 CHANGING OF THE GUARD

by Daniel Cuschieri

At the time of writing this, Manchester United have just beaten Crystal Palace by one goal to nil. It is the first match under the new manager. Ever since Sir Alex left, the club has been unstable. Many will deny it but under the commercial success is a footballing giant that is currently suffering due to the unexpected departures of both Sir Alex and David Gill. I, for first, never expected the departure of Sir Alex as I think all fans thought that Sir Alex is the immortal. The departure of both during the same period had a devastating effect throughout the club. The club began the search for a new manager who would have the daunting task of replacing a legend whose name would be opposite himself at every home game.

During 2012, I was invited onto the club’s radio station show and was asked the question who I would like as the replacement for Sir Alex, and without hesitation I replied Jose Mourinho. Mourinho, according to rumours, was not shortlisted to replace Sir Alex and the favourite was Pochettino, however this manager did not join the club.

The first manager David Moyes joined the club coming from Everton whereby he exceeded everyone’s expectations. David Moyes did not last a whole year at the club, I believe he wasn’t given a good shot at managing the club. However he did not help the situation by changing staff members which had just won the title and also tried to change the style of play and certain mind games as divulged recently by ex-Manchester United players that they began to question their own ability. Moyes only had two signings to his name: Fellaini and Mata. I think both fared out well for the club, the former not being a typical United player however he had his own strengths, whereas Mata joined after a relatively successful time at Chelsea. Moyes didn’t have the personality to stamp his authority at the club, and appeared to be a manager that was grateful for being there and not a manager who was there based on his success. Playing under Moyes, the team appeared to have bad change in the gameplay which left the club trailing and losing ground early in the season. I think the lack of direction and also lack of belief by the players and their manager was his downfall. Right now, West Ham United are playing very well and giving the top teams a run for the money to the extent they knocked out Manchester United themselves in the League Cup. I went to see two games at Old Trafford under Moyes and was unlucky enough not to see a shot on goal in two games both home against Newcastle and Liverpool respectively and honestly the players looked lost and they couldn’t find inspiration from their manager to which he was sacked a few months later. As a caretaker manager, Giggs filled in for a couple of games and he in turn became the club’s assistant manager to Louis Van Gaal. The club finished in 6th place, the worst ending to a season since the formation of the English Premier League.

Louis Van Gaal joined after a successful run with Holland in the World Cup. During such tournament, heavy rumours were circulating that he had joined the club. Van Gaal, was a manager with a lot of experience and quite an impressive CV, coupled with a number of high profile signings. Some, including myself, thought that the return of the glory days were on the cards. Van Gaal spent two seasons at the club and upon his arrival one could notice the style of play that Van Gaal was trying to impose which is that of control of the game. However this change had its pros and cons due to the fact United were dropping points, not necessarily losing but dropping points, against the less stronger teams and getting wins against the bigger teams. His start was not the best of starts at the club and a reason was due to the changes in the playing staff and also the playing style. While some expected instant results, the departure of Ferguson was always going to have an impact. Just some didn’t expect it to be of such a magnitude. During the first season Van Gaal’s red army finished fourth in the league table, two places better than the previous season. During the summer of the second season of Van Gaal the club reinforced the squad by adding again a number of high profile players, most notably the German midfielder Bastian Schweinsteiger. During the second season of Van Gaal, the performances remained stale and also early exits from cup competitions continued to show that the club was in fact broken and that the new recruitment was not getting the club anywhere. However it must be said that Van Gaal brought through a number of youth players such as Lingard and also Rashford who are two key players in the playing staff of both United and the English national team. Today it appears that the authoritative approach does not rub off well on the new players and not the right approach which is needed if a manager is to exert a strategy over the team and also a culture change that is in line with the club’s ethos and values. Van Gaal in mid-season began to receive a lot of media intrusion as to whether he would be sacked and that Mourinho was to replace him, and with all due fairness to him and to the team, the way the media played it out was disgusting, and it didn’t do the team any favours. But credit to Van Gaal, he managed to bring back the FA Cup to Old Trafford, but again during such post-match interview, his position was raised which rather than congratulate him and the team for their efforts, the media again showed its malice, and I am sure, he didn’t enjoy the victory as he should have. Some time later he was sacked and Jose Mourinho was appointed.

Another high‑profile manager was appointed, coming to United after returning to Chelsea and winning the title. Mourinho in his first season at the club won two major trophies. The club again opted for high profile signings, the pick of the bunch being Zlatan and Pogba. The club finished 6th in the league but such ending to season was masked over due to Mourinho’s relentless drive to bring home the Europa League title. The second season fared out better for Mourinho with again major transfer fee outlay being spent notably on Lukaku. The club finished second in the league table however got knocked out early in the Champions League and lost the FA Cup Final to Chelsea. Mourinho stated that this second position finish was one of his greatest achievements, again another manager with an impressive CV points out that the playing squad has broken units and that again this was not a quick fix, the team needed an overhaul but the changing of the manager and their style was not going to help the situation nor was it going to attract the playing staff the club needed and wants to get out of the mess it was in. A key example was the signing of Sanchez from Arsenal which cost an arm and a leg from the signing of him until his departure, which in all fairness was not the same player that other clubs had. Mourinho’s third season startled badly and he didn’t last till the end of December and last minute victories papered over the cracks and the media outbursts began with Mourinho lashing out at the media for the petty digs on certain defeats. Roy Keane has passed a comment that the players put him under the bus and I believe that they did, also given the current situation seems to have reemerged. Mourinho was sacked in December and the club brought in on an interim basis former player Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.

