Ole Gunnar Solskjær | 2021/22 Discussion

[pocco]

They won't get it right even if they sack him. They will probably give it to Brendan Rodgers and all the Ole outers on here will be Rodgers outers within 2 years and we will start all over again.

This has gone beyond Ole now. Fans who think by simply removing that everything is going to be great are delusional.

We are going nowhere under this regime.

Don't agree with this at all. We've got a really good set of players, the Glazers don't get involved with day to day stuff or interfere with team selections. Plus the club are spending money on big name players. How do you believe that the right manager couldn't do something? Seems like the go-to argument for Ole In posters now to blame the Glazers or just declare the whole thing fecked because it didn't work out for Ole. Which is pretty crazy when you think about it, as there was never a shred of proof that Ole was good enough to do anything here in the first place.

Time to just suck it up and concede that those of us that were talking about all these issues with Ole for the last 3 years, were just right. I had to do it when I defended Jose. Everyone can be wrong on football, everyone has been wrong about things, in fact. But let's call a spade a spade when it is obvious to all.

 

[Nou_Camp99]

Don't agree with this at all. We've got a really good set of players, the Glazers don't get involved with day to day stuff or interfere with team selections. Plus the club are spending money on big name players. How do you believe that the right manager couldn't do something? Seems like the go-to argument for Ole In posters now to blame the Glazers or just declare the whole thing fecked because it didn't work out for Ole. Which is pretty crazy when you think about it, as there was never a shred of proof that Ole was good enough to do anything here in the first place.

Time to just suck it up and concede that those of us that were talking about all these issues with Ole for the last 3 years, were just right. I had to do it when I defended Jose. Everyone can be wrong on football, everyone has been wrong about things, in fact. But let's call a spade a spade when it is obvious to all.

You do realise that we had 3 other managers before Ole don't you and none of them got remotely close to the title either? Easy just to blame Ole though right?

This issue is more than the manager. That's what people don't get on here. It's the manager, the recruitment team, the CEO, the owners....

Changing Ole for a better coach will only bring about a temporary reprieve. Unless we gut the entire board / club I don't forsee us ever winning the league again under the Glazers. Nothing in the last 8 years makes me believe simply switching Ole out will fix everything. It won't.

I'd love Ten Hag to come in the summer but I don't think he'd come anywhere near this shambles of a regime and who could blame him.

 

[Nou_Camp99]

All it needs is the right manager.

Sir Alex worked under a PLC that penny pinched far more than the Glazers ever had. Read the list of players he was refused and his own contract issues as well as those of the top players at the time. We don't focus on that historically because the team was winning.

Who then?

Club clearly didn't want Conte.

Brendan Rodgers certainly isn't the answer. However people on here are so desperate for change they will take anyone but Ole. And then in two years call for whoever that is to go too.

Zidane doesn't seem keen. Doesn't speak English either which is very important.

Ten Hag and Poch aren't available right now.

I think this is why we are stuck in limbo.

 

[beer&grill]

Who then?

Club clearly didn't want Conte.

Brendan Rodgers certainly isn't the answer. However people on here are so desperate for change they will take anyone but Ole. And then in two years call for whoever that is to go too.

Zidane doesn't seem keen. Doesn't speak English either which is very important.

Ten Hag and Poch aren't available right now.

I think this is why we are stuck in limbo.

I’m sure if he wants to manage us that won’t be a problem. English isn’t very hard to learn, more so if you live in the UK.

 

[Nou_Camp99]

I’m sure if he wants to manage us that won’t be a problem. English isn’t very hard to learn, more so if you live in the UK.

I believe he's been on record a few times about not wanting to move here. He's also a man manager type who communicates with his players. Doesn't work very well via translators.

I don't think Zidane will come here. He also seem to be waiting for the France job after Qatar. That's only a year away.

 

[romufc]

This international break looked the obvious time to make the managerial change. But this board never do the obvious things well. Looks like we’ll all have to still sit and suffer a few more weeks now before the inevitable happens.

There are a few reasons why Ole is still in charge.

