I never thought I’d find myself defending the Glazers. But you can’t have it every way. Ole was popular with the fan base. Once he went on his run(s), hubris and nostalgia and simply optimism set in. Rio and G Nev weren’t alone. Most of the Caf were delighted too. As was I. Both appointment and extension were popular moves.
I know you are saying he should have gone sooner. But there was that narrative: ‘give him time’. SAF needed four years or whatever, there was a gradual points/league position improvement. And he’s apparently a really sound, genuine guy. I have long had doubts, but I’d say the hesitation was understandable. Maybe the great and good in the club were asking for a grace period.
I’d put some blame at Woodward’s door. Joel knows he knows feck all about football. But the other clown thinks he’s an expert. Hence marquee signings, not supporting managers, etc.
You can accuse them of many things. Taking money from the club. Keeping football people/fans off board. Overly commercial boardroom setup at expense of football (as you say). . . Not fixing stadium. Keeping on Woodie, would all be problems caused by owners.
But OGS? We all have to shoulder some of the praise and blame for that one.
Who put Ed there in the first place? Who kept him there for so long even when the club was nowhere near a real challenge for either the PL or the UCL? When you have the money, want titles (alongside more money) and doesn't know feck about something then appoint someone who does. That's how it works. Someone with a plan, not buzz words. It has to start from the top, not the other way around. Truth is they don't want a manager who could rock their boat (especially after Mourinho) and top 4 is more than enough for them, not titles. Which isn't the case for any club of your stature or any well run club for that matter. They see MU only as a brand and don't give a shit about football, hence the stadium leaking, Woodward, marquee signings, players who have no business at the club still around, and OGS overstaying his welcome by about 2 seasons.
Banter aside, OGS meant well and I believe that he truly did everything he could to bring MU back to the top. It's really sad to see him go like this. Now everyone, aside from a part of your fanbase and his ex teammates, said from the day he was appointed as a permanent manager that it was a bridge too far for him and when I say everyone, I mean it. I never saw so much unanimity about a manager. It never worked, the quality of your players covering the many cracks and contributing to one false dawn after another. He had a knack at surviving and put up a fight when cornered, but you shouldn't have been cornered in the first place. A few good signings here and there will never make up for the fact that he had no idea how to be proactive and set up his teams to control a game like title winning teams do. The second he tried, he was
immediately found out hence his defensive mindset and his teams set-up for the counter. As long as the opponent was willing to play it generally worked at treat, but as soon as you faced well organized defenses, everything fell apart. All of this point to a manager who's just not cut for the job and who played not to win but rather to not lose.
Lastly, despite the urban myth, his man management has been anything but exemplary. The players (not all) might like him as he's a nice guy, but his continuous refusal to make the hard decision and drop out-of-form players, running them to the ground in the process, his substitutions (or the lack of) and his mistrust of squad players which plagued his whole tenure ultimately cost him the dressing room when the results didn't follow anymore. Van De Beek being a prime example. Many stories are leaking now that he's gone and there's too much smoke without the fire to follow.
All of this could've been averted if the board had a clear plan with titles in mind and the will to make MU the footballing force it's meant to be, and that starts with the Glazers.
embarrassing