Why are United board/owners so slow to act?

I think there's hardly been a decision that this club (and I also include Ole himself in this) has taken in the last 3 years that hasn't been done on a whim.

The board give him the job until the end of the season. PSG hysteria kicks in, and he's given an extension. Despite our form post PSG until the end of the season being in the gutter. Not a single sight of forward planning.

They/Ole bring in Ronaldo. It wasn't planned, it was an opportunistic grab rather than see him go to City.

This sudden 352 change. You don't spend 2 years, and £73 million bringing in Sancho to then switch to a formation that can't accommodate him. He seems to have lucked out playing Spurs using this system, as one decent performance he seems to think it's the way going forward. Plays the same formation against Atalanta and City, only to change it at half time in both games, to abandon it, in favour of going back to the same formation we were struggling with in the first place.

Honestly, where the hell is the forward planning with this squad? An absolute embarrassment.
 
I do think the football people who advise them are part of the problem too, too many of them are too friendly with each other and there seems to be this notion of needing a long-term manager, when modern football is about short-term success.

So the owners have no clue about football and the football people have at the club has an outdated take on football.
 
This guy nails it...

Why Solskjaer is the Glazers’ perfect Man Utd manager

" The Glazers, and those with the power to replace Solskjaer , but choose to persist with him, do not have the good of the football club at heart. They have the good of the business at heart. If United continue to get top four, spend some money, make some big name signings in a scattergun approach with no real director of football to plan and structure the football operations at the club, then the Glazers and the money men maintain control. That is what Solskjaer’s time at United is about. Control. The Glazers know that he knows that he is lucky to have ever been given this opportunity to manage a huge club that he loves. Therefore he will never rock the boat. Never question the hierarchy and the shambles that is the football operations side of the club. Solskjaer is a buffer between the board and the fans. A shield. "
 
glazed said:
This guy nails it...

Why Solskjaer is the Glazers’ perfect Man Utd manager

" The Glazers, and those with the power to replace Solskjaer , but choose to persist with him, do not have the good of the football club at heart. They have the good of the business at heart. If United continue to get top four, spend some money, make some big name signings in a scattergun approach with no real director of football to plan and structure the football operations at the club, then the Glazers and the money men maintain control. That is what Solskjaer’s time at United is about. Control. The Glazers know that he knows that he is lucky to have ever been given this opportunity to manage a huge club that he loves. Therefore he will never rock the boat. Never question the hierarchy and the shambles that is the football operations side of the club. Solskjaer is a buffer between the board and the fans. A shield. "
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The only time he will have to go is when the glazers stop making money,that's not gonna happen soon cos OT is full every game and CR7 shirts are flying off the shelves
 
Josep Dowling said:
We were the highest spenders this summer after a covid hit season. Can’t be making excuses about penny pinching this season. The big issues is not being pro-active in making necessary changes. It’s happened with all the managers since Fergie.
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I disagree. We can’t keep making excuses for the leeches. Ronaldo was the perfect signing for them. He paid for himself within a month and it got loads of fans on side. PR signing. The midfielder was much more of a priority and if the club had any ambition they would have got one. Dan James was sold for 30m. A decent midfielder would have cost around 40m. Man City were ready to spend 250m to get what was needed and they’re one of the clubs we’re supposed to be catching up.
They do it every summer where we’re always at least one player short.

But that’s for another thread maybe.
I agree on the pro-active necessary changes, they don’t have a clue. And it looks like this director of football role was just to appease fans on paper, but let’s see what happens.

If they were smart and ambitious in wanting the football side of things to be priority they would employ Van Der Sar as chief executive to replace the stooge that Woodward was and get Ten Hag as the coach.
 
The Irish Connection said:
I disagree. We can’t keep making excuses for the leeches. Ronaldo was the perfect signing for them. He paid for himself within a month and it got loads of fans on side.
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Yes more recently it's not been about the amount the Glazers have spent - it's been about how they've spent it and why. People need to realise they are running a business and not a football team. If the seats are filled and eyeballs are on screens then it matters little how many times the ball ends up in one net or the other. Indeed the whole point of the super league was to make it matter even less.
 
