The malaise of Manchester United Football Club is a well-documented topic in football circles. Every week, Erik Ten Hag's side produces high-end sporting drama that could make Netflix's top executives question their own content-making choices.
A dramatic loss to Brighton and a thumping at the hands of bitter rivals Liverpool this Premier League campaign have once again cast major doubts on the progress that United fans have spoken about so far.
Under the Glazer ownership, the line often rolled out was that the Glazers were responsible for the mess the giant football club found itself in. This is largely true due to haphazard recruitment, the negligence of the stadium, and the yearly acquisition of dividends from the club, all while putting none of their own money into it.
These days, United are being led by a different group: INEOS, the British multinational conglomerate owned by Sir Jim Ratcliffe. There is now optimism that the malaise United have experienced for years, since Sir Alex Ferguson's retirement, can finally dissipate for good.
For years, United sought to recruit some of the best players in the world, but there was little strategy behind the method. Ángel Di María was signed not just because he was Di María but because he was a commercial cash cow, rather than focusing on how he would help United climb back up the Premier League table.
The same can be said for Raphaël Varane, the former Real Madrid and French footballer, Cristiano Ronaldo, the Portuguese phenomenon, and many others like Casemiro.
To combat the errors of the past, United have implemented a new football structure to catch up to the likes of Liverpool, Manchester City, and Arsenal.
This structure was already busy under INEOS in the summer transfer window just passed. It avoided the scattergun approach of the previous regime and brought in players like Leny Yoro, Manuel Ugarte, Matthijs de Ligt, Joshua Zirkzee, and Noussair Mazraoui—young players with potential value to the side. Ten-plus players have also left the club, which is a huge sign of progress. There was reason to be excited if you were a Manchester United fan.
However, last weekend's result against Liverpool put a halt to any early-season claims that the future will be brighter at United.
MANCHESTER, England, September 01: Erik ten Hag, Manager of Manchester United, looks on as Arne Slot, Manager of Liverpool, gestures during the Premier League match between Manchester United FC and Liverpool FC at Old Trafford on September 01, 2024, in Manchester, England. (Photo by Michael Regan/Getty Images)Calls for Erik Ten Hag's head have reappeared in the media and on social media forums due to a poor system and tactical flaws shown throughout last season and this one. There is merit in these claims, but the problems at the club run deeper than just the manager, as already explained.
The club will not become a top team until every aspect of the old regime is removed from the equation. Signings like Casemiro, who is past his best, are examples of poor decision-making. A smarter club wouldn’t sign a 30-year-old Brazilian on exorbitant wages. Marcus Rashford is another example: his high wages and lack of goals aren't giving the club value for money. This needs to change.
It is only when the likes of Rashford, Casemiro, Christian Eriksen, Harry Maguire, Victor Lindelöf, and perhaps Ten Hag—along with other elements from the previous regime—are removed from the club that United can truly gain momentum and become competitive again.
Fans now have to believe that the current United higher-ups know what they are doing, because the Glazers never did.
The club is now getting the "open heart surgery" that former boss Ralph Ragnick spoke about.
Figures like Omar Berrada, who came from a very successful Manchester City side; Dan Ashworth, who was successful with England and Brighton; and former PSG and Juventus employee Jean-Claude Blanc have all been tasked with putting United back on the map.
Fans are entitled to feel unhappy about the state of the club, but patience is needed because the rot has been deep.
Did anyone think that with a snap of INEOS’ fingers, United would instantly become one of the best sides in the world again? Defeats to Liverpool are hard to take—they always are—but United are not ready to take down these sides yet, and anyone expecting otherwise is ignoring how poorly the club has been run.
United need two or three more transfer windows to become competitive again, and the good news is that there are football people leading the charge now.
Again, patience is required. In time, I am confident the sun will shine again on the club—whether that’s with or without Ten Hag, just give it time.
