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The podcasters discuss the recent meeting between the INEOS group and Manchester United. They are encouraged by INEOS's commitment to making the club successful again, rather than just focusing on commercial aspects. They also talk about the importance of having footballing people in key positions, rather than non-football professionals. They express frustration with the slow pace of the ownership transition and hope that the appointments of Dan Ashworth, Paul Mitchell, and Jean-Claude Blanc will bring positive change. They also discuss the transfer rumors during the January transfer window, expressing skepticism about some of the reported deals. What's the crack? Welcome back to the Irish Bites Podcast. We are back again with another edition of Family Therapy. Kitchen table with my mum. Hello everyone. Happy New Year. And the same to you. How are you dealing with the New Year? Have you got aspirations and goals? Optimistic. Optimistic? Optimistic. Personally, or are we talking about mum? A big dose of hopium. Hopium personally, or? No, I think we will. I think I'm encouraged by the meeting with Carrington with the INEOS group. Nice. No talk of her smoking pot. No, no talk. She is here. No fluffing about. No fluff. Fuck this. Who has time? Right, so we've got four segments to cover today. As always, on this edition of Family Therapy, we are going to talk about INEOS, the story so far. We're going to do a silly season roundup because mum, you are an expert at reading through transfer rumours. I haven't really read much, so I'm actually excited to hear what's going on. We're going to do some New Year's goals. So New Year's goals is going to be three aspirations we have for Manchester United. Either this season or it can flow into next season, just what you'd like to see happen. And then a wee peek at the winning game. So we start off with INEOS season so far. You're about to start into it there. The meeting at Carrington hit me. What's your thoughts? To me it's encouraging because Jim Ratcliffe went and Railsford went to Carrington. They met with the team. They met with Eric and Alex. His name escapes me now. The women's manager. The women's team. And he... Well, the soundbites that are coming out from the INEOS group are really good. Yeah, they're impressive. They are. It's not all to do with the commercial aspect. In other words, he said that if Man United are successful again, that leads to more revenue. It leads to more money coming in from commercial partners. And he said, in other words, to get Man United back on track. To get Man United, not the money-making machine for the Glazers, but to win trophies. To be the Man United it was 10 years ago. More than 10 years ago. Yeah, and that's brilliant to see because that's where I think the Glazers took their eye off the ball. They were very American in that sense where they thought, you know what, the cash cow's never going to end. But Manchester United, Manchester United's a huge club. It's hugely successful. Look at all the money it's made under Ferguson. Let's just play on and hope that everything sort of comes together. Now, yes, they've spent money on the pitch. That's another drama for another day because I think there's a lot of variables in the money they've spent. They did spend money, but they've never put their hands in their pockets. And that's what annoys a lot of United fans. Whereas Jim, straight off the bat, is coming in and saying, look, I've spent 300 million on the infrastructure. I've spent 1.7 billion to buy the football club. Plus, I am going to get us into a position where we're going to be strong in the transfer market. And those are the sorts of things, as fans, that we just care about. Now, I know we could go and dissect Manchester United as a whole here and say there's so much needs to change. But just so we'd be soundbites, I'd agree with that. It's the personnel that he wants to put in place. Footballing people. Non-accountants to make money for the Glazer family. That cash cow was always good. You take a look at Manchester City. You take a look at Newcastle United, the owners that they have. And they got it wrong. They got it wrong. They got it massively wrong at the start. I had a conversation with a few friends of mine the other day. You picture Manchester City when Manchester first started out. Now, I am old enough to remember the days of Ben Jonny and Adebayor. And the crazy money they spent on yokes. Absolute yokes at the very, very start. Because they hadn't got a clue what they were doing. And then you nailed it there. Then they put the hierarchy and the structure in place. A man who had worked at Barcelona. A man who understood the vision of a big football club. Chelsea were the same. Do you remember when Chelsea first got the money? Oh my God. And now we're going back. But do you remember the crazy signings they had? Do you remember? What was he called? Adrian, yeah. Mootoo and stuff. Like, it just... They go in cycles of a new owner bounce. And these people come in with mad money. And think that football can be bought. Where it can't. It needs a bit more in the soccer sphere. And when you say soccer. Because I'm talking about Chelsea and United. To try and be successful. And that is a unified plan. Between a good sporting director. A really good coach. And players on the pitch. And if you can't get that right. You're good. Yeah, I agree with you. So, I'm buoyed by the notions that Dan Ashworth. And Paul Mitchell. And Blanc have come in. I tell you one thing pisses me off. It seems really slow, doesn't it? I don't know if that's because they're ratifying the deal. Or whatever. It's the Premier League. But why can Brailsford and