Top 4 is still possible. That's why he hasn't been sacked.
 
The board is clueless. It was clueless before Ole arrived on the scene and it will continue to be clueless after he’s finally gone.

We do have a promising squad for the first time since Fergie but there’s no happy ending for us as long as these clowns are in charge of the club.
 
Class of 1902 said:
I think there's hardly been a decision that this club (and I also include Ole himself in this) has taken in the last 3 years that hasn't been done on a whim.

The board give him the job until the end of the season. PSG hysteria kicks in, and he's given an extension. Despite our form post PSG until the end of the season being in the gutter. Not a single sight of forward planning.

They/Ole bring in Ronaldo. It wasn't planned, it was an opportunistic grab rather than see him go to City.

This sudden 352 change. You don't spend 2 years, and £73 million bringing in Sancho to then switch to a formation that can't accommodate him. He seems to have lucked out playing Spurs using this system, as one decent performance he seems to think it's the way going forward. Plays the same formation against Atalanta and City, only to change it at half time in both games, to abandon it, in favour of going back to the same formation we were struggling with in the first place.

Honestly, where the hell is the forward planning with this squad? An absolute embarrassment.
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It wasn't even a great performance vs Spurs, it was just better than the muck we'd otherwise been turning out vs a dreadful Spurs side.

But yes you now know if we hear any nonsense about the project, long term vision that is all absolute nonsense. There is no project or long term vision with what we're currently doing, Solskjaer is purely doing things to try and save his job for the now, and is running out of ideas.
 
If you want to be a better run club, then something at the club has to change. Right now, the club spends hundreds of millions of $$ (pounds?) a year with no plan. But I predict the club doesn't to the Glazers and tell them that they should get more knowledgeable people in to run the club.

People were happy that Darren Fletcher (for example) was appointed to whatever position he holds now. Nice guy, Utd player. Does he have any obvious qualifications for the job he holds? If he does have some qualifications, was he the absolute best available? Who else was interviewed? Why didn't anyone question the appointment?

btw, I bet there's a lot of fans who would be happy to settle for top 4 every year if they could keep Fletcher and Ole and Carrick and the rest of the gang.
 
steffyr2 said:
If you want to be a better run club, then something at the club has to change. Right now, the club spends hundreds of millions of $$ (pounds?) a year with no plan. But I predict the club doesn't to the Glazers and tell them that they should get more knowledgeable people in to run the club.

People were happy that Darren Fletcher (for example) was appointed to whatever position he holds now. Nice guy, Utd player. Does he have any obvious qualifications for the job he holds? If he does have some qualifications, was he the absolute best available? Who else was interviewed? Why didn't anyone question the appointment?

btw, I bet there's a lot of fans who would be happy to settle for top 4 every year if they could keep Fletcher and Ole and Carrick and the rest of the gang.
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So you are moaning about Fletcher holding a Technical Director role, that you don't even know he's holding, but somehow that's Tantamount to our problems?
An ex player who has ties to other clubs, who had to go through an interview process, yet he's not qualified?? ..
How so? Please explain your reasoning.
 
Champ said:
So you are moaning about Fletcher holding a Technical Director role, that you don't even know he's holding, but somehow that's Tantamount to our problems?
An ex player who has ties to other clubs, who had to go through an interview process, yet he's not qualified?? ..
How so? Please explain your reasoning.
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Pretty sure I'm not moaning.
What are Fletcher's qualifications?
Who else was interviewed for his job?
Is he the best available for his job?
oh, and
Are you a Utd fan?
If you are, would you be happy to have Fletcher working for the club in this role, even if he isn't the best person available?
 
Yakuza_devils said:
The first thing we need to do but won't happen is to kicked out those who are learning on the job in the biggest club in the world starting from Ed, Arnold, Murtough, Ole, Carrick, Fletcher and co.

We need to get in proper world class personnels to create a structure that can challenge City, Chelsea, Liverpool and soon Newcastle.
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How is Murtough learning on the job? He isn't some novice. He's got plenty of experience to be a director.
 
