26 May 2026 07:39:02
{Ed's Note - Sly_C has posted a new article entitled, Liverpool's System: Who Benefits and Who Regresses?
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25 May 2026 20:13:36
Just watching Bruno on Diary of a CEO. A captain if I ever saw one.
God, I hope before he goes he gets his hands on a Premier League.
Much like Robson, who won when he was at the end of his time, I hope Bruno gets the same opportunity to be here for it. He deserves it.
14
25 May 2026 22:28:46
He absolutely does, angel.
Was chatting through how Bruno and DDG, before him, have between them single handedly dragged Utd through dark times as a club.
6
26 May 2026 07:00:36
Interesting article today in the papers, with Pep showing a Bruno video to his players on how not to behave.
I think the only comparison to Robson could be that he won the league near the end of his time, and it could still happen for Bruno, I guess, in theory.
It would do Bruno good to meet one of our great captains, leadership isn't just about assists.
0
26 May 2026 07:25:50
The "Bruno only gets assists" line is usually a good indicator that someone watches football through Twitter clips rather than actual matches.
He's been United's main creator, presser, leader, and most available player since his time at United, constantly taking responsibility in a side that's been dysfunctional for most of his time there. Reducing all of that to "he gets assists" is unbelievably simplistic.
And this obsession with "standards" is often just people trying to project some image of themselves as having elite standards too.
It's become a buzzword people throw around to sound authoritative rather than actually analysing what a player contributes on the pitch.
Funny how certain types of leadership only count when it suits the narrative. Keane barking at teammates was "standards" and "winning mentality," but Bruno showing frustration while carrying a struggling side somehow makes him a bad captain. Convenient.
You don't have to think Bruno is flawless, but acting like he's just a stat-padding passenger is lazy analysis dressed up as football intelligence.
6
26 May 2026 07:35:10
Ports. 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼
We won't mention the massive money he turned down in order to stay at this United team. Proper captain.
The interview with Bartlett is fantastic.
5
26 May 2026 07:19:55
Red man, I presume you're on about some of his on field antics, that many don't like in this country? You were more into the Roy Keane style (my idol by the way), berating, bullying etc?
And you're right, being captain is more about assists, it's about being the person who players respect and look up to on and off the pitch. I take it you didn't listen to the interview, you might learn why he is a great captain and loved by his peers within the team.
Firstly, how he handles himself off the pitch, never whisper of an issue with him. Always involved in local things and represents the club incredibly well. He stays behind regularly to interact with fans and youngers fans too.
His work with younger players within the club. He never hides when faced with criticism but most important he leads on the pitch. Through a time of turmoil he has been THE man to lead. An incredible captain and we are very lucky to have him.
Red man, we get it, you don't like him, banging on about him for years, even wanting him to be sold in January 😂 😂 when you have some sort of axe to grind, you'll just go for it, no matter how wrong you are. And you are and have always been wrong on Bruno.
3
26 May 2026 07:48:21
angel
Going into work so no time to fully respond.
Read the article on Pep re Bruno.
Keane led us to many trophies. I haven't seen Bruno get near what Keane did in 99 away at Juve.
I openly said I didn't like the chasing of an individual target.
It's a team game.
I am not anti Bruno, but realistic about him. Yes, played in the right position, can be very creative, but not convinced as a leader, at all.
0
26 May 2026 09:01:18
The only 2 articles I've just looked for are Mirror Sport and The Sun Football. 😂 Neither has any comments from Guardiola. Just a story. That's what you're going on?!. 😂
1
26 May 2026 09:10:50
Red Man, if you're citing an article from The Sun, you can shove that in the bin.
Here's a post about our captain, and how it would be great to see him lift the Premier League, and you've turned it into some rumours on what Pep did according to The Sun.
😂 You are very anti Bruno, it's not even a debate.
How about go listen to Bruno on Diary of a CEO.
1
26 May 2026 09:14:40
I've just read a line in The Athletic where Pep supposedly didn't like Bruno berating his players when Phil Foden's goal went in.
😂 And you love Roy Keane. Honestly, Red Man, the agenda is crystal.
2
26 May 2026 09:31:05
You're working in your seventies, Red Man?
I have criticised Bruno in the past, but this year he has been immense, and I think he looks like a leader. I really hope he stays.
