Next permanent manager | Poll updated

[Hoof the ball]

How can you be so sure about someone you haven't followed closely?

He's level with on points with PSV, potentially behind Feyenoord if they win their game in hand. Can't help thing people are getting carried away about him.

Some context on this.

13 games, 9 wins, 3 draws, 1 loss for Ajax.
13 games, 10 wins, 0 draws, 3 losses for PSV.

However......

Ajax have scored 42 and conceded 2.
PSV have scored 33 and conceded 20!

Equal points, but read the fine details and it's plain to see that Ajax have been much more dominant in all their games than PSV have been. Considerably so. Based on goals scored and conceded, it's a matter of time before PSV drop more points and Ajax develop a sizable lead.

 

[croadyman]

It's gonna be Ten Hag or Poch and I have always said I have a gut feeling it will be Poch. This board just cannot let their obsession of him go.

Yeah does look like they are prepared to miss out on Ten Hag to finally see whether Pochettino can manage this club

 

[JB7]

Well, they're topping the group now and have been dominant all season with a worse team of individuals compared to 2018-2019. Doesn't that prove it's not a fluke?

I didn't closely follow them in those seasons specifically, so someone who followed them more closely would likely better explain the reasoning for the poorer results.

That said, he did lose some key players in both seasons and had to reshape the squad.

I don't disagree, they are flying this season. But doing well in a group stage 3 years later doesn't prove that a run to the semi-finals was not a fluke in my view, no.

Equally, the fees that some of those key players have been sold for would suggest that it was an incredible crop of players and that possibly they deserved to make the semi-finals despite their young ages.

Look, I'm not against the idea of Ten Hag and I think his work has been very impressive but I don't understand how he is seen so definitively (56% of this poll for example) as the answer to our problems at this stage

 

[croadyman]

Some context on this.

13 games, 9 wins, 3 draws, 1 loss for Ajax.
13 games, 10 wins, 0 draws, 3 losses for PSV.

However......

Ajax have scored 42 and conceded 2.
PSV have scored 33 and conceded 20!

Equal points, but read the fine details and it's plain to see that Ajax have been much more dominant in all their games than PSV have been. Considerably so. Based on goals scored and conceded, it's a matter of time before PSV drop more points and Ajax develop a sizable lead.

Yeah that level of dominance in a game is another thing which really appeals to me

 

[Craig Ward]

I'm pretty much lost by the decision making at this club.

We've got rid of Ole and all i'm hearing is "Interim"

What kind of forward planning is this? It's utterly shambolic we haven't got a plan in place seeing as Ole has been under fore for weeks, if not months!

Whoever we hire will suffer under this club purely as we are not run with any logic.

This club needs a shake up, from top to bottom.

Carrick cannot be given this job for any length of time

 

[diarm]

There's something about Poch that people seem to like, myself included.

But at the end of the day, you can only really judge a manager on results - and his aren't good enough.

He managed to finish 3rd in a 2 horse race the year Leicester won the title and all the traditionally big clubs in England were off the boil.

The biggest question mark surrounding Ten Hag, is the league he has been successful in - but at least he's been successful in it.

Poch took over one of the most expensively assembled teams in the history of football, and came second in a weaker league than the Dutch.

Make whatever excuses for him that you like, but there is absolutely no evidence that Poch is the man to bring success back to Old Trafford. He might come in and be successful, but it would be a lucky punt that came off, rather than a shrewd appointment.

 

[croadyman]

I'm pretty much lost by the decision making at this club.

We've got rid of Ole and all i'm hearing is "Interim"

What kind of forward planning is this? It's utterly shambolic we haven't got a plan in place seeing as Ole has been under fore for weeks, if not months!

Whoever we hire will suffer under this club purely as we are not run with any logic.

This club needs a shake up, from top to bottom.

Carrick cannot be given this job for any length of time

I would take an interim to get Ten Hag

 

[hurricane thunderclap]

I'm pretty much lost by the decision making at this club.

We've got rid of Ole and all i'm hearing is "Interim"

What kind of forward planning is this? It's utterly shambolic we haven't got a plan in place seeing as Ole has been under fore for weeks, if not months!

Whoever we hire will suffer under this club purely as we are not run with any logic.

