The Manager,
Manchester United Football Club (MUFC)
Old Trafford,
Sir Matt Busby Way,
Manchester M16 0RA,
United Kingdom
Subject: 2013-14 season
Dear David,
When your legendary predecessor made a teary and emotional appeal
to all (true) Manchester United fans - i vowed at that very moment to pledge my
support to the new manager, whoever he may have been. It was no surprise when
the echelons of Old Trafford staked a lot of confidence in you by offering you
an unprecedented 6 year deal. In an era where trophy-winning managers are
unceremoniously fired within 2-3 seasons, this vote of confidence was a
refreshing change and in consonance with the ethos of Old Trafford.
However passionate we fans are and how much ever habituated we
were to trophies, we never expected you to have a fairytale start to your stint
here. We are mindful of the fact that Alex Ferguson tool more than two decades
to set up a working system and it is not easy for a newcomer to slot in seamlessly
as though nothing happened. We also accept that you inherited an ageing squad,
where a lot of players are walking into the dusk of their careers. I cannot
speak for others, but i surely concede that Ferguson's retirement wasn't the
most well-planned event to happen at this illustrious club. I am also willing
to give you benefit of doubt for having to put up with Ed Woodward who thinks
endorsements, whereas David Gill thought football.
Given your credentials and performance at Preston and Everton, I
had no doubt ever that you had the credentials and caliber to succeed Britain's
most successful manager, given time, money and backing. Old Trafford gave all
of that to you and you surely cannot complain. Agreed you have to put up with a
sulking Robin Van Persie and an underwhelming Tom Cleverly. Agreed that you
need to worry about the hospital bills of Rio Ferdinand and a speedily
ageing Nemanja Vidic. I also sympathise that you need to put up with the chums
of Wayne Rooney. But which manager doesn’t face this? If Ferguson dealt with
this with an iron fist, you seem to be made of glass. For all I can see through
the façade of a team, you don’t seem to be in charge David. I could be slightly
off the mark, but certainly not way off the mark, when I sense a chaotic,
disloyal and under-motivated dressing room – something unheard by our
generation of Manchester United supporters.
Yes you would be unfairly compared to your illustrious mentor; but
you did try to be your own man, didn’t you? However valiant that attempt was,
it lacked logic and rationale! Why would you replace your entire backroom staff
when you walked into a set up that was tested over many years? Surely Phelan and
Meulensteen would’ve been of invaluable help. Once you did that, we did panic a
little. Now we are panicking a hell lot.
Honestly, we kept our hopes very grounded when the season started.
All we expected was a top 4 finish at most and a spirited fight to get there at
least. What pains us is that neither of it seems to be happening, more so the
latter. I really don’t care if we lose 5 games at Old Trafford this season – it
will count for nothing in the long term. What I cannot watch is the manner in
which we are surrendering to opponents, without a fight, without a performance,
without a bloody effort. What I cannot accept is that teams run riot against us
and seem to be increasingly emboldened by the passing day. What was once an
intimidating stadium to walk into is now becoming a theatre of dreams in the
most undesirable sense of the name! Teams dream to walk into this theatre, put
up a performance and walk out with their heads held high. I have been watching
United games regularly since the past 14-15 years and I do not remember a time where
3,000-5,000 travelling fans came to Old Trafford and cranked up the noise to
the chagrin of our loyal supporters – not even the famed Juventus fans did it
at the peak of their powers and the peak of our rivalry. And now? 4,500
Liverpool supporters shout their lungs out, take of their shirts and mock our
faithful with the bravado and audacity befitting a team that dominated Old
Trafford. And they actually did. It is not the score line that hurts as much at
what transpired in the 90 minutes that does. I will not delve into technical
analysis of the game, for that has been done by qualified and unqualified
people at large. But one stat stands out and I will repeat it – Liverpool won
as many penalties in one match at Old Trafford as Manchester United has won at
Anfield in more than eight decades.
This may be just a trivia, but I see this as a ominous sign
pointing to a mammoth decay in my team. Tonight, the Greeks will come to Old Trafford
with pumped up chests. Can you, David, tell me – when was the last time a Greek
team came to Old Trafford, talking of defeating us in our backyard? And this isn’t
blabber – they have substance to their claims. Teams no longer fear us. We are becoming
pushovers. I always thought the most pathetic football match ever was when we
played out a 0-0 draw to Machester City a few seasons ago. Believe me, the
defeat at Olympiacos was more pathetic than that. We just did not turn up.
Just as we thought that would be rock bottom, Liverpool came and
mauled us. What did we lack in the Liverpool game? We had our full strength team,
which was adequately rested. Is that there is no common purpose? Is that they
are demotivated? Is it that there exists a communication gap? If any of these
exist, you need to get your house in order and quickly. What bemuses me is tactical
laxity. You are waiting for things to happen – you do not make them happen. I agree
that Ferguson also did take his time to make changes during a match. But those
days were different. His players were full of self-belief. They were told that
were champions. He could bank on some spark of brilliance or inspiration that
put us over the line. Imagine Nani and Carrick being our star performers under
him!
I am sure you are reasonably aware, that if we do not make it to
the continental showpiece next year, we will not be able to attract any big
talent in the summer. In a scenario where we need wholesale changes to be rung
in, this paradox will make your life miserable and rightly so. Reflect on the
games we’ve lost or drawn from winning positions – it never happened in the
past two decades. Closing out games is elementary skill and needs no legendary manager
on the touchline.
You need to get the players responding to you David. If RVP is the
rotten apple, drop the bloody player. He is not more important than the club. Play
Chicharito or push Welbeck higher up the pitch. I don’t care. But one RVP
cannot ruin the psyche of 10 other players and that is clearly happening. He doesn’t
seem to rue missed chances nor does he seem to be interested in doing anything
but strolling in the box. And above all – please stop playing Marouane
Fellaini. He is not Manchester United material. Can you please tell me – what is
his strength? Passing? Tackling? Holding the midfield? Pace? Ball control? I deserve
an answer for you have paid more than his release clause.
We don’t mind if you need 2-3 seasons to rebuild. Brendan Rodgers
was allowed that time and the results are here to see. But in these 2-3
seasons, we will not accept humiliation and surrender. We want United to fight
for every ball, every tackle, every shot and every save. We need referees to
fear giving decisions at Old Trafford. We want you to get the extra 1 minute of
added time. We need those stoppage time goals. We need a measly defense and
extended clean sheets. We need teams to shudder to come to our stadium. We want
a reason to support you David and you are not obliging. Instead of doing
something that assuages our fears, you chose to shoot off an open letter to buy
sympathy. Sorry, but that has not gone down well with us. We do not want a
manager apologizing for something that should have been corrected long time
ago.
I still pledge to stand by you and your team if you can make them
feel like United players. I subscribe to the words of the great Bill Shankley –
“If you cannot support us in times of loss, do not support us in times of
victory”. And since I supported Manchester United during times of victory, I will
stand by it in times of despair. Let me be honest – since 8 years we have been
mocking Arsenal fans in jest, but we never liked their plight. I don’t want us
to become another Arsenal. We cannot afford that.
A lot of people are quoting you as an example of Peter’s Principle.
Lest you change soon and decisively, I may well be one of them soon.
Your sincerely,
A devoted, passionate, rational and faithful Manchester United Fan
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