Radcliffe be there? Brailsford is there. Apparently Brailsford has an officer at the minute. But they can't appoint anyone. They can't appoint anyone until the Premier League. Okays them to be fit and proper owners. That's really bugging me. Yeah, well that's take up to six weeks. Yeah, that's an annoyance. Those people need to be in. So, I did see that Jim Radcliffe and Dave Brailsford were in. And they were, you know, assessing the situation. Doing some forensic accounting. Having a bit of a look at what has come before. Before they get on to the future. I thought that's all well and good. But I don't want you people making decisions for my football club either. I don't want Jim Radcliffe or David Brailsford to be anywhere near the decision making for football decisions going forward. Because the head of cycling and a petrochemicals billionaire should not be making. How's that any better than the Grazer's in Woodward? That's why the appointment of Mitchell and Ashworth, hopefully, and Blanc will be instrumental in selling us on the right path. A footballing path. Not the commercial money making path that the Grazer's want. The Grazer's will still get their money. You'll get your success for the game. Another thing that annoyed me was... It didn't annoy me. It was everything that had come out and said, Look, I had a really positive meeting with Jim Radcliffe. And I had a really positive meeting with David Brailsford. And, you know, set out the vision. Had discussions and whatever. And it was talking about what? Talking about football. Jim Radcliffe and David Brailsford. All of a sudden are the authoritarians and the positive influence you need to drive this football club going forward. It shouldn't be that man pitching his vision to those two. It should be your appointed board that you're hoping for, Mum. It should be Ashworth, Mitchell, Blanc. You know, the guys who have operated in football, sitting around the table, listening to this man pitch and tell his vision and explain why he thinks things are going wrong this season and then making an informed decision. Mum, I agree with you. But... The longer they want, the longer we're in the hands of... No, it won't. Because that's why there will be... Jim Radcliffe, he's the one pumping the money in. That's the bottom line there. But he won't. He will let... Because when they bought Nice, they got it very, very wrong at the start. Very wrong. Very wrong structurally. In fact, they had Brailsford in overseeing Nice. I think I'd be the CEO at one stage, which is totally wrong. He is over any sport. That's what he said. He's over the fencing. He's over the football. He's over the yachting, whatever they do, the motor sports and whatever. He's an overseer. He will go in and appoint the likes of Mitchell and appoint the likes of Blanc. And they're already in. Jean-Claude Blanc is already in. But they can't be officially appointed until the Premier League approve them. Well, they need to be in. They need to be. Because that's my biggest fear, is that the likes of Brailsford or Radcliffe will sit down now and be impatient and start making decisions. I'm like, I know you guys bought it, or I know Jim's company bought it, I know Amy wants to be in charge, but you can't be making decisions. You're not qualified to make better decisions than what we've had before. Patrick Stewart is their standard at the minute. Another unqualified CEO. Yeah, but he's not. He's a bigger hit. They're making the decisions, I would say. Yeah, but they need to be making those decisions alongside the gains of footballing people. Dan Ashworth, I don't think, is going to come to Manchester. I never understood that one from the start. They're saying that he's unhappy with the vision of Newcastle, and he's unhappy with certain things there. Fair enough. He's under contract to Newcastle. Yeah, I don't see Newcastle letting him go without a fight. That's just waltzing him on you. Or a huge compensation. A huge compensation. But he is an impressive individual, and one that I would love to see come on board. That's a record. Yeah, I just don't see it. I don't. I think Blanc and Mitchell are shoe-ins. I think those two positions that they discussed for those two guys would be perfect. Blanc is CEO, Mitchell in his head of recruitment and scouting. I think that suits his area of expertise, instead of making him director of football. I do think they need someone in there with them to make it function. That last missing piece would be the director of football. It's just going to be interesting to see what the structure is. But who knows? It's a guessing game at the minute. There's going to be a balling about. I suppose when we call it a guessing game, then, that leads us into silly season. January transfer members. I have seen some absolute clamour shockers recently, and I don't know of anything of any more. So I'm going to share a few names with you here, and tell you what the craic is. Eric Tuchel-Moulton. Oh yeah, apparently Neil Dome. Really? Yeah. Apparently he's agreed to firms with Man United. But, correct me if I'm wrong. I'm alone with it. Pardon? I'm alone with it. Hopefully. Jesus, yeah. Is he part of the Cameroon set-up, or did he retire from international football? Pass? No clue. No, neither have I. What are you playing for now? He plays for Bayern Munich. Does he? Because they brought in Tell, so he's going to get in play. Look, Tuchel-Moulton, he's one of the worst. Scores goals and stuff. He's just a crazy one. It's just another body in there. It's really cover. It's another Gallo. Yeah. It's just another Gallo, I'd say. That's what it is. It's just another Gallo. And off the back of that one, the reason that he's so strongly linked. Anthony