Manchester United fan opinion: “Don’t blame Ole, the system is a joke” | Manchester United

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“They will be fine. I’ll watch them and support them, ”stammered Ole Gunnar Solskjær, choking back tears in his moving farewell interview on Sunday – and as a Manchester United fan it was hard not to feel the same sadness.

Yes, the team may be seventh in the Premier League after being recently torn apart by a relegation to Watford’s side, but that shouldn’t be the only way to remember Solskjær’s tenure.

Let’s not forget that under Ole there have been some memorable victories, record-breaking away runs and a sense of returning to United ethics in giving youngsters a chance, an idea that José Mourinho, despite his promises, has often only lip service.

For much of Ole’s reign, pride was restored, whether through desperately needed wins in the Manchester Derby, a streak of free-goal matches, or brief banter with the Premier League top. League.

Ultimately though, just like Bayern Munich in those final minutes at Camp Nou in 1999, Solskjær’s success seemed to be compromised by the collapse in the last hurdle, or more often the semi-final.

United’s failure to lift the Europa League in Gdansk can be viewed with almost the same level of regret as either of United’s Champions League final defeats to Barcelona by Pep Guardiola.

Missing Europe’s biggest prize undoubtedly hurt more, but they weren’t necessary to cement Sir Alex Ferguson’s legacy. Lifting the Europa League may have given Ole the conviction, with leeway, that he needed to make this season the success it had promised to be.

The arrivals of Jadon Sancho, Raphaël Varane and a goat called Ronnie moved the goalposts to a new “XG” as the children say, one where it was no longer acceptable to finish in the top four, but to really fight for the title.

Ole the player is a legend and always will be, Solskjær the manager was the one who flattered but ultimately deceived as he couldn’t rely on the euphoria of nights like Paris or long undefeated races to add to the trophy d ‘Old Trafford.

Regardless of his shortcomings as a manager, there is no doubt that Ole, like his predecessors, has been massively undermined by a lack of structure within the club, a complete lack of plan on the part of those in charge and neglect. of the owners.

Manchester United supporters fear the club may never regain its former glory as long as the current hierarchy is in place. Photograph: Carl Recine / Action Images / Reuters

United have been a money-making machine for the Glazer family since they took over, but what is almost as infuriating as the money the owners have bled from the club are the funds wasted on transfers. due to a lack of foresight.

David Moyes, Louis van Gaal, Mourinho and now Solskjær have all made signings which they believe would lead United to the title and all of them fell short. Other than Ole, although it is likely to follow, they have all seen their successors replace expensive recruits with their own.

This is no way to run a football club, let alone one that claims to be the biggest in the world and the manager’s failures have been a symptom rather than a cause of United’s problems.

Whichever route the Old Trafford hierarchy took in leadership appointments, like a blindfolded bus driver, they ended up making careers in a brick wall, with us passengers in the back. , staring in horror.

Moyes was the reliable mainstay of the Premier League, Van Gaal the venerable statesman, Mourinho the closest to a guaranteed league title, but in the end they all failed, as did Ole. Why?

Have they all suddenly stopped being able to win regular football matches? Have they lost the ability to coach a team or spot weakness in an opponent? No, the only common denominator is that they had to work in a broken system that turned out to be completely broken over the past eight years. A system where bankers like Ed Woodward have the power to make monumental decisions based on zero football knowledge. It’s a joke – and it’s no longer funny.

Someone with real football experience should be involved above the managerial level. Darren Fletcher and, to a lesser extent, John Murtough, may be a step in the right direction, but it’s hard not to be cynical about the influence they will have. What many of us would give for an Edwin van der Sar to succeed Woodward.

Almost a billion pounds have been wasted on transfers and while United fans rightly point to too much of the club’s money going to the Glazers’ bank accounts rather than the transfer market, we cannot ignore the catalog of signings that have failed at the club. .

Can Erik ten Hag, Mauricio Pochettino or Brendan Rodgers fix United in this system? Or maybe we’d better write a letter to Santa to see if he can deliver a headline?

Will United ever come back to winning titles and Champions Leagues? Under the current regime, I seriously doubt it, but to use Ole’s words when asked if he would still be welcome at Old Trafford: “I hope so.

Jay Motty is a longtime Manchester United fan who is part of the Stretford Paddock YouTube channel.

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