Not Ten Hag or Glazers – Gary Neville identifies Man Utd’s biggest problem since Sir Alex Ferguson left
Since Sir Alex Ferguson’s departure in 2013, Manchester United has faced a consistent struggle to secure silverware.
However, Gary Neville is refraining from placing the blame on the shoulders of the club’s post-Ferguson managers.
Neville asserts that all of Manchester United’s recent managers have been “very good,” shifting the responsibility for the trophy drought to the Glazer family, who own the club.
During Sir Alex Ferguson’s illustrious 26-and-a-half-year tenure, United enjoyed tremendous success, clinching 13 Premier League titles and two Champions League trophies, in addition to various other honors.
However, the club has been unable to secure either of these prestigious titles since Ferguson’s retirement in 2013.
In the intervening years, United’s trophy cabinet has added two League Cups, two Community Shields, the FA Cup, and the Europa League. Several managers have tried and failed to replicate Ferguson’s remarkable achievements.
A succession of managers, including David Moyes, Ryan Giggs, Louis van Gaal, Jose Mourinho, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, Michael Carrick, and Ralf Rangnick, have taken charge of United post-Ferguson.
Erik ten Hag, the current manager, led the club to a League Cup victory last season and an FA Cup final, but his tenure is still under scrutiny.
During a Twitter Q&A, Neville was asked to identify United’s best manager since Ferguson. He responded, “All very good managers but hampered by the ownership, (there’s a) lack of good leadership below the owners, and poor recruitment.”
United has faced criticism for their transfer dealings since Ferguson’s departure, characterized by a scattergun approach.
The Glazers only appointed a football director in March 2021 when John Murtough assumed the role, while Darren Fletcher took on the position of technical director.
Notable transfers include the world-record signing of Paul Pogba from Juventus in 2016, who, despite his hefty price tag, won just two major honors during his six-year tenure before returning to Juventus on a free transfer in 2022.
In 2019, United paid £80 million to Leicester for Harry Maguire, making him the world’s most expensive defender.
While Maguire has had his moments of success and remains at the club, many fans feel that the transfer fee was excessive.
Angel Di Maria arrived from Real Madrid in a £59.7 million deal in 2014 but was sold to Paris Saint-Germain at a reduced fee just a year later.
Fred’s £47 million transfer from Shakhtar Donetsk in 2018 raised eyebrows, and his performance at Old Trafford was inconsistent.
United’s contracts for Alexis Sanchez and Cristiano Ronaldo in recent years did not yield the expected results.
Even Erik ten Hag’s tenure has been marked by questionable decisions, with Antony failing to live up to the expectations associated with his £82 million price tag.
Sir Jim Ratcliffe, the INEOS chief, hopes to be the catalyst for changing United’s fortunes. He is on the verge of acquiring a 25 percent stake in the club for £1.4 billion, with the Glazers retaining overall control. It is anticipated that Ratcliffe will assume responsibility for football operations.