Martial has said it. Yeah. Or, Sten Arbace. What? Yes, Sten Arbace are very interested in Anthony Martial. For January. You see, Anthony Martial is in a conundrum now, isn't he? He knows that if he doesn't get a contract extension, he's only riding the big wages until the summer. But he might not get to play him. And if Tuchel-Moulton comes in, he won't get to play him. He'll be the third-course striker. And then what does he do in the summer? Does he end up, you know, playing? Does Anthony Martial… He's only 27. He's only 27. Does he take a reduced wage to play for Sten Arbace and go off now in January? Or does he ride the Bosman wave and hope that he gets a move in the summer? United could find themselves in a very sticky situation, if there's any strength in those moments, where Tuchel-Moulton comes in to cover Anthony Martial, even though Martial's dead. Yeah. There is rumours that Anthony Martial and Farhan, the club, are working on an extension but highly reduced wages. That Farhan is… Apparently that's what he's really miffed about now. That they will extend it for a year, but on barely half the wage that he is on now. Yeah, Farhan's on extortionate wages. And that was… There's no point in going around about that. There's a by-product of Manchester United's shitty business dealings up until now. But I think that if we go back to the Ineos thing, there'll be a fresh slate, new change of ownership. I'm seeing that as a positive. So we'll wait and see what happens. But I don't see Rafael Varane agreeing to that. I do not. I think it's more likely that Rafael Varane would leave. And then if he leaves, where is he going? Is he going to go out to Saudi? Can we bring someone in, in the centre-back position? You only guess that he's going to get those wages. Because that's all he came out during the weekend. Dismiss any recall of Rafael Varane going back to Real Madrid. He rubbished those rumours. I could see Rafael Varane staying for the summer and then going. I don't think anything will happen to Rafael Varane. I don't think the extension will come into play. I think he stays for the summer and then goes. Well, I think that's what's on the table for both those players. The club has the option to trigger another year. But that trigger will depend on whether they accept a lower wage or not. Or if they can go in the summer. And to me, that's the best policy. We have held on to players. Anthony Martial has been here nine years. Nine years. Disgusting, no. Really is. The man that never was. Thomas Muller. Muller, no. Apparently Muller has come out and said no. That he's no longer going to Man United. And didn't he extend his contract? Why didn't he extend his contract? No idea. I just know that he's struggling to get minutes on the pitch. And he's not happy about it. But it didn't make sense to me. The German boys don't like leaving Germany. Not when they're playing for one of the bigger ones. It's a rare occasion. They'll miss. Like, Thomas Muller smacks his bass in Twain's baggery. It was a big name and a big player who wanted to play for Green. But now he's done. You know what I mean? You're just digging his eggs and the gas off there. Yeah, who else did I see? There was someone else that I see on LinkedIn. What's the crack with Thaddeo? Is Thaddeo going to Spurs? No. Is Thaddeo going to United? No. That's the guy that they were looking at. Dragonstein. Who? Dragonstein. Yeah, Paddy has fallen through. Really? Yeah. Paddy has fallen through. I was pretty confident that was going to get done first week. All terms agreed, but it's collapsed. Spurs doing to Spurs. Spurs doing to Spurs. It's on for a while this time. Yeah. They really need to get a centre-back in. This whole trying to play full-backs and centre-backs is not working for them at all. It wouldn't work for anybody. I think we've seen it with Shaw against Bournemouth. Very, very short term. Very short term. So, is there anybody I've missed? Any other crackers that are in there? There's a couple of crackers now. Hit me. I'll let you with one name. I'm going to go with yours. Go for it. All right, here's one name. Oscar Zambrano. Who's that? Apparently, he's a wee Ecuadorian, and he can leave his club. What club? Ecuadorian club? El Cuento, or Ecuadorian club, yes. Well, do you know what? I'm not going to dismiss that. Look at this. 4.5. But what they're saying is, now, I don't know whether they're linking Man United. Bournemouth, apparently, Romano Quainton said during an advance talk about this lad. He's a defensive midfielder. He's only 19. And then, all of a sudden, out of nowhere, Man United are interested in him now, because they lost out on Moise Quesedo. Look at the examples. And I've got them interested in him, and Luton are interested in him. So, the value of that, start off with 4.5 million. Look at the examples of these young South American players coming into the Premier League and thriving. I like the wee fella, Bournemouth, at Brighton. Wee winner. I think he's a cracker. The wee Paraguayan lad. Yeah, but at 4.5 million. Yeah. And then, who was the other one that came in and did really well? Ancisco is a baller. Yeah. Absolute baller. Cracker. Moise Quesedo came in from a Colombian cracker. Julian Alvarez. Julian Alvarez. Another one. This wee fella in the city of Seinen looks like an absolute star in the making. Etcheverry. But didn't Ralph Rowney come out and say that? That he was baffled that a club like Man United were not exploiting the South American market? Apparently we have nine scouts in South America. We have never produced one South American Seinen. Now, there are two schools of thought in this. The first one is people who turn around and say the scouts are just being employed for absolutely