1. He is a Glazer puppet, why have a manager who will revolt against the ownership when you can have one that will keep supporting them and not call them out?

2. Money - It could cost up to £20m to get rid of Ole as we thought it was a brilliant idea to give him a 3 year deal, and a further £10m to get another manager out of their contract.

That's £30m less dividends. Most people in the hierarchy are probably on big bonuses, Ed Woodward, Richard Arnold and the like, so for them its cheaper to keep Ole and hope he makes top 4.

 

[Dunk the Lunk]

Don't agree with this at all. We've got a really good set of players, the Glazers don't get involved with day to day stuff or interfere with team selections. Plus the club are spending money on big name players. How do you believe that the right manager couldn't do something? Seems like the go-to argument for Ole In posters now to blame the Glazers or just declare the whole thing fecked because it didn't work out for Ole. Which is pretty crazy when you think about it, as there was never a shred of proof that Ole was good enough to do anything here in the first place.

Time to just suck it up and concede that those of us that were talking about all these issues with Ole for the last 3 years, were just right. I had to do it when I defended Jose. Everyone can be wrong on football, everyone has been wrong about things, in fact. But let's call a spade a spade when it is obvious to all.

Good post.
Things can change fast in football, with the right manager this group of players can click and in a few months we'd wonder how we ever was in such a crisis we are in now.

And as you said, the go to excuse now is the Glazers, while the Glazers fecking suck and is a major pain in our organisation, they dont do the day to day football related stuff. The most important thing now is to do our due diligence and try to find the right manager for us. I wont be easy and the next manager might fail, and the one after that, but what should we do? Just lay flat and give up like that @Nou_Camp99 fella?

Not me. With a hard work and a bit of luck we'll find the right manager for us.

Speaking of @Nou_Camp99, wheres your positivity? You spoken loud about it before. Stand behind the team and be positive and all that? I guess what you really meant was stand behind Ole and only say positive things about Ole.

 

[JPRouve]

There are a few reasons why Ole is still in charge.

1. He is a Glazer puppet, why have a manager who will revolt against the ownership when you can have one that will keep supporting them and not call them out?

2. Money - It could cost up to £20m to get rid of Ole as we thought it was a brilliant idea to give him a 3 year deal, and a further £10m to get another manager out of their contract.

That's £30m less dividends. Most people in the hierarchy are probably on big bonuses, Ed Woodward, Richard Arnold and the like, so for them its cheaper to keep Ole and hope he makes top 4.

It's not, it doesn't affect the dividends.

 

[romufc]

It's not, it doesn't affect the dividends.

Its still another £30m cost to the club.

 

[JPRouve]

Its still another £30m cost to the club.

Yes, which is a problem for the club and something that any careful administrator will keep in mind. They can't just sack someone that expensive without having a solid midterm plan to compensate for it.

 

[OleBoiii]

What are we thinking, lads? Are we going back to 'Ole in' if we win convincingly against Watford?

 

[lex talionis]

The PL trophy being, in reality, out of our reach now there’s little doubt that the goal for the rest of the season for the board is fourth place, and with that in mind it’s not that hard to see Ole securing that.

I would agree with sacking Ole if the replacement is Rodgers, but there may be some logic for the long term to let Ole see out this season so that we can bring in a top manager like Ten Hag.

For all the “Would you…?? threads on here, the only relevant question is whether we’re willing to suffer a zombie season now in order to bring in a truly top manager at season’s end.

 

[Nicoseth]

Its still another £30m cost to the club.

And the cost of not qualifying for CL? Loss of sponsorship? I bet it's beyond 30m.

 

[Red Dreams]

I'd be happy if they appoint the tea lady currently.

Go home Ole.

 

[studs]

What are we thinking, lads? Are we going back to 'Ole in' if we win convincingly against Watford?

Not a hope in hell.

 

[romufc]

And the cost of not qualifying for CL? Loss of sponsorship? I bet it's beyond 30m.

Do you think that the club look that far ahead? Is there anything we have done that suggest planning?

If we thought of that Ole would have gone a long time ago.

 

[romufc]

What are we thinking, lads? Are we going back to 'Ole in' if we win convincingly against Watford?

