 EDITORIAL ENGLISH

Writing about the club’s blight (both on and off the pitch) can become a rather mundane and disconcerting exercise – particularly when Manchester United’s woes ostensibly seem to be compounded by a lack of direction at boardroom level and a convoluted playing philosophy - manifested by egregious performances on the pitch.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s dismissal was inevitable. The five‑nil hammering at home to Liverpool was the final nail in the coffin that effectively ended Baby Face’s managerial tenure at the club. It was obvious that the players were not responding to the manager’s requests and had lost complete faith in him. The writing was on the wall the minute Mohammed Salah hammered in the fifth and final goal.

The appointment of Ralf Rangnick was, by and large, a sensible and pragmatic decision. Apart from Antonio Conte, the club was unable to appoint a manager who could ‘quickly fit the bill’ and steady the ship on a best‑efforts basis. With the benefit of hindsight, considering the circumstances and timing of Ole’s departure, the arrival of Rangnick was a wise decision. As Gary Neville had opined at the time, the sudden collapse in form, poor results and apparent dressing room discontent caught the club completely off‑guard. A quick fix or rushed appointment would have certainly made no sense.

This editorial piece is being written two days after another harrowing defeat at home to Atletico Madrid. Apart from the poor performance and frustration caused by the Spaniards – not to mention woefully inadequate refereeing, the defeat signifies yet another season without a major trophy. It basically allows fans (and critics) to sharpen their knives and blame the overall ‘club culture’ for yet another season of ‘ifs’ and ‘buts’ – and with damn good reason.

That United have lacked a recruitment strategy is obvious. That the club has steered away from longterm plans and calculated buys/risks is evident. Despite the appointment of a new Chief Executive Officer in John Murtough, it is crystal clear that laying down a new five‑to‑ten‑year plan is not enough. Visions and dreams are worthless if their execution is not properly managed and implemented by a team of people who are essentially on the same page. United’s managerial appointments, recruitment and playing styles throughout the past couple of years have basically endorsed the notion that the entire organisation is basically teetering off a cliff without any back-up plan in sight.

For all of Moyes’s emphasis on continuity, for all of Van Gaal’s emphasis on ‘philosophy’, inasmuch as Mourinho sought to ‘park the bus’, no matter how hard Ole tried to buy players that fit the United mould, a hotchpotch of managers and diverging tactics have led the club to absolutely nowhere. The facts speak for themselves. Since the 201314 season, United have managed to assemble a meagre three (yes, 3) trophies. Hardly surprising considering the ten years of abhorrent football, ineffective management, complacency & torpor gripping the Boardroom – not mention panic-buying par excellence.

United’s next managerial appointment will be critical for a plethora of reasons. Firstly, it makes no sense in appointing a manager if a playing philosophy/style is not encouraged (and adopted) in unison by all facets of the club. If the so-called ‘Ajax’ way is to be adopted – then a complete revamp of the club’s technical sector would be required. Secondly, recruitment needs to be drastically improved – players properly scouted, a long-term plan enshrined and an end to players who can realistically only deliver for a couple of seasons.

I recall a particular episode which has been mentioned on several occasions by Sir Alex Ferguson himself. Upon taking over the club in 1986, he discovered that many players were past their sell-date and over the age of 30. Requesting that the then-chairman Martin Edwards initiate proceedings to offload this group, Sir Alex informed Mr. Edwards that the club couldn’t mount a meaningful and significant challenge for the title unless younger players were brought in. Sir Alex was left visibly ‘shocked at how shocked the Chairman was!’ The incumbent Board should also be analogously ready for a similar ‘shock’ over the summer. Thirdly, as City and Liverpool continue to amass trophies and achievements, it’s now or never for United – as fans hunger for much needed silverware and success. Quite frankly, the Board cannot afford to appoint the wrong candidate for the consequences would be too terrible to contemplate.

Finally, mention must be made of the club’s seemingly complex (and current) predicament pertaining to Old Trafford. According to open-media sources, the owners are seriously considering redeveloping Old Trafford. However, it has not been discounted that this would, effectively also mean that the hallowed stadium is promptly demolished and rebuilt anew. Now this is indeed a thorny subject and one that can inevitably divide fans. On the hand are the traditionalists – perhaps United fans who have stuck by the club through thick and thin and view Old Trafford as a Cathedral which under no circumstance should be demolished or even redeveloped. On the other hand, another sector of supporters might view the entire episode with a dose of realism and pragmatism. I for one would definitely classify myself as verging towards the latter group – albeit with some strong reservations and misgivings in that major redevelopment is necessary but not at the expense of financial implosion.

It’s no secret that Arsenal’s move to the Emirates Stadium caused huge financial problems for the club – effects of which are still felt to this day. West Ham United’s move to the Olympic Stadium was certainly controversial with fans bemoaning a lack of atmosphere as seen through the club’s tenure at Upton Park. I believe Tottenham’s redevelopment was also met with mixed feelings but contextually made sense considering the way Daniel Levy managed to sell the project to the fans. That Spurs had no other option but to also host NFL-games is another matter entirely but also highlighted that pecuniary considerations ultimately also placed a critical role in the overall long-term sustainability of the project.

Were Old Trafford to be completely demolished and rebuilt, I would hope that the same structural designs and ideas that Archibald Leitch implemented in the early 20th century would be retained. The current stadium, for all its architectural embellishments and additions, is undoubtedly in need of major redevelopment but more significantly is the fact that obtaining match-day tickets is becoming a major headache for fans and stakeholders alike. If possible, a ‘new’ Old Trafford should be able to host, at a minimum, one hundred thousand fans – thereby easing the pressure of exorbitant prices or (even worse) ticket-touts.

Both Sir Matt Busby and Sir Alex Ferguson were traditionalists and at times, conservative. But both managers also understood the essence and importance of progress and development. In this connection, all United fans will be eager to know what ‘big plans’ are in store for one of the most iconic stadiums on the planet.

Enjoy the read and GGMU!