mourinho, and it's all about seeking success, his way. I'm not comfortable with that. I also am not convinced that his way will bring the rewards, but we wait, see, comment and hope.

 

[Mciahel Goodman]

Hard to argue with the money accusation

No it isn't. Clubs are split into two factions. Marketing (business) and football (which needs money acquired from business deals to operate well). All clubs are about money. Whether a League Two side trying to stay afloat or an elite side trying to pull ahead of competition. It's all about having the best financial position to help with acquisitions, but also other expenditures like scouting, youth teams, etc.

It's a fair charge to say money is the important factor at every non-subsidized sporting club in the world. That United are such an enormous club who can make so much money through marketing is where so much of this bitterness comes from. If not that, then what? It amounts to an erasure of a hundred plus years worth of history and traditions which made this club what it is, one of the biggest institutions in the sporting universe. That didn't come from money, it came from Busby's youth teams and Ferguson's youth teams. The youth team today has produced Rashford, Lingard and McTominay (as well as having developed Pogba after having acquired him from Le Havre at 17 or so).

Accounting, promotion, marketing, retail, etc, all exist to benefit the ability of any club to improve its footballing operations. Every club is the same in that respect, just some are better positioned to capitalize on it by virtue of having such large followings which is itself a virtue of history and traditions which are not defined by money, but by football.

He also didn't have a problem when he spent hundreds of millions on largely substandard players.

 

[Epicurean]

So many United fans calling LVG bitter when what he says is actually true.

United used to have strong principles as a club. Not anymore. And the level of entitlement and screeching by United fans on this forum knows no boundaries after another loss or boring game under Mourinho.

I guess Sir Alex really spoilt you lot and this is the result.

 

[Jeffthered]

So many United fans calling LVG bitter when what he says is actually true.

United used to have strong principles as a club. Not anymore. And the level of entitlement and screeching by United fans on this forum knows no boundaries after another loss or boring game under Mourinho.

I guess Sir Alex really spoilt you lot and this is the result.

As I stated, LVG makes some good points that I agree with. But he is bitter.

 

[Kevin]

He's right.

 

[cyril C]

There is nothing wrong having a commercial focus, but at Utd the commercial side has been overtaking the importance of the football at the club 10 fold. It is also not the first time it has been suggested that even in the recruitment of players they look at the potential commercial value and otherwise pay way over the value for the player to create the commercial hype. Should it happen and God forbid we don't make Top 4 then we too will be looking for a new manager just like the last two, showing just how important the commercial side has become. I would mean that they loose money, starting with the CL money and a percentage of the Adidas sponsor money. At that moment in time it won't matter what Jose is trying to build here or what he won in his time here, he will be out on his ear and that is the point LvG is trying to make in his own clumsy way.

Well, BM just sacked their manager when there was sign of slipping to 4th 5th. Only Arsenal doesn't sack their manager regardless of performance. So Arsenal is the ONLY football club in the world that is managed by footballers, in his logic.

 

[TheRedDevil'sAdvocate]

The "football people" were the first ones the Glazers went to ask for advice regarding the club's next day after the Ferguson era. Their advice was to offer David Moyes a six-year contract. The same "football people" were grooming the vastly inexperienced Giggs to become the manager. In the meanwhile, the "muppet clown who knows nothing about football" Ed Woodward was advocating for the appointment of experienced managers such as LvG and Mourinho. And it was Woodward again who called it a day with both LvG and Moyes when things seemed to have reached the point of no return. If the "football people" were calling the shots at United, Moyes would probably still be here. Don't know about you but i certainly thank the almighty that he's not. This self-flagellation some of our fans resort to whenever someone puts the words values/principles/commercial and United together is OTT.

What he says is a huge appeal to emotion and nothing more, similar to Moyes' "i should have been given more time" cries. They both failed miserably at United and eventually played their part in prolonging the club's drought period but, of course, it was never their fault. LvG was the head of the football department for 2/4 full seasons post-Ferguson, that's 50% of the whole period. But somehow he doesn't feel he should be held accountable for anything that wentwrong at United during that time. It's all because United are a commercial club. Darmian, Blind, Rojo, Schneiderlin, Memphis, Herrera, Shaw and Martial... all commercial signings that were forced upon the unappreciated genius by big bad Woodward. Jesus wept.