Those 2 words do not go hand in hand this season.

 

[Nicoseth]

Do you think that the club look that far ahead? Is there anything we have done that suggest planning?

If we thought of that Ole would have gone a long time ago.

Very true, mate. Only competent planners would foresee such an outcome - we have businessmen and yes men - not a good combination.

 

[Tomuś]

we are run by people who have shoe sizes larger than their IQ clearly.

You mean UK or european sizing there?

 

[RedDribble]

You do realise that we had 3 other managers before Ole don't you and none of them got remotely close to the title either? Easy just to blame Ole though right?

This issue is more than the manager. That's what people don't get on here. It's the manager, the recruitment team, the CEO, the owners....

Changing Ole for a better coach will only bring about a temporary reprieve. Unless we gut the entire board / club I don't forsee us ever winning the league again under the Glazers. Nothing in the last 8 years makes me believe simply switching Ole out will fix everything. It won't.

I'd love Ten Hag to come in the summer but I don't think he'd come anywhere near this shambles of a regime and who could blame him.

I agree with this, during the Jose sacking time I was one of the person thinking that Jose's outdated man management and tactics were the problem. Although, Jose have lots to improve himself after seeing this same cycle three times (Van Gaal, Jose, Ole) I'm starting to believe there is something more wrong in the club.

 

[romufc]

Very true, mate. Only competent planners would foresee such an outcome - we have businessmen and yes men - not a good combination.

Just have a look at everything we have done.

Hire Moyes - Fellaini had 18m release clause, let it expire, sign him for 25m?
Sign Mata when we had Kagawa at the time.

Hire LVG - massive changes in squad, sign Di Maria, Blind, Memphis, Bastian, Shneiderlin, Rojo, Martial, Falcao - No planning really

Sack LVG for a guaranteed winner - Give him 2 good windows then stop backing him whilst giving him a new deal when things were not going well, sack him as he lost the dressing room.

Time for a reset - We were told Ole will take charge till end of season, no new manager will be appointed before a DoF is appointed. Ole has a good run, instead of reviewing at the end of the season, give him a contract.

Sign players at inflated prices in Maguire and AWB. Ole making false promises about what his team will be.. 2 years later, we have signed a 3 RW's in Diallo, Pellestri, Sancho for over £100m combined and we start a ST as RW. We sign Donny who is never played.

Contracts to Mata, Matic after they have 2/3 good games.

Then Ole fails to show good football and loses finals / semis and is handed 3 year deal. Now they want to review at the end of the season.

Its just react react react.

P.S Feed to the media Poch is admired by the board but cant be got... was free for over a year but didn't want him then though.

 

[Red Dreams]

Saw J. Evans whom we let go play a blinder against Italy.
Then we pay crazy money for Mr. Average Maguire.
We have an idiot board.

 

[Stactix]

I agree with this, during the Jose sacking time I was one of the person thinking that Jose's outdated man management and tactics were the problem. Although, Jose have lots to improve himself after seeing this same cycle three times (Van Gaal, Jose, Ole) I'm starting to believe there is something more wrong in the club.

It was the problem, the only manager that perhaps with more investment could of gone further was Van Gaal.
Mourinho was a toxic mess, Ole is just no where near good enough and Moyes was out of his depth.

If Lvg was winning trebels at Barca after leaving Utd then this point would make sense but aside from Moyes doing well at West Ham. None of our previous managers since Ferguson have done much, Mourinhos been a mega flop everywhere.

 

[RedDribble]

It was the problem, the only manager that perhaps with more investment could of gone further was Van Gaal.
Mourinho was a toxic mess, Ole is just no where near good enough and Moyes was out of his depth.

If Lvg was winning trebels at Barca after leaving Utd then this point would make sense but aside from Moyes doing well at West Ham. None of our previous managers since Ferguson have done much, Mourinhos been a mega flop everywhere.

Then I want to ask you, you think if the right manager is appointed then United will flourish? Cause in my eyes history repeats itself, we will be seeing the same pattern 2 years later if nothing else changes except the manager.