nothing. They're a waste of wages. And then there's the second school of thought where these people are putting people forward and there's no one in place to take advantage of it. Well, a good story came out during the week and it said that the scouts scouted Anthony at Ajax and said, no, he was not worth it. He wasn't worth 45 million. He wasn't worth what we paid for him. And they were overruled. See, there you go. Yeah. I think that's what's happening in Manchester, David. You have Murda and Ten Hag in the right-hand seat at the minute when it comes to transfers. John Murda has no qualifications or experience in the end itself towards him being able to pick our transfer targets or negotiate our transfer targets. But he's allowed to. Then he has Arnold in the background and Arnold's doing the finances, whatever. Two guys who are so unqualified for the roles that they had. And then you have Eric Ten Hag wanting to take in his players and his lads who he trusts from Leeds that he trusts at Mish Mash and the Shitshow waiting to happen. And that's what happened. I would leave that one. I would say that's what happened. Any others? Yep. I'm going to put you in his name as well. Hit me. Giorgio Silvini. The centre-back. The centre-back of Atalanta. Racking. Racking. A sworn amigo. The £151 million firm. Oh, that's a lot of money. That's a lot of money. I was going to say, hey, that's a lot of money. This young fella, I am telling you now, is... Six foot four. Benucci, Caelan, Ives. He clears man, ball and everything. He's so composed. But there's a thug in there. But that's what you need in the Premier League. There's a... There's a thug. There's a Ramos Celtic sort of... Martinus. Yeah, he's going to play a few teams for Atalanta. He's a very advanced player for being a 20-year-old. Very, very good player. But apparently he's a leader. That he can organise the back line. That's what you want. Silvini was in. What happened to the young lad from... They're looking... We're linked to every young centre-back in Europe. Yeah, he did it. He did it. I see. He was linked to. Was it Arsenal now? Are we any more wondering to Mark Getty? No. No? He's gone dead. Has he? Yeah. Did you see the match last night? I did not see the match last night. I was at the same place. Bad? Oh my God. Jesus, it was like watching paint dry. It was a shocking match. Really bad. But how does that reflect on Mark Getty? Because he was useless, that's why. It's one game. I know. You can't watch one game and turn around and call the lad useless. But I think Mark Getty's talented. I do. He is. And I think he's played in the... But have you ever scouted him in last night's match? No. But he's a young fella. I know. What is Mark Getty? I thought he was in Crystal Palace, but I've been trained, do you reckon? 50 million. Because he's English. Yeah. You've just hit the 5-0 every single time. Talent, young, 5-0. So, 50 million. Like John Stones. But John Stones has turned into a brilliant player. I would say that it's because of the teachings of Pep Guardiola. Yeah, the culture. Yeah. As soon as you go near an English centre-back who's trying to come through the ranks, 5-0. That's it. No negotiations. Pep. Somebody else will. Somebody else will take Mark Getty in the summer. Well, the crack is that they're looking to bring two centre-backs in in the summer. I can't see that guy from... It's Thaddeo, is it? Thaddeo. I think he's one of them. I can't see him leaving in January. No, I think he's one of them. I think Thaddeo will come in in the summer. It's two partners, Thaddeo coming in. Is Thaddeo right or left? He's right, isn't he? Right. Right-sided. So you need a left-sided centre-back. Not sure what foot Scalvini kicks with. He's right. Right foot. Is he? Is Mark Getty left? I don't know. Is he left-sided centre-back? Chris Potts? I'm sure he does. I need cover for Martyn. You do. He's just covered in general. I don't... And you need quality cover. I don't dislike Willy Cuombola. No, but he's not ready yet. No, he's not ready yet, but if you're going to bring players like that through, what you need to do is you need to have four centre-backs and your back-up. And the back-up should not be 34-year-old Johnny Evans, it should be 19-year-old Willy Cuombola. So that he knows, sitting in the background, that he has to keep himself short and on his toes, because if one of those or two of those centre-backs ends up out, you're in, kid. You'll call him. It seems like he's leading Mindy now. Went to Luton for, what, one million? And now Fulham are in for him. Yeah. And they're buying him at, what, 28 million now? Well, Mindy just didn't get a chance. And this is what happens when you stockpile ageing players and utilise them in the squad. This is what really annoys me. I'm glad to see Kobe Maynard come through and get his chance, right? But Manchester United have an awful tendency to stockpile over-the-head players. One of which, I think, in that midfield is Christian Ericsson. Yeah. I don't think Christian Ericsson deserves the opportunities in the first team that Christian Ericsson gets. In fact, if it has come to this with an injury crisis, I would rather do a Newcastle. Newcastle have brought Lewis Maly in. Why not give Isaac Hansen or Rowling a chance in the first team? How bad can he be if he comes in and he's given the free roll to play Nick? Well, I hope to see a lot of those young players playing on Monday night. Yeah. Against Wigan. So do I. I want to see them play. I want Hansen, Arne, Dan Gore, although there was talk about Dan Gore going on loan to Preston. I read this. I know there was mutterings about Brucey at Dortmund, but they don't want him going out. They don't want him going too far. So, Dan