Media discussion - 2025/26

[eyalluvitt]

Can he calculate Pogba?

Or Anthony, Mason Mount, Casemiro etc etc etc

 

[FootballSense]

This really doesn't feel overly negative or critical from Wilson.

We all saw what Pep looked like during the rough patch last winter. He has talked about needing a long break. I'm sure there's enough guys on here who have gone through a divorce without the trouble of it being put out in the open. He has been in management surprisingly long now (his first UCL title is 16 years ago).

It's not unusual to have these questions. We all know Pep is closer to the end than the beginning with us. He obviously gets the benefit of the doubt due to his record and I think I think having a lot of new signings in the last 8 months is going to be great for him as far as a new challenge and younger players to work with, but this is far from a hit piece.

1. Agreed, new signings and younger players to work with should be great for Pep. This is not mentioned in the piece.
2. Pep looked visibly refreshed in the USA - but not mentioned.
3 .Pep has extended every contract with City. The press only gave him 3 years ! No mention of this.
4.Yes, Pep and others looked jaded last season for a variety of reasons.
5. Maybe Wilson has done a positive piece on City. I must have missed it. Agree, not an out an out hit piece. Interesting timing though.
6.Why is it assumed that Pep can not do what the manager at OT did?

 

[The Light Was Yellow Sir]

Due to PSR it is more of a thing.
That negative difference of £13m directly affects PSR calcs.
If they sold him for £30m next year instead, it would be a positive (for United) of £8.5m on PSR. If they sold him for £30m 2 years down the line it would be £30m positive for PSR.

That’s why selling Rashford for any figure would be a positive for United regarding PSR - as he cost £0 to buy, so the value of amortised remaining is £0.

Garnacho, due to low buying cost, would also be a positive PSR.

Sancho is similar to hojlund, but worse - longer and higher contract transfer fee.

Said no football fan in the history of the world…

 

[The Light Was Yellow Sir]

1. Agreed, new signings and younger players to work with should be great for Pep. This is not mentioned in the piece.
2. Pep looked visibly refreshed in the USA - but not mentioned.
3 .Pep has extended every contract with City. The press only gave him 3 years ! No mention of this.
4.Yes, Pep and others looked jaded last season for a variety of reasons.
5. Maybe Wilson has done a positive piece on City. I must have missed it. Agree, not an out an out hit piece. Interesting timing though.
6.Why is it assumed that Pep can not do what the manager at OT did?

I always remember the media jokers after his first season here and how he’d been ‘found out’. ‘You can’t play like that in the PL and win anything’.
Mind you, to be fair, there were a fair few on here saying the same…

 

[kippaxwarrior]

Second rag article today from Slimy Stone on the BBC website.

That makes 31out of his last 32 articles THE CHIEF FOOTBALL CORRESPONDENT for the BBC has written articles solely about the rags

 

[jamielowndes]

1. Agreed, new signings and younger players to work with should be great for Pep. This is not mentioned in the piece.
2. Pep looked visibly refreshed in the USA - but not mentioned.
3 .Pep has extended every contract with City. The press only gave him 3 years ! No mention of this.
4.Yes, Pep and others looked jaded last season for a variety of reasons.
5. Maybe Wilson has done a positive piece on City. I must have missed it. Agree, not an out an out hit piece. Interesting timing though.
6.Why is it assumed that Pep can not do what the manager at OT did?

1. The article is about Pep, not City if that makes sense, so its more about the challenge of coming off of your first wave of success. And tbf it is the first team he's ever had to rebuild as we're the only club he's been at for over 4 years. So I understand the caution from Wilson, even if I'm one of those who thinks a much younger and faster team is going to make last year look like the anomaly that it was.

2. It was a preseason tournament. And the article doesn't exactly say he's on his last legs. And he's made the 15 year comment since then. We know he's likely near the end of his career. It's not anti-Pep or anti-City to suggest he has an eye on the exit door somewhere in the future. I dont think he gets sacked, nor does he blindside the office on when he's leaving. They'll have the replacement ready to go.

3. The purpose of this piece isn't fact checking every reporters take on Pep. As someone who has read a lot of Wilsons books, he tends to give Pep his due respect. And tbf there was a universal apprehension over how Pep would manage English football. Journalists get it wrong too. It's just opinion pieces at the end of the day.