I have my hypothesis on what is actually wrong with the club but I'll keep that myself.

 

[Stactix]

Then I want to ask you, you think if the right manager is appointed then United will flourish? Cause in my eyes history repeats itself, we will be seeing the same pattern 2 years later if nothing else changes except the manager.

I have my hypothesis on what is actually wrong with the club but I'll keep that myself.

Would depend on the manager, its possible but I do believe we're held back by a bunch of incompetent morons on the board.

Ideally Utd need a rejig, football side is entirely controlled by a dof not a placeholder in Murtaugh.
Head coach job is to work with the dof and build a long term strategy, if head coach fails. Dof and footballing people make the decision to replace.

You look back at some of the decisions over the years, some of it is Trump presidency level of incompetence and stupidity(Romufc post on this page has a few of the calamities)

Utd need to modernise and are still stuck in the past.

 

[croadyman]

What are we thinking, lads? Are we going back to 'Ole in' if we win convincingly against Watford?

Not a chance in hell

 

[croadyman]

The PL trophy being, in reality, out of our reach now there’s little doubt that the goal for the rest of the season for the board is fourth place, and with that in mind it’s not that hard to see Ole securing that.

I would agree with sacking Ole if the replacement is Rodgers, but there may be some logic for the long term to let Ole see out this season so that we can bring in a top manager like Ten Hag.

For all the “Would you…?? threads on here, the only relevant question is whether we’re willing to suffer a zombie season now in order to bring in a truly top manager at season’s end.

Well if he sees out the season guess it will be next summer when I feel anything for this teams results again, better get out the sleeping bag for the next six months or so then I reckon

 

[432JuanMata]

What are we thinking, lads? Are we going back to 'Ole in' if we win convincingly against Watford?

This isn’t like last season or early on this season. He has crossed the line now and isn’t coming back. The biggest failure is the board must see this yet haven’t acted

 

[croadyman]

This isn’t like last season or early on this season. He has crossed the line now and isn’t coming back. The biggest failure is the board must see this yet haven’t acted

Yeah that line was crossed against the scousers and there is no way back with this club for me until he is finally sacked

 

[DRJosh]

You could bet your house that a Watford win will attract a barrage of posts on how we may have turned a corner...and there is potential...it's not all doom and gloom. Only for us to lose in Europe and the brickbats will fly again.

We need a coach that can promise consistency. It is nauseating to see the pictures of Ole at the training sessions. I'll be watching the Watford game but I won't have the same level of emotional investment.

 

[croadyman]

You could bet your house that a Watford win will attract a barrage of posts on how we may have turned a corner...and there is potential...it's not all doom and gloom. Only for us to lose in Europe and the brickbats will fly again.

We need a coach that can promise consistency. It is nauseating to see the pictures of Ole at the training sessions. I'll be watching the Watford game but I won't have the same level of emotional investment.

Yeah I will watch highlights because am a Football fan but like you there won't be that emotional investment. Would be very different IF we had someone who knew what they were doing in charge.

 

[Denis79]

What are we thinking, lads? Are we going back to 'Ole in' if we win convincingly against Watford?

It would take a hell of a lot more than that for me to have faith in Ole's ability again.

 

[croadyman]

It would take a hell of a lot more than that for me to have faith in Ole's ability again.

Finding it very hard to forget those two schoolings by our local rivals, also think its too little too late for giving Donny a chance either

 

[smi11ie]

Ole has done reasonably well until this season. Aside from the home thrashings by Liverpool and Man City there are three huge failures that cannot be forgiven.

1. Failing to create an effective attacking style of play which he promised at the start of his tenure. He has had long enough to achieve this.

2. Appointing novices in his backroom staff. It might be that he thought he would have more authority if he used inexperienced coaches. Considering Ole doesn't coach this is negligent at best and stupid at worst.

3. An unfair selection policy which has created a lack of real competition for places. This is one reason why Utd have produced so many stale performances this season.

He clearly doesn't have the foresight or judgement to manage a club like Utd. I guess the board will wait until he it is impossible for Ole to achieve his targets before they sack him. There is a small chance he could be successful this season but there is a far greater risk of total failure. It will be a long season.