Gore and a couple of the other ones. Hey, tell me this. Hey, tell me this. Are you confident that Manchester United will make signings in this window? And the reason I'm asking that is because I'm not. I still think that they... It'll be loan signings. And that'll be it. Do you think they may? I don't see why they would. I think a lot of these rumours are being stirred up now, Mum, because there's very little to talk about with Manchester United's transfer market. And we're still the most talked about football club. And when we're in crisis, we get all the hits and all the clicks. So they're drumming stuff up now for the crack. I don't see Choupo-Moting coming in unless Martial leaves. I find it hard to believe that Fenerbahce can cough up the money to cover Martial's wages. Saudi, yes. But only Martial makes close to 300 grand a week. He's not giving that to Turkey. Oh, God, no. No, he isn't. And he does not strike me as the sort of guy that would sacrifice the money to go and better his career. So I don't see Fenerbahce being an option. I think it's Saudi or Boston. I think that the only way that we're going to buy players in January is sell Dubai. And I feel like Varane turns around and says, because apparently Varane has had offers from two Saudi clubs. Apparently Anthony Martial has had an offer from a Saudi club. I read that Varane wanted to stay. He does want to stay, but will he stay on reduced wages? And they're talking about a big reduction. It won't be half his wages. It can't be. Do you think Rafael Varane is going to suffer being on the same money as Victor Lindelof? Or suffer being paid less than Harry Maguire? Well, see, that's why negotiations are ongoing. Yeah, it won't be half his wages. I'll tell you what. Varane's probably sitting going, right, I'm on 350. I'm not going down to 300. And United are going, like, can you not go any less than that? He's turning around and saying, look at the yokes I play with. Not a chance. You think you're going to pay Harry Maguire more than me? And this is where United shoot themselves in the foot all the time. United don't have the clout or the authority or the strength to turn around to a player of Rafael Varane's strength and say, here, will you take half your wages? I would turn around and laugh. Like, no, I'm not. Well, then go. Simple as that. I'm not going. You will in the summer. They're for you. Shall I be in the summer? I think that that's what the policy is now. If you don't go, if you don't want to go in January, that's fine. You're going to sit on the bench until we get ready in the summer, until you walk. Yeah, and previously I said Rafael Varane will go in the summer. That's what I believed. Varane will just turn around and tell United no. Well, that's it. Anthony Marshall is saying. Like, this is Harry Maguire all over again. When I turn around and say that Harry Maguire is a man in his 30s who will have to prioritise money at this stage over career development, Varane's not making a big move to try and win trophies or anything, Mum. Varane's next move is going to be Varane's next move. Yeah. So, Rafael Varane will turn around to Manchester United and say, I don't want to leave in the summer. Why would I care? You've been a chunk from when I came in through the door up until this stage and I have no faith in you getting it right in the next season. It's going to take you a couple of seasons and I'm too old to suffer that project. So, you'll pay me what you agree to pay me until I decide to walk out the door on my terms. And that's the way it is. Well, that's the opposite of what I was saying before. Yeah. They're not extending the contract unless he takes a pay cut and if he doesn't, then he walks free in the summer. Yeah, he'll walk free in the summer. I can see both of them doing it. Yeah. Martial and Varane. Manchester United, you want to believe as a fan, right, that your football club can take a positive, affirmative action now to do something positive and answer Martial and Rafael Varane. I can 100% say, in my opinion, both those guys will walk away having reaped every penny that they can from Manchester United and our football club will deserve every single bit of it. Well, that's not a new regime coming in. No. They have to start as they mean to go on. Exactly. That's indicative of the old regime. They're going to be hamstringed for the first couple of seasons by the old regime and the false infields of Manchester United, but it just is what it is. Jadon Sancho is gone. Four million loan fee. Well, there was... How much of his wages did we pay? I read that, yeah. Apparently it's not done yet. Apparently this fine-tuning that they're doing, the deal is not done yet. You know what the fine-tuning is. We didn't pay 50% of his wages. No, we want you to pay 60% of his wages. No. You think I'm gone, we'll pay 50%. That's what it'll be. We're going to get a... And I don't know where the four million loan fee comes in when you're still paying half the last wages. Is the four million pound offset? I have no idea. The money that we've paid? I don't get it. No idea. Because Jadon Sancho is not going to make the same money as Bruce Lee Northam again. They have a wage cap. I don't think they pay anybody more than 200 grand a week. And that's their stars. So they're going to have to negotiate a deal with Manchester United and take on that chunk of 150 grand a week to have a way to play in Germany. That's another one that's a mess. But I'm glad he's going. I'm glad he backed the monitor and not tried to repair bridges and that Brailsford and Radcliffe have had no sway in that one. Them coming in hasn't changed the mind. They've actually just turned around and said, no, not getting involved. He annoyed