4. Last season was an absolute mess. Team looked old, couldn't stay healthy, Pep had a divorce going on, 3 of our most influential players struggled with age and or injury (Rodri, KDB, Walker) and tactically we couldn't match the rest of the leagues energy for a while. But until we at least challenge for the title, that's the lasting impression of us. You're only as good as your last season.

5. Peps future is a constant talking point as he hasn't come out and tied himself down to a 5 or 6 year deal. And as for timing, the season starts in 2 weeks.

6. It's not assumed that he can't. But has Pep done anything to suggest he wants to.

 

[Prestwich_Blue]

Second rag article today from Slimy Stone on the BBC website.

That makes 31out of his last 32 articles THE CHIEF FOOTBALL CORRESPONDENT for the BBC has written articles solely about the rags

So what was the one article he wrote about football?

 

[jamielowndes]

I always remember the media jokers after his first season here and how he’d been ‘found out’. ‘You can’t play like that in the PL and win anything’.
Mind you, to be fair, there were a fair few on here saying the same…

Tbf that first season kind of suggested that.

Peps strength as a manager was never his plan A. It was always his response to the situation. On a smaller level, there's been more than enough games with a perfectly timed substitution or tactical change. On a larger level, the difference between the 16/17 then 17/18 season and even the complete revamp through the 20/21 season that went from 8th in November to winning the league with games to spare.

 

[FootballSense]

1. The article is about Pep, not City if that makes sense, so its more about the challenge of coming off of your first wave of success. And tbf it is the first team he's ever had to rebuild as we're the only club he's been at for over 4 years. So I understand the caution from Wilson, even if I'm one of those who thinks a much younger and faster team is going to make last year look like the anomaly that it was.

2. It was a preseason tournament. And the article doesn't exactly say he's on his last legs. And he's made the 15 year comment since then. We know he's likely near the end of his career. It's not anti-Pep or anti-City to suggest he has an eye on the exit door somewhere in the future. I dont think he gets sacked, nor does he blindside the office on when he's leaving. They'll have the replacement ready to go.

3. The purpose of this piece isn't fact checking every reporters take on Pep. As someone who has read a lot of Wilsons books, he tends to give Pep his due respect. And tbf there was a universal apprehension over how Pep would manage English football. Journalists get it wrong too. It's just opinion pieces at the end of the day.

4. Last season was an absolute mess. Team looked old, couldn't stay healthy, Pep had a divorce going on, 3 of our most influential players struggled with age and or injury (Rodri, KDB, Walker) and tactically we couldn't match the rest of the leagues energy for a while. But until we at least challenge for the title, that's the lasting impression of us. You're only as good as your last season.

5. Peps future is a constant talking point as he hasn't come out and tied himself down to a 5 or 6 year deal. And as for timing, the season starts in 2 weeks.

6. It's not assumed that he can't. But has Pep done anything to suggest he wants to.

I agree with much of the above and last season was not the best compared to recent, exceptional success, I have seen much worse.

Why should Pep tie himself down to a longer term deal? He works on trust and understanding with the Chairman and owners. He has been at City longer than anywhere else. Whilst outsiders always speculate, Wilson does at least accept that others on the inside know much more that external football writers.

I maintain the view that overall Wilson and The Guardian`s opinion pieces have not been favourable to City and, as Pep is a huge part of City, the two are almost as one. When there is a positive it is often counter balanced with a negative or weaving in FFP/PSR matters out of context to an article.

Wilson and co have been speculating every year since Pep agreed to extend beyond 3 years years. Eventually they will get it right.

 

[Platt Lane 59]

Simon Stone strikes again, now using 'Net Book Value' to make it seem like selling Hojlund for £30M would be less of a loss.

Since when, in the history of football transfer news, has anyone EVER used current net book value??

View attachment 164797

Give Slippery his due, he is a creative critter.
Not exactly sure what "Net Book Value" actually means ?
I presume he has started using this valuation, as it suits the Trafford Tramps with their current financial feck-up with "Junior Dot-to Dot" Hojiland (apologize to the original - Luke Chadwick) ?
Shame this Net Book Value wasn't mentioned with Van de Beek, Pogba or even Forlan ?