2
26 May 2026 09:38:49
As Angel alluded to, there are many ways to lead. Some cajole, some berate, some just lead by example. Brian O'Driscoll and Roy Keane are amongst Ireland's best ever sportsmen, and couldn't have led more differently. That said, it is hard to gauge Bruno as a leader when we've been relatively unsuccessful. But we've had dysfunctional structures around him, and yet won 2 cups and got to two Europa League finals in his 7 years here.
For my part, I think it's obvious how respected he is, and how much he does to help the players on and off the pitch. He certainly is a more obvious leader than Maguire, say, who he replaced.
Keano is a hero of mine, but he sees things one way and that's it. And it's a big reason why he struggled to push on as a manager.
1
26 May 2026 11:33:20
Don, I don't think it's hard to gauge him as a leader. He is one, you just watch him, how he plays and how he carries himself off the pitch, and the insight in his recent interview in particular is brilliant.
Also, how others talk about him, teammates and other players, speaks volumes.
He has been unlucky, like Robson, to be involved in a pretty unsuccessful period as a Man United player, but I'm hoping that will turn in the next couple of years.
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26 May 2026 11:43:02
AJH,
Not in my seventies, yet, and yes, still working.
I did not like the individual situation with the assists and the game where it looked like he was aiming more to break the record than ensure we won a game.
Bruno has done better when played further forward; he was never a CM. When he loses it, the opposition are now not in our box creating issues. That's welcomed. For sure he has won individual accolades, and when any United player does it, then I am pleased for him.
I just want the focus on the team as a leader, and I'm not sure that has been there. I don't like his play acting.
If peak Keane was in our midfield, I suspect we would have won something. Not Bruno's fault; there were poor players around him, and he has been far better in the second half of the season.
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26 May 2026 11:50:05
Keane does nothing but playacting, Red Man. So if you don't like it from Bruno, you must have hated it when Keane did it. 😂
0
26 May 2026 13:41:28
Keane is just doing his job.
Unfortunately, his job is now being a performatively angry pantomime villain.
It's getting very embarrassing now. Bruno acted like a mature adult by saying that he doesn't mind criticism, but won't accept pundits misquoting him. He asked Ole for Keane's number to set the record straight.
Instead of admitting his mistake, or taking the opportunity to talk directly to Bruno, Keane responded with a childish social media insult. For a man who claims to be all about respect and integrity, Keane really has sunk into the gutter for the sake of his media career.
0
26 May 2026 17:09:53
Bruno has carried this team for years. He's our best player by far and has been consistently since he arrived. To say anything else is frankly strange, and is our clear captain in that current group.
I think Keane's paid comments are hypocritical - he was the first to surround the ref and berate them, or criticise his team mates when a pass or s*** went array.
He's a legend of an old era that wouldn't last in today's game.
0
25 May 2026 18:48:14
Just reading about the tiff between Bruno and Keano.
At what point does feedback from legends who have been there, done that, wore the shirt with pride lifting multiple trophies, pivot from valuable winners' insight into becoming a hindrance to a current team's mentality?
1
25 May 2026 19:00:33
I would say regularly nowadays. It seems pundits are being quite opinionated, which reflects social media. Everyone has an opinion, and it generates clicks and attention.
In some ways I quite like it. I'm really not a fan of Carragher, but I did enjoy him calling Enzo a cheat for falling to the floor clutching his face. We need more of that.
Neville has an opinion on anything and everything, and people lap it up, so can we blame him?
As for Keano, he's forging a niche for himself, and it's working for him. Bruno's beef is that Keane quoted him incorrectly, which is fair enough. In the main, though, players need to ignore it and accept it as just sideshow drama.
1
25 May 2026 19:15:04
I wonder how successfully SAF would handle the likes of Rashford, Sancho, Pogba and Garnacho in this current social media climate.
I appreciate that the majority of questions put to ex-players are geared to generate a controversial take at times, but the ratio of negatives to positives is unbalanced for me personally.
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25 May 2026 19:24:49
Carragher is a clown. Surprised he still has a job after the spitting incident. Probably his relationship with Neville saved him. Did he say anything about Mac Alistair etc diving for years? Never mind his comments about Pep and SAF.
