It doesn’t matter who is linked with becoming Manchester United manager, because whatever the name (and most of those in circulation have previously already been ruled out), they are set up to fail. The parasitic Glazer ownership has bled and broken the club, putting a financial noose around it. In 2024, Sir Jim Ratcliffe talked a big game about a “three-year plan” to rival and outdo Manchester City and Liverpool. But the decision-making under INEOS’ charge of football operations has not just been woeful, but costly too. There is zero accountability for expensive mistake after expensive mistake. There is still no clear direction on club identity, including style of play, which leads to profiling the right signings and manager. That was a major promise made by Ratcliffe, which hasn’t been kept. To borrow his own words: “There have been a whole series of coaches, some of which were very good. And none of them were ­successful, or survived for very long. The only conclusion you can draw is that the ­environment in which they were ­working didn’t work.” It still doesn’t. It never will as long as the people who own and run the club betray Manchester United and what is required to be successful in the modern era. You can harp on about structure, vision, and sell fanciful projects, but you will never have the right operation with the wrong people.

Lisandro Martinez putting the pressure where it should ultimately be, on the ownership and hierarchy at Manchester United for their decision-making and the direction of the club. He is correct in saying that the performances have been “a reflection” of the club itself and that accountability stretches well beyond who is in the dugout plus the players. There can be no argument that the squad is lacking depth, quality, balance and the right profiles. He also nails it in terms of cycling through managers, but not having any question marks over what’s happening upstairs. United openly interviewed around Europe for Erik ten Hag’s successor, only to keep him and arm him with new coaches and circa £200m in players before sacking him and his staff for £10.4m. They hired Ruben Amorim despite knowing the squad - which they allowed EtH to shape - was so ill-suited to his approach. They were very aware Amorim was unwavering on his philosophy and promised to persevere with both him and it. Only to then try to dictate style, system and selections to him. They stuck with Michael Carrick only to sell him very short. Let’s not forget the big, long play to the tune of £3m to get Dan Ashworth, before paying £4.1m to axe him after five months. If the performances on the pitch are a mess, they speak to the state of play off the pitch.