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Daniel Levy - Chairman
- Thread starter Howard Webb
- Start date
thfcsteff
Terry Dyson
Klopp stopped it happening a couple of times before agreeing. I believe that he knew he could leverage the situation to his advantage. Critically he was allowed to spend the money on two players who have been vital to their success.
And yes, I understand that we made it either LoCelso Fernandes, my comment was it should've been both IMO.
glasgowspur
Dimitar Berbatov
Agreed, one to replace CE and a "back up".
Our squad was weak, it needed strengthening, not maintaining at the same level.
It's also the period of footballs history which has seen the trophies on offer spread around the smallest number of clubs - without acknowledging that fact and understanding why that is the case or acknowledging the dire shape the club was in when first taken over any appraisal of ENICs time in such a way will always being meaningless.
How have the clubs we were rubbing shoulders with when ENIC took over fared since takeover? How many trophies have any of the clubs outside of those who originally benefited from the CL/Sky TV boom won in this period?
You'd have to have a pretty warped sense of reality to consider the last ten years or so as the worst in our history.
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MKSpur
Christian Ziege
I’d read somewhere that we offered 35m for Fernandes in the summer, but they said no as his agent wanted 5m. Then in the summer this wasn’t asked for and United offered 60+ so he became out of reach. Perhaps the plan was to get both if he could be secured at 35, and these funds were used for Bergwijn and Gedson?
It’s really difficult to ever know the full story on transfers but my expectation is the manager will have players in mind and between them and the scouting team a list is drawn up, which hopefully only contains players they would accept and a budget that makes more money available should a certain profile of player be obtained at less than the most expensive bid made on the list. It’s probably been a long time that Mourinho hasn’t been able to get the exact player he wants with little obstruction, Chelsea, Madrid and United never struggle to get deals done.
It’s really difficult to ever know the full story on transfers but my expectation is the manager will have players in mind and between them and the scouting team a list is drawn up, which hopefully only contains players they would accept and a budget that makes more money available should a certain profile of player be obtained at less than the most expensive bid made on the list. It’s probably been a long time that Mourinho hasn’t been able to get the exact player he wants with little obstruction, Chelsea, Madrid and United never struggle to get deals done.
ricky2tricky4city
Tom Huddlestone
In isolation both would be great yes BUT if CH, DCM and FB recruitment suffers because of that, maybe not so?
Bedfordspurs
Martin Peters
And not Ndombele then ?
Jurgen the German
Tommy Harmer
Sorry mate but that’s the definition of having your cake and eating it. There’s nothing about having the 6th highest wage bill and transfer budget to suggest we should have been challenging for the title and the CL. Levy clearly done brilliantly to get players like Eriksen, Toby and Son for such good deals but Poch was the one who coached them and improved them to career best seasons. Danny Rose wasn’t one of the best full backs in the league before Poch, neither was Walker. It’s fairly obvious to me that we got to the CL final last season in spite of making no signings. We were running on fumes at the end of the season. And it left us with a huge pile of work to do in 1-2 transfer windows. You’d give ENIC most of the credit if we won things so it’s only fair to say they’re at least part of the equation when we don’t win things.
It’s ok to have two ideas in your head at the same time re Levy. He’s done brilliantly in some areas. But could improve in others. Him and ENIC have almost cult like status on here. It’s ok to admit he’s not done everything ever at 10/10.
Baleforce
Ron Henry
But we were, the only logical explanation for that, despite the relative spends differential, is that we were scouting and coaching at a higher level than those around us, that by not getting into the arms race we were utilising our resources in a targeted way that provides a much higher ROI.
I give Poch tremendous credit for the players he improved, my ire is directed at him for not putting the same effort in with the newer recruits.
Finney Is Back
Luka Modric
Or that we lucked out with a special manager?
Baleforce
Ron Henry
I don’t believe in luck, there is cause and effect, input, process, output.
Jurgen the German
Tommy Harmer
I think most people would acknowledge we were ahead of schedule in terms of challenging for the two biggest comps BEFORE the stadium build was completed. I completely agree we should have won something with Poch. He overachieved with the funds at his disposal but didn’t deliver a trophy despite having the players to do so. I’d never against the position that Poch should have won something.
thfcsteff
Terry Dyson
If that is true (and I have heard differently) it is an even greater indictment of how things are run IMO.
thfcsteff
Terry Dyson
Make no mistake. Kane's deflected free-kick at Villa bought him more time and less scrutiny. It was one of the luckiest last minute winners I remember and changed our recent history IMO.
Bedfordspurs
Martin Peters
Yep there are always those moments that change the tide
thfcsteff
Terry Dyson
Similarly I always felt that Winksy last second winner at Fulham was the inspiration for our CL exploits, reminding them that even in increasing injury adversity we could win at the death.
thfcsteff
Terry Dyson
It remains utterly disturbing because it weirdly and wonderfully works, sending flickers to mr Johnson and daydreams of custard baths and fishnets...was that my inside voice? Even my missus agrees (on the "works" bit, did not get into johnsons and custard!)
Or not Bergwijn. I know Bruno is playing more central for United but plenty of evidence of him operating in the same areas (inside right) as Stevie before he arrived at United.
thfcsteff
Terry Dyson
Eriksen could operate anywhere in that front three behind Kane and influence games. I think Fernandes is the same and will possibly eclipse Eriksen as a player.
Bedfordspurs
Martin Peters
He cost an extra £20m than Bergwein and doesn’t play the same position
Oh and we were talking summer purchases