How you doing good people? I really must be getting old. I actually feel slightly sorry for United fans!
Imagine what it must be like… good pre-season, done the Scousers in Bangkok, new coach, Christian Eriksen to add creativity, Frenkie De Jong a key target. Man, Christmas was coming early.
In reality, the poison that has been running through the club, the sewage seeping from the foundations of Old Trafford and the disinterested personnel employed look worse than ever.
We all celebrate Benni McCarthy picking up a position in the training team, but I’m worried that he’ll be swept up in the tsunami of bile that’ll probably wash through the club when the current regime is renewed.
Ok, it’s only two games in, a lot can change, but where or how or who can affect it? For me, Erik ten Hag’s reign got off to a weird start.
Of course his job is to come in and imprint his philosophy, but has he been asking too much too soon? The stringent rules, the training, the dietary changes, the lack of a smile all wrapped up in a stern, arrogant persona.
Now if he was Carlo Ancelotti, or Jose Mourinho, or any top-end coach his stiff intro into what is the biggest club in the world might be understood.
But Ten Hag’s claim to fame (and well done for it) is reaching a Champions League semi with a young Ajax side. The rest of his CV is littered with small accolades from small Dutch clubs, plus some success with Bayern Munich’s second team.
A real worry for Walter White… sorry, Erik Ten Hag, is that they obviously need quality additions to the squad.
Over the weekend a Spanish newspaper tweeted; “Manchester United’s financial offer to both FC Barcelona & Frenkie De Jong will be better than that of Chelsea. Total confidence that the player who never rejected them will accept.”
That could have looked like good news, but regardless of politics or money, following the absolutely disgraceful and embarrassing dismantling by Brentford, would any half-decent player make a decision to join the ‘project’?
Again, it’s just the start of the season, doesn’t really matter that United are sitting at the bottom of the table, but what is extremely worrying is that the players don’t look invested.
You know how it goes sometimes, when a coach loses a dressing room after a sustained period of time, camps build and it all goes to pot.
That looks like it’s already happening! Of course it doesn’t get any better for United… they host Liverpool on Monday.
Looking at it from a half-cup-full perspective they could pull together a performance and turn it all around, but it’s hard to see where that’s gonna come from?
Post-match, Quinton Fortune (one of United’s most underrated players in my opinion) was talking about the absence of “togetherness”. Despite the lean years since Sir Alex Ferguson, the lack of team culture has never looked this bad. Has the rot coincided with the re-signing of Cristiano Ronaldo? I’d say yes.
Poor old Ten Hag, he looks totally shell-shocked. I was disappointed to hear him shift all responsibility to the team, saying: “I told them to play with belief and take responsibility, they didn’t do that”.
Yes, they were terrible, but it’s his job to manage personalities, instill confidence and drive and create a positive environment. To add insult to injury, another demonstration is planned at Old Trafford on Monday.
Anti-Glazer supporters will stay outside the ground for the duration of the game. Yooooah its hectic times for Manchester United. If it hadn’t been for the decades of arrogance we all endured when they were a proper club, we’d probably have a bit more compassion. For the last time… it may well come right, but I predict a total meltdown before it does!
Chat next week , bye byeee.
dailyvoice@inl.co.za