The Manchester United Thread - Post all things Man U here

[soapfan]

EDIT - Since there has been an influx of Man Utd Threads, we thought this would be a good place to keep them all under one banner

So any Man U fans, this is the place to be for all things United




Should Matt Busby had ever taken the Manchester United manager's job? - The question is like when Mark Hughes took the Manchester City manager's job.

 

[soapfan]

Could Manchester United had appointed a foreign manager during the 1960s-1980s?

I ask the above question because both Arsenal AND Liverpool did appoint a foreign manager in the 1990s.

Examples of foreign managers Manchester United could have appointed included:-
Alfredo Di Stefano
Avram Grant
Ernst Happel
Helenio Herrera
Johan Cryuff
Klaus Toppmoller
Luiz Felipe Scolari
Ottmar Hitzfeld
Otto Gloria
Vladica Popovic

Discuss.

 

[soapfan]

Should Stan Cullis (Wolves)/Bob Jackson (Portsmouth) had taken the Manchester United manager's job instead of Matt Busby?

Logically, I think YES definitely because Matt Busby had too many connections to rival clubs Manchester City and Liverpool.

 

[Sea - Boo! - Er]

Matt Busby is name checked in the Beatles' ad libbed song "Dig It" on the Let It Be album, but I had no idea who he was until now.

 

[soapfan]

From watching the ITV4 documentary Keane and Vieira, here is the Manchester United XI i'd have chosen, with Roy Keane on the bench as the substitute for Paul Scholes:-

GK - Edwin Van Der Sar
RB - Gary Neville
CB - Rio Ferdinand
CB - Nemanja Vidic
LB - Patrice Evra
RM - Andrei Kanchelskis
CM - Antonio Valencia
CM - Paul Scholes
LM - Ryan Giggs
ST - Wayne Rooney
ST - Andy Cole/Dwight Yorke/Teddy Sheringham/Ole Gunnar Solskjaer - At least 1 out of Cole, Yorke, Sheringham OR Solskjaer.

I sometimes wonder with the Manchester United team of 1988 which lost the title that year, which brings me to the team towards the end of the decade in 1989.

GK - Chris Turner (sold too early, just like I didn't agree with some of Ferguson's decisions, that whilst he was in charge 27 years and won 13 titles, at least 14 of those years he went without titles - 1987-1992, 1995, 1998, 2002, 2004-2006, 2010 and 2012, so there was only a series of cup runs really)
DF - Mike Duxbury (A STAR PLAYER)
DF - Billy Garton
DF - Paul McGrath
MF - Tony Gill
MF - Remi Moses (A STAR PLAYER)
MF - Liam O'Brien
MF - Jesper Olsen
MF - Gordon Strachan (A STAR PLAYER WHO MADE THE CROSS PENNINE SWITCH TO LEEDS UNITED WHERE HER WON THE LEAGUE TITLE)
MF/ST - Norman Whiteside (A STAR PLAYER WHO RETIRED/LEFT EARLY)
ST - Peter Davenport

 

[soapfan]

What if Manchester United had appointed a top foreign manager in the 1980s?

It seemed to work for Liverpool and Arsenal in the 1990s onwards to start appointing foreign managers, so why not Manchester United also? It would have worked out better especially between 1980-1984 before the Heysel situation where English clubs were banned from European competition(s) during 1985-1989. When Liverpool appointed Rafael Benitez, they made it to 2 European Cup finals in 3 years, both winning 1 (2005) and losing 1 (2007).

I should also add that Manchester United were close to winning the title in 1980, and because they didn't win it that year, they therefore finished in 2nd place/runners-up against Liverpool.

 

[Angela Chilling]

Until Arsenal appointed Arsene Wenger, foreign managers were generally unsuccessful in the Premier League. The first one I can recall, in what was then the First Division, was Jozef Venglos at Aston Villa and who remembers him now? Then there was Ossie Ardilles at Spurs whose managerial career was unremarkable and also forgotten.

The general view at the time was that English football was particularly unique in our style of play so foreign managers would always fail. That was English exceptionalist nonsense but was a widely held view in the 1980s. Against that backdrop, it was inconceivable that Manchester United would appoint a manager from outside of the British Isles.

Also, in the 1980s the Football League limited the number of foreign players who could play for a club. Initially, I think it was to just 3 players so any foreign manager would have had to succeed with using English players which would have made it a less attractive prospect for them.

 

[soapfan]

Until Arsenal appointed Arsene Wenger, foreign managers were generally unsuccessful in the Premier League. The first one I can recall, in what was then the First Division, was Jozef Venglos at Aston Villa and who remembers him now? Then there was Ossie Ardilles at Spurs whose managerial career was unremarkable and also forgotten.

The general view at the time was that English football was particularly unique in our style of play so foreign managers would always fail. That was English exceptionalist nonsense but was a widely held view in the 1980s. Against that backdrop, it was inconceivable that Manchester United would appoint a manager from outside of the British Isles.

