Yeah that is indefensible from ETH.
Is he only capable of identifying players he worked with before?
Marko Arnautović | United have pulled out
- Thread starter Tom Van Persie
- Start date
Yeah that is indefensible from ETH.
Is he only capable of identifying players he worked with before?
The fact that we were prepared to sign him scares me. 33y old average player. Ffs....
Nunez wanted Liverpool. So we go back to the manager. He says it’s cool we’ll stick with CR7 and Tony. CR7 says he wants to leave. We go back to the manager. Now we are here.
What exactly do you want us to do. Not being funny but I’m sure if ETH said find my a striker they didn’t comeback and says hey what about Arauntovic?
fecking embarrassing.
Yes
Or strategy.
Incredible that they worked on this transfer for weeks without even considering the possibility of significant fan backlash.
Maybe this is similar to when we were interested in signing Di Canio.
And what I mean is that hopefully it doesn't happen either.
And what I mean is that hopefully it doesn't happen either.
I hope this is true but I think this tweet is just speculative rather than presenting any briefing from the club. I think the club are definitely stupid enough to pursue this.
Poch wouldn't have done this
But I also believe he would have requested a number of forwards before he got to that name which for whatever reason haven’t happened. He wanted Nunez, Anthony, Nkunku, Sesko if reports are to be believed. I’m certain ETH didn’t come into the summer window with Arnautovic on his mind.
You joke, but Suarez at least is a good player. I obviously wouldn't want him at the club, given the racism, antics, Liverpool history, and age, but he at least has the quality of being able to play football at a high level and score goals.
With Arnautovic, you don't even have that. Zero redeeming qualities whatsoever.
Genuinely would rather sign Ivan Toney
Two of those are still attainable. Arnautovic is a number 9. Not a forward.
I honestly don't think we have money to spend beyond FdJ. Toney would probably be £60m+ - no chance.
It's bad enough he was genuinely a target whether it's dead in the water or not. What are we playing at?
Who wouldn't??
This says it all
Giroud
Dzeko
Aubameyang (ok the work ethic one doesn't apply too much here
)Kramaric
Pukki
I don't think any of those are the answer, but I'd definitely take a few of them over Arnautovic, who's always been very talented but also a dick
If you open it up to players who haven't played in the PL but fit the other criteria then there's actually a few very interesting options
In theory, the club should have oversight on recruitment. Just as the manager should have a veto. That way you ensure the worst mistakes are avoided.
But this summer I have no issue with the manager having particularly heavy say in recruitment, as the club itself seemed to to recognise that its own recruitment set-up wasn't up to scratch when it shed its two chief scouts as part of an overhaul just weeks before the transfer window opened. So, fine. It reflects terribly on the club, but different rules apply for this transfer window.
The issue I have with the Arnautovic signing isn't that it's an ETH-driven target. It's that I don't believe it could be anything other than a signing right from the very bottom of the list of ETH-driven targets. A signing you only resort to in an emergency situation where the club has failed to secure multiple better options in that position the manager wanted.
In other words it's almost exactly the same thing Van Gaal (and others) complained about. We signed players, we were told they were his choices, then he later pointed out they were his choices after the club failed to secure all the players he wanted more.
ETH wanting Arnautovic once he's put in a situation where its Arnautovic or nothing isn't really the same as him wanting Arnautovic. And to your Conte comparison, I don't think any of Bissouma, Richarlison, Perisic or Lenglet were as far down on his list of options as Arnautovic is for ETH. They actually secured his higher priority targets to a degree we've failed to.
I can't think of a more depressing signing the club has made in my lifetime. Not just the player but what it represents about where we are and what we're clearly about now. I just can't excuse it or make peace with it. I hope it doesn't happen.
You'll just support them. Gotcha!
Hoped today would be a decent opening day of the season for our new manager. Feck me. Imagine if Netflix had actually commissioned a series filming the goings on at our gaff over the last three years. Highest rated shitshow ever.
Imagine finishing the transfer window with Martinez, Eriksen, Malacia and Arnautovic. Right up there with the Fred, Dalot and Grant window.
I didn't realise Pro Evo's random player-ball signing thing was based on how United conduct transfers.
Presuming this comes from his family being Serbian and the ill-will between them from Kosovo/the 90's?
Presuming this comes from his family being Serbian and the ill-will between them from Kosovo/the 90's?
I've been willing to give Murtough the benefit of the doubt, but considering he even entertained the idea, let alone pursue it, makes him look like an incompetent fool. A better dof would assert his authority and draw the line here. If he isn't willing to overrule ten Hag on things like this, there is no point to him.
Furthermore, if we are trying to penny-pinch here, surely that means that we are defintely going to spend more money, even if de Jong should sign, right?!
Furthermore, if we are trying to penny-pinch here, surely that means that we are defintely going to spend more money, even if de Jong should sign, right?!
Seriously, if ETH is pushing this then we have made a serious error in judgement, again.
Ivan Toney would seriously improve us.
Obviously.
I'd rather sign Luca Toni
I know it's not all about big names, but would Fulham fans even be particularly excited about this signing ffs
What further evidence do we need?
This season will be worse than last I’m calling it now
But what was his role at Ajax? Wasn't it Overmaar's job to identify and secure targets, and his job to coach the first team? If so, I'm hardly surprised. He strikes me as the kind of guy only focused on what's right in front of his nose.
This is on the board, and whatever shambles of a football structure we have left after gutting the scouting department (not that it was pulling up any trees, mind you).
I agree with this in principle.
However:
1) Arnautovic likely wants a long term contract (the reports say he's after 3 years - which makes sense from his POV, of course, a last shot at a big or at least biggish deal).
2) He's a controversial figure. Any idiot could've predicted that he'd a cause a stir, which is the very last thing United need at this point in time.
Conclusion: if ETH doesn't realize why he just isn't a viable option - then it has to be Murtough's job to step in and say no (even given what you say above - which I largely agree with, i.e. the special nature of this window).
The fact that he didn't simply veto this thing straight away does not speak well for him - it's pretty close to being plain, common sense.
United is killing me