The Global Football Thread
- Thread starter Kilana2
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Until the parasites are gone - which is extremely unlikely to happen - United will remain a basket case. Having "owners" who have zero interest in football and regard the club as nothing more than a licence to print money is the main problem. Everything else has followed from there. Still, it gives the ABU types something to chortle about, which is apparently very important. Or something.
The weird thing is that it isn't like the club haven't spent a shit ton of money since the Glazers bought it. Their transfer policy is all over the place though.
Supposedly the changes since Ratcliffe bought 25% of the club have been been designed to make the behind the scenes stuff more competent, but there's little sign of this bearing fruit yet
Supposedly the changes since Ratcliffe bought 25% of the club have been been designed to make the behind the scenes stuff more competent, but there's little sign of this bearing fruit yet
Football won today when Wimbledon beat MK in the cup
There hasn't been a transfer policy since Ferguson and Gill left. It's been nothing more than sign random players (based on really important criteria like potential social media clicks, whether the manager has worked with them before, getting in ahead of some other club etc), throwing a shirt at them and hoping for the best. It's worked out about as well as one would expect. Yes, they've spent a crapload of money on players but almost all of it has been wasted (I mean, Antony ffs. What an absolute joke of a signing, and that's just one example).
The parasites don't have any idea about football and don't seem to want to hire anyone who does. Gill's departure, even more than Ferguson's retirement, is when the real rot began. Rather than get someone who actually knew anything at all about football, the parasites replaced him with their pet accountant / banker. When he cleared off they replaced him with another pet accountant / banker. Between them they hired a succession of very different managers and wasted a lot of time and money, and the parasites skimmed well over a billion pounds off the club all the while.
Ratcliffe talks a good game and at least he's put in place some people who actually know something about football. Whether or not any of it will come to anything remains to be seen. And best wishes to Amorim.
Anyway, it's not the end of the world. United were mediocre (at best) when I started supporting them and they're obviously rubbish now. The bit in between was fun but taking the bad with the good is part of being a fan.
Not to poke the bear - as much fun as that would be - this quote from Ian Graham's book on his time at Liverpool running our data analysis team and being part of the transfer committee is accurate when it comes to Utd
"After all, the definition of “Moneyball” is not to improve performance but to maximise improvement in performance per pound spend. After all, nearly anyone, with notable exceptions such as the Glazer family at Manchester United, can improve performance with large enough expenditure."
I don't have any love for Utd but I used to have far more respect for them behind the scenes than I have after this last decade.
"After all, the definition of “Moneyball” is not to improve performance but to maximise improvement in performance per pound spend. After all, nearly anyone, with notable exceptions such as the Glazer family at Manchester United, can improve performance with large enough expenditure."
I don't have any love for Utd but I used to have far more respect for them behind the scenes than I have after this last decade.
Genuine question. Would United have been any worse off if they'd just given Moyes a bit more time to grow into the role?
Legend though he is I still think Ferguson had run the team down before he left. The job was a poisoned chalice when Moyes took over. Compare that to the embarrassment of riches Klopp left for Slot. (I appreciate you could flip this and say Fergie left Moyes a clean slate)
I know it's all about expectations and all, but it is interesting to note that in the 11 years since Fergie left Utd have won two FA Cups, two League Cups and the Europa league. If you offered me that in the next 11 years I could see Derby win those trophies I would quite literally bite your hand off.
Legend though he is I still think Ferguson had run the team down before he left. The job was a poisoned chalice when Moyes took over. Compare that to the embarrassment of riches Klopp left for Slot. (I appreciate you could flip this and say Fergie left Moyes a clean slate)
I know it's all about expectations and all, but it is interesting to note that in the 11 years since Fergie left Utd have won two FA Cups, two League Cups and the Europa league. If you offered me that in the next 11 years I could see Derby win those trophies I would quite literally bite your hand off.
I vividly remember seeing a news segment when United were here shortly after Moyes was appointed. He'd decided to take the players to Bondi beach, having done something similar with Everton when he managed them. While apparently the Everton players (Tim Cahill included) wandered about virtually unnoticed, the United players were mobbed by all and sundry. There was a quite remarkable shot of Moyes looking like the proverbial deer in the headlights. He looked absolutely stunned, and it really seemed as though he'd only just realised the scale of the job and how famous (for want of a better word) the club is. He really looked out of his depth. Whoever took over from Ferguson was on a hiding to nothing but Moyes never gave the impression he was up to it. Of course the aforementioned pet accountant / banker was in place as well; if Moyes had had Gill there, it may have helped. We'll never know, of course, but the job just seemed too big for him.
Another of United's issues - IMO, anyway - is the sense of entitlement far too many people associated with the club seem to have. The Ferguson era was brilliant (well, for us fans anyway) but it was never sustainable. That level of success can't be maintained forever but too many people - Ratcliffe included - babble on about getting the club "back where we belong". No club is entitled to success. It has to be worked for and earned. Too many people associated with the club seem to think those steps can be left out or aren't necessary. And as you rightly say, success is relative anyway. Far too many people associated with United (including plenty of fans) don't seem to have a grasp of that concept, either.