Also, in the 1980s the Football League limited the number of foreign players who could play for a club. Initially, I think it was to just 3 players so any foreign manager would have had to succeed with using English players which would have made it a less attractive prospect for them.

Yes ok, Manchester United should have got a foreign manager in, and/or better still not been overreliant on Matt Busby just like Alex Ferguson. Liverpool NEVER did that, there an individual or so laying the foundations, and then someone could step up into the manager role, if only Bob Paisley had the 27 year tenure from 1983 backwards from from 1956 and became a "Sir" with a knighthood, THE greatest British manager ahead of Scottish classless arrogant boasting bully Alex Ferguson who said "there's no question about that" and a complete arrogant egotistical arsehole out for himself and dumping Manchester United in the shit with the Glazers because of his legal battle against major shareholders via his selfish pertainment etc towards money and greed.

 

[soapfan]

What if Manchester United had signed Lee Chapman/Rod Wallace OR Jean-Pierre Papin instead of Eric Cantona?

One thing we know is that their 1992/93 title win didn't get achieved easily, it was only by fluke because Manchester United bottled it in 1991/92.

Eric Cantona was a good player, but not on the European stage like George Best and Bobby Charlton or postponing the retirement until 1998, and Eric Cantona being in relegation team(s) with Bordeaux OR Montpellier just like Roy Keane was with Nottingham Forest, otherwise 1997-2002 would/could have been different, with Manchester United within a half a chance of winning against Bayer Leverkusen and the final.

 

[soapfan]

It's one thing being critical, BUT however, Manchester City made things worse when they put 3 stars above their badge crest in 1997 for a laugh, which was much WORSE and BAD than in 1998, and how talented Chief Executive like Peter Kenyon who redesigned the Manchester United badge even better, and how Manchester United's loss of Peter Kenyon was a very bad thing, he even managed at Chelsea in London to redesign their badge also, otherwise Manchester City can revert back to their 1996 and/or previous badge crests.

People may criticise Manchester United for their poor European Cup record with Liverpool's 6 European Cup winning titles within comparison, otherwise there's - 1968, 1997, 1999, 2002 (A MASSIVE LOSS), 2008, 2009, 2011, 2017, 2025. There was also 1983-1984 when Manchester United came close to winning the Cup Winners Cup in 1984.​

Finally, at least in the last decade Manchester United's record in europe during 2017-2025 Present has improved in light criticisms.

The years mentioned, 6 potential european cups out of 9, to equivalise Liverpool.

 

[soapfan]

Manchester United ought to allow Old Trafford to be shared by Manchester City for at least 5 years, with Manchester United returning the favour as such as a United City.

The M16 Postcode Area also covered Moss Side, otherwise there's only Whalley Range/Firswood, along with Fallowfield, Ladybarn, Rusholme, Victoria Park and Longsight, and how if Manchester United hadn't moved out from Newton Heath halfway to Trafford, then Manchester City could easily have just as well moved from Ardwick to the M19 postcode area of Levenshulme halfway from Stockport and Manchester City building and locating their stadium at Levenshulme instead of Maine Road.

 

[soapfan]

Players who have played for both Everton and Manchester United:-

To name examples, Norman Whiteside, Mark Hughes, Wayne Rooney, Marouane Fellaini, Louis Saha, Tim Howard, Phil Neville, Darron Gibson, Andrei Kanchelskis.

The 2009 FA Cup final runners-up side against Chelsea was the most recent successful side throughout Everton's more recent history.

Everton and Manchester United are known/almost like allies.

Can anyone think of anymore players who represented both clubs?

 

[soapfan]

Could Mike Summerbee and Colin Bell/Francis Lee of Manchester City had been part of the England 1966 World Cup winning squad?

Clubs like Everton, Liverpool and Manchester United had at least 1 player representing the squad, yet Manchester City didn't have a single player to represent them.

 

[soapfan]

LIVERPOOL AND MANCHESTER UNITED PLAYERS OF NATIONALITY:-
Argentina, Belgium, Brazil, Cameroon, Denmark, England, France, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Scotland, South Africa, Spain, Wales.

MANCHESTER UNITED PLAYERS OF NATIONALITY TO SIGN IN FUTURE:-
Australia, Colombia, Croatia, Egypt, Finland, Germany, Greece, Guinea, Israel, Mali, Poland, Senegal, Slovakia, Switzerland and Zimbabwe.

LIVERPOOL PLAYERS OF NATIONALITY TO SIGN IN FUTURE:-
Bulgaria, Ecuador, Ivory Coast, Mexico, Serbia, South Korea, Russia, Sweden and Trinidad and Tobago.


