I mentioned this on the Pogba thread, but felt it warranted an article on it's own.
As the tensions between Jose and Paul Pogba seem to have ramped up since Sunday's absolute shocker it has been touted that the latter will be moved on. The manager apparently has had enough of his underwhelming performances. And underwhelming they have been.
I am normally a fan who would back the manager in this scenario, and to a limited extent I do. Pogba is the type of player who should be winning games where we struggle to break down dogged relegation battlers on his own. However, Jose as manager, has us struggling all too often against this type of side which can't be held against Pogba.
The sale of Pogba, for me, would signal a major change of direction for the squad, and would add another top midfielder to the shopping list in the summer. With players like Fellaini (mostly out the door), Shaw, Herrera, Mata, Martial all possible leavers, adding Pogba to that list means a major squad overhaul.
Jose has been backed financially, like no other manager in the clubs history. He has been given everything he has asked for in terms of players. At what point do the board say "Enough is enough! We are not selling Pogba (possibly for lower than his market value for a quick sale), and handing you another £300m+ to fix the squad". Makes no business sense to keep throwing money at a squad that in reality should only need tweeked here and there.
This is where it gets interesting, and a collision with the board could happen. It's dependent on how willing they are to needlessly keep throwing cash around. Could the club feel they could actually save money and be at least as competitive with another manager?
Obviously this is mostly based on conjecture, Jose's history and personal musing, but there could be another layer to this Pogba story.
Collision Course: The Club v Jose
posted on 18/4/18
comment by Genius🤓_AppleCart_Space🚀_Dude_Featuring_Zorak (..We all got a Chicken🐔-Duck🦆-Woman👩🏼 thing, Waiting for us.) (U19099)
posted 18 seconds ago
What would be cheaper ? Giving Jose more transfer funds for next season while getting rid of the dead wood
or
Pay off Jose,bring in a new manager who will also likely bring in a new set of players while getting rid of a few he doesn't rate while also accepting the fact we'll likely be in transition yet again.
The choice is yours
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Your in transition with Jose anyway....
So isn't the choice just who leads the transition?
Jose's vision so far isn't capturing the imagination anyway...
posted on 18/4/18
If Jose bins the mentally weak players and brings in mentally strong players that can only benefit the next manager.
posted on 18/4/18
comment by Robbelu Lukaku 🇦🇺🇪🇸 (U21234)
posted 4 minutes ago
comment by United we win (U19958)
posted 46 seconds ago
I see you have come out of hiding
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You were hiding after we beat your boys City
Almost like you were annoyed we won
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Robb has this been a successful season for United? He has filtered me so someone reply so he can answer.
posted on 18/4/18
Whilst I'm not completely happy about the current situation the crumb of comfort I keep clinging to is this.
What if Jose, this time, is thinking more long-term? What if he is trying to get the players he wants in before we see the fruits of his labour? What if he is testing the character of the younger players by being (at times overly) harsh on them?
I'm not saying that I'm right but maybe he is a manager in transition as well? He's come to United and this is quite different from what he's had in the past to content with at clubs.
I'm probably wrong on this but the likelihood is that he'll get us CL football two years running (not done since SAF left) and that he'll get us our highest league position since SAF left as well.
I detailed yesterday what I hope to see from him in season three and I stand by that but it's possible, although maybe unlikely, that he is looking at the longer-term picture. I certainly think he'll leave a good squad when he leaves.
In saying all of this I also wouldn't lose any sleep if he resigned/was sacked. It's a weird time being a United fan as I'm not enjoying us as much as I should. Maybe my rambling is wishful thinking too but I'm willing to give him the benefit of the doubt for one more season.
posted on 18/4/18
comment by Glen Kamara (U1734)
posted 3 minutes ago
comment by Robbelu Lukaku 🇦🇺🇪🇸 (U21234)
posted 4 minutes ago
comment by United we win (U19958)
posted 46 seconds ago
I see you have come out of hiding
----------------------------------------------------------------------
You were hiding after we beat your boys City
Almost like you were annoyed we won
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Robb has this been a successful season for United? He has filtered me so someone reply so he can answer.
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no
posted on 18/4/18
a lot of talk about throwing more money at it, tbh I dnt think the money/spending is the whole issue, our whole scouting system since even during fergie last few years has been cack, amazing players have been available over the last few years at not much more than 25mill but were finding our selves spending double that on players not as good, we also really need to move away from the big tall strong type player and towards the faster technical type of player so that means I would be learning towards jose going
posted on 18/4/18
Robb has this been a successful season for United? He has filtered me so someone reply so he can answer.
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depends if we win the fa cup, I we do and finish 2nd I would lean towards it being a successful season,
posted on 18/4/18
I think the op has it just about right. It's pure conjecture, but you can't imagine that the board are ecstatic with their return on investment, or with his behaviour in the media. He's done well enough to avoid the chop, unless of course he has a meltdown. Which is always a possibility with him.
posted on 18/4/18
comment by United_kaz, “2-1 ,2-1, 2-1” spit guard at the ready (U9943)
posted 1 minute ago
Robb has this been a successful season for United? He has filtered me so someone reply so he can answer.
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depends if we win the fa cup, I we do and finish 2nd I would lean towards it being a successful season,
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Ok it is just he said quarter finals of the CL and pushing City for the title as a minimum (when this looked like the most likely outcome). So interesting to see what he says now. I guess the criteria may have changed now
posted on 18/4/18
So interesting to see what he says now. I guess the criteria may have changed now
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if he said that then to him it should be no, basing it on expectation at xmas time then it probably has fell flat however basing it from last season if above happens then again to me its a improvement