This club needs a shake up, from top to bottom.

Carrick cannot be given this job for any length of time

It's because they want someone until they get someone else but get them in the summer. Ffs.

 

[Berbaclass]

Isn’t it obvious that we’re leaking this in an attempt to make PSG sack him so it costs us less?

 

[glazed]

23 year old or peak Ronaldo doesn’t press either, that’s what I am trying to say, if lack of pressing is your main concern.

High concerted pressing from the front wasn't really as much of a thing in those days so no-one cared. Bit further back but Gary Lineker didn't get a single yellow card in his entire career iirc.

Not with the current squad no. If we want to appoint a manager like that then we would have to get rid of Ronaldo.

Makes no sense employing a manager who wants to set up his team to play a certain way, then basically saying you can’t play that way because it wouldn’t fit in with our highest profile and highest paid player who can’t be dropped.

This is exactly right and also exactly the way we are headed. Some people square the circle by saying you can do a high press and allow yourself one luxury player excused from that duty. They say other teams do that, like Bayern. But I don't see it happen at City or at Liverpool and they are the gold standard of club football right now. I don't know about Chelsea having not watched them - perhaps others can comment? Seems to me that high press involves incredible work rate which becomes unsustainable if one player isn't doing it.

 

[hurricane thunderclap]

I would take an interim to get Ten Hag

Why not get him now. If he is the man he needs to be here. If he wants the job then tell him and anyone else it's now or never.

 

[croadyman]

There's something about Poch that people seem to like, myself included.

But at the end of the day, you can only really judge a manager on results - and his aren't good enough.

He managed to finish 3rd in a 2 horse race the year Leicester won the title and all the traditionally big clubs in England were off the boil.

The biggest question mark surrounding Ten Hag, is the league he has been successful in - but at least he's been successful in it.

Poch took over one of the most expensively assembled teams in the history of football, and came second in a weaker league than the Dutch.

Make whatever excuses for him that you like, but there is absolutely no evidence that Poch is the man to bring success back to Old Trafford. He might come in and be successful, but it would be a lucky punt that came off, rather than a shrewd appointment.

I won't boot him for finishing third that season as clearly the squad were broken by blowing the league at Chelsea. I just cannot get away from the thought of Ten Hag putting his blueprint on this club

 

[Berbaclass]

Why not get him now. If he is the man he needs to be here. If he wants the job then tell him and anyone else it's now or never.

Ed’s pitch will be “You want to sell sugar water or do you want to come with me and change the world”

 

[Rusholme Ruffian]

Isn’t it obvious that we’re leaking this in an attempt to make PSG sack him so it costs us less?

surely that would make them less likely to sack him?

 

[dwd]

Isn’t it obvious that we’re leaking this in an attempt to make PSG sack him so it costs us less?

That makes no sense.

 

[hurricane thunderclap]

High concerted pressing from the front wasn't really as much of a thing in those days so no-one cared. Bit further back but Gary Lineker didn't get a single yellow card in his entire career iirc.



This is exactly right and also exactly the way we are headed. Some people square the circle by saying you can do a high press and allow yourself one luxury player excused from that duty. They say other teams do that, like Bayern. But I don't see it happen at City or at Liverpool and they are the gold standard of club football right now. I don't know about Chelsea having not watched them - perhaps others can comment? Seems to me that high press involves incredible work rate which becomes unsustainable if one player isn't doing it.

As if this years buzzword high press is going to compensate for our back four.

 

[Berbaclass]

That makes no sense.

Their manager is literally begging us to hire him

 

[croadyman]

Why not get him now. If he is the man he needs to be here. If he wants the job then tell him and anyone else it's now or never.

Just cannot see any way he leaves Ajax now and Mitten article backs up he would be cheaper to get in the summer

 

[Rhyme Animal]

High concerted pressing from the front wasn't really as much of a thing in those days so no-one cared. Bit further back but Gary Lineker didn't get a single yellow card in his entire career iirc.



This is exactly right and also exactly the way we are headed. Some people square the circle by saying you can do a high press and allow yourself one luxury player excused from that duty. They say other teams do that, like Bayern. But I don't see it happen at City or at Liverpool and they are the gold standard of club football right now. I don't know about Chelsea having not watched them - perhaps others can comment? Seems to me that high press involves incredible work rate which becomes unsustainable if one player isn't doing it.