 

[9 Stone Elvis]

Just have a look at everything we have done.

Hire Moyes - Fellaini had 18m release clause, let it expire, sign him for 25m?
Sign Mata when we had Kagawa at the time.

Hire LVG - massive changes in squad, sign Di Maria, Blind, Memphis, Bastian, Shneiderlin, Rojo, Martial, Falcao - No planning really

Sack LVG for a guaranteed winner - Give him 2 good windows then stop backing him whilst giving him a new deal when things were not going well, sack him as he lost the dressing room.

Time for a reset - We were told Ole will take charge till end of season, no new manager will be appointed before a DoF is appointed. Ole has a good run, instead of reviewing at the end of the season, give him a contract.

Sign players at inflated prices in Maguire and AWB. Ole making false promises about what his team will be.. 2 years later, we have signed a 3 RW's in Diallo, Pellestri, Sancho for over £100m combined and we start a ST as RW. We sign Donny who is never played.

Contracts to Mata, Matic after they have 2/3 good games.

Then Ole fails to show good football and loses finals / semis and is handed 3 year deal. Now they want to review at the end of the season.

Its just react react react.

P.S Feed to the media Poch is admired by the board but cant be got... was free for over a year but didn't want him then though.

Its very easy to be wise after the event. If you flip most of these on their head just as many people would be complaining.

The Moyes era was a mistake on the part of everyone I will grant you.

Van Gaal was hired and backed with big money. What would you expect to happen? the plan was for him to "tutor" Giggs and that was the succession plan. It didn't work out but it was fan dis-satisfaction that led to his dismissal just as it was with Mourinho and it will be with Ole.

Moving on to Ole, sure he was given the role as a caretaker but the whole world was losing its **** demanding he was given the job full time. And lets make no mistake about this. If Ole was let go and we hired Pochettino the fan base would have gone mental. Subsequently unless he hit the ground running this forum would have been full of threads demanding to know why Ole was let go when he knew the club and was progressing in order to employ a man who won nothing at Spurs. We know this is exactly how it would have played out.

Signing players who are never played, played out of position of are just bad signings are down to the manager. Its not down to the Glazers to pick the team.

There is VERY LITTLE planning in football at the very top, very little. Clubs just hit on managers who work and stay. City did it until Guardiola won. Liverpool did it until Klopp won. Chelsea do it every two years. Barca have done it post Pep, Real do it all the time. It looks great when it works but if Pep or Klopp hadn't been successful they would have been punted and replaced with a Tuchel or a Conte or whoever was en vogue at the time.

 

[pocco]

Its very easy to be wise after the event. If you flip most of these on their head just as many people would be complaining.

The Moyes era was a mistake on the part of everyone I will grant you.

Van Gaal was hired and backed with big money. What would you expect to happen? the plan was for him to "tutor" Giggs and that was the succession plan. It didn't work out but it was fan dis-satisfaction that led to his dismissal just as it was with Mourinho and it will be with Ole.

Moving on to Ole, sure he was given the role as a caretaker but the whole world was losing its **** demanding he was given the job full time. And lets make no mistake about this. If Ole was let go and we hired Pochettino the fan base would have gone mental. Subsequently unless he hit the ground running this forum would have been full of threads demanding to know why Ole was let go when he knew the club and was progressing in order to employ a man who won nothing at Spurs. We know this is exactly how it would have played out.

Signing players who are never played, played out of position of are just bad signings are down to the manager. Its not down to the Glazers to pick the team.

There is VERY LITTLE planning in football at the very top, very little. Clubs just hit on managers who work and stay. City did it until Guardiola won. Liverpool did it until Klopp won. Chelsea do it every two years. Barca have done it post Pep, Real do it all the time. It looks great when it works but if Pep or Klopp hadn't been successful they would have been punted and replaced with a Tuchel or a Conte or whoever was en vogue at the time.