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25 May 2026 20:38:01
Say what you want, but Carragher is always in Liverpool's corner, always defending their players, always making excuses. Then you have Neville. I can't stand him on commentary. It is as if he's trying so hard to seem impartial that he ends up supporting whatever team is playing against Utd.
Roy Keane, on the other hand, is just a miserable old bloke who's always mad at something. He seems to think we are still in the 90s and you can two foot opponents with no reprimand.
And the lie he told about Bruno is just typical. He comes across as trying too hard to get sound bytes. As good as he was, he wouldn't survive a day in modern football.
Scholes and Butt, the less said the better. Absolute t***s. They always seem keen for a Utd loss, so they farm views for their nonsense show.
Come to think of it, a lot of our so-called legends don't seem to like us very much. Rooney, Becks, Evra and Rio are a few active in the media that show their support openly.
3
25 May 2026 22:24:19
Keane should apologise for misquoting Bruno. On this one, he got it wrong and it was very unfair criticism. Bruno has said he doesn't care about criticism; in fact, he likes it, it helps him to improve, but Keane got the quote wrong and used it as a stick to beat him with, so Keane should just say, "Look, I'm sorry I made a mistake," but he won't.
Not really sure why any pundit wants to have a go at the best player in the league this season, who has been absolutely phenomenal for us; it doesn't make a lot of sense to me.
The game he was talking about meant nothing as well, and he was making out like we were celebrating Bruno's assists over a goal in a game that was important, when actually the game meant nothing. All very odd.
3
26 May 2026 04:42:15
Like I previously said, did Keane think of the team when he went to do Haaland? Nope, that was all about him, so take what he says with a pinch of salt. They are all as bad as each other, all about money and freebies.
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26 May 2026 06:55:39
Most liked them when they sang Ole's praises. Looks like it depends on whether people agree with them.
Can't stand Gary Neville on commentary myself, bends over backwards to show he is not supporting United to the point of being anti.
0
26 May 2026 06:59:24
Football used to have pundits. Now it has ageing main characters. Every match is just another opportunity for someone to sigh heavily into a microphone and say, "In my day..." before collecting 400,000 views on whatever social media platform they have.
This group of ex-United players seem almost desperate for the club to stay broken because if United ever properly recover, the mythology around their era weakens slightly. Their legacy depends on being "the last great United side." So every setback becomes another chance to remind everyone how much tougher, better and more elite they supposedly were. Instead of wanting the club to rise again, some of them sound more comfortable protecting their own status in history.
I've never liked these football podcasts, never listened or watched them, and hated that ex-players use the club to self promote. I don't really watch pre match, half time and post match analysis anymore of games, and when I do I am always surprised at the individuals who I enjoy and make thought provoking points. One of these is Daniel Sturridge, I thought he would be useless but he speaks very well. Keane, Scholes, Neville should be brilliant but it's rinse and repeat. It's boring now. I hate it as these lads delivered some of the greatest moments for us as football fans, but I wish, like retired footballers before them, they'd disappear gracefully. Maybe open a pub and turn up at charity matches once a year.
2
26 May 2026 09:32:13
Lol, pre match and half time seem to be endless ads nowadays.
0
25 May 2026 11:10:05
It feels like both the coaches and Kobbie himself view his long-term role as a 6. We have seen him be the deepest midfielder in the recent matches under Carrick.
That's probably why United keep getting linked with energetic ball-winning 8s like Tonali and Ederson — players who can push higher, press aggressively, cover ground, and complement a deeper controller behind them. It feels less like the club is searching for another deep midfielder and more like they're building around Mainoo as the base.
I wouldn't be surprised if we go for one or two 8s this summer, and then add a backup 6 for depth and rotation rather than a starting-calibre one.
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25 May 2026 14:07:43
Given that Mainoo is the only midfielder we will have next season if we don't sign any (I'm expecting Ugarte to leave), we need multiple roles in midfield.
Mainoo will likely play as both the No.6 and the No.8 at times next season.
We need several different types of midfielder this summer.
We need a natural holding No.6, we need an energetic box to box destroyer, we need a passing tempo controller (Mainoo is naturally a ball carrying box to box player who leans towards the more attacking side of the game).
4
25 May 2026 14:11:50
Agreed, with his technical ability and ability to receive, you want Kobbie to have the most touches of the ball in the team, and his ideal partner would basically be a more mobile version of Casemiro like Tonali/Anderson etc.