So sell Ronaldo…

Surely the manager has ultimate power..? If not, who does…?

Ed Woodward?

 

[croadyman]

Their manager is literally begging us to hire him

Presume you mean Ten Hag not Pochettino

 

[dwd]

Their manager is literally begging us to hire him

Even if so why would that make PSG sack him? They'll force him to resign if he really wants the job. Are you familiar with PSG's work?

 

[Leftback99]

Some context on this.

13 games, 9 wins, 3 draws, 1 loss for Ajax.
13 games, 10 wins, 0 draws, 3 losses for PSV.

However......

Ajax have scored 42 and conceded 2.
PSV have scored 33 and conceded 20!

Equal points, but read the fine details and it's plain to see that Ajax have been much more dominant in all their games than PSV have been. Considerably so. Based on goals scored and conceded, it's a matter of time before PSV drop more points and Ajax develop a sizable lead.

Expected goals looks a lot closer, suggesting they have been very lucky to only concede 2.

 

[Berbaclass]

Presume you mean Ten Hag not Pochettino

No I’m taking about Poch. Simon Stones information is obviously solid. What would you do if you were PSG and you saw your manager flirting with other clubs. They’d probably decapitate him if they were allowed to.

 

[hurricane thunderclap]

Just cannot see any way he leaves Ajax now and Mitten article backs up he would be cheaper to get in the summer

Stop being silly, if you or anyone is offered a better, higher paid job then they take it. If he wants to stay then he didn't want the job or he feels it is too much to do and they cannot do it.

 

[Berbaclass]

Even if so why would that make PSG sack him? They'll force him to resign if he really wants the job. Are you familiar with PSG's work?

Or they just feck him off and hire Zidane.

 

[Keefy18]

I'm pretty much lost by the decision making at this club.

We've got rid of Ole and all i'm hearing is "Interim"

What kind of forward planning is this? It's utterly shambolic we haven't got a plan in place seeing as Ole has been under fore for weeks, if not months!

Whoever we hire will suffer under this club purely as we are not run with any logic.

This club needs a shake up, from top to bottom.

Carrick cannot be given this job for any length of time

The mistake they made was not sacking him after City, they'd of given themselves the international break then to search for a new manager. Instead wasted it and saw out the Watford game and now we've fixture congestion and no one really in mind.

As we've games tomorrow and the weekend someone on the coaching team must remain to take charge, that's Carrick.

They obviously want someone to take the job full time but most everyone is in jobs currently.

So interim it shall be til May to try salvage the season.

 

[Corridor of Uncertainty]

Poch on 6 month interim, ten Hag in the summer

 

[Berbaclass]

Poch on 6 month interim, ten Hag in the summer

Poch isn’t coming for 6 months. More likely 6 years.

 

[UnsungHero]

So we're all patiently waiting for an update from the likes of Bouhafsi/Laurens about whether PSG are prepared to let him go...

I'd probably rather Ten Hag, but given what we're dealing with (Woodard & Glazers), I think we should all be happy with Pochettino, it's a balance all round.

There are absolutely no signs they are going to overhaul the football operation and get in a fancy Sporting Director and slightly obscure and untested manager in the PL (Ten Hag). Wishful thinking IMO.

 

[croadyman]

Stop being silly, if you or anyone is offered a better, higher paid job then they take it. If he wants to stay then he didn't want the job or he feels it is too much to do and they cannot do it.

I really want to believe that but the information is from a strong Utd source

 

[Jeffthered]

It is a bit of a mess, and the Board are going to continue to feel the pressure of discontent from us fans, sponsors, high-profile pundits, former players etc, because this is an absolute disaster. The resources Man Utd have, and we are run in such a shambolic way, highlights a profligate culture within the club, and a lack of leadership. Woodward has to go soon, he's a big problem and he doesn't work for the footballing side of the club.

Anyway, back to manager.. my feeling is we stick with Carrick till end of the season, BUT.. he has to bring in some new people as coaching staff.. he has to, because if we can get a new energy in there, we could still have a half-decent season. The squad is v good, (a little over-rated I personally think..) but still v v good. And he must have plenty lessons to draw on as to what to avoid.