United is still a club which offers its managers the freedom of decision and the benefit of the doubt that can only be dreamed of at other clubs. Moyes should look at the VIP treatment Benitez got in Madrid (before he even managed a single game). LvG should look at how Barca give the boot to each manager who fails to win either the PL or the CL for one single season. Or better yet, he should remember that he was sacked by Bayern's football men that he admires so much for the exact same reason he was sacked by Woodward. For jeopardizing CL football for next season. And to think that he had won them the double and had made it to the CL final the year before, achievements that would have certainly kept him more than safe at United. But yeah, it's United that fails to live up to its values.

 

[tenpoless]

Aloysius Paulus Maria is wrong to say that money or commercial is the most important thing for United.

We might be a commercial juggernaut. But then again, what kind of company would resist the temptation to advertise their brands if They have the money to do so, with Manchester United? the most successful club in the most watched football league in the world? It's all about profit, the companies paid us a big amount of money and They get an increased profit. It's a win-win situation.

I doubt Ed Woodward is desperately seeking more sponsors by sending offer e-mails everyday. And the bit about "The bosses, like Karl Heinz Rummenigge and Uli Hoeness, are former players who know what they are talking about".. Well of course They do, unlike him Who were pretty much nobody in the history of United. It's only two years of his management, it's all more about him than Manchester United. What's his point exactly? to proof He had no clue about United yet branded United as a club that is all about commercial? I mean it's the same guy who called Smalling, Mike Smalling.

Bayern can afford not having to spend so much money because They're in a not-so-competitive league (one of the reasons why Bayern is not about "money") and can just cherrypick the talented players from other Bundesliga teams. EPL is much harder, spending a huge amount of money for class players are necessary, not mentioning the crazy market in last 3-4 years. Heck, even decent players cost a lot nowadays. The TV money affects the transfer values in the Premier League.

I don't hate him, He was funny at times and at least won the FA cup. But He does sound a bit bitter in the article.

 

[sugar_kane]

I'm surprised he's never had any words to say about the Class of 92, they were ripping him to shreds in the media.

I was also intrigued as to what his relationship with Giggs was like. Giggs has only had kind words to say about him but none of them have really rang true.

 

[Marcky411]

No it isn't. Clubs are split into two factions. Marketing (business) and football (which needs money acquired from business deals to operate well). All clubs are about money. Whether a League Two side trying to stay afloat or an elite side trying to pull ahead of competition. It's all about having the best financial position to help with acquisitions, but also other expenditures like scouting, youth teams, etc.

It's a fair charge to say money is the important factor at every non-subsidized sporting club in the world. That United are such an enormous club who can make so much money through marketing is where so much of this bitterness comes from. If not that, then what? It amounts to an erasure of a hundred plus years worth of history and traditions which made this club what it is, one of the biggest institutions in the sporting universe. That didn't come from money, it came from Busby's youth teams and Ferguson's youth teams. The youth team today has produced Rashford, Lingard and McTominay (as well as having developed Pogba after having acquired him from Le Havre at 17 or so).

Accounting, promotion, marketing, retail, etc, all exist to benefit the ability of any club to improve its footballing operations. Every club is the same in that respect, just some are better positioned to capitalize on it by virtue of having such large followings which is itself a virtue of history and traditions which are not defined by money, but by football.

He also didn't have a problem when he spent hundreds of millions on largely substandard players.

I fully agree with you about our Marketing Business strength is based on our history and success. Everything has to do with money these days and we are such a strong brand due to our history of success. If Utd had to go and have a barren period of success like Liverpool, eventually our history won't mean squat marketing wise and our income will drop.
I agree with a lot of people that LvG is still bitter and can understand where the bitterness comes from, but do agree he should let it go and move on.

 

[Jacob]

Wait, Schweinsteigger played for us?

We've signed some bloody big names the last few years.

 

[Thomas A.Anderson]

He's right.