the monitor. It has to go. In regards to what I think of the monitor, I think that's good to do. So is that it? Is there any other crazy ones? Oh, there's loads of crazy ones that I can't remember because every day everything is linked with some player or other. And then you know some of them, right from using Man United's name, forbidden war. That young fella, that Ecuadorian. Luton are interested in him. Brighton are interested in him. And Bournemouth have started negotiations. And now all of a sudden Man United want him. So of course the club in Ecuador are going to say, well, Man United's interested now. And they're willing to pay 6 million. How much are you willing to pay? And how many young fellas over there have to release clauses? I don't know what it is about the South American market, but a lot of them have release clauses in their contracts. I think isn't there a lot of those players being owned by sporting entities? I don't know if owned is the right terminology. If they're owned by sporting entities. I think sporting entities put release clauses into their contracts to try and attract the likes of the Premier League football clubs. So it'd be interesting to see what way that one plays out. But I mean, is he one for the immediate? Probably not. It's just nice to see us moved with something proactive. Scalvini is a big decision because he is one for the future. I know nothing about this Ecuadorian lad, but a bit of positivity there as they're actually exploring those sorts of markets. So yes, that then is going to conclude Shelley's season. New Year's goals. So this is a segment where we're going to pick three aspirations we have for Manchester United in the future. It can be anything. It can be what colour the new away kit is next season, or it can be a goal that you hope Manchester United achieve this season and win the FA Cup. We'll go one for one. What's your first? What's your first goal for United in 2024? What do you want to see? Score more goals. Simple as that. Score more bloody goals. I don't care who scores them, but score more goals. Yeah. But especially from our forwards. Rasmus Hoyle needs to... I think he's going to be disappointed there, Mum. I think he might. Yeah. I don't think you're going to get that under this monitor. Yeah, I don't see it. My first aspiration for this season is that our new owners do a full assessment of the Manchester United manager. Have him pitch his view for why things have gone wrong and what needs to happen in the future, not to Brailsford and Radcliffe, but to the new sporting people coming in, whoever they may be, our new director of football, and then make a really honest, brave decision on whether he's the man moving forwards. And if he isn't, then my aspiration is that they will choose their own person and that, whether it's Tinhag or someone else, that the coach is right going into the 2024-2025 season, that all doubts are removed, and that we all have a vision going forwards. That could be Tinhag. Well, I agree with you. It could prove me wrong, but... If it's not working out and if the results are still the same, then someone new has to come in. Wait until the major players are back, which they are. They're back in training. They're back. Casemiro Martínez, Shaw... Yeah, we're not going to throw Tinhag in the game, because I think that can overtake every ball catch, because I think he'll have to yoke. But second goal for the new year? Top four. Oh, my God, you're second really, aren't you? My expectations are high. Score more goals and get top four. If they score more goals, they'll win more matches and they might have a chance to get into top four. They definitely tie in, I'll give you that much. They definitely tie in. That is highly optimistic, though. Yeah, it is, but that's my goal. Well, do you know what? That is the point of having goals for 2024, no matter how unachievable they are. Realistic goals should have been the name of the session. Small margins. Small margins, yeah. Brailsford comes in and says small margins, and you're expecting more goals for the same football in top four. Second New Year's goal, I want to see Manchester United have a clear, defined direction put in place by the end of February. That is my cutoff point. I want to sit at the end of February 2024 and understand where my football club is heading towards in the next couple of years. And that might sound like a windy, unrealistic expectation, but these new owners have come in and they have big promises. I want to see the actions now. I want to be sitting with the hierarchy in place so I know who's in charge of everything. I want to see positive action put in place for the small margins that we hear from Brailsford. Where's the £300 million going? Where's the £300 million going to be sent to infrastructure? What's the crack to the stadium? I want to sit at the end of 2024 and have my questions answered and know that I can look forward to the rest of 2024 and 2025, 2026, 2027, knowing that even if results and performances aren't there, there's basically nowhere it's going. He alludes to that at that meeting in Carrington, that he can't say too much until this, it's all been, I thought it, teeth crossed, until the Premier League gets a green light. And he said he will come in and have in-depth discussions with the staff on their vision for the future of Man United. Is that common? In February, that's enough time frame. I think that's enough time frame to get it. I will reiterate this point. I don't want Jim Rockcliffe and David Bills I don't think they're qualified to let that man pitch his vision because Ericsson-Hagg is a manager who's been in management for quite a number of years. He'll pitch it to two lads who know nothing