The thing is, and I obviously do not know him, Carrick strikes me as a quiet kinda' guy... and we don't need another 'friend of the fans and players'. We need a bleedin' good manager.

In many ways, having these conversations seems somewhat surreal to me. Incredible situation.

 

[croadyman]

So we're all patiently waiting for an update from the likes of Bouhafsi/Laurens about whether PSG are prepared to let him go...

I'd probably rather Ten Hag, but given what we're dealing with (Woodard & Glazers), I think we should all be happy with Pochettino, it's a balance all round.

There are absolutely no signs they are going to overhaul the football operation and get in a fancy Sporting Director and slightly obscure and untested manager in the PL (Ten Hag). Wishful thinking IMO.

Yeah you do feel Ten Hag equals too much structure change in our board's eyes

 

[Berbaclass]

So we're all patiently waiting for an update from the likes of Bouhafsi/Laurens about whether PSG are prepared to let him go...

I'd probably rather Ten Hag, but given what we're dealing with (Woodard & Glazers), I think we should all be happy with Pochettino, it's a balance all round.

There are absolutely no signs they are going to overhaul the football operation and get in a fancy Sporting Director and slightly obscure and untested manager in the PL (Ten Hag). Wishful thinking IMO.

Pochettino reportedly wants control over things so I doubt he’d want all that anyway.

 

[Craig Ward]

I would take an interim to get Ten Hag

There's no benefit in an interim until the summer than keeping Ole in post.

We are ether changing or we aren't. We wont get a good interim manager and what's the point in another thought process until it's changed in the summer! Crazy

 

[dwd]

Or they just feck him off and hire Zidane.

Knowing both their board and ours, that would be the dream scenario so it definitely won't happen. Would be pleased if it did though of course.

 

[glazed]

This is a great summary. Id also add that Poch’s team don’t seem to have a distinct identity or style of play. Even if you look deeper, it’s more pragmatic than visionary. Also, I can’t make up my mind whether Poch is Brendan Mk 2 or someone who’ll get elevated at the right club.

Poch's pragmatism is actually of concern. You can see how he took the PSG job knowing that he couldn't implement his preferred style and doing a bit of a bodge without making a fuss. That would appeal to the Glazers.

 

[CallyRed]

I'd take Brucey until end of t'season if was told we would then be getting T'Hag.

 

[Hoof the ball]

Expected goals looks a lot closer, suggesting they have been very lucky to only concede 2.

I'm all for expected goals as it's a very useful tool to determine performance indicators, but we're dealing with a differential of 18 goals in 13 games between them. Perhaps there's some luck, but another factor that raises an xG rating is the number of shots, so it could be also that PSV concede better chances whereas Ajax court more volume of shots overall but not necessarily from as dangerous positions. This too would elevate the xG score, whilst giving a reason as to why they've conceded few goals.

Besides, not only have Ajax conceded less, but they've scored 11 more. They might be 'lucky' in one metric, but in two? Nah.

 

[MUFC OK]

There's something about Poch that people seem to like, myself included.

But at the end of the day, you can only really judge a manager on results - and his aren't good enough.

He managed to finish 3rd in a 2 horse race the year Leicester won the title and all the traditionally big clubs in England were off the boil.

The biggest question mark surrounding Ten Hag, is the league he has been successful in - but at least he's been successful in it.

Poch took over one of the most expensively assembled teams in the history of football, and came second in a weaker league than the Dutch.

Make whatever excuses for him that you like, but there is absolutely no evidence that Poch is the man to bring success back to Old Trafford. He might come in and be successful, but it would be a lucky punt that came off, rather than a shrewd appointment.

Assuming that you think ETH is the shrewd appointment? I don’t disagree, but I think it’s between these two now with Zidane clearly uninterested.

Honestly, I’d be happy with either but we know SAF is a big fan of Poch so I think it will be him. We should do all we can to get him bedded in this season.

 

[Berbaclass]

I like the idea of Pochettino now. Gives him two windows before we essentially start next season. I think he’d get into the CL this season too.