IF you wanted a perfect example of why football clubs and plc boards should never climb into the same bed, then Manchester United have provided it over the past few days.
Last week the Reds announced the biggest half-yearly fall in profits for five years which led to a fall in their share prices on the stock market.
The club's big investors trading in the City of London lost a bob or two - at least on paper - and didn't like it one little bit.
Behind the comment on the same day from United's chief executive David Gill that manager Alex Ferguson was "sackable," there was a clear underlying message.
Under pressure from those unhappy investors in London, the Reds plc board was telling Fergie that if the Premiership title and the Champions League continue to elude the club and profits continue to slide, he could be pruning the roses in the garden at "Dun Roamin" sooner than he thought.
And if you wanted to know everything that's wrong about a football club being run by a plc board, then you've just read it.
Gill and his fellow plc directors at Old Trafford are all clever fellas and astute businessmen, I'm sure. But they are in need of a history lesson. Because those directors haven't made Manchester United the club they are today. The man who did that is Alex Ferguson.
Record
Eight league titles, five FA Cups, the European Cup, the European Cup-Winners' Cup, League Cup and Inter-Continental Cup - Fergie's teams have won them all during his years at Old Trafford.
That's what has made United the club they are today and to even hint that a manager with a track record like that could be walking on thin ice unless results improve is shameful.
United's plc board is highly efficient at making money, lining the pockets of their shareholders and promoting the image of their club right around the globe. But those directors know nothing about managing a football team.
And what can be said of that plc board can also be said of a couple of racing millionaires in Ireland, a man who knows nothing about football residing in America and all those fat-cats bleeding the club dry from their swanky offices in the City of London? Adding to their already bloated bank accounts? Professionals of the highest order? Knowing how to manage a football team? Rank amateurs.
Those investors who are now squealing and putting pressure on Fergie via the Old Trafford board are so blinded by pound-note signs that cannot seem to grasp a basic truth about managing a team like Manchester United.
It wouldn't make any difference if Fergie, Arsene Wenger and Jose Mourinho were the joint managers at the Theatre of Dreams. That still wouldn't give the Reds a divine right to win the Premiership title and the Champions' League every season.
Consistent
Professional football simply doesn't work that way and the very fact that the Reds, under Ferguson, have won so much so consistently should tell even those nincompoops working in London's square mile that the manager whose ability they are now calling into question is, in fact, the best in the business.
Gill says that his "sackable" comment was taken out of context and misconstrued, and we will have to take his word for that.
But in the week when United were reported to have paid out '6m in dividends to their shareholders, did I misconstrue him when I heard him say on radio that there would be little or no transfer funds available for Fergie when the transfer window re-opens at the end of the season? I was gob-smacked to hear Gill say that the cupboard at Old Trafford was all but bare and that the only money available to Ferguson this summer would be to sign a replacement goalkeeper if Roy Carroll decides to leave the club.
This isn't Oldham Athletic or Hartlepool we are talking about. This is Manchester United. Arguably the biggest and richest club on the planet.
Millions paid out in dividends to their shareholders and peanuts given to their manager.
And then they've got the brass nerve to point the finger at Ferguson for not providing the Premiership title and the Champions League.
My instincts tell me that Fergie won't be getting his hands on those major trophies next season either.
Do you agree that Ferguson has been treated poorly over the last week? Have your say.
Tweet
Comments
Login or Register to comment
I don't know whether I am being nieve but surely if we have better players then we would get further in competitions like the Champions League. Surely the way to bigger profits is to have a better team. We are supposed to be the biggest club in the world we should act like it and after a short hit for the shareholders surely they would then benefit from increased dividends etc from more success in the major competitions. We are not far away but money should be made available to improve at least a couple of key positions (GK and Keano replacement to start). As I said maybe I am nieve.