No, he isn't. He's a bitter cnut.

Bayern is not a commercial club? Adidas is a co-owner with 10% share. Allianz Arena? There are literally every game people dressed up in T-com sign in the stands. http://i.imgur.com/xqgavvQ.png

Some of the things he said about United are not wrong, but also they are not negative. United is a global brand and it's stupid not to use that. Comparison with Bayern and bollocks that Bayern is about football and United isn't are just pathetic.

 

[Di Maria's angel]

Honestly, why do people even care about what he has to say?

Classic case of the bitter ex. We're better off without him, pretty sure he can see that and now he's lashing out.

 

[fallengt]

I wonder if anyone in Louis's life has ever said to him sometimes, bad things happened because uhm...it was his fault ?Such a deluded man.

Last time I checked he never owne a football club, what do he know?

It's so much easier by having best players in the country to play for your club. If Munich was in a more competitive league, they would struggle as much as us in his dry spell.

 

[Green_Red]

Well clearly Bayern are stuck in the past, with Louis.

 

[Steven Seagull]

Not sure why people are pissing their pants. We’ve been saying it for 5+ years about the football side of the club.

 

[markelphick]

He's just bitter, I do like him though and found him amusing.

 

[el3mel]

As expected his fanboys said he's right. He can go on and say we are the worst club he had ever managed and you will find some saying he's right, while in fact he's acting as Moyes or even worse. Moyes kept on saying he's blameless, Ed betrayed him with not signing his targets and should have been given more time while LVG keeps on saying we betrayed him by sacking after the final, we are a commercial club only and not about football, yet some have him bunch of excuses not given to Moyes while in fact both are bitter idiots who just can't take the responsibility for them bringing the club downward and are trying to deflect the blame on Ed and the club. Sorry folks but you are both the only ones to be blamed for what happened to the club not Ed or Glazers.

Us being commercial club and not about football ? Nonsense. We sacked you and the other clown before you for not getting top 4. If we didn't care about football we would have kept you and your shite football here out of CL like what Arsenal doing with Wenger as they don't care about results anymore. Ed has been trying to bring the club back to success getting one manager after the next and bringing him all the signings he wanted. I'd we didn't care about, you would still have been here, Louis.

We're not run by old footballers ? Real Madrid are being run by Perez and give extra care for commercial aspect of their players and they are the biggest and most successful club in the world. Are Madrid not a proper football club as Bayern ? Meh.

This guy throws bunch of nonsense that I don't know how anyone believe it to be right. Let's see what he will slaughter about United in his next quote.

 

[sunama]

So he got duped by Uli and Karl at Bayern regarding Scwhweinsteiger but still loves them. Cheers Louis.

In fairness Pep did publicly state that Bastian was not fit to play football and had not been fit for around 2 years.
Pep was quite open about this and it was reported in the papers.
Basically, we were buying a has-been and it took LVG a year to realise this.
When Jose arrived, he brutally axed Bastian...something which LVG might not have been able to do, had he remained for another year. Let's not forget that LVG's other darling was Rooney, who Jose marginalised within months of arriving and then shipped off the following Summer.

Jose did the dirty things that LVG seemed reluctant to do.

 

[sunama]

Us being commercial club and not about football ? Nonsense. We sacked you and the other clown before you for not getting top 4. If we didn't care about football we would have kept you and your shite football here out of CL like what Arsenal doing with Wenger as they don't care about results anymore. Ed has been trying to bring the club back to success getting one manager after the next and bringing him all the signings he wanted. I'd we didn't care about, you would still have been here, Louis.

Indeed.

Yes I agree, Bayern Munich of the Allianz Arena are definitely not a commercial entity.

I mean look at all these unknown indie start up companies they've partnered up with for one,

https://fcbayern.com/en/club/partner

and they're only the 4th richest club in the world, absolute minnows.