3
25 May 2026 19:03:54
Kobie has really stepped it up lately and he looks a real player again. It took some time, which is perhaps not a surprise when you have been told you are not good enough, you are this, you are not that, for months.
Carrick rates him, and Cas has been enthusing about him, so his confidence is back and he's in peak form. I don't buy the argument he needs to play further forward. For me, he is box to box, the oil that keeps the engine running.
4
26 May 2026 17:13:42
Agree, AJH. He has a goal in him, which is great, like all good midfielders. But he is the man that keeps things ticking.
I think a destroyer behind him (Baleba or Ederson, it seems) and an Anderson type around him would be great.
Ugarte should have been that guy as a 6, but he's just not good enough for the Prem.
0
25 May 2026 07:39:25
This season Amorim got 32 points from 21 games, Carrick has 39 points from 17 games. But it's all about Xg apparently.
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25 May 2026 11:29:33
Feels like a pretty good sample size to use for extrapolating those points to me.
At the same rate of points, Amorim would have got 58 points, and we would have possibly just snuck into 5th, although it would be tight. Carrick would have got 87, a league title win. It is obviously not an exact science, and I doubt we would have won the league this season, but it does show the huge difference between before and after.
I liked Amorim, and I think there could have been improvement, but the results just weren’t there. Carrick has plenty to prove to show that we can win games whilst also deserving to win them.
There have been a few where we have just about got away with a bad performance, but sometimes managers can just win. Football is about scoring more goals than the other team, and more often than not we have managed that since Carrick came in. Before that, we just could not quite do it, and that is the biggest difference.
xG is a useful stat, but it cannot and should not be used as a be-all and end-all for making decisions, and no clubs do this, it is just used as a guide.
3
25 May 2026 11:45:32
Time will tell with Carrick. My instinct is that we have had more than our fair share of luck, and won games that we otherwise wouldn't have done.
That is where xG does become a relatively accurate long term market.
3
25 May 2026 11:53:32
Why be so spiky? Grow up, fella.
4
25 May 2026 12:02:09
I find Carrick uninspiring, and I do wonder if he can take us forward, but it's easy to forget where we were. When he took over, we were 7th, 3 points behind Liverpool, and 11 points behind Villa. We may have had some luck, but to finish 11 points ahead of Liverpool and 6 points ahead of Villa is some achievement.
Amorim may have turned it around over time (personally I don't think he would have), but it all seemed a bit entrenched.
Anyway, I'll shut up now.
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25 May 2026 12:05:36
Jd123, that's football though, right? Arsenal are the best team in the country, sadly, but I'd suggest they had their fair share of luck too. I saw a stat, could be fake, to be fair, but it suggested United had the most, or one of the most, VAR decisions go against them this season. So for the luck we've had, we've also had some hard luck.
0
25 May 2026 14:10:11
Amorim needed better players to play his system. We took 442 players, and tried to play 3421 - 2 very different systems.
If you are implying Amorim is a crap coach, I don't agree at all. The problem lay at the feet of the club, who chose to go with him and his system without the ability to invest in players we needed.
Amorim ended up being the coach that removed a lot of the bad apples from the club. This has also been instrumental in the feeling we have turned a corner. I still think we have a long way to go to be competing at the top table.
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25 May 2026 14:11:48
Defense is important too, maybe even more so. Arsenal's success was largely built upon it. Chelsea and Liverpool's weakness this year was as a result of weaker defensive structure. We conceded 30 goals in the first 20 games, and only 18 in the last 17. That's where the most significant improvement occurred, and that's a direct result of the structural changes under Carrick, which were never going to happen under Amorim. Bruno is not a defensive midfielder. We do better with 4 at the back, with opposition wingers being marked by full backs rather than wing backs, and, when they're out of position, ill-equipped CBs.
The 33 goals scored v 18 conceded in 17 games is a stat that, if marginally improved upon, should see us competing for the title next season. As they say, good teams create their own luck.
Let's hope we can acquire the right players and that Carrick can continue to deliver. There's no guarantees, whoever is at the helm. If there were, the sport would be dull, and we would have nothing to discuss.