What utter nonsense. Gill rightly put a shot across SAF's bows because he's not doing as good a job as he used to. In the last four years United have gone backwards but I don't see that the board can be blamed. In that time we have spent a fortune on RVN, Veron, Ferdinand, Saha, Smith and Rooney. Not making the money available is not the problem but how it has been squandered on players that haven't made it is. We dropped B#10 million on Veron because we bought him with no clear idea of how we were going to play. That's not the board's fault but the manager's. Look at the problems we've had at finding a goalkeeper to replace Schmeichel. Surely the scouts could see that Bosnich couldn't kick, that Barthez was too small, that Taibi, Carroll and Riccardo were just not up to the job. How many of us who saw Djemba Djemba can believe that our manager, coaches and scouts believed he had the potential to replace Keane? Why did Forlan struugle with United but has been a roaring success in his first season in Spain? Who is it that ruined Scholes confidence by playing him out of position so often (and it's not just Scholes who has suffered in this way)? Has the board introduced this negative 4-5-1 system that has a great talent like Rooney playing on the wing? Even Erickson has recognised that he's wasted out there after trying it just once. Sorry but SAF is getting the flak because it's his bad decisions that have caused United to decline at a time when first Arsenal and now Chelski have upped the standards of what is required. Sorry SAF, I know that you've worked miracles at OT but it's not working now. No longer are you the manager who has lead United to 8 titles in 11 years but the manager who has turned a team of proven winners and expensive purchases into championship no-hopers and has been very lucky to win one championship out of the last four years.
Could'nt agree with you more Paul of Birmingham.
I'm glad Gill said that he was "sackable". The weight of pressure should be on his shoulders, he'll certainly take the acolades! The board have their own obvious motivations for closing the bank! But why should we want him to spend like he has? Rooney for example, 30 million to play him as a winger!!??!! Fergies playing the same game as the swede, not fielding a Team, but trying to fit in all his favourite Toys!! Be nice to get some balance back!
Well said Paul (Birmingham). May I just add to sale of Stam to Lazio (have we received the money??) and Beckham to Real - did the board sanction the sale of these players or SAF. Also, if SAF did not decide to play the reserves against Fenerbache we might still be in the CL this year. I believe that money and power have turned SAF into an arrogant git and he should be held responsible and accountable for the loss of profits made by the club.
The comments being made are fine and Fergie does have to be held responsible for the teams performances both good and bad that said I think that our future success depends upon the club opening its wallet. I feel that if we signed Essien and Cassias that we would have a team capable of dominating English football and competing with the very best in Europe. Remember that we got over 40 mill for the sale of Becks and Veron and have so far only paid 10 mill for Rooney. 23 million(Smith 7,Heinze6,Rooney10mill) is not a lot for a club of our size to spend in one season and the season before that the signings of Ronaldo,Djemba,Kleb,Bell,Howard and Saha were paid for by the sale of Becks and Veron if you do the math. So in truth we have spent 23 mill in two seasons and are committed to spending another 10 mill on Rooney this summer with the rest depending on appearances etc. Small fries really for a club our size to spend 10 mill of its own money in each of the 3 previous seasons. Dont forget also that while profits were halved they were still profits and 12 million of them in 6 months. I honestly believe SAF deserves to be given the money to complete the building of his team and should he sign Essien and Cassias or another top keeper and we fail as convincingly as we have this year then maybe it would be time for him to go. I think a side built around a Cassias type keeper with Rio,Pique,Ronaldo,Essien,Rooney,Smith,Rossi could be an awesome side that could stay together for the next 10 years. Now is completly the wrong time to not back the manager as we are 2 thirds of the way through a job he started 2 seasons ago and to sack him or refuse him any money this season will set us back years.
This story is just more sycophantic baloney. If Glazer (or similar) was running the club then Fergie would already be pruning his roses, so he should be thankful that he only has a vacillating bunch of accountants to deal with. Paul Hince trots out the usual tired rhetoric about what Ferguson has done for the club, but fails to mention that very little of that has happened recently. We are Manchester United, the richest football club in the world (for now), not the Sunset Home for Fading Football Managers. The recent press debate about Ferguson's future was an accident waiting to happen and Gill was bound to trigger the discussion eventually, though to my mind, it's way overdue. We are all in awe of what Fergie has done for our club and his place in the history books is assured. Unfortunately for MUFC 2005, history is exactly what it is. What counts is the here & now and the future, none of which look anything like as promising as Fergie's glorious past. We desperately need fresh ideas and a spring clean from the top downwards. Time to move on.