The obvious choice, and many of us did say this at the time, was to wait until the end of the season. United had put out some statement to say they will take their time in choosing the correct course of action, but went completely knee jerk on the back of a fluke of a win vs PSG and made Ole permanent. Had they stuck by their guns and watch the rest of the season unfold, they would have thought twice about Ole and the fans wouldn't blame them. This was red flag no. 1 in Ole's tenure but the club and most fans completely ignored it. They thought that an average manager had come in and transformed into the best manager ever with his initial run. Any sort of critical thinking would have led anybody to conclude that it wasn't sustainable.

 

[romufc]

Its very easy to be wise after the event. If you flip most of these on their head just as many people would be complaining.

The Moyes era was a mistake on the part of everyone I will grant you.

Van Gaal was hired and backed with big money. What would you expect to happen? the plan was for him to "tutor" Giggs and that was the succession plan. It didn't work out but it was fan dis-satisfaction that led to his dismissal just as it was with Mourinho and it will be with Ole.

Moving on to Ole, sure he was given the role as a caretaker but the whole world was losing its **** demanding he was given the job full time. And lets make no mistake about this. If Ole was let go and we hired Pochettino the fan base would have gone mental. Subsequently unless he hit the ground running this forum would have been full of threads demanding to know why Ole was let go when he knew the club and was progressing in order to employ a man who won nothing at Spurs. We know this is exactly how it would have played out.

Signing players who are never played, played out of position of are just bad signings are down to the manager. Its not down to the Glazers to pick the team.

There is VERY LITTLE planning in football at the very top, very little. Clubs just hit on managers who work and stay. City did it until Guardiola won. Liverpool did it until Klopp won. Chelsea do it every two years. Barca have done it post Pep, Real do it all the time. It looks great when it works but if Pep or Klopp hadn't been successful they would have been punted and replaced with a Tuchel or a Conte or whoever was en vogue at the time.

How is signing Fellaini for more than 8m over his release clause in the same summer a wise after the event?

Yes, all the fans were excited by Ole at the time, but no one said give him the job there and then, he had it till the end of the season, it should have been reviewed at the end of the season.

Its only Manchester United who can make you think there is very little planning in football.

Let me explain to you.

Man City hired people who were ex Barca, they knew a year before that they want Pep, ONE YEAR, that is planning. They put the structure to get Pep as manager.

Liverpool finished 2nd and started badly, saw a top tier coach was available and ready to come to Liverpool and got him, that takes planning too.

With Chelsea, they have a model where you win or sack. That is their model, that is how they plan their footballing decisions.

Barca were planning as Xavi as their manager from 2 years ago, everyone knew Xavi will manage Barca.

So I don't know where you are getting this no planning from, its false. This is why we are not successful, we do not have a model.

One minute, sign a manager to groom Giggs, sack him for a defensive manager, then sack him for one who needs work experience.

3 years later, he wins nothing, we still back him.

 

[Matriac]

You could bet your house that a Watford win will attract a barrage of posts on how we may have turned a corner...and there is potential...it's not all doom and gloom. Only for us to lose in Europe and the brickbats will fly again.

We need a coach that can promise consistency. It is nauseating to see the pictures of Ole at the training sessions. I'll be watching the Watford game but I won't have the same level of emotional investment.

Even if we beat Watford by 10 goals, nobody, not even his most ardent supporters, are going to claim its turned a corner.

I still think he's the better option than any available right now. But it's going to take a string of results for him to get any breathing room.


A draw away at Villareal and Chelsea would be a decent result, but other than that we should be winning pretty much every game from now through February.
We won't of course, a team can rarely be that consistent, but it shouldn't be far from it.

 

[9 Stone Elvis]

How is signing Fellaini for more than 8m over his release clause in the same summer a wise after the event?

Yes, all the fans were excited by Ole at the time, but no one said give him the job there and then, he had it till the end of the season, it should have been reviewed at the end of the season.

Its only Manchester United who can make you think there is very little planning in football.

Let me explain to you.

Man City hired people who were ex Barca, they knew a year before that they want Pep, ONE YEAR, that is planning. They put the structure to get Pep as manager.

Liverpool finished 2nd and started badly, saw a top tier coach was available and ready to come to Liverpool and got him, that takes planning too.

