Long post Alert.
I understand all the banter, but truth be said, he's the only manager on upward trajectory available.
There are no Pep's or Kloop waiting somewhere for us to sign him thus you take a gamble for the future.
My ideal manager would have been Hansi Flick but he's not available.
So we've our own Bald fraudster .
The biggest problem we have is Team Spirit. Just through the eye ball test.
How has team spirit plummet this much now, and why does it swing up down every 3 years?
The easiest way to solve this puzzle is to check the meaning of team spirit, what it entails and how do you build team spirit.
I've tried to outline the basic things one can do to lifting team spirit
1. Articulate and operate within a core set of values.
2. Provide clear direction and a sense of purpose. Money motivates; it doesn’t inspire. The desire to be the best is driven from the inside, not the outside.
3. Make trust-building a top priority. It is the foundation of high-performing teams. Trust is built by being reliable, open, straightforward, and accepting.
4. Value the contribution of each player. Loyalty is earned by caring about not only the performance, but also the person.
5. Build on strengths; manage weakness. Put people in positions where they play best and minimize where they are vulnerable.
6. Listen to, acknowledge, and celebrate each player early and often.
If we are honest United is lacking on all the points.
1. We do not have a core playing culture or values. Pep & Kloop do have it. You know how City will play or how Liverpool will play. Players are signed using this metrics.
2. We lack direction and purpose. Liverpool & City are result oriented. United is commercial, marketing signings etc.
3. How do you build trust when the last permanent manager we've had was Mourinho signed in 2016. Ole was a interim who got to permanent manager through emotions. It's not a coincidence Pep & Kloop are top of the longest serving managers in the league. Trust is build through time, honesty and truthfulness. United we lack this.
4. How does United give loyalty when you know even if you play badly you will still be in the team or still earn your millions. How is loyalty rewarded when older players are signed to take place for younger players. They take even your shirt number. Contracts reward mechanisms etc. In Liverpool & City nobody is in the team not for his work result.
5. United even do not have a strength weakness analysis, why because the players are not signed with this in mind. Henderson is not the most talented midfielder but he does the job for Liverpool to his strength. Benardo Silva is not the strongest midfielder but Pep uses him to his strength. United even do know who has which strength as everything is skewed.
6. United have never been listening to other voices. The powers to be did not want to relinquish power to outsiders. In United Ed Woodward was the bigger figure than the manager. In Liverpool or City we know Pep & Kloop more than the Directors of Footballs or CEOs.
It's now United have started to listen and it's now I think they are working on the points above to create a team spirit that is sustainable and efficient in it's work.
Liverpool sold Countiho, Gigi
City let go of Aguero, Silva, Kompany and still the team spirit is at its highest.
United have 6 players leaving the team this summers, plus another 5 players who do not play or add any value on the team. We lack the 14-15 core players which every team has.
So with Ten Hag coming United will fulfill 2 point above immediately
Number 1... Having a core values, playing plan.
Number 6... Listening, if Ralf was not around we would have signed Poch so the corridors of power are listening to outsiders now.
The rest of the points is what now Ten Hag has to create, we can only hope it will work out. The board has to commit to support him in building a team spirit which is necessary for success.
At least now we hope derby games will be competitive and compelling.