SAF IS PROBABLY THE BEST EVER UNITED MANAGER. HE'S GIVEN US TROPHY AFTER TROPHY AND HE COULD HAVE GIVEN US MORE, BUT HE'S MADE MISTAKES I STRONGLY BELIEVE ONE OF HIS BIGGEST WAS THE TEAM HE PUT OUT AGAINST FENHERBACHE.THAT DECISION COST UNITED AT LEAST A SEMI FINAL PLACE AND A MONUMENTAL AMOUT OF MONEY. MAYBE GILL WAS RIGHT TO HINT SAF IS'NT INDISPENSABLE IT PUTS FERGUSON'S EGO BACK IN TOUCH WITH REALITY
I agree with Paul Hince`s article and it is not so often I can say that. I still believe that
Mr Gill is clever enough to live team affairs to Sir Alex. Papers
write anything tos sell their stories.
Sir Alex should get rid of misfits
such as Kleberson, Bellion, Miller, Carroll and loaned players.
That would make room for a
really necessary singings such
as Wordlclass holding midfielder
and goalkeeper.
Good comments from Lee and Paul. I would prefer to sack Fergie now but I know it won't happen. So it is very very important that Fergie is given funds to buy at least two top players this summer. If he is allowed to do that we can compete in the PL and in Europe. If the board is only willing to buy a keeper then it is obvious that the board is not interesting in the footballing side of our club. They are pleased with finishing top four and qualifying for the CL.
I just don't think the emphasis should be on a goalkeeper, Lee. I'd be surprised If Iker's comments were'nt for the benifit of contract negotiations. Is'nt he on the lowest wage at Real? Central midfield is a must! Essien fits, I think most agree.
I'd also like some competiton for Giggs other than putting Fortune there (he'll always end up drifting into the middle) I know a few like the Rooney, Giggs, Ronnie front line but if you look back they don't really play off one another that well! Rooney and Ronnie still revert to playing their own game instead of looking for the simple pass! I'm bored already of the Transfer rumours! Not looking forward to the summer.
Good comments by Lee about the actual balance sheet in terms of transfers in recent years. In fairness to Hincey I think that's the point he was making. With United still making a multi-million pound profit every year this money should be ploughed back into the team, not into shareholders pockets. If this club is to retain it's rightful place at the top of the Premiership we need to add a top-class midfielder and a keeper this summer. In fairness to Fergie he's looked to strengthen these areas over recent seasons but noone that's been brought in has cut the mustard despite their potential. What we need now are established quality players, not players with potential.
Lee from Heywood puts the case forward for the deluded Ragamuffins soooo well (NOT).
'...a team capable of dominating English football and competing with the very best in Europe....'
WAKE UP AND SMELL THE COFFEE!!!!! Haven't you heard of Chelsea and Arsenal???? Forget Europe - we won't even compete in the P.L. next season!!!! FERGUSON OUT!!!!
This is a difficult one as Fergie has done so much for United over the years, both on and off the pitch (many of us still remember the aging and distinctly average team he inherited from Atkinson)
However I do think it could be time to replace him before our decline worsens - although I don't believe the same could happen to United I remember the last couple of years of Clough's reign at Forest...
Yes, United can and possibly should spend more money this summer, but whether you are a PLC or a club funded by a wealthy Russian looking for a hobby, the money still has to come from somewhere, and I would have to think long and hard before giving considerable funds to somebody who has spent heavily on Djemba, Kleberson, Bellion (all completely inept) Saha (great player but hardly value for money so far) and Veron (B#28m to disrupt a midfield of Giggs, Keane, Scholes and Beckham - then arguably the best in the world). However his worst decision for me is that to sell Stam - purely for "footballing reasons" but 4 years on playing for one of the top 3 teams in the world. Is there a United fan anywhere that wouldn't have Stam ahead of Silvestre?
