Originally Posted by zieler:
“Well, yeah. It was reported on a few months ago by every single journalist. But that's how these blogs work, they take a few details that are generally accepted to be true, then they add in a few bits that sound plausible based on the previous details and fit the required narrative (in this case, the players are *****, previous examples include Rooney is a ****, Di Maria is a ****, Fergie is a ****, Van Gaal is a **** etc) and then they throw in a couple of attention seeking bits to grab maximum attention.”
The depressing thing is it works. Every single time we go through a bad patch we get this nonsense. Oh well, I guess at least it proves we're still the biggest story in town. I haven't bothered to read the article but I have read some of the posts in here and in the football neutrals thread that I can't help but consider wide of the mark when it comes to pinpointing our problems. For example you have batdude be-moaning the fact we can't attract the best players to the club any longer and in the very same post he acknowledges the record-busting fee we paid for Pogba.
To me, it's quite simple and almost a mirror of the situation post Busby. You had a man that more or less became the club and dominated it so completely it took seven years after his retirement to clear the air and return the club to a force again. SAF has arguably meant even more to United than Busby and is proving just as hard to replace. And as for internal squabbles or boardroom politics, nothing the clickbaiters can report on now compares to the drinking culture among players that SAF had to contend with when he came to the club - or keeping his head down and the players focused during the Michael Knighton fiasco.
It's the same as it ever was. As Conte is proving with more or less the same slackers that downed tools last season, Koeman is proving at a Stones-less Everton, even Gaurdiola to an extent getting an apology off Ya Ya today and of course SAF proved - it doesn't matter what the problems are - get the right man in and he'll sort it out. The last two weren't right for different reasons. I happen to think Jose is the right man - though we may not see it this season - but he's acting like he hasn't shaken the monkey of last season off his back. I suppose that's understandable, but I think that may be clouding his judgement at the moment.
We can't keep blaming the board, SAF for not reinforcing the middle, LVG for getting rid of our strikers, a hard-core of players for slacking off/being disruptive. It's been three years since Fergie and we have the current winningnest manager in world football at our club now. Some of the responsibility must lie with him.