Tom Van Persie said:
How is Murtough learning on the job? He isn't some novice. He's got plenty of experience to be a director.
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He is first time as DOF, period. We need someone with proven track records at major football club as DOF to come in and make a difference. He is appointed within the same failed system.
 
Class of 1902 said:
I think there's hardly been a decision that this club (and I also include Ole himself in this) has taken in the last 3 years that hasn't been done on a whim.

The board give him the job until the end of the season. PSG hysteria kicks in, and he's given an extension. Despite our form post PSG until the end of the season being in the gutter. Not a single sight of forward planning.

They/Ole bring in Ronaldo. It wasn't planned, it was an opportunistic grab rather than see him go to City.

This sudden 352 change. You don't spend 2 years, and £73 million bringing in Sancho to then switch to a formation that can't accommodate him. He seems to have lucked out playing Spurs using this system, as one decent performance he seems to think it's the way going forward. Plays the same formation against Atalanta and City, only to change it at half time in both games, to abandon it, in favour of going back to the same formation we were struggling with in the first place.

Honestly, where the hell is the forward planning with this squad? An absolute embarrassment.
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100% the man is all at sea. In hindsight, the time to get rid was at the end of last season after the Villarreal game. That game was ours to lose, we just needed to go get it. Ole is empty of ideas and too reactionary. You saw what it took to get him to fill midfield with more bodies. I think the recruitment is also him stockpiling players without a coherent plan of how to use them. Its all very embarrassing. Makes me think that I could do a better job myself. Very demoralizing.
 
They're too stuck with the 'united philosophy/model' - giving managers way too much time.

They need to move to the modern approach and get rid of them straight away. Just like Chelsea and Real Madrid, as soon as something goes wrong they change manager with no fuss.
 
tentan said:
They're too stuck with the 'united philosophy/model' - giving managers way too much time.

They need to move to the modern approach and get rid of them straight away. Just like Chelsea and Real Madrid, as soon as something goes wrong they change manager with no fuss.
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Nothing wrong giving managers time if they have proved their worth. The problem is Ole hasn’t. I would give a manager time if they won the league for example, even if the next season we didn’t make top 4. Ole has simply shown he can’t cut it when it’s matters and now suddenly we are now set up for defensive football (whilst conceding many goals!) with some of the most promising forward players in the league. It’s infuriating.
 
After the 5-0 and 2-0 defeat by Liverpool and City at OT, and the manner we were humiliated by them, I would expect at least someone from the board to come out to make a statement on how to improve the situation and what's the plan moving forward.

But as usual, the owners are watching NFL in America and Ed can't be bothered because he is leaving soon. Not sure what's Arnold doing now but we never seen him attending games at OT. Don't think he is interested in football. I stand corrected.
 
Class of 1902 said:
I think there's hardly been a decision that this club (and I also include Ole himself in this) has taken in the last 3 years that hasn't been done on a whim.

The board give him the job until the end of the season. PSG hysteria kicks in, and he's given an extension. Despite our form post PSG until the end of the season being in the gutter. Not a single sight of forward planning.

They/Ole bring in Ronaldo. It wasn't planned, it was an opportunistic grab rather than see him go to City.

This sudden 352 change. You don't spend 2 years, and £73 million bringing in Sancho to then switch to a formation that can't accommodate him. He seems to have lucked out playing Spurs using this system, as one decent performance he seems to think it's the way going forward. Plays the same formation against Atalanta and City, only to change it at half time in both games, to abandon it, in favour of going back to the same formation we were struggling with in the first place.

Honestly, where the hell is the forward planning with this squad? An absolute embarrassment.
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Agree, with the City game, in Italy Varane goes off they go to back 4 played OK not great but enough. So why try to play the same against City who want to dominate the ball, and he bloody let them . Its a shambles, he's bought players like you said to play in the system he wants now it's been ripped up. Sold James after playing him the game before? The players he's got is for a system of 4-4-2.. or 4-3-3.

If he can't get a tune out of them in those formations then something wrong. He keeps using Bruno further up the pitch. Now I'd play him In a 3 CM . And Ronnie Rashford Sancho as the front 3. Trouble is he doesn't trust anyone else than Fred And Mctom in CM. I'd use Mctom as an old box to box CM he can do that, with Bruno and DVB . Trouble is there our CBs are having a mare. ..but totally agree the system not right .
 