Another of United's issues - IMO, anyway - is the sense of entitlement far too many people associated with the club seem to have. The Ferguson era was brilliant (well, for us fans anyway) but it was never sustainable. That level of success can't be maintained forever but too many people - Ratcliffe included - babble on about getting the club "back where we belong". No club is entitled to success. It has to be worked for and earned. Too many people associated with the club seem to think those steps can be left out or aren't necessary. And as you rightly say, success is relative anyway. Far too many people associated with United (including plenty of fans) don't seem to have a grasp of that concept, either.
It really annoys me when so called fans claim they are getting the success they deserve, or even when pundits claim the same.
United, Liverpool, Man City etc deserve success no more than Hartlepool United or Burton etc.
Just because a team has a big fan base doesn't mean they deserve success.
Take my club Derby, huge crowds for the second tier, but only mid table and unlikely to challenge higher in the next season or two. Our stadium, facilities, crowds, and arguably history, is premier league standard but our team isn't and we deserve it no more than any other club.
Most of the time a team is exactly where it deserves to be.
Exactly. Being a "big" club with a lot of fans is nice but it doesn't entitle that club to anything. It doesn't mean they "deserve" anything. There are plenty of clubs like Derby that have every bit as much history, tradition, all that sort of thing - and loyal fans - as any so-called "big" club but they don't have the hubris and arrogance that too often comes with "success" or merely being a fan of a "big" club. And they rarely - if ever - claim they "deserve" anything or "belong" somewhere.
Then again, pretty much every club has a subset of "fans" who become far too invested in it all and lose perspective on what matters. I read an article where Newcastle fans were interviewed around the time the club was being sold to the Saudis. Several of the people interviewed were uneasy about the implications of such ownership but others didn't give a damn. One bloke actually said he was all for it because of how much Newcastle fans had "suffered". Never mind the actual suffering of women, LGBTQIA+ people, the other human rights abuses - it was all about Newcastle "fans" and their "suffering". It was absolutely absurd and the bloke was apparently quite serious. On a smaller scale, the AFL team I support was flogged in the grand final this year and some "fans" seem to think the players should be offering public apologies and refunding people's money (and the coach should be taken out and shot, or something). Ridiculous stuff. Some "fans" really need to get a grip and realise that having so much of their existence bound up in a sport team isn't particularly healthy.
Then again, pretty much every club has a subset of "fans" who become far too invested in it all and lose perspective on what matters. I read an article where Newcastle fans were interviewed around the time the club was being sold to the Saudis. Several of the people interviewed were uneasy about the implications of such ownership but others didn't give a damn. One bloke actually said he was all for it because of how much Newcastle fans had "suffered". Never mind the actual suffering of women, LGBTQIA+ people, the other human rights abuses - it was all about Newcastle "fans" and their "suffering". It was absolutely absurd and the bloke was apparently quite serious. On a smaller scale, the AFL team I support was flogged in the grand final this year and some "fans" seem to think the players should be offering public apologies and refunding people's money (and the coach should be taken out and shot, or something). Ridiculous stuff. Some "fans" really need to get a grip and realise that having so much of their existence bound up in a sport team isn't particularly healthy.
I see that Peacock carries some PL matches live, and others not...I wonder why. 
(for example this last Liverpool / Newcastle match, I could watch it live but most others make me wait a day)
#FirstWorldProblems
(for example this last Liverpool / Newcastle match, I could watch it live but most others make me wait a day)
#FirstWorldProblems
Games that are scheduled to air live on USA don't simulcast on Peacock; you can only watch a replay of the game later there. I think it's designed to protect the cable network and drive eyeballs there--and to make you want to pay for cable if you aren't already so that you don't miss any games.I see that Peacock carries some PL matches live, and others not...I wonder why.
(for example this last Liverpool / Newcastle match, I could watch it live but most others make me wait a day)
#FirstWorldProblems
I would get a LFCTV-GO subscription but they don't have an AppleTV app. 
Edit: Never mind, no I wouldn't. Between Peacock and Paramount+ (which carries Carabao Cup and Champions League stuff) I can get pretty much every match. So we're cool.
Edit: Never mind, no I wouldn't. Between Peacock and Paramount+ (which carries Carabao Cup and Champions League stuff) I can get pretty much every match. So we're cool.
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Amazing how well the TV images get overseas but seem to fail to get clear images to the VAR officials when Livervarpool play
Amazing how well the TV images get overseas but seem to fail to get clear images to the VAR officials when Livervarpool play
There needs to be a half agree/half "fuck you" emoji response!
Fully agree with your point re: VAR officials but also want to be a dick due to calling us Livervarpool (especially due to it sounding better as LiVARpool)
Merseyside derby postponed. That must have been a nasty-ass storm...apparently travel throughout the region has been shot to hell. Hope there were no casualties. 
My Nottingham Forest won away 3-2 at Old Trafford for the first time since Brian Clough was manager if memory serves. We now sit 5th in the table after 15 games and European football for the first time since 1996 seems a distinct possibility. Not bad for a club that finished 17th & 16th after being away from the PL for 23 years.
ha I know, that's what I meant to put, bloody autocorrect I think
it was a bit tongue in cheek but i do hate var with a passion.
At least back in the day complaining about a referee decision was part of the game, I still can at Derbys level (L1 last year the officials were truly shocking), but with var it shouldn't happen, and then when it takes 4 minutes plus like last week. For me if var cannot determine within 30 seconds the onfield decision was wrong then it's not clear and obvious.