about football and understand him perhaps. It doesn't mean it is. I want him to have to sit with footballing people and be scrutinised. But... That'll happen. We shall see. You're third. My third is a proper clear-out of that first team. Squad out. Yeah, a proper clear-out. But the going is to head and say, look, this is dead last. You either do this or you're playing with the under-23s because you're not on the first team anymore. Yeah, I think that would be one of mine. Definitely would be. I'll tell you why I don't have it on my list. Because I don't think it's achievable. And I don't think it's achievable because of the situation. So start the proper clear-out. Yeah, I mean, there are certain aspects that are achievable. I'll tell you why. Because it sounds like I'm just dismissing it, but I'm not. I really, really want that to happen. That needs to happen. That needs to happen in Manchester United. They need to have a column of the nonsense personalities, the mega-money non-stars that are in that squad. Honestly. I'll tell you why I can't see it. Because we alluded to it beforehand. These new owners are coming in on the back of massive mistakes made by a previous board. There are too many mistakes to fix in that sense. Raphael Varane, Nancy Martial, I'm expected to do exactly what I said. With mega-money, crazy money that they can't turn down, they'll bleed us dry and then walk off into the sunset. And these other players that I would like to get out of the football club, and I think we would be aligned in the players we're thinking about, are, again, on massive money contracts and have all the power. And we'll just turn around to our owners and go, that's nice, good luck with that. But here's the crap, lads. You're out of the first team, you're out of the dressing room, and get fit for the under-23s. I know that that is a pipe dream because we haven't got the finances to do that. Definitely. But see this, if you take under Woodward or even Arnold to a certain extent, the Raphael Varane thing, they would have triggered that one-year contract to preserve the value of players. They would sit there and go, oh good, another year and 300,000. You don't like the terms, do you? Yeah, and I agree with that. Do you know who broke Manchester United? Harry Maguire. Harry Maguire ruined every last ounce and it was minuscule of credibility that Manchester United as a football club that are able to conduct itself efficiently to transfer business. When he turned around in the summer and said, I'm not going. And they said, no, you have to go. The manager doesn't want you. He's going to make you fifth-choice player. And he turned around and said, that's nice. Good luck with that. And then he came back and was one of our best players. Now Harry gets to hold his head high and say, I told you, I told you. And he will turn around and other players will feed off that and look at the Maguire scenario and think, you know what? Why would I listen to anything you're saying? Why would I take your turn? You turn around to Raphael Varane and say, look, sign that contract, less money than us, and we'll still take you on. You may get another few years in as a football club. This is why I'm buoyed at this decision over Raphael Varane and Martial. Yeah, we'll trigger this, but you have to reduce your wages or we'll let you walk in the summer. Yes, but this is where I'm not buoyed by this because it all depends now on what the player's action is after that. You call that, and if the player calls you a bluff and says, that's grand, you're not heading anywhere anyways. Good luck getting top four after upsetting me. I don't even fancy playing. So you're a striker now. You can't play a lone striker right now. I'm your back-up striker, and you're really going to upset me until the summer? That's fine. See you when Highland gets fit. Good luck with me scoring goals. They have to keep... I know you're saying things, and it's nice to have that positivity as a fan. There's no professionalism in football anymore. Why not there be? It's all just about the money. I tell you what, stop paying people 300 grand a week and we'll bring professionalism back. I agree with you. No, there's no professionalism in football. You're contracting a commodity to play for your football club. Not to do the same in Jordan here. You are contracting a commodity to play for your football club who does not support your club, did not grow up in Manchester, and is loyal to the Queen. Then, you can't afford to bring in a second striker. I'm Anthony Marshall-Edmond. You can't afford to bring a second striker in for Manchester for Manchester United football club. You need me. So how dare you come to me and make a power play and say that you're going to reduce my wages or I should do this to stay here. First off, no. Second off, where are you people in the league? What's your house here? What's the advantage of me doing this? What can Manchester United offer me in the current scenario where I would turn around and agree to your bullshit terms? Nothing. True. Do you know what I mean? And you can turn around and say it's okay to turn around as a fan and say Oh yes. Fuck that. I didn't get them out yet. Brilliant. That's class. That's a good opinion. You are cutting your nose off to spite your fans. How many would do it? A hundred and ten times. But you said you wanted top four. How do you do that without a second striker? How are you going to get injured? And you only have an upset Anthony Marshall. You are back to last season when we struggled with a boy-five course from the back. But all of a sudden, you don't have boy-five course. Do you know who doesn't have flare front? Rashford. Your business decision making all of a sudden has