RedOldBoy said:
In a nutshell, the board/owners are the problem.
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Absolutely!

The financial success has just dropped into the Glazers laps. I very much doubt they are really as clever as their made out to be at business. The sheer incompetence of those put in charge of the club has been bordering on the levels a joke. I wonder if anyone even cares in the boardroom as long as they get their bubbly on matchdays and a paycheck at the end of the month?

If the Glazers cared much about the sporting success they need to be asking some serious questions of those they have entrusted to run the club or are they just content collecting their dividends?
 
steffyr2 said:
Pretty sure I'm not moaning.
What are Fletcher's qualifications?
Who else was interviewed for his job?
Is he the best available for his job?
oh, and
Are you a Utd fan?
If you are, would you be happy to have Fletcher working for the club in this role, even if he isn't the best person available?
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Yes and yes.

His role is a go between from the first team to the recruitment team.
He is often on the training ground as much as he is in the office.
I cannot think of a better person for this type of role than someone who knows the club, has worked at the club before and is an intelligent footballing person.
 
Rhyme Animal said:
They put Solskjaer in place to protect themselves - both from fan pressure and from having a manager that would challenge their broken, Disneyland, star signings over football philosophy of the club.

They don’t want to remove him because he protects their real interests.

They will look to find another ‘soft touch’ manager when they’re forced to sack him - Rodgers etc.
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I'm not saying you're wrong, but it just doesn't add up, does it? They have splashed so much cash, surely, in their best interest, they would try to save money and not spend so much on transfers but instead have a well-run club that is managed by a stable and proven manager. No? I just don't get it. My theory is that they want to win, but they just don't know how to do it, especially in European sports where you don't win if you spend all your money on one superstar (Tom Brady).
 
Know it's a controversial take but our fans are part of the problem. For many of these American owners, timing of decisions are based on optics.
Let's be honest with ourselves, to what extent will pressure be on a board when the fans clap a manager off the pitch and sing his name when his team has just lost 5-0 to their biggest rivals at home?
Not blaming fans and asking for violent or the fans to harass players/manager/owners but that has to be part of the calculation. As long as the fans are onside, we can stretch this a little more.
 
Ole is the ideal scenario for the Glazers if we keep getting top 4. Unlike any of the previous managers, he will always be protected from the ire of ex-Man Utd players turned pundits and the fans will be more reluctant to turn against him in public like they did with Moyes, LVG and Mourinho with the flying banners and the other things that came with it.

Ole protects the club from negative press and that keeps our financial interests in check.
 
Adisa said:
Know it's a controversial take but our fans are part of the problem. For many of these American owners, timing of decisions are based on optics.
Let's be honest with ourselves, to what extent will pressure be on a board when the fans clap a manager off the pitch and sing his name when his team has just lost 5-0 to their biggest rivals at home?
Not blaming fans and asking for violent or the fans to harass players/manager/owners but that has to be part of the calculation. As long as the fans are onside, we can stretch this a little more.
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It's not even controversial. This is perfect PR stunt material, to shift blame into football fans for paying tickets and wanting to show support, while decision making at the top remains decadent.

Oh and fans did sing about burning Glazers at a bonfire so it's not like they're overly nice. Protests outside Old Trafford did spark some doubt in club's investors, even Joel had to respond to this.
 
I don't understand this notion that the Glazers only sign people to maintain an illusion or to massage their PR status.

We bought Harry Maguire for 80 mill, VDB for 40 mill, Sancho for 75mill, AWB for 50 mill. The list could go on and on. Nothing to do with PR, that is literally chucking money at signings that are sanctioned by our footballing department. We are massive spenders in the market and on wages. The fact they signed Ronaldo on a whim doesn't change all that.

It's simply not a logical claim. I prefer the idea that they're simply clueless. They've got the wrong people in the wrong positions making poor decisions. That is still their responsibility but its not for the same reason.