Ole, until just recently held the position of the manager of the club which upon his appointment he had a very strong start to his managerial career at United going on a long unbeaten run and having also knocked out PSG from the Champions League. Solskjaer got the club back to feeling good and also began to rejuvenate the youth squads and as a person who genuinely loved the club, was doing everything within his power to get the club back to its best. One of the mistakes I believe he would do was refer to Sir Alex and the way we would do things or play during Sir Alex’s time. Recently Zlatan, mentioned this and that the club should move away from that stance and start to do their own history again. This is the same situation Liverpool had and

they always referred to their history. During the first season under Solskjaer, the club finished in 6th place, in the same position that Mourinho had left it, but there was a feel good factor around the club. The following season, the team didn’t get the start they expected and during the transfer window Bruno Fernandes was signed which restarted United and gave United a bit of creativity that they were craving, and also took on loan Nigerian striker Ighalo. Solskjaer was starting to mould his squad and people genuinely believed progress was being made. The club finished 3rd in the league position and got knocked out at semi final stages in cup competitions.

During the season, the team finished 2nd and lost to Villareal in the Europa Cup final. I wasn’t surprised as once United go behind I never feel that this team has the fight to get back the result. In teams of past, I would feel that now we will blast them away. I feel this team is timid.

During this season was one of the strangest experiences I believe for players due to COVID, players have to play behind closed doors and I believe the home and away advantage was removed and such a situation was an advantage to United, and was one of the factors as to why the club finished second also it must be noted that Liverpool suffered from heavy amount of injuries which if we do not want to fool ourselves, we all know better fully fit Liverpool team would rip to pieces this United team which it did just recently. There was a lot of sentiment around the manager’s position at the club. One must agree that the playing style was haphazard and improvement was needed.

In Solskjaer’s final stretch, the team was begging for leadership. He was given enough time to impose his personality and playing style to give Liverpool and Manchester City a run for their money but unlike the player that he was whereby he was a deadly striker from the outside, he appears to be a person who does not have a strong authoritative stance. The team suffered heavy defeats suffering to Liverpool, Manchester City and unfortunately Watford, which were the final nails in his coffin. I wouldn’t say I was surprised as I felt sorry for the man, as he truly loves the club, however one would notice that the players were not performing for him. Today you live in a results based world and I am sure this experience will serve him well in the future.

Michael Carrick took over from Solskjaer for three games, whereby he was unbeaten and decided to resign and take some time out with his family since his playing career ended.

The club has now appointed a German manager whose name is no stranger in Germany and is one of the managers that have re-engineered the playing style of certain positions in football and also certain strategies. The club has adopted the same route that Chelsea and Liverpool have adopted by taking a German manager who has the same school which they derived from. Hopefully the club will not be following but leading in this aspect. I am a fond lover of German football teams as they are hard to beat. Like everything German, everything is there for a reason. The manager believes that pressing should be done high up the pitch and not leave opponents into your half. During his first interview, the manager Ralf Rangnick has shown the manners and also attitude which are those of a manager that wants to take the club forward with belief in himself. I think this manager must be given the reins to throw out players that do not want to follow the philosophy of the club and who do not want the club to be back towards the top half of the table. Past history and successes does not count for anything as we have seen with Van Gaal and Mourinho, both managers with strong CVs and have won a number of trophies internationally, but history was not on their side at Manchester United. I, for one, hope that this manager will bring back the authority back to the manager and a playing style that fans will enjoy watching. I hope the team does not start playing after conceding a goal or only at last minute go to win the game. The team is full of strong individuals which if coupled with a bit more, they may compete with the other three strong teams in the Premiership.

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Volume 48- Issue 2, March 2021

“I hope I can score plenty, and I’ll be working hard towards doing that.”

Edinson Cavani “Brandon Williams was absolutely exceptional!”

Solskjær after Partizan match

Manchester United Supporters’ Club-Malta Founded 1959, is officially recognized by the Manchester United Football Club.

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Volume 49- Issue 1, September 2021

Manchester United Supporters’ Club-Malta Founded 1959, is officially recognized by the Manchester United Football Club.

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“Cristiano Ronaldo is the greatest player of all time.”

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Manchester United Supporters’ Club-Malta Founded 1959, is officially recognized by the Manchester United Football Club.

Manchester United Supporters’ Club-Malta Founded 1959, is officially recognized by the Manchester United Football Club.

Manchester United Supporters’ Club-Malta Founded 1959, is officially recognized by the Manchester United Football Club.

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