29 Nov 2017 16:39:13
I don't think anyone is undervaluing City at all. They've massive strides in recent years to get to the position that they are in. It just looks more impressive because of how big the strides have been. They've had to do a lot to get that position and they've done it in a short time frame compared to how long it took us. But they've had unlimited funds to enable them to do it quicker. The point is what are we doing to keep pace? We've thrown a lot at the team with mixed results. But what are we doing in the background.


1.) 29 Nov 2017
29 Nov 2017 17:04:23
Mort
What would you like us to do?


2.) 29 Nov 2017
29 Nov 2017 21:00:19
Jred

I have given a comprehensive list more than once.


3.) 29 Nov 2017
29 Nov 2017 21:19:34
Where do you want to start Jred?


4.) 30 Nov 2017
30 Nov 2017 08:27:00
Going then what?
We have spent a kings ransom over the last 4 year, broke the world transfer record and appointed one of the top managers in the world .
Won 2 trophies last season, started the league great and the CL .


Spoilt man United fans?


5.) 30 Nov 2017
30 Nov 2017 08:35:59
City are playing great, top manager pep but are United really that bad?


6.) 30 Nov 2017
30 Nov 2017 09:54:11
Jred

How many times. Have a look at our facilities, stadium, training, youth facilities, interaction with local communities, links with local schools. Then take a look at what City have done, their burning ambition. Their (and our) work in the transfer market is only one part. I even read an interesting article about our use of social media being old fashioned and behind other clubs, that it seemed Utd were content to quote 600m followers but lacked a spark of originality. Where were United when City were attracting Pep? Sat deluding ourselves that Moyes and LvG were the answer. What was our transition plan? What was our long term club development plan? It looks like it was based on a bit of arrogance that relied on adding new sponsors and increasing the asset value. All the while City had a better all round plan and were implementing it.

How much have the Glazers spent on OT? The work done when they first came in was from money from the Plc. We have the same stands and every year or two when it gets mentioned the plans to develop the South stand get trotted out. Then disappear a few days later when people have mumbled approval but as yet it seems they aren’t going to do it. We have massive borrowing to fund the leveraged buyout so borrowing to build a stand isn’t perhaps first choice. We won’t go into finance but most people don’t understand net debt. Out of interest I walked down the street at the back of the South stand a couple of years ago, the one across the railway. There were houses for sale on the side of the road adjacent to the ground, were the club buying them? Not according to the locals, but maybe it has changed.

When it came to Hotel Football, the club didn’t do it, why? In fact they opposed it, maybe they didn’t think of it first, why? The club has been buying land apparently round OT for years but have done what with it? Inside there are the same facilities, same toilets, overcrowded overpriced bars. What new facilities have been added around the outside of the ground to look after fans? .

City have built an infrastructure whilst Utd looked for sponsors to make more money. The supporters blinkered problem is encapsulated in the focus on how much spent on transfer fees rather than building a better all round club.

Spoilt is something we were for many years with the trophies but looking at the club we relied on one man, with old style methods which meant when he left we were shattered, too reminiscent of Busby leaving. Where was the planning? We have been reeling from that and just about starting to steady the ship now. All the while City executed their plan and in what can only be described as arrogance, we sneered at the noisy neighbours. Spoilt? I started supporting in 68 and following the club was tough in the seventies so spoilt is not the word, frustrated by the ownership more like. Frustrated that we let this happen. Frustrated that the owners were allowed to mortgage the club to enable them to buy it, limiting our power for years, no value of course, as an example whilst City bought Aguero. Frustrated the club seems focussed on asset value rather than infrastructure improvement, that were are allegedly being flagged as an adult Disneyland.

We surrendered our natural advantage over City, now they are nearly as attractive a proposition as us and only arrogance will deny that. It’s down to senior figures at our club to stop looking at numbers and create a plan that puts us at the forefront of clubs not the nirvana of owners and accountants, the asset value league.


