Football 2012-2013

[TheGayTent]

Biggest flop of the season?

http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/sport/football/4917286/Top-10-Premier-League-transfer-flops-of-the-season.html

[the_hedge]

It seems to me that the availability of another manager has brought forward the decision.

Jose was very dignified (for him) when Real played United in the Chumps league. Has Fergie gone because now is the best time to get Jose? Has this been on the cards for months?

Everything points to Jose but all the smart money seems to be on Moyes?

[TheGayTent]

Apparently Man Utd fans are to celebrate Ferguson's retirement by clapping on 98th minute.

[eFestivals]

Its possible the doctors may have told him he might need a walking stick after this operation. Couple that with Mourinho/Moyes availability this summer and hes decided its best to bow out now.

yep, I think the chosen replacement manager's availability is very probably in the mix too - which adds to the idea that he's been pushed.

Pushed? Possibly.

But it won't have been the club, if it's happened at all it will have been his family.

Of course the drunk has denied it previously. He isn't stupid and won't want himself to have distracted

while that's true, that doesn't need to be publishing or speaking porkies about hgis future either. While it's one thing to respond to a journo's question with an answer like "I'm going on for a few more years", to choose to publish something like that within programme notes is something else entirely, and completely unnecessary if it's not true. And especially if less than a week later you know you're quitting.

I'm sure that within it all is an acceptance by fergie that it's time to go, because suspect he might have come out fighting if he wouldn't accept it. But I still think he's been pushed - or perhaps just nudged - into accepting that his time is over. There's just a bit too much about it that seems slightly odd.

[zero000]

Biggest flop of the season?

http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/sport/football/4917286/Top-10-Premier-League-transfer-flops-of-the-season.html

[TheGayTent]

I don't think it's odd at all. The motivation for the last few years has primarily been the European Cup. Then the pesky neighbours. Now he's beaten the pesky neighbours, accepted winning the European Cup is unlikely in the very near future, and his health is not what it was.

From his point of view the timing is perfect. The answer to why he's said what he's previously said could be as simple as ensuring he gets to go in his own way. Far more Fergie like.

I see no reason why the club would push him, and I would guess he wouldn't take it particularly well if he had...

[eFestivals]

Sinclair, Joe Allen and Danny Graham all in that list, we've obviously done some good business in the transfer market this year!

has Graham been a flop, really?

He played at Swansea like a £5M striker and he's played at S'land like a £5M striker. And he cost S'land £5M.

It's much like including Adeybayor in that list. You pay small money for a relatively crap player and you get a relatively crap player.

[The Nal]

yep, I think the chosen replacement manager's availability is very probably in the mix too - which adds to the idea that he's been pushed.

[TheGayTent]

has Graham been a flop, really?

He played at Swansea like a £5M striker and he's played at S'land like a £5M striker. And he cost S'land £5M.

[TheGayTent]

Too early in his career for Solskjaer presumably?

[eFestivals]

I don't think it's odd at all. The motivation for the last few years has primarily been the European Cup. Then the pesky neighbours. Now he's beaten the pesky neighbours, accepted winning the European Cup is unlikely in the very near future, and his health is not what it was.

From his point of view the timing is perfect. The answer to why he's said what he's previously said could be as simple as ensuring he gets to go in his own way. Far more Fergie like.

I see no reason why the club would push him, and I would guess he wouldn't take it particularly well if he had...

You've got me wrong. I don't think it so odd that he's retiring. It was going to happen soonish, or he was going to drop dead while still in place.

What I think is odd are some of the things around it, if everything about the decision to retire has been driven from only Fergie's side (that includes what his family might want).

There's not much to know about it all from where we are of course, but the bits and pieces that we do know don't quite add up into it clearly being his choice - unless it's a choice he's arrived at in only the last few days.

If there's anything about replacement manager's availability within it, that'll be the club which is driving that and not fergie.

And how do the club feel about their manager having to miss pre-season (which he would have had to do) and the strong possibility that he'd be going 'off sick' in similar ways more and more over the coming year or years? From the club's point of view these are things they wouldn't be wanting in any ideal situation, and the chances of ideal situations lessen as fergie ages.

Fergie's ideal time to retire and the club's view on it are unlikely to be in the exact same ball-park. They have a different set of priorities ultimately.

[the_hedge]

The thing is with the club being on the NYSE it's not like he was ever going to start giving hints.

Has Jose or Moyes insisted it's now or never? Fergie has always said nobody is bigger than the club and he would bring his retirement forward for the good of the club.

[TheGayTent]

This opinion will probably make me look stupid in a few years but...

...I think Moyes would be a disastrous appointment. Were I a Man Utd fan I'd be far happier with someone like Klopp

[The Nal]

Too early in his career for Solskjaer presumably?

Edited May 8, 2013 by The Nal

[TheGayTent]

Yeah. He needs to take on a role with a bigger club in Europe first. I really can't see Utd going with a big risk for a new manager. The club is too big now for that.

[eFestivals]

This opinion will probably make me look stupid in a few years but...

...I think Moyes would be a disastrous appointment.

you've got a 50/50 chance of being right if he gets the job.

I'm not sure he';d be a success, but I do think he's the 'best fit' candidate .... unless Utd are going to change their culture so that someone is bigger than the club. If moaniho gets the job it's going to become the Moaniho Show and not much about Utd.

[TheGayTent]

I'm not sure he';d be a success, but I do think he's the 'best fit' candidate .... unless Utd are going to change their culture so that someone is bigger than the club. If moaniho gets the job it's going to become the Moaniho Show and not much about Utd.

[The Nal]

Either way, right now I feel like Luke Skywalker did when he saw this happen.

[zero000]

has Graham been a flop, really?

He played at Swansea like a £5M striker and he's played at S'land like a £5M striker. And he cost S'land £5M.

It's much like including Adeybayor in that list. You pay small money for a relatively crap player and you get a relatively crap player.

[TheGayTent]

Noises seem to agree with you Nal re manager announcement sooner rather than later. You'd guess that manager would be currently in a job too?

Which would make me believe it can't be Klopp. But you do wonder about his future, it'll be very difficult to take them any further given even when reaching the European Cup Final his best players are leaving for pastures new.

[TheGayTent]

If it is Moyes maybe Everton will want Allardyce. He hasn't signed a new contract yet...

...here's hoping!

[The Nal]

Noises seem to agree with you Nal re manager announcement sooner rather than later. You'd guess that manager would be currently in a job too?

Which would make me believe it can't be Klopp. But you do wonder about his future, it'll be very difficult to take them any further given even when reaching the European Cup Final his best players are leaving for pastures new.

[TheGayTent]

The European Cup Final isn't until the 25th May though. Can't see a manager not being appointed before then and I can't see Klopp being announced before the final. So I would rule Klopp out.

[eFestivals]

It's been the Fergie show for donkeys so I don't see much difference.

True, but to my mind fergie still shows a deference towards the club in a way I've not ever seen from moaniho and can't see him ever managing to do.

[The Nal]

The European Cup Final isn't until the 25th May though. Can't see a manager not being appointed before then and I can't see Klopp being announced before the final. So I would rule Klopp out.

Edited May 8, 2013 by The Nal