Do they care mostly about money? Of course, they didn't know anything about football when they bought in so that was implied, it was a business venture. They are probably still of a similar opinion looking at their absence, however they do seem to care to the extent it impacts our money making capacity and one thing is for sure, the current route that we're in isn't helping where collosal sums are being wasted and we may struggle to make top 4.
 
The incompetence is staggering. Is there any planned protests, or has that died a death?

I keep saying it - yes Ole has to go and the next manager might bring some success, but it won’t ever be sustainable with these jokers at the helm.
 
Champ said:
Yes and yes.

His role is a go between from the first team to the recruitment team.
He is often on the training ground as much as he is in the office.
I cannot think of a better person for this type of role than someone who knows the club, has worked at the club before and is an intelligent footballing person.
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He hasn't done a good job so far. Why do they need a go between? Ole is not a Head Coach. He is The Manager.
Knowing the club is the exact problem. They want to do what SAF did last century. It doesn't work anymore. We need someone with new ideas and experience in a job like that. We have a bunch of novices in most positions. This is Manchester United. Not a mid level football club.
 
Foxbatt said:
He hasn't done a good job so far. Why do they need a go between? Ole is not a Head Coach. He is The Manager.
Knowing the club is the exact problem. They want to do what SAF did last century. It doesn't work anymore. We need someone with new ideas and experience in a job like that. We have a bunch of novices in most positions. This is Manchester United. Not a mid level football club.
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How so??

He has never stated anything about wanting United to be like it was under Sir Alex, that's just what people on here believe because they need to find anything and everything to pour scorn and vitriol on the club, which is sad really.
 
Swedish_Plumber said:
The incompetence is staggering. Is there any planned protests, or has that died a death?

I keep saying it - yes Ole has to go and the next manager might bring some success, but it won’t ever be sustainable with these jokers at the helm.
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Why?
 
No ambition on the field. They only care about football when it affects their bottom line.

They’re doing damage to even that by sticking with the amateur but he’s been a PR dream for them and says all the right things.
 
Champ said:
How so??

He has never stated anything about wanting United to be like it was under Sir Alex, that's just what people on here believe because they need to find anything and everything to pour scorn and vitriol on the club, which is sad really.
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What has he done? We have players we don't use, and (apparently) players we need.

We have appointed John Murtough as football director and Darren Fletcher was promoted to technical director. Somewhere (on here?) I read that one of these positions wasn't a typical job and they weren't sure what that person actually did.

Anyway, do they give regular press conferences? Speak to supporter groups? Do we hear of them traveling to other teams and looking at prospective players/managers?

(this is nothing about Darren btw, he was just the 1st example I came up with)
 
steffyr2 said:
Why?
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Because whilst we’ve won trophies with LVG and Jose, there’s never been a clear plan or strategy for the long run.

It’s made up as we go along. Ole was brought in as caretaker and yet after a few good games he’s thrown into it full time. That’s despite there being established managers available.

If we bring in a manager capable of winning trophies, that person will be failed by the same old problems of the board eventually. They haven’t a clue about things on the field yet stick their oar in anyways.
 
They’re not bothered about the results until it starts impacting profit. So they’ll probably suck up a year without champions league and try and fix it in the summer.
 
TeddyBear said:
"Preparing to make a bid for player XXX "

same old same old.

forever preparing for something but nothing materialised.
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Tbf, that's just tabloid shit because they know it generates clicks when it's Utd
 
No clear replacement ready to take over now.
Thats why Ole is still here and why the club messed up big time by not getting Conte.

Now we are stuck with Ole until Poch or even worse , Rodgers is available.
Not a good position to be in for us fans, players or for Ole himself.

IMO Ole should be sacked right now and we should hire an interim until the end of the season.
Who i have no idea , but we cant continue with Ole much longer,it will only get worse.
 
We're simply not set up as a club that can rotate managers. That has to change, it'll continue to hold us back. I think everyone is surprised at how badly things have gone wrong this season, especially those at the club. You just get the feeling that there's a reluctance to pull out the roots yet again. Combine that with the internal power structure, there are clearly people at the club that want to give him more time - one of them is probably Fergie himself. It's no wonder we seem to be so slow to act. It all stems back to the Glazers.
 
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