I feel the club is in a dangerous place at the moment.
There's a serious, structural problem at the top which which is unlikely to be corrected in the near future. Distant, semi-detached owners who know next to nothing about their core business, with control over football matters delegated to an almost equally unqualified accountant. No DoF to compensate for the lack of football expertise, and no likelihood that one will be appointed, since Woody has the ear of the Glazers, and will wish to keep all the reins of power in his own hands.
We saw the consequences last summer in the failure to properly recruit, and things are beginning to look ominous this summer as well. A state of paralysis descending on the club with the departure of an existing manager, and all business in suspension until the incoming manager can suggest or approve vital transfer targets.
But, as it happened and for different reasons, neither Moyes nor Van Gaal were well placed to do this. Moyes, because he'd been operating at a lower level in the market at Everton, and Van Gaal, because he's been an international manager for several years, and hasn't spent his time keeping an eye out for top players who might suit Manchester United. Asking Van Gaal, who's barely acquainted with our existing personnel, and whose attention has been focused on Dutch players for the last three years, to take charge of recruitment, is less than optimal. Of course he's not going to say, "I can't do it", but it's not surprising he's been stalling.
If things go badly, United might appoint 5 managers in the next 10 years. Is all the club's football business going to start afresh with each new appointment? We need continuity, at least in the supremely important matter of transfers.
If Van Gaal turns into another Fergie, we're safe for 4/5/6 years. But what if he doesn't?
There's a serious, structural problem at the top which which is unlikely to be corrected in the near future. Distant, semi-detached owners who know next to nothing about their core business, with control over football matters delegated to an almost equally unqualified accountant. No DoF to compensate for the lack of football expertise, and no likelihood that one will be appointed, since Woody has the ear of the Glazers, and will wish to keep all the reins of power in his own hands.
We saw the consequences last summer in the failure to properly recruit, and things are beginning to look ominous this summer as well. A state of paralysis descending on the club with the departure of an existing manager, and all business in suspension until the incoming manager can suggest or approve vital transfer targets.
But, as it happened and for different reasons, neither Moyes nor Van Gaal were well placed to do this. Moyes, because he'd been operating at a lower level in the market at Everton, and Van Gaal, because he's been an international manager for several years, and hasn't spent his time keeping an eye out for top players who might suit Manchester United. Asking Van Gaal, who's barely acquainted with our existing personnel, and whose attention has been focused on Dutch players for the last three years, to take charge of recruitment, is less than optimal. Of course he's not going to say, "I can't do it", but it's not surprising he's been stalling.
If things go badly, United might appoint 5 managers in the next 10 years. Is all the club's football business going to start afresh with each new appointment? We need continuity, at least in the supremely important matter of transfers.
If Van Gaal turns into another Fergie, we're safe for 4/5/6 years. But what if he doesn't?