 

[vangagal]

I dont know if LVG still have so many fans here. He is such hypocrite.
First, he was giving complete control for his football here without interference. He can choose whoever he like to sign or sold. Woodward gave him everything he asked for. It is normal right for Woodward to demand result after he facilite all of his transfer? If he know Basti was finished why bother to sign him? If he know he can't properly use him why giving stick to Jose for his fault? Is that Woodward's fault we left with just Rooney as striker when LVG was the one who sold everyone else and retort that my captain shall always play. Baffling.
Second, he is the one who said that he can work with Hoeness but now he lick Hoeness's ass by saying he loved them at Bayern? Hoeness once told him that Ribery should always play, he reject that notion. Hoeness challenged everything LVG did there from Ribery, Alaba, Lahm, Mueller but he said he loved Munich. I for once, cant understand that. He never been questioned by everyone in United for his work here but he hate us so much.

But, i guess he liked being questioned. I remember Jose got his job as LVG's asistant because he questioned everything LVG did and saying things differently. He loved that, maybe thats why he loved Bayern and hate United, in United no one demand explanation from him, even Fergie back him for everything he did.

 

[RoyH1]

How else are we to stay competitive? We're not like Bayern that can pick players within our league for cheap.

Indeed. Bayern's near monopoly on Bundesliga talent gives them a footballing and commercial advantage clubs in Spain and never mind England could never compete with. Imagine if we tried to buy Christian Eriksen or Harry Kane. Spurs would ask for a half billion if not more. United needs to earn money to spend money.

 

[2ndTouch]

Indeed. Bayern's near monopoly on Bundesliga talent gives them a footballing and commercial advantage clubs in Spain and never mind England could never compete with. Imagine if we tried to buy Christian Eriksen or Harry Kane. Spurs would ask for a half billion if not more. United needs to earn money to spend money.

You generate an awful lot money more from TV rights compared to Bayern. I think this more than offsets this. Our biggest trump card in terms of keeping up with guys, or let's better say keeping the distance somewhat manageable, is that we don't have owners syphoning funds off the club.
Of course, Bayern tries to generate as much money as possible, just as any other professional football club. The difference to an investor-led enterprise like Utd is that the sole purpose of that money is to generate the biggest possible success on the pitch, while Utd's primary purpose is to generate profits for the Glazers.
You can argue this being semantics more or less, since there's hardly profits without success. But can you be sure they won't pull a Kroenke at a certain point in time? After all, they acquired your club in the shoddiest manner one can think of, and you are still suffering from it to this very day.

 

[Zen]

Am I alone in thinking that picture just looks like a massive photoshop? ..... All I got from that

 

[Ish]

So many United fans calling LVG bitter when what he says is actually true.

United used to have strong principles as a club. Not anymore. And the level of entitlement and screeching by United fans on this forum knows no boundaries after another loss or boring game under Mourinho.

I guess Sir Alex really spoilt you lot and this is the result.

I'm curious with your take about/on "how what he says is actually true"? I mean, is it because we're the richest (revenue) club in the world or is it because our CEO is not an ex pro footballer? I mean, if we're a commercial club, in your eyes, how do we compare to Madrid? Are they a commercial club as well?

I'm just not sure I get the definition of a "commercial" club vs a "football" club, because football has been commercialized to such an extent.

 

[Ish]

You generate an awful lot money more from TV rights compared to Bayern. I think this more than offsets this. Our biggest trump card in terms of keeping up with guys, or let's better say keeping the distance somewhat manageable, is that we don't have owners syphoning funds off the club.
Of course, Bayern tries to generate as much money as possible, just as any other professional football club. The difference to an investor-led enterprise like Utd is that the sole purpose of that money is to generate the biggest possible success on the pitch, while Utd's primary purpose is to generate profits for the Glazers.
You can argue this being semantics more or less, since there's hardly profits without success. But can you be sure they won't pull a Kroenke at a certain point in time? After all, they acquired your club in the shoddiest manner one can think of, and you are still suffering from it to this very day.

I agree with your point about fan ownership vs investor owned, seeking to maximise returns and even though I'm a bit cloudy about United's various owners over the years, but it's not like we were fan owned before the Glazers either? I say this without obviously checking how much dividends were declared/loans repaid, pre and post the Glazers, to owners.