0
25 May 2026 14:32:50
Also, the two teams out of 19 we didn't play while Carrick was manager were Burnley and Wolves lol. Easily could have been 45 points from 19 games.
1
25 May 2026 20:12:21
AJH, be careful saying anything negative about Amorim. Don Red won't be having any of it.
It's all about the XG. 😂
0
25 May 2026 20:16:06
No, it isn't, Angel. I never said that. And I don't mind negativity about Amorim - just don't go making up stuff.
2
24 May 2026 22:17:53
Nobody else see how much of a menace Dorgu can be further forward?
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24 May 2026 23:11:32
He took a while to settle but has come on a lot lately. I think it's more a confidence thing than anything with him. Hopefully he stays at that level. It's partly why I don't think we need to get another attacker (aside from back up striker) this summer, as he and Amad can progress more.
5
25 May 2026 01:38:36
He is the reason we don't need a LW this summer. It would be wasted funds on a position that has 2 positive-minded players occupying it. Focus on mids and defence.
2
25 May 2026 08:38:10
I think it's becoming more and more obvious that Dorgu's future (at least in the short to medium term) is as a winger. Maybe when he's older, he might drop back as a LB.
Under Carrick he's started 3 games as a winger, against City, Arsenal and Brighton, and in those games he has 3 goals and one assist.
As a team, we also scored 8 goals in those 3 games and played some of the best football we have this season.
Dorgu playing wide left stretches the opposition and creates more space for the rest of our forwards.
However, if Dorgu is to play further forward, then we'll need another LB this summer as that really only leaves Shaw as a LB.
5
25 May 2026 09:22:04
He looks a different player. One minute clumsy, the next awesome. He's been a breath of fresh air. Such a shame he got such a bad injury.
5
25 May 2026 09:24:35
Dorgu is better away from home, when the opposition push up, and he is more defensively minded, but I have doubts about his ability to get past a full back to create when at home.
1
25 May 2026 14:13:58
Red Man, it depends on how we set up. While he can look a little clumsy at times, he has also danced through the opposition back line and played some exquisite one twos in tight spaces.
Ultimately, he's young and he will be inconsistent, and he, like any youngster, has areas to improve on.
How he does at home against teams that sit deep will depend on our tactics.
I'd imagine the intention would be to get him to hug the touchline and drag a full back out to make space for people like Bruno to drop into the half spaces, and have a little time and space to pick someone out or get off a shot. If it works, Dorgu won't get a goal or an assist, but he would have been instrumental in the goal.
2
24 May 2026 21:31:21
Apparently the decision on City's 115 charges is due next week and they have been informed of the judgment. Could be consequential for us with regards to potential signings like Anderson depending of if they are found guilty and the potential penalty. Just a rumour I came across on-line, not sure how true it is.
3
24 May 2026 23:39:20
At this stage, it's a case of I'll believe it when I see it. I also assume that, when a verdict is announced, City can appeal if it goes against them.
2
25 May 2026 07:57:47
Unruly
Heard similar. I also seem to recall Pep has always said he completes contracts when he signs them, so him scuttling out, with a year left, like he has, and announcing quite late, feels a bit rushed. You might speculate that, if the result of the charges is due out, it is interesting timing.
3
25 May 2026 08:07:45
Redman, the chicken may be coming home to roost with them lot, finally.
3
25 May 2026 09:05:33
I think I've mentioned before that Guardiola was on record saying that if the club were ever found guilty, he'd walk, as he'd been lied to. I agree, RedMan, the whole decision felt rushed, coinciding with rumours of the verdict coming out.
If they are found guilty, Guardiola has to make a statement proclaiming his innocence with the whole situation, which would tarnish his accomplishments, and if he stays quiet, it brings into question how much he actually knew.
Last night I had a funny feeling we might get Anderson. I know the rumours are he wants City, but I wonder how much that was down to him wanting to play for Guardiola? I feel this may change things. However, that may have been The Sun and United's performance that got me giddy. 😂
4
25 May 2026 09:40:50
Ports
Now, Guardiola is no longer manager, he doesn't have to say anything regardless of the outcome. He can just say the club need to answer; he is not the manager. I think it was all financial allegations, so the football manager of any club would not be the accountant, for want of a better word. He can almost certainly say he was not involved. Being aware of allegations that have not been proven so far is not something that can be pinned on him.
