 Y&Z PERSPECTIVES

Y & Z United Perspectives

by Kevin, Justyn & Wayne Tabone

If ever there was a period where perspectives differ between the generations, it is definitely not now! All agree that the current state of affairs of the club is the result of the owners’ management, or lack thereof, of the club. Whatever the reason, what is assured is that now is the time for the Tabone clan to show the United crest even more! United forever, for better and for worse!

Do you think the decision to appoint an interim manager mid-way through the season with the scope to appoint the long term one at the end of the season was a good decision after all? Explain the reason/s for your answer.

Wayne: A very subjective decision, because the fact that the manager is totally new and has new tactics and playing style can confuse the mentality of the players. On the other hand some may look at the positive side, because if the club had waited for the season to end then we could have been further down the league table and could leave an impact on young players such as Anthony Elanga, Marcus Rashford and maybe even Jadon Sancho. In my opinion, it was a good decision but I’m not convinced the decision to choose Ralf Rangnick for the interim role was a good one.

Justyn: I think that the decision to have an interim manager for so long wasn’t the right decision. Having an interim manager for such a lengthy term does not give the players stability. Also, it isn’t fair on Rangnick to try and achieve something in such a short period of time, when he knows that he will not be continuing as manager. The club should have gone for their target immediately and not wait until the end of the season to make a decision.

Kevin: I feel that the interim appointment clearly shows that the club had no future plans. Starting with the timing of Ole’s sacking. This could have easily been done during the previous international break, giving the club two more weeks to discuss and decide. Then, taking so long to appoint Ole’s successor. And then to make matters look even worse, appointing someone for 6 months, with the possibility that the same manager would be given the role permanently. I am sorry, but this clearly shows that there is no one within the club that plans for continuity and a sustained level of success.

The hype about Ronaldo and him unsettling the dressing room has floated a lot in recent weeks. It could be speculation but do you think bringing Ronaldo back to the Club was actually a good strategy from a football point of view after all?

Wayne: I think that bringing Ronaldo into the team was not a good decision. Although he still influences the game, he is also a type of player that for him to shine, the whole team must play for him, even though we have other creative players like Jadon Sancho, Bruno Fernandes amongst others. Also after he leaves, there will be a huge hole since the team has to adopt a new playing style again.

Justyn: In my opinion, all of this speculation of him unsettling the dressing room is not

true. Ronaldo has been a true professional throughout his entire career and I doubt that he will be the cause to unsettle the locker room. Especially now having returned to the club and knowing how many headlines he will make. I think that the decision to bring him back to the club wasn’t necessarily a bad one, however I think it was quite premature to think that we could have two ageing strikers as our only options. I think that the club should have gotten another number 9 instead of Cavani as he is very injury prone and can replace Ronaldo whenever he needs a rest.

Kevin: I still have question marks whether Ronaldo was bought for footballing or commercial reasons. Did Solskjaer really want Ronaldo in his team? Don’t get me wrong, I still think that Ronaldo is one of the greatest, if not the greatest, to have played the game, but from what I’ve seen during his time at Juventus, you have to have the players to play around him and I don’t think we have those type of players that are willing to sacrifice their game for Ronaldo’s benefit.

There are many names being thrown out as the potential new manager for Man Utd come the end of the season. Of all these names, who would be your number one choice and why? Wayne: Most managers still want the privilege to manage one of, if not the, best club in world history. Out of the vast selection I would say that Zinedine Zidane would be an incredible choice as he is able to control the environment of the dressing room. He is also significantly good with youngsters as well as excellent with tactics. Evidence of this is the amount of trophies he won at Real Madrid.

Justyn: My number one choice would be Erik ten Hag. He is the current manager of Ajax and was also the one who guided the team towards the semi‑final of the Champions League. This year Ajax were also having a very good campaign in Europe, however they fell short to Benfica. I think that his style of football suits the modern game brilliantly and matches the United philosophy when it comes to youth involvement. The only question mark is whether he can handle the big characters as he didn’t have this challenge so far. However, I think if he can overcome this, I have no doubts that he will be a very good manager for Manchester United.

Kevin: Ever since Fergie announced his retirement, I always preferred Carlo Ancelotti. Although many years have passed, I would still go for him. A respected footballing-person, managed a similar-sized club (Real Madrid), has experienced the Premier League (Chelsea & Everton), a winner of trophies (18 so far and will add more this season) and, from what I’ve seen, has improved the teams he’s been with. My only concern is his age (62), but I’m sure he can manage the club for the next 5 years.