Since 1999 our team has got gradually worse, whilst wasting vast quantities of money on players who either weren't necessary or weren't good enough. I'm not a big fan of the PLC but I'm starting to think they have been quite generous to provide the sums they have to somebody who has wasted so much of it.
Usual knee jerk reactions from JCL know-nothings. SAF is the best manager we have ever had. Count the trophies. MUFC NOT 4 $ALB#.
Paul Hince is spot on with his analysis.
Blame the PLC yeah right! B#30m for Ferdinand,B#28m for Veron, B#27m, for Rooney B#19m for Van Nistelrooy, B#12.8m for Saha (remember him?) then there is the likes of Forlan and Kleberson etc. We have spent a fortune on players over the last 4 years and the team has got worse! Yet more Ferguson apologists surfacing. His time is up! If it isn't then god help us. How far down are we going to allow this man to take us. We are yet again relying on the FA cup to save our season. Isn't this where he came in?
United have played excellently this season. If it weren't for your dodgy start when you had many injuries/unavailable players you'd probably be on the same points as Chelsea, if not higher.
I agree with you, man. SAF is one of the best in the business.
The only thing I disagree though is that SAF makes bad buys, frequently.
Aren't we all forgetting the squad we had to field at the start of the season and where we are now. We aren't going to win the prem or Europe because of Fergie. We are losing the prem to a club with unlimited funds and we drew arguably the best team in the tournament AC Milan.
Of course Fergie has made mistakes. I believe he has made less than any other manager in his place would have made. Do you want to see a team with not one Englishman on the field? Do you want to support a club successfull because of an unlimited bank account? I think not. Fergie will get his players this summer. Just wait and see.
SAF will never be sacked by the present board. SAF is not stupid either and he is aware that next season he has to land one of the big two trophies. And surely he must see that the present squad is not up to the job but that it only needs a small improvement, that is Essien. He, more than anybody, has shown and proved himself to be the next midfield general as Keane and Ince did before him. If SAF doesn't want him then next season will be his last, if SAF can't convince the board to release the funds then it will also be his last. The board members are not stupid either and they can see exactly the same as us and because they want profits and success I truly believe that they have no choice but to release the funds for the player that can change the course of the team.
SAF is one of the best managers of all time. United is the richest club on the planet (for now) because of his brilliance. And because of his brilliance, when we go two seasons without winning the PL, most are calling for his head. Do you really think he could become a bad manager overnight? Or maybe you think the modern game is leaving him behind! I say no to both.
It's sickening to read Man U supporters say "what have you done for me lately". The man's a genius. Give him his props.
lets make this simple for messrs gill and co...peter davenport or ruud van nistelroy...terry gibson or wayne rooney...peter barnes or ronaldo...i think you can see where i am going...take a look at our squad circa 1986 and then take a look at it now...then take a look at the books and see how much more you have spent on polishing silverware during SAF's reign. I guess the plc are aspiring back to the days of mike duxbury and johnny sivebaek...if you don't believe me why is the old trafford shop flogging billy garton shirts on ebay??
SAF we should be so grateful.He turned the dreams into reality.We have been spoilt by success.2nd in the premier.Semi in the cups.oops in the CL.Even then we got KO'd by a super team.The younger ones are improving.So if we get better we can only be first.Like many who come on this site we think we know a bit about football but none of us know more than SAF.
I am one of many share holders who only have a small amount of shares I invested my life saving of 10 k.I bought my shares a year ago at 2.72 a share. I thought United shares would be a good investment 13 month on and Uniteds share price is 2.68 with a dividend of B#80 pounds for the year.I am considering selling my shares as are many small time investors like me,who will buy these shares? I will give you one guess! United have totally paid through the nose for to many players and their wage bill is out of control