landed you in a position where you're playing Rashford up front now because Coughlin's out and Anthony Marshall doesn't want to play. Because you chose to take the hard line for the first time in five years for the player that we desperately needed for the NBA. Well then take the hit. Take the hit. Because that's what has to be done. Because we have a bunch of mercenaries in that club. A hundred and ten. I agree with you. And even the lads that do come from Manchester are mercenaries as well. They're playing for pride and playing for the jersey and playing for the badge and the club that they supported. Nobody does that. Follow the green. Anthony Marshall is not a Manchester United fan. Why would he care if Manchester United came and said Anthony we need you to do this. Well you'd think they'd have some sort of professional pride like wouldn't you? You would hope that as a fan but it's not realistic and do you know what I'll go one further if I was in Anthony Marshall's position hands on heart I would do the exact same thing. Because you're a mercenary. Of course I am. Of course I am. It's a lovely notion to sit in. Oh you're a generation. Seriously like. But why wouldn't we be? Your generation would have done the same thing you just didn't have the chance to do it. You think if we don't wind the clock back and I start paying the boys in your generation 50 grand more than they were getting to play for my football club that I couldn't have teased those Manchester United legends out and got them playing somewhere else. I turn around to George Best one of the most egotistical men on the planet and say here George I'll give you 50 grand a week more than what you're making at the minute you come play for me. George would have turned around and said no I am loyal to Manchester United. Well. That unfortunately is football man. It's a sad state. It is a sad state. I agree with you. I totally do. To get off my soapbox now that is why that won't happen. It's a nice notion to turn around and say Marshall or Varane would never do that. They won't though. Just watch. And that's where I think what you're saying is completely true. We need a complete call and a complete clear out. I don't see it. We have handed the players total power over our football club. To take it back to take it back you need to do exactly what you just said. You need to turn around to a Varane and Marshall and say you're not playing. You're not playing. Well set the example then. We'll see. Do you think right let me ask you this. Do you think if these lads don't accept these terms that Ericsson had kicks Varane and Marshall out of the team? Oh god no. Probably not. That's just wishful thinking on my part. It's a loop. That's what I would do. A circular motion of absolutely broken logic and bullshit behaviour. But unfortunately that's what I'm setting in. That's why they're very very hard to get off the discover. Because I think Marshall and Varane will call the bluff now and turn around and say do what you want. I don't care. I'm not taking less money. I'll go in the summer. So are you still going to be there in the summer? But you'll pay me shaggy money for me to live in Manchester and I'm playing in the Premier League. And you can't turn around to a Varane and Marshall in the sorry state of our squad and say right fine don't do that. If you do that you're not playing. I thought Jadon Sancho was the example. I thought when he disciplined Jadon Sancho and exiled him to the under 23's I thought great. That's a start. That's the start of the hard line that Man Utd are taking. There is a commodity that we're paying an absolute we have paid Brucie Dortmund an absolute fortune for just for two years giving him King's Ransom and they're backing the manager over this. They're not backing Jadon Sancho. The manager is not the one going to Raphael Varane and Marshall and say take less money. Tonight I won't give a damn about that. Tonight he just wants the manager to come out at least with his squad. So he's not looking at the money. When he sees Varane in training he doesn't see £350,000 a week he sees somebody that he might have to play on Monday night. Do you know what I mean? So who takes this hard line? This is Ineos apparently. But if Ineos takes the hard line then Ineos turns around and plays the game or Ineos then going to interrupt the manager and say you have to take Varane out of the team because he wouldn't do what he's told? I don't know what way it works internally. I really don't. Because that would be an infesting scenario. That would show a unified approach. I'd say well I'll take him out of the team please Ineos. He's not there anymore. That's grand. That's also a unified approach. Raphael Varane wouldn't do what he's told financially so we're going to take him out of the team now because Raphael Varane wouldn't agree to that contract. No you're probably right. It's sort of illogical but that's what I would do. My third goal for this season is that we're going to win the World Cup. We're going to win the World Cup. We're going to win the World Cup. We're going to win the World Cup. We're going to win the World Cup. We're going to win the World Cup. We're going to win the World Cup. We're going to win the World Cup. We're going to win the World Cup. We're going to win the World Cup. We're going to win the World Cup. We're going to win the World Cup. We're going to win the World Cup. We're going to win the World Cup. We're going to win the World Cup. We're going to win the World Cup. We're going to win the World Cup. We're going to win the World Cup. We're going to win the World Cup. We're going to win the World Cup. We're going to win the World Cup. 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