 

[Platt Lane 59]

So what was the one article he wrote about football?

Salford City ?
The Splitters ?
City & Pep are fecked ?

 

[JASR]

Simon Stone strikes again, now using 'Net Book Value' to make it seem like selling Hojlund for £30M would be less of a loss.

Also, to paraphrase another red arse licking bellend:
‘Whomever buys Hojlund is getting a 70m player for 30m’

It’s a DvdB in reverse.

United a club where players careers go to die.

 

[Silva61]

Due to PSR it is more of a thing.
That negative difference of £13m directly affects PSR calcs.
If they sold him for £30m next year instead, it would be a positive (for United) of £8.5m on PSR. If they sold him for £30m 2 years down the line it would be £30m positive for PSR.

That’s why selling Rashford for any figure would be a positive for United regarding PSR - as he cost £0 to buy, so the value of amortised remaining is £0.

Garnacho, due to low buying cost, would also be a positive PSR.

Sancho is similar to hojlund, but worse - longer and higher contract transfer fee.

That club must be so fuckin toxic they feel they can afford to put out negative press and de value their players. SCUM.

 

[Legalamb777]

Well the clubs with the most plastic fans is Liverpool,rags & the tarquins.
MSM wants clicks,to make money.
MSM produces excessive positive stories and very few negative stories about Liverpool &the rags.
MSM knows positive stories about city will not get clicks,other than from city fans(we don’t have many plastics contradictory to the narrative pushed by other fans).
When MSM do actually print a story it’s 99.9% negative,and that story will actually get even more clicks than any story about Liverpool,rags & the tarquins put together,because ALL said clubs will click on it.

So to sum up,lots of coverage (mostly positive) for Liverpool,rags,tarquins…gets the MSM lovely clicks.
Lots of negative stories about city(think 115) gets MSM even MORE lovely clicks.

Simple really….personally I just read M.Samuel in the Times & the EXCELLENT blog Readbutneverred:)

 

[nmc]

Second rag article today from Slimy Stone on the BBC website.

That makes 31out of his last 32 articles THE CHIEF FOOTBALL CORRESPONDENT for the BBC has written articles solely about the rags

I did complain to the Beeb amount Stone being Chief Football Writer but only writing about one club. They said he was employed to only cover United but said they were advertising for more journalists to cover other PL teams. I asked them about the adverts and the only one they could point to was for someone to cover Newcastle. Their coverage is completely dominated by the Rags but they won’t have it Absolutely joke of an organisation.

 

[Fred_Quimby]

I love Slyman Stone as he reminds me so much of why I f..king hate the rags.

 

[blueste41]

Give Slippery his due, he is a creative critter.
Not exactly sure what "Net Book Value" actually means ?
I presume he has started using this valuation, as it suits the Trafford Tramps with their current financial feck-up with "Junior Dot-to Dot" Hojiland (apologize to the original - Luke Chadwick) ?
Shame this Net Book Value wasn't mentioned with Van de Beek, Pogba or even Forlan ?

It's a standard formula to determine the assets a company holds on a balance sheet. Generally speaking the net book value is determined by taking the purchase cost and then subtracting its accumulated depreciation to date. In terms of a footballer it's simply the difference between the transfer fee spent on the player, minus what has so far been amortised. If after 2 years a £50m player is sold , he will have a book value of £30m. That means that any sale over £30m is considered, within the accounts, profit. Anything under £30m is a loss.

 

[JGL07]

Also, to paraphrase another red arse licking bellend:
‘Whomever buys Hojlund is getting a 70m player for 30m’

It has happened before.

Remember Gary Birtles? He looked a world class player with Forest under Clough. He signed for United and was useless. He went back to Forest for peanuts and was back to form.

 

[Hes the left back remember]

It has happened before.

Remember Gary Birtles? He looked a world class player with Forest under Clough. He signed for United and was useless. He went back to Forest for peanuts and was back to form.

The joke at the time was that they named a building in Manchester after him…… UMIST

 

[its grim up north]

The joke at the time was that they named a building in Manchester after him…… UMIST

Also it was widely reported that when Terry Waite was released from being a hostage in Lebanon for 5years ,his first words to the world was, "Has Birtles scored yet"?