LIVERPOOL FC LEGENDS
GK: Bruce Grobbelaar/Jerzy Dudek/Pepe Reina/Loris Karius/Simon Mignolet/Alisson, DF: Joel Matip, DF: Ragnar Klavan, DF: Alberto Moreno, DF: Djimi Traore, DF: Sami Hyypia, DF: Daniel Agger, DF: Josemi, DF: Dejan Lovren, DF: Alvaro Arbeloa, DF: Ibrahima Konate, DF: Virgil van Dijk, DF: Kosta Tsimikas, DF/MF: John Arne Riise, MF: Emre Can, MF: Georginio Wijnaldum, MF: Xabi Alonso, MF: Luis Garcia, MF: Javier Mascherano, MF: Boudewijn Zenden, MF: Craig Johnston, MF: Jan Molby, MF: Dietmar Hamann, MF: Antonio Nunez, MF: Igor Biscan, MF: Mark Gonzalez, MF: Xherdan Shaqiri, MF: Fabinho, MF: Thiago Alcantara, MF: Naby Keita, MF/FW: Harry Kewell, MF/FW: Vladimir Smicer, FW: Milan Baros, FW: Djibril Cisse, FW: Dirk Kuyt, FW: Sadio Mane, FW: Divock Origi, FW: Mohamed Salah, FW: Luis Diaz, FW: Roberto Firmino, FW: Takumi Minamino, FW: Diogo Jota.

MANCHESTER UNITED FC LEGENDS
GK: Peter Schmeichel/Raimond Van Der Gouw/Edwin Van Der Sar/Tomasz Kuszczak, DF: Ronny Johnsen, DF: Jaap Stam, DF: Nemanja Vidic, DF: Patrice Evra, DF: Mikael Silvestre, DF: Rafael, DF: Fabio, MF: Jesper Blomqvist, MF/FW: Cristiano Ronaldo, MF: Anderson, MF: Nani, MF: Park Ji-Sung, FW: Dimitar Berbatov, FW: Carlos Tevez, MF: Antonio Valencia, FW: Dwight Yorke, FW: Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, FW: Javier Hernandez. Also, UK and Irish players - DF: Aaron Wan-Bissaka, DF: Luke Shaw, MF: Scott McTominay, MF: Mason Greenwood, DF: Chris Smalling, FW: Marcus Rashford, DF: Phil Jones, MF: Jesse Lingard, MF: Michael Carrick, FW: Wayne Rooney, GK: Lee Grant, GK: Dean Henderson, DF: Harry Maguire, DF: Brandon Williams, DF: Axel Tuanzebe, MF: Daniel James, MF: Mason Mount, DF: Ayden Heaven, DF: Jonny Evans, DF: Harry Amass, MF: Kobbie Mainoo, MF: Toby Collyer.

Managers:-
Pal Csernai (Hungary), Branko Zebec (Yugoslavia), Otto Gloria (Brazil), Helenio Herrera (Argentina).

 

[soapfan]

With regards to the England football team, apart from the 1966 World Cup, there was the European Championships in both 2020 and 2024, as well as the UEFA Nations League in 2019, and whilst Manchester United turned into a joke eventually, there was John Stones (Defender/Midfielder) at least who represented those England football teams in 2019, 2020 and 2024.

I also think about the Manchester United team of 1979 and also how they were like during 1976/1982. Manchester United had 4 relegations throughout their entire history in 1894, 1931, 1937 and 1974. There was also the 2 promotions in 1936 and 1975. And the 37 year trophy drought between 1911-1948.

I sometimes wonder if managers like Otto Gloria/Avram Grant/Simone Inzaghi at Benfica/Chelsea/Inter Milan would ever have had opportunity to manage a top English club, as well as Zinedine Zidane and how the Manchester United teams of both 2000 and 2005 had fared against each other.

 

[soapfan]

Famous Manchester United fans include:-
Chris Coghill AND Chris Bisson (actors),
Bugzy Malone/Chris Thompson (musicians),
Callum Johnson (boxer).

Manchester United best ever captains - Gary Neville + Noel Cantwell/Denis Law.

When Eric Cantona retired, captaincy awarded to Gary Pallister/Peter Schmeichel/Denis Irwin and then Gary Neville in 2002.

The 2002 team was a great team that missed a golden opportunity who blew it big time against Bayer Leverkusen:-
GK - Fabien Barthez/Roy Carroll, DF - Laurent Blanc, DF - Lee Roche, MF - Bojan Djordjic, MF - Michael Stewart, MF - Quinton Fortune, MF - Juan Sebastian Veron, FW - Ruud Van Nistelrooy, FW - Diego Forlan, FW - Daniel Nardiello, FW - Danny Webber, FW - Jimmy Davis.

Also, Garry Birtles brought in earlier during 1979 for the 1979-80 season, and also Graeme Souness at alongside Ray Wilkins, then the 1980s would have been a different story for Manchester United with the title being won, and goalkeepers such as Chris Turner especially who left the club too early, and latterly Jim Leighton who succeeded him.

 

[soapfan]