IBL Burns the Baptist is among you (and if he does anything good at United, it'll be my head on a plate).

  • IBL likes this.

    It's one thing deciding to stick with him, and I actually don't think it's such a bad decision, but to do it with such a lengthy and public 'review' just undermines him further. He needs to start well because the players will down tools at the first sign of trouble.

      goon When it was leaked ten Hag was already sacked before the FA Cup Final that was 90% pure banter. It'd be crystal if it came out that INEOS stage-managed it. 🤌

        Erik ten Hag’s willingness to accept Jason Wilcox’s tactical suggestion that he use Bruno Fernandes as a false 9 in Manchester United’s FA Cup triumph against Manchester City was a key factor in the Dutchman being retained as manager.

        While it was Ten Hag’s call, his decision impressed Sir Jim Ratcliffe as evidence he can work within the minority owner’s new football structure.

        INEOS announce they're keeping ten Hag on, then immediately put out this stuff about Wilcox to try to transfer the credit.

        This Athletic article on the new "structure" at United is hilarious. The "structure" is Ratcliffe and Brailsford hanging out smoking cigars on "a boat off the coast of Finland" for a week before chickening out on the sacking.

        Hotly rumoured the main reason they're hurriedly renegotiating ten Hag's contract is to get rid of his veto on signings. 😆

        https://archive.is/icknB

          Burnwinter oh wow, that's farcical.

          1. The idea the manager consults the technical director on tactics on a game-by-game basis (or even at all!). It's basically about eroding ETH's power.

          2. The notion that Radcliffe is 'impressed' by essentially ETH's willingness to be influenced/undermined is either terribly written copy or a sign of how toxic working at Man Utd is becoming (ie. Worse than it already is!).

            goon exactly. It shows they are still on the fence and if he doesn't hit the ground running next season he'll probably be gone by xmas.

              😂

              Ten Hag is here on the Dutch TV half time panel with Van Basten and some boyband member. Wish my Dutch was better.

              17 days later

              It makes sense financially that the focus of rehabilitation is primarily on the men's team at this stage. They should just say it.

              16 days later

              “We play pre-season but at Man United the standard is you win games and definitely don’t lose,” the Dutchman told MUTV. “The performance is more important and the performance was below standards. We can make good on everything that was bad, but I am not that guy. As an individual you must make sure you are fit. I know you cannot be match fit, so we need these games. They [young players] are looking to listen and want to transfer that – it didn’t work.”

              INEOS can't contain, limit or resist the gravitation of the all-powerful vortex that is ten Hag, as we see with these generative affirmations, both on and off the pitch, of the ceaselessly self-renewing, chaotic and contradictory refrain of a non-football that works by not working.

              9 days later

              Sometimes the job cuts aren’t just down to money but getting rid of people who have become too comfortable and getting new people and a new culture in.

              The new owner did mention that parts of the training ground etc are a mess so do wonder if this way of clearing house and getting new people in. Sounds like a lot of jobs were going to mates & family which never ends well.

                JazzG it sounds like an oversized amateur club.

                Football clubs constantly amaze me at how badly they’re run, but I guess I see the same with corporates of similar or larger revenue. I was listening to a few interviews with Knuttson who used to lead analytics at Bournemouth. And one of the things he remarked was that typically clubs have around 40 people on inbound transfers but at best 1 person each on outbound transfers and loans. And then it’s no surprise why clubs are so bad at selling players and managing loans.

                  11 days later

                  I forgot about the Community Shield derby. What a superb way for Erik to revive his chaotic and contradictory approach for a new season.

                  “We always want to win, also in all the friendlies – it’s about a trophy,” he said. “We will put out a team that is very competitive to win this trophy. It’s also pre-season, we don’t go into big risks with players.”

                  Which is it, Erik? Nobody knows. Even you don't know, and therein lies your genius.

                  I listened to part of an interview on twitter that said the Mancs had a COVID waiver/allowance far greater than any other club. Can't bloody find it now but pissed me off at the time. Was a Villa podcast methinks.