 

[RoyH1]

You generate an awful lot money more from TV rights compared to Bayern. I think this more than offsets this. Our biggest trump card in terms of keeping up with guys, or let's better say keeping the distance somewhat manageable, is that we don't have owners syphoning funds off the club.
Of course, Bayern tries to generate as much money as possible, just as any other professional football club. The difference to an investor-led enterprise like Utd is that the sole purpose of that money is to generate the biggest possible success on the pitch, while Utd's primary purpose is to generate profits for the Glazers.
You can argue this being semantics more or less, since there's hardly profits without success. But can you be sure they won't pull a Kroenke at a certain point in time? After all, they acquired your club in the shoddiest manner one can think of, and you are still suffering from it to this very day.

I think the club has recovered from that. There are no longer the limitations of some years ago when SAF was winning with less marketable names.

 

[breakout67]

Of course United is a commercial club; we don't play in a one-team league where we can pick the best players from other teams for a bargain. We have two sugar-daddy clubs to compete with, and it takes an arm and a leg to buy from a PL team.

 

[SalfordRed1960]

I'm curious with your take about/on "how what he says is actually true"? I mean, is it because we're the richest (revenue) club in the world or is it because our CEO is not an ex pro footballer? I mean, if we're a commercial club, in your eyes, how do we compare to Madrid? Are they a commercial club as well?

I'm just not sure I get the definition of a "commercial" club vs a "football" club, because football has been commercialized to such an extent.

Wouldn't you argue that a club whose focus is on gaining non-football revenues and global brand recognition is a commercial company. It is not a negative, and in no way says that we do not focus on the football side. But the united brand has had significant appeal and attracted an enormous revenue stream. The non-football revenue probably dwarfs football revenue.

The bayern fans on here have identified Bayern as a commercial club, or at least one that has a significant commercial presence over its competitors. Though, their board tends to bring in players to continue their football dominance. We heard many bayern managers say they wanted some player, but the board did not feel they were the type of player they wanted at the club. I doubt they would buy a youth player as a gamble with a view to their sell on value.

 

[Resch]

Bayern has 4 big sponsors, 3 of them are shareholders. So they are owned by their sponsors but no commercial club...

 

[2ndTouch]

I think the club has recovered from that. There are no longer the limitations of some years ago when SAF was winning with less marketable names.

Financially, this might be the case now. But you are still recovering from the loss of substance in your squad.

Though, their board tends to bring in players to continue their football dominance. We heard many bayern managers say they wanted some player, but the board did not feel they were the type of player they wanted at the club. I doubt they would buy a youth player as a gamble with a view to their sell on value.

Because the board tries to build and maintain a squad that stays true to the club philosophy. If they feel a certain player doesn't fit in, they won't buy him. Coaches tend to come and go, players stay longer.
Look at your past 3 managers. All with a completely different philosophy. Moyes gets in, buys certain players. Moyes gets the sack, vG comes in and says "I can't work with this set players, buy me these and those". These and those are bought, vG gets the sack, Mou comes in, and says "I can't work with these players..." Rinse and repeat.
In consequence, your squad needs a major overhaul every time the manager changes.

Bayern has 4 big sponsors, 3 of them are shareholders. So they are owned by their sponsors but no commercial club...

All 3 hold a 9% stake each. That's hardly being owned.

 

[Champagne Football]

If Van Gaal was a bird he'd be Heather Mills. Someone who gets invited to leave the council flat to come and stay in your castle for a couple of months. Given the royal treatment with servants and private jets, told how lovely they are. But you don't have the heart to tell them their overstaying their welcome after 2 months so you give them another 6 months just to show them you value their friendship. But when the time comes when they simply have to go as you have other guests needing the penthouse suite, they act horrified at how mean you are before running around the town saying how awful you are and how they obviously deserve half of what you've got for the 'terrible traumatic' life of luxury you put them through.

 

[iluvoursolskjær]

Felt bad about the circumstances in which he left - though he had to go - but some of the stuff he says makes me think well feck you you arrogant salty old man.

 

[Camilo]

People are interested in what happened when he was here. Simple. And he's spot on. Our club is run by businessmen, and it's a bit tacky. Hopefully we find some success again.