What does Manchester United stand for?
Winning is of course what football is all about. That is the singular reason why each and every professional footballer worth their salt enters the field of play. It is what all managers are employed to ensure, even with numerous caveats for resource and circumstance. Without that objective, football is nothing
But what of identity? In this age of interchangeable players and hot-desking coaches, what differentiates one club from another? The support from the fans may be constant and undivided (in the most part at least), but what separates Liverpool from Arsenal? Or say Fulham from Millwall?
One would hope that even now, century-old clubs still retain some level of unique character. In terms more befitting modern football’s marketing obsession, that would be their USP, or unique-selling point. Once it is gone, stadia are more akin to soulless terminals of temporary stay.
One of our most famous – and infamous – clubs is of course Manchester United. The very reason why the Old Trafford behemoth are loved and loathed more than anyone else is that they have certain definable characteristics, both good and bad, that represent them and them alone.
There are key traditions at United that are secondary to success, but not by much. The team must play with style, and youth must be given a chance. These are fundamental tenets, and yet the current manager, for all his previous success and glittering track record, doesn’t have much time for such whims.
He is clearly at a stage in his career where he feels that he has nothing to prove and no one to appease – even the fans. All he is interested in is ultimate success and his personal legacy. In some ways, fair enough –Â he will have fulfilled his remit.
But he will have done it betraying the United way.
So in comes a big-name striker of senior years who will guarantee goals – and perhaps the title – but will be gone in a couple of years. As does an exciting playmaker from Borussia Dortmund, who will presumably provide the bullets as well as sell shirts abroad.
As for the kids at a club that is synonymous with youth development? They’re all being sold for pittance, or going out on loan. It will be argued that the latter group are being farmed out to ‘gain experience’ before returning, but of course they won’t. The coach will have moved on by then anyway.
In total, five academy players have been sold, whilst seven have been loaned out. What kind of short-sighted monster does a thing like that? Each and every one of those players deserves a chance, no matter how good they are. Because this is Manchester United we’re talking about.
Alas the likes of Jesse Lingard and Michael Keane will probably never return to Old Trafford once their loan spell at Championship side Leicester City are up. And they’ll almost definitely never taste any regular first-team football in the Premiership.
As for those who have left permanently, like Robbie Brady and Paul Pogba, they’ll no doubt disappear into obscurity. Meanwhile, expensive additions like Robin van Persie and Shinji Kagawa will take their place, because Sir Alex Ferguson clearly doesn’t value youth.
It’s sad in so many ways. Sad that I’ve been driven to write this sanctimonious article about how dismayed I am. Sad that I’m desperately looking for a ‘narrative’ two games into the season. And sad because this is getting in the way of my piece on why I wish footballers were more like brave Olympians.
I’m so dismayed I think I need a lie down.