7.) 30 Nov 2017
30 Nov 2017 10:39:53
Again Redman you are comparing us to one team .
We have one of the best stadiums in the country, we continue to produce youth players at a time when very few are getting in to any of the top teams.
We out spend 99.9 % of teams in world football .
Reportedly have the highest wage bill in world football.

You are spitting the dummy out because 1 team city are doing better, what about all the other teams below us?
What about all the other team that aren't doing as well as us, haven't got the money we have etc

Spoilt fans only concerned with what we HAVEN'T got.


8.) 30 Nov 2017
30 Nov 2017 12:46:33
Hardly spoilt supporting through relegation

If you choose to ignore the power shift you are just another who is arrogant enough to think everything will just carry on as is. City don’t have the fan base but it is growing as they engage with the community while we ignore them.

Great stadium but what have the owners contributed to that? Paid the electric bill? It has not changed in what 24 years?

Up to you if you want to see it or not.


9.) 30 Nov 2017
30 Nov 2017 12:49:18
What i'd do is bring in a director of football to oversee the football side of things as we have slipped up in this area. Move Woody back to commercial an what he does best. Its too much of a job and too much power for one man. Also the clubs facilities need an upgrade. And expand the stadium. i'd like to see a more coordinated plan in loaning young players out for experience. There is more we could be doing. We've stood still whilst others have evolved.


10.) 30 Nov 2017
30 Nov 2017 13:12:20
Redman
Who is ignoring anything? We can't do anything to stop what city are doing, or psg or Barcelona and Madrid for that matter .

We are spending the cash backing the manager breaking transfer records play in a 80000 seater stadium .
Poor Man United our fans have it hard .


11.) 30 Nov 2017
30 Nov 2017 14:02:30
Jred

Tunnel vision only looking at transfer fees. You need to consider the bigger picture.


12.) 30 Nov 2017
30 Nov 2017 14:33:40
Which is what red man .
The club as a business is outstripping everyone out there this has been our best start to a season in years .
We are set up to be successful, unfortunately will don't have a god given right to be number one.


13.) 30 Nov 2017
30 Nov 2017 17:17:45
Jred

You are being dazzled by figures, the club has a great income stream, fantastic. The focus seems to be mainly improving the income stream and impressing the financial experts. The clubs asset value helps mainly the owners. Where is the rest of the plan or did you not understand the points in my main post.


14.) 30 Nov 2017
30 Nov 2017 18:05:58
Mort

Agree but I am wondering about the role of a Director of football and who would have the depth of experience to plan that widely. It would be an interesting choice of person.


15.) 30 Nov 2017
30 Nov 2017 18:12:52
Such as appointing supposedly the best manager in the world and spending over 300 mil in 12 month.
The club is making record profits, investing that in the team .

As a fan what is that you want .

Big stadium, record transfer big name players, big name manager .

What is that the likes of arsenal stoke Chelsea palace all the other clubs have that poor old United don't? .

Hard work being a United fan.


16.) 30 Nov 2017
30 Nov 2017 18:24:00
Could not agree more RedMan.


17.) 30 Nov 2017
30 Nov 2017 18:34:54
No wonder United fans get a bad name .
The moment a team does what we have been doing for years the dummys are out .
Poor United.


18.) 30 Nov 2017
30 Nov 2017 19:27:48
Jred

You still just don’t get it

You said “the moment a team does what we have been doing for years”, the point is we haven’t. It’s not just spending, you are too focussed on transfer money, even so the owners only released the purse strings about three years ago. There was no value before. My point is about infrastructure development and integrating the club with the community, building a structure to best take the club forward. Look at the bigger picture.


19.) 30 Nov 2017
30 Nov 2017 19:38:54
The bigger picture red man is that we are a global brand, one of if not the biggest clubs in the world .
And in the modern game that is taking the club forward .
The rest is nice to have, although our infrastructure is up there development is improving while unfortunatly becoming less important in the modern game.

It's a money game now, a global game whether you like it or not and will become more so when a European league kicks off .


20.) 30 Nov 2017
30 Nov 2017 19:43:53
Man United is bigger than Manchester, football is a global business now.
Times are a changing .