However, if they are found guilty, that could tarnish all the achievements since City were first formed as a club in 2006.
Yes, sarcasm, because I remember us all screaming Pinocchio at Summerbee when they had a good team, and he took corners in front of me at the Stretford End.
Not giddy about the performance yesterday. Once we got in front, counter-attack football made it difficult for Brighton. Lovely second goal.
In terms of Anderson, I don't think the club will pay the big money; they will go for cheaper options. Anderson should be No1 choice, but I would be surprised to see him at OT.
1
25 May 2026 16:16:51
I think the club would pay big money, but they're not going to enter into a bidding war for a player who has supposedly already indicated that he wants to go to a different club.
2
25 May 2026 17:47:54
He has terms agreed with City, supposedly. United did not get into any terms discussions with him yet, supposedly.
So, it's not a case of us not matching; it's a case of him wanting to go elsewhere.
With some recent developments, that might change.
No club, us or City, has any agreement with Forest.
So saying we might not go for him because he is too expensive is a complete assumption, with no basis in truth or fact.
I think it is wrong to stamp your feet and make up false narratives, and peddle false accusations or assumptions when something is happening that you would rather didn't.
1
24 May 2026 20:52:54
Few really good stories today imo.
Bournemouth and Sunderland getting Europa League is great for both clubs. Palace will be in it too I think if they win the Europa Conference League.
Brighton getting European football too.
Bruno getting his assist record is a great achievement.
De Zerbie keeping Spurs up was good achievement, I like De Zerbie and he has done well with what he had.
I'm sorry to see West Ham go down, I'm sure they will come straight back up although it will be some culture shock. It depends who they keep.
I like their lb Diouf very athletic and runs his line very well. Bit raw but I like what I've seen.
Fenandes is decent, still young and can play as 8 or 10, I think he will improve a lot.
Great season for United given last season. 3rd only 7 points off City. Is a giant leap and Carrick must take the credit. He has done so much better than I expected.
He has the chance now to bring us up another few notches next season and hopefully have a complete squad for the season after.
Can he do it? None of us know but I'll be fully behind him in the hope he can answer the tough questions ahead.
He has surpassed all my expectations and hopes so far.
Primarily off the pitch, his demeanor and his tone is fantastic with the press and if they get behind him he will be in great shape.
On the pitch there has been a mixed bag in terms of style or approach but given the fact that we have only 2 midfielders plus Ugarte and 2 less than ideal cbs fbs that can't or won't pose a threat in attack and a very raw cf I think it would be unfair to expect scintillating football.
In all I'd say the season was a lot easier playing just once a week so he does have a lot to prove. He has been given the chance because he has earned it.
Let's hope we have a good window ins and outs.
Enjoy the summer and for those of you interested the WC.
Spain Brazil and France all look strong. England have a punchers chance if they can get the ball to Kane enough. They look a bit ropey in defence.
Enjoy the summer and we can all agree on one thing I think, that, this season has seen the progress we all wanted many thought it unlikely but we got the 3rd by hook or by crook.
7
24 May 2026 21:42:39
What he said. 👆
3
24 May 2026 21:56:05
Agree with all of this. I'd add Germany as a contender. England have some good players, but they lack balance, so I think they'll need a lot of luck to go deep in the tournament. But, as you say, a puncher's chance nonetheless.
Have a great summer, Ken.
1
24 May 2026 22:06:38
England starting 11 is very strong, but then we enter the realm of multi-taskers.
1
24 May 2026 22:41:35
Agree with those West Ham players if they are available. Would be reasonable additions.
Personally, not going to engage with the World Cup, I think it has become a farce with the extension of teams competing.
2
25 May 2026 05:14:15
Nice post, except for West Ham. I have an irrational dislike for them, dating back many years.
1
25 May 2026 07:56:25
Having many teams in the World Cup is good in my opinion. It's a festival of football and as many countries as possible should be able to participate. Clue is in the name.
0
25 May 2026 11:03:29
I agree, Unruly.
The qualifying should be done differently, imo, but lots of countries want to participate, and so they should. It is a World Cup for all the countries in the world.
No point promoting playing in the streets in countries all over the world if you can't play with the big boys once every 4 years. That makes no sense, imo.