With Chelsea, they have a model where you win or sack. That is their model, that is how they plan their footballing decisions.

Barca were planning as Xavi as their manager from 2 years ago, everyone knew Xavi will manage Barca.

So I don't know where you are getting this no planning from, its false. This is why we are not successful, we do not have a model.

One minute, sign a manager to groom Giggs, sack him for a defensive manager, then sack him for one who needs work experience.

3 years later, he wins nothing, we still back him.

Fellaini is wise after the event because Moyes didn't want Fellaini when he was available for his release clause and we only returned for him after a hopelessly embarrassing pursuit of Fabregas.

City surrounded Pep with Pep people but the point is if it didn't work out he would have been booted out just as they would do with the next guy. They gave Pep the tools to do the job, just as Moyes was allowed to bring in his own backroom team.

Liverpool have gone through a number of managers throughout the 90s and 2000s with various degrees of success and failure with absolutely no link from one tot he other. Rodgers was largely a failure so he was replaced. Klopp was given a couple of years to build a team and that team won so he stays. If Klopp walks away tomorrow or it all falls apart there is no succession plan. They will appoint whomever is high profile or they will appoint a "Club legend" like Gerrard.

The idea that what Chelsea do is "planning" is laughable. There is absolutely no link between any manager they have ever appointed and the one before or since.

Barca have lurched from one crisis to the next. I guarantee you there was no plan for Xavi to come in at this stage.

 

[12OunceEpilogue]

The obvious choice, and many of us did say this at the time, was to wait until the end of the season. United had put out some statement to say they will take their time in choosing the correct course of action, but went completely knee jerk on the back of a fluke of a win vs PSG and made Ole permanent. Had they stuck by their guns and watch the rest of the season unfold, they would have thought twice about Ole and the fans wouldn't blame them. This was red flag no. 1 in Ole's tenure but the club and most fans completely ignored it. They thought that an average manager had come in and transformed into the best manager ever with his initial run. Any sort of critical thinking would have led anybody to conclude that it wasn't sustainable.

I agree.

Its very easy to be wise after the event. If you flip most of these on their head just as many people would be complaining.

The Moyes era was a mistake on the part of everyone I will grant you.

Van Gaal was hired and backed with big money. What would you expect to happen? the plan was for him to "tutor" Giggs and that was the succession plan. It didn't work out but it was fan dis-satisfaction that led to his dismissal just as it was with Mourinho and it will be with Ole.

Moving on to Ole, sure he was given the role as a caretaker but the whole world was losing its **** demanding he was given the job full time. And lets make no mistake about this. If Ole was let go and we hired Pochettino the fan base would have gone mental. Subsequently unless he hit the ground running this forum would have been full of threads demanding to know why Ole was let go when he knew the club and was progressing in order to employ a man who won nothing at Spurs. We know this is exactly how it would have played out.

Signing players who are never played, played out of position of are just bad signings are down to the manager. Its not down to the Glazers to pick the team.

There is VERY LITTLE planning in football at the very top, very little. Clubs just hit on managers who work and stay. City did it until Guardiola won. Liverpool did it until Klopp won. Chelsea do it every two years. Barca have done it post Pep, Real do it all the time. It looks great when it works but if Pep or Klopp hadn't been successful they would have been punted and replaced with a Tuchel or a Conte or whoever was en vogue at the time.

Maybe. I'm sure I could find some posts of mine that were fairly embarrassing in hindsight (hopefully nothing as bad as Rio's 'give him the contract' speech on BT after PSG) but at the same time we could have waited until the end of the season. This board have shown they are good at riding out fans' clamour for various things, yet they gave in to one of their worst instincts (make a terrible long-term decision for a short-term boost in popularity) in rushing to give Ole a full-time contract.

We for sure don't know how we'd have reacted had a Poch come in that summer and struggled, we can guess there would have been some 'what if we'd kept Ole' feelings, but overall I would hope fans would be somewhat comforted that the board at least had done what they said they'd do in reviewing caretaker Ole that summer. Instead we've had this mess unfolding in slow-motion.