Mourinho sacked!

[Workingman]

I do not 'like' Manu, but that is an inter-city cum Wars of the Roses thing as much as anything.

Under Ferguson they played some sparkling football, but he and his legacy appear to be part of the present problem. Past achievements hang like spectres over the club, much like with Shankley and Revie at Liverpool and Leeds once they had gone.

Clubs get frozen in time and it needs a shock to the system for them to break out and come again. Manu are in that state just now. The timing of the sacking is probably right as is the statement from the club that a new manager will be in place 'till the end of the season'. The club needs to take time to identify and appoint the right person rather than making a knee-jerk appointment.

However, the club also needs to take a deep look at the board, its members and how it works. It is not the first club to suffer boardroom interference from people who know everything and nothing.... with special qualifications centred around knowing nothing about football.

Sorry, Jo, but it had to be said.

[JoM]

I'd love to see that little banker (cos that's what he is, an investment banker ) Ed Woodward the CEO jettisoned into space along with the owners. Can't bloody stand any of them.

Love my club but hate what it's become.

The main objective now seems to be to make as much money as possible and what happens on the pitch is secondary, and that has pretty much been said by the board. You only have to look at the sponsorship deals that the odious little twerp has negotiated. We have the likes of an official noodle sponsor, a mattress sponsor, a denim sponsor, paint sponsor, a coffee sponsor and even an official flippin' tractor sponsor for Asia. 20th Century Fox are in there too. What the hell do these have to do with football?

BTW I've been staging a boycott since September, I've not been to a match since then. When the team start making an effort then so will I but until then, no thanks I'll spend my money on something worthwhile. I've been going since the mid 80s and it's the first time I've ever not felt bothered about missing games.

[Workingman]

You will be back Jo, as will Manu, but this season is a write-off.

I agree that the behind the scenes mess needs sorting out, and I say this as someone who supports a club that suffered greatly from the off field politics of money men. Been there - shirt - worn - thrown away.

Stability is now the key and this season should be used wisely to achieve that. Will it? who knows?

[TheOstrich]

The main objective now seems to be to make as much money as possible .......

That unfortuntely is today's overriding ethos, and it's not just confined to Manchester United. It transcends all clubs and all sports ....

I'm not sorry to see the demise of Mourhino - a "miserable git" if ever there was one. He lost it for me with his incessant withering criticisms of Luke Shaw. I don't particularly hold a candle for Shaw, but once a player is singled out for castigation - and publicly too - by a manager in the way that Shaw was, that's hardly going to foster overall team spirit or camaradie, is it?

[JoM]

I would've loved to have been a fly on the wall this morning Ossie, to see the reaction from the players.
I'm just hoping that whoever comes in next is strong enough to have a good clear out, there are players there who should've been got rid of years ago and some who shouldn't have been signed in the first place.

As for other clubs and the way football is going now, did you see the news item earlier this season that La Liga were trying to get an agreement to play a game - a league game and obviously between two Spanish sides - in the US every year for something like 15 years?

[TheOstrich]

As for other clubs and the way football is going now, did you see the news item earlier this season that La Liga were trying to get an agreement to play a game - a league game and obviously between two Spanish sides - in the US every year for something like 15 years?

Yes indeed, a parallel of course being the NFL league games at Wembley. I don't the NFL fans were entirely happy in the early days at losing a home league game, but sell-out 85,000 crowds over here ….
The ultimate aim seems to be to permanently relocate the Jacksonville Jaguars franchise to Wembley. Their home attendances are in the region of 60 - 65,000; when they played Wembley in 2017, it was 84,592.
But of course it's not just about the paying fans, it's about the enhanced television rights.

In rugby union, one Premiership fixture per season is now scheduled to be played in the USA. I believe the initial term is 4 years.

Global sport - it's all about the money.

[miasmum]

but isn't Ole G-S doing brilliantly, I am so pleased for him.

I hope they give him the job permanently

Do you agree Jo?

[JoM]

I do Shell, although I'd want Mike Phelan to stay too.

He's one of my favourite ever players, I was at his debut in 1996 v Blackburn and he scored within minutes of coming on as sub (of course!) and have loved him ever since.
There are rumours on the forums that he's already been appointed but it won't be announced until the end of the season.