1
25 May 2026 22:46:09
Have more teams, and make it more inclusive, but find a way to keep it down to 4 weeks, not 5 & 1/2. The decision to extend it is not based upon including more countries, it is based upon increasing the potential revenue to make the whole event sustainable for whichever nation is chosen to hold the event.
The costs associated with hosting the event historically have not yielded a positive financial outcome for the host nations.
2026 is an anomaly in that no new stadiums have been built to host the event, the intent is to return an event with a positive result for the host nation.
All that said, what really hinders the cost equation is the FIFA tunnelling of funds.
The most lucrative revenue streams generated by a World Cup do not go to the host country's treasury or local cities.
They are legally channeled directly to FIFA, completely tax-exempt under the hosting agreement.
Broadcast Rights: Television and streaming rights fetch billions (e.g., European television rights alone routinely top EUR1.1 billion), all pocketed by FIFA.
Sponsorships & Marketing: Global corporate partnerships go entirely to FIFA.
Ticket Sales & Merchandising: FIFA retains the ticket revenues. In recent tournaments, FIFA has even strictly limited host cities from selling corporate suites or retaining a cut of game-day concessions.
So, dare I say, get off your high horses, and take the blinkers off. You can swing it how you want and live in a different world if you want, but the facts remain, FIFA are not extending it to include more teams because they want to have Haiti at the WC.
1
26 May 2026 04:48:58
Like football is now, it’s all about money. They can now just try to justify and hide behind the rubbish they peddle about inclusivity. Anyone with an ounce of brain knows it’s all about money, money, money and nothing else. Of course, you get the romantics, and then those who can’t see the woods for the trees, and then there are those that just want to peddle their own themes and try to shout down those whose opinions differ, or try not to listen to different opinions.
Some even suggest blocking opinions they don’t like, and that’s the worst of all. But hey, it’s 2026. But don’t try to kid yourselves that it’s not just about the money.
0
24 May 2026 20:47:32
With us seemingly moving early on a number of targets, is it possible that we are trying to get some players in before 30th June, and does this help with the available money we could spend post 30th June?
Not an expert on these things but we have seen clubs have to sell by this date to balance the books so maybe we can take advantage.
0
25 May 2026 03:15:47
I don't believe transfers-in completed between June 15 and 30 will make any difference to what we can spend after June 30. The overall amount of money the board is prepared to spend will be the same, one way or another. It's probably more dependent on a) who we can sell, and for how much, and b) available cash flow.
PSR expires at the end of the season, and my guess is United will have been in compliance for its final year and won't have any problem complying with UEFA's squad cost rules in the coming year, when revenues could increase to more like £750m.
I'd be much more concerned if I was a Chelsea supporter. I don't see how they can get out of the red. They've already used up their available bookkeeping gimmicks.
2
24 May 2026 20:40:36
When Carrick took over we were flattering to deceive, threatening the top 4 without ever convincing anyone we could do it.
So here we are, finishing 3rd, well clear of other teams and 7 points behind City in 2nd.
12 wins in 17 games, 39 points, which extrapolates to 87 points over a full season, enough to win the league this year.
Carrick did some simple things. He picked Mainoo, who has got better and better, and he pushed Bruno forward into the 10 role, both those things have had a major impact. He also played Dorgu further forward, and whilst his time has been limited, that also looks like an astute call.
The big thing for me is the spirit the team seems to have, they genuinely seem to like each other and play as a team.
So an awesome second half of the season but work needed for next year. Our issues are depth, our first 11 can compete with the best, but we will have many more games next year.
Dorgu feels like a new player in his new role, and I would promote Lacey who has shown great promise. We also need to keep Mount and Martinez fit, great players when available.
We need a top player to replace Cas, and also more depth in CM, and whilst Sesko has huge potential, that also feels like a gap we need to fill.
I'm excited for next year. I expect Kobe to go to another level, Sesko to find a real groove, and some of our younger players to continue their development.
I don't believe we need 4 first team players, although that would be great, we need depth. In terms of starters, CM and CF are the real opportunities.
A great end to the season, have a great summer gents.
4
24 May 2026 21:48:29
Ah, come on, man. You complain about my arguments on xG and then you do that extrapolation!!
