In a recent conversation with a random football lover on public transport, he asked me to name the greatest clubs of my lifetime and naturally I started off with Real Madrid, AC Milan, Barcelona, Manchester United, Bayern Munich and Celtic. He had a look of bewilderment as he muttered 'Manchester United?' and ended the conversation. His reaction got me wondering. I initially thought he's crazy and started watching football in 2006. Maybe he was not one for history but to disregard Manchester United as one of the greatest clubs was just saddening. I remained in deep thought while wondering what made him respond that way and had a bit of an epiphany! He must've been scarred by the recent history of United. A period characterised by various plagues that have devastated The Theatre of Dreams and made it a nightmare of mediocrity!
PLAGUE 1: THE BOARD
The sorry combination of Edward Woodward and The Glazer Family as the leaders of Manchester United has been a nightmare for all concerned. Some might argue they have raked in enough money but the club is in debt, and the team is a mess. They have absolutely no idea as to how to run the club and seem to make decisions impulsively.
Openly refusing to back managers in the transfer market as well while throwing away huge sums in gut wrenching deals to sign and resign players who have absolutely no business wearing a United kit!
PLAGUE 2: JOSE MOURINHO AND OLE GUNNAR SOLSKJAER
Where do i start with this pair ? Chronologically of course! Jose Mourinho got his dream job of managing the Red Devils (quite late) and led them to some success but never won the hearts of fans. His abrasive and seige mentality to football did not help in an era where footballers are more diva than man! Some appalling transfers coupled with mind numbing and ineffective football set the club back on a number of levels. His approach made him few friends and his replacement has been no better despite appearing to be the antidote to the venom Mourinho left at Carrington. He started well and like a charismatic yet brainless general, had the players on his side. As soon as the players realised his tactical limitations, they bailed out on him. You can't blame him but yet still we blame him. He showed a future that did not exist and got the job. A husband who appeared as an angel in the courting phase and became a demon after the wedding. Basically, United replaced a Ruthless yet Effective General with a Norwegian Gideon Pillow.
PLAGUE 3: PAUL POGBA & DAVID DE GEA.
If Manchester United has been plagued, then Paul Pogba is the cause! He's the flea that carried the strain that has infected some otherwise weak and over hyped players. Sounds quite harsh to single him out but for a player who has not been good as he's made to seem and causing so much havoc, I'm being nice. Fans would gladly point out that this has been a career season for Pogba as he's put out some solid numbers but for him to attack his critics and give a flimsy excuse on how Messi and Ronaldo have altered the landscape is just mediocre. His venomous and ineffective ways infected some members of the squad and produced some horrendous displays. Truth is he's never been good enough and is nothing more than a Dabbing Mulumbu (no disrespect to Youssouf Mulumbu).
David De Gea. A hero. Previously the light at the end of the tunnel, but now a bit of curse. De Gea has been the top player at United for some time now but has been tripped and fallen into abject the mediocrity that has engulfed United. His issues seem to be more of the psychological nature as his apparent inability to make the move to his dream destination and the feeling of injustice towards he and his country men has made him a laughing stock. His poor form will do him no good as it will in no way attract his dream team. We all can't live the dream Dave so get your head in the game.
It is no secret, The Redd Devils have been afflicted but unlike the Biblical Character Job, they have to get themselves out of this one.
They broke it, they must fix it.
For The Love Of The Game.
As much as we try to criticize Pogba for bad performance does it not strike you that most of these players in the United team are mediocre and hence hinder his ability??
ReplyDeleteI have seen Pogba play for Juventus, France U18 and the senior team he hasn't been so poor as compared to he being in this United team. This is what shows that the team isn't good enough and it affects the quality players as well. Talking of De Gea, he can't be blamed if he is making more saves than Alisson and Ederson and conceding more as well due to a poor and porous defence. The United problem is way beyond and players likes Lingard, Young, Smalling, Jones, Rojo, Damian, Lukaku, Martial,Sanchez and even Rashford don't deserve to be starting for United but they are the same starting 11 we put up. This is what Mourinho was trying to tell us but we were adamant and thought he was making a joke when he said 2nd place with this team is his greatest achievement. The board needs to sort their business out and start running this club like a proper top team and they can pay their debts when the results are good