Our last premier league title was 2012/2013. It’s no coincidence that this was also Sir Alex Fergusons last season as manager too. Every manager that has followed haven’t been able to get the job done as far as winning the premier league is concerned. A lot of players that have been signed in this 10 year period have simply not delivered either. Di Maria immediately springs to mind. World class technical wizard at every club he played for…. except Man Utd where he was a complete let down (60M British record transfer fee at the time)
Another modern example Harry Maguire (80M World record transfer fee for a defender) At Leicester the best English CB I’ve seen in many many years. For Man Utd…. A complete liability.
On paper the squad we had last season should have never even made it to the CL so I have to applaud Ten Hag for that. Nothing much more positive to say about it all really. As
@Hayes said, we’re cursed!
Di Maria actually had a pretty decent first season with something like 12 assists. You said it yourself, "World class technical wizard", that's why he didn't enjoy playing under LVG who would try and play him out of position and give him too many defensive instructions. Players like that you've just got to let them play, give them the ball and that's it. You have to tap in to their egos.
Not sure I agree on Maguire. The guy can't run. He would have been a great player in the 90s but in the days of high lines he just doesn't work. You also need personalty and charisma to make it at United, especially as a captain. He doesn't have either.
That's a huge part of it for me, we don't look at players personalities anymore. Fergie turned down some of the best players because of their heads. The head is more important than the feet in many ways.
United suffered two terminal blows back to back after Fergie left.
1) Moyes coming in and thinking he could just get rid of all the coaching staff and bring in his own guys. His ego got the better of him. He needed to accept he needed all the help he could get from people who knew the club inside and out.
2) LVG getting rid of United players who bleed United and get the standards of the club. Welbeck, Evans, Fletcher, Chicharito, Rafael, Nani. Not just that, none of the signings that came in to replace them were any better.
Ten Hag has done a great job but it's the same old cycle, do well first season and don't get back in the second. Being backed doesn't just mean players coming in, just as important is being back with who you want to get rid of. As soon as you decide you don't want 5 or 6 players and then end up staying, you end up with an unhappy dressing room which is what we have now. Alot of players know they're not wanted.
The club is just a shambles. I got rid of my season ticket after 10 years last year and I'm so glad I did. I'm not going around the same crazy cycle again. Can't believe people even bother discussing what the manager does anymore. The managers are constantly undermined by the owners. Therefore the whole management structure is rendered useless.