Carrick didn't turn the season around. We were 5th when Amorim left. Carrick had great results, and his demeanour is great. Good luck to the man. He's got to show a lot of improvements, but hopefully he can do it. But our first XI is certainly not good enough to challenge.
We remain 2 or 3 players short in that regard, and another 2 or 3 squad players. I like the optimism, but I hope the club takes a more realistic evaluation of our squad than this. A summer like last year and we could have a team that can mix it with the best regularly. But I think we're two summers off being definite challengers.
1
24 May 2026 22:04:02
What is wrong with my extrapolation? XG is theoretical. My extrapolation took actuals for
half a season and looked at a full season. I know you thought RA was a winner, but I'm just quoting actual points.
1
24 May 2026 22:29:34
Ok, one more time then: xG is a retrospective measure of what happened in a game. It describes how often an average (at that level) footballer would score given the same chance. There are far more involved models of this that involve passing networks and so on. It is based on what happened in the game. Using this sort of model, teams have another way to evaluate their performance, but it also is a really good predictor for future performance (with some adjustments that are pointless talking about here).
Brighton owner Tony Bloom, via his company Star Lizard, and Brentford owner Matthew Benham base a huge amount of what they do on this. So, do keep misrepresenting my points, but you are swimming uptide. Fwiw, United were predicted to finish 3rd or 4th based on those metrics.
Your extrapolation accounts for nothing but vibes. Points per game based on a sample like that is an even worse predictor than goals per game. Your posts just reveal that you pay very little attention to what actually happens in games.
1
24 May 2026 22:42:11
Don,
Are you expecting us all to say 'oh do you know what, Don is correct, Amorim was world class'? If not, then I have no idea why you're beating the same drum. We all have eyes. Amorim was struggling; his tactics weren't working, and the players couldn't play the system. He was better this year than last year, but that wouldn't have been difficult.
I think most people will have United as a good chance for top 4 next season, depending on signings, even maybe a title challenge. Amorim wasn't getting us there, no matter how many xG stats you throw at it.
By the way, I'm an analytical person, and I liked Amorim, but I don't need stats to see that what he was doing wasn't working. Sometimes, football is just simple.
2
24 May 2026 23:00:26
Very little of that is true, GDS2. I don't want to keep on about this, but we've been top 5 pretty much all season. This turnaround is just in your heads. The results upturned a bit, but that was predicted as the forwards settled. It's not worth talking about any more. I never said Amorim was world class, and I think his emotional outburst meant he had to go. I just severely dislike this wonton rewriting of history to suit some narrative. This talk of the players struggling in his system is an example. It just wasn't true. Some players do better in different systems. Sesko prefers Carrick's, Mbeumo was better in Amorim's. But every modern system transitions between formations in the phases.
It's a frustration, as I've worked both with sports teams and large corporations, and those who don't see the progress in front of their eyes because of short term results, and then revert to the previous approach - which wasn't working - always end up failing. Luckily I do believe the senior leadership seems to realise this. They let Amorim go because of the outburst, but did want him to stay before that. They explored the market because they also see the issues with the counter attacking style and what the metrics are telling them. They are targeting the players based on a profiling that aligns really well with the types of metrics based models I know are used at the top clubs.
6
25 May 2026 04:41:20
Dress it up however you like. If RA was good enough, even if Carrick is good enough, one thing that is certain is this team is not good enough, that is 100%. We got one striker who ain't the finished article, we got poor CBs, and no midfield, and most on here moan about our full backs.
So, how on hell can anybody say our starting 11 could challenge for the title is beyond me. Take Bruno out, this team is awful.
2
25 May 2026 06:40:19
Nice uplifting positive post once again. A proper ray of sunshine.
1
25 May 2026 08:03:51
Jfc one would think we are no better than relegated West Ham judging by this person.
0
25 May 2026 11:22:41
Keefy,
I have him blocked so I don't get to see the nonsense anymore, but I assume it's him saying we are useless, none of the players are good enough and that me suggesting we could challenge for a title next season with the right signings is a stupid suggestion.
1
25 May 2026 14:49:18
Of course you do...
You go on thinking this first 11 gets anywhere near a title if you want, but I live in a real world, not pie in the sky world.
1
25 May 2026 21:31:25
You live with your head jammed where the sun don't shine pal! Jog on.
0
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