Manchester United After the SJR Investment
A snapshot of Manchester United’s situation after the SJR investment, weighing upgrades and cost-cutting against debt, ownership concerns, coaching doubts and squad quality, with a bleak view of what comes next.
Decided to take a snapshot of the state of Manchester United (MU) following the SJR investment.
On the positive side:
We now have a state-of-the-art training facility. Arguably a leaner structure within the amount of staff required to run the club, reducing running costs. Some of the expensive, salaried players have left, but not all.
Purchased additional area for a potential new planned stadium. Presently stopped paying the Glazers annual dividends. Achieved above expectations last season to finish for a Champions League place.
On the negative side:
Majority owners, who have never put a penny into the club, are still majority owners.
Suspect SJR is possibly regretting paying the Glazers a load of cash to hold approx 28% of the club.
The club debt is now greater than one billion pounds but, unlike other clubs with similar debts, we don't own a state-of-the-art stadium. New directors are now having to consider a third head coach and support coaches within two years. Questions have to be asked if directors have the capabilities to select a successful head coach.
Main coaching staff are failed Championship and ex-England coach who no one wanted when he finished for England, plus an ex-player who has never coached previously. Questionable if players are fully fit; data and amount of injuries suggest they are not.
Team squad is basically bottom to mid-table Premier League capability, except for a few individuals who are upper Premier League standard. Tactics used are very basic and are easily overcome by other Premier League teams.
The debt limits our capability to purchase top players, thus the mid-table situation.
We play in a run-down stadium with no known plan how we will purchase a new stadium other than increasing the debt. MU are unable to keep arguably the most talented young player in Europe.
Observation:
Interesting looking at Aston Villa, who lost four top players during the summer but were able to selectively obtain decent players that have kept the team challenging at top level.
Why is one of those players now with us not performing? Obviously, this must be credited to Emery and the staff, and to keep within rules. But unfortunately, MU have not got four top players to sell to enable this type of change and success.
Additionally, MU do not have a technical director capable of identifying the standard required.
Conclusion:
Last season was a success; we were very lucky in many games that plastered over the large cracks. The debt will continue to grow because the Glazers only see MU as a long-term investment asset that will continually grow at no cost to them.
Suggest that the only solution for this is MU to be relegated, which will hopefully devalue the club, forcing the sale. SJR runs the INEOS business in a similar debt method and don't see the MU debt being reduced.
Interest charges on loans will continue to be tied to the club and not owners. Even if we replaced the present coach, don't see a top proven coach being able to make this squad a trophy-winning team. Other clubs INEOS own seem to have also failed, but interesting no one wants to buy them.
We have to accept we are a mid-table squad at best, occasionally dipping into Europe! Ironically, it could be our noisy neighbours that save us from relegation if they are deducted loads of points!
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