The Official Manchester United Thread (Vol 12)

Hope his mental health is not too adversely impacted.

He comes across as being un-resilient.

Is he getting abuse/ the piss taken, on social media, for not making the squad?

Bayern looks a basket case, Chelsea can't be that much better.

He will get dogs abuse if he was in the squad, and no doubt dogs abuse for being left out of the squad. Can't win

It's an interesting development with Poch coming available.

The single most common reason anyone gave to not sack Ten Hag was "well who would you get". We are now in a situation where there are a number of high level managers available and on the market.

Tuchel (recent Champions League winner), Poch (develops youth, plays decent football), De Zerbi (gone toe to toe with clubs with far more resources), McKenna (seen as the next big thing) all available. Conte, Zidane, Hansi Flick all sat around doing nothing. Etc.

Not saying these are all right for us or would want to come, but they are on the market to varying extents.

INEOS now have a decision to make. They have said they want Man Utd to challenge for the league in 3 years time. So it's a 3 year project, and they can either;

1. Assess the evidence accumulated over 2 seasons (season 1 = woeful transfers, lost 8/drew 1 out of 9 games away vs top 9 (1 point from 27), most single goal victories suggesting an element of fortune, wheels came off post March but on the plus side finished 3rd + season 2 = more woeful transfers, some of the most embarrassing results in the club's recent history, conceded more shots than the Derby 06/07 team who set the record low points total, came bottom of a CL group with Galatasary and Copenhagen, worst PL finish in club history) and conclude that Erik Ten Hag IS the man to lead this 3 year project and give him a new contract as they wouldn't want to lose their guy in the middle of what he's building.

2. Assess the evidence accumulated, and decide that one of the top level managers available right now is the man to lead their project for the next 3 years and start afresh with their guy at the helm, snapping one of them up before they go elsewhere and become unavailable.

3. Assess the evidence accumulated, decide they aren't sure on Ten Hag, let him start the season with just 1 year to go on his contract. If it's not going well in November/December fire him, pick a new manager out of who is still available in the middle of a season, not allow that new manager to have a pre season, and then have only 2 years of their project to achieve what they want as 1 year of it has been written off. In this scenario, possibly a 2nd year outside of European football may result.

I think option 3 has to be off the cards, it would be mental to do this so it's either new contract and stick with Ten Hag or snap up one of the many candidates who have a far better track record.

Pochettino hasn't achieved anything of note as a manager or player. He's the last person we need.

I wouldn't say he's the last person we need but he's not all he's cracked up to be in my opinion.

Why is McKenna ‘available’? If he is, then any manager is …

McKenna's camp have had talks with Brighton according to many reports. I'd see him as more available to us than Guardiola for example.

He wouldn't be my choice, and neither would Poch for various reasons.

That wasn't the point I was trying to make though, my point is it would be completely mental to go into year 1 of a 3 year project with a guy the owners are completely unsure of who is in the last year of his contract.

They need to either give him a new one, back him and show stability. Or replace him with their appointment. Doing that now with managers available is an easier task than doing it halfway through a failed season when the best options are off the market.

Being a good player has to be one of the worst barometers for management ability.

Zidane at RM or Pep at spending multiple billions are not exactly representative either.

Everyone is linked to Bayern