After 1968’s European Cup win, it took just 6 years for United to get relegated but at least that was a floor and the team (and club) bounced back. In many ways Doc’s 70s team was my favourite of the post-Holy Trinity Manchester United’s. Pearson, Hill, Coppell, McIlroy, Buchan ….
It’s now twice as long since Fergie left (12 years) and they still haven’t hit the bottom (as in the current era they have been too rich to get relegated so far). They need to have an equivalent reality check to finally clean out the dross in the board room, executive ranks and playing staff. Perhaps next year ….😢😢
Indeed. We live in hope, Bill. If it were possible, I would've happily taken a dressing room with Harry, Kobbie, and Bruno, and the rest taken from the academy. They can't do much worse than 17th, surely.
Good summary and from the heart. As a longstanding Liverpool fan I can’t pretend any sympathy, or even empathy as we’ve never been as low as this in my 67 years. Forgive me a bit of smugness for predicting at the height of ManU’s success that it would eventually come back around. It’s taken a bit longer than I’d hoped but boy does it feel sweet right now.
Ahahaha you get to drink in all the smugness. Congratulations on the league. :) Yours is a wonderfully run club, with so many excellent/likeable players, a remarkable manager, and an ex-manager who literally everyone in football loved. Going by what I'm reading, prepare yourself for a long spell in the sunlight.
It'll take us a while to find our way back from the pit, but hopefully not as long as it took you lot to win your 19th league ;)
Thanks for your considered response. Just reading the piece again and there’s no mention of the one man who dared to say it like it was - Ralf Rangnick. He at least set out the problems, if not the solutions, but he was also bombed out pretty sharpish.
PS I don’t think we’ll need as long as you to reach 21 😀
When does a fan decide to move on from their beloved team?
What will it take?
And will they transfer loyalties to another club or quit watching altogether?
A version of this happened with me and cricket. I quit watching it and following the sport between 2011 and 2019 roughly. I missed Virat Kohli's golden years basically and when I returned I watched in vain for him to repeat the heroics only to catch glimpses here and there.
I think a fan starts with committing loyalty which is hard to break unless there is something absolutely radical. If I was old enough when the match-fixing saga caught Indian cricket, and maybe SRT or Dravid were part of the ring, I would've 100% given up on it.
I also think once we have an objective relationship with loyalty, it becomes easier to handle it. I am loyal towards United but there are about 10 teams in the league more watchable/fun/better than them. So you can, I guess, keep your loyalty while appreciating what the sport has to offer? Just thinking out aloud.
Also, those lines comparing SAF's departure to watching your Grandpa leave knowing the house would feel different without him, hits right there in the feels🎯
Incredibly well written. Can feel the pain and agony Sarthak..it’s hard to be objective of our relationship with the things we love, especially when they’re struggling. But this is arguably one of the best accounts of United’s decline. And that aside piece on Fergie was one helluva TIL 😳
FWIW, ManU is still one of a small handful of European football clubs the average American NFL fan could name if you stopped him on the way into a game. That’s probably true in other parts of the world too, although soccer is more of a thing outside the US.
It’s also interesting that your comparison of the glory days was to Phil Jackson and the MJ era Bulls, rather than the New England Patriots and Bill Belichek. Also, fwiw, the Glazer family still owns the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and while not a dynasty, they have won several Super Bowl titles, the last in 2021.
After 1968’s European Cup win, it took just 6 years for United to get relegated but at least that was a floor and the team (and club) bounced back. In many ways Doc’s 70s team was my favourite of the post-Holy Trinity Manchester United’s. Pearson, Hill, Coppell, McIlroy, Buchan ….
It’s now twice as long since Fergie left (12 years) and they still haven’t hit the bottom (as in the current era they have been too rich to get relegated so far). They need to have an equivalent reality check to finally clean out the dross in the board room, executive ranks and playing staff. Perhaps next year ….😢😢
Indeed. We live in hope, Bill. If it were possible, I would've happily taken a dressing room with Harry, Kobbie, and Bruno, and the rest taken from the academy. They can't do much worse than 17th, surely.
Good summary and from the heart. As a longstanding Liverpool fan I can’t pretend any sympathy, or even empathy as we’ve never been as low as this in my 67 years. Forgive me a bit of smugness for predicting at the height of ManU’s success that it would eventually come back around. It’s taken a bit longer than I’d hoped but boy does it feel sweet right now.
Ahahaha you get to drink in all the smugness. Congratulations on the league. :) Yours is a wonderfully run club, with so many excellent/likeable players, a remarkable manager, and an ex-manager who literally everyone in football loved. Going by what I'm reading, prepare yourself for a long spell in the sunlight.
It'll take us a while to find our way back from the pit, but hopefully not as long as it took you lot to win your 19th league ;)
Thanks for your considered response. Just reading the piece again and there’s no mention of the one man who dared to say it like it was - Ralf Rangnick. He at least set out the problems, if not the solutions, but he was also bombed out pretty sharpish.
PS I don’t think we’ll need as long as you to reach 21 😀
Haha, I wrote that piece from the thread of United's chaos. We ditched Rangnick too, too early. Hence, he didn't quite fit the story :)
"José Mourinho came next, which was like hiring an arsonist to renovate your house."
LOL.
This is the class of article Grantland produced. Well done.
Thank you for reading :)
That was sublime, Sarthak.
When does a fan decide to move on from their beloved team?
What will it take?
And will they transfer loyalties to another club or quit watching altogether?
A version of this happened with me and cricket. I quit watching it and following the sport between 2011 and 2019 roughly. I missed Virat Kohli's golden years basically and when I returned I watched in vain for him to repeat the heroics only to catch glimpses here and there.
Thank you so much, Venkatesh! :)
I think a fan starts with committing loyalty which is hard to break unless there is something absolutely radical. If I was old enough when the match-fixing saga caught Indian cricket, and maybe SRT or Dravid were part of the ring, I would've 100% given up on it.
I also think once we have an objective relationship with loyalty, it becomes easier to handle it. I am loyal towards United but there are about 10 teams in the league more watchable/fun/better than them. So you can, I guess, keep your loyalty while appreciating what the sport has to offer? Just thinking out aloud.
I was thinking out loud too in my comment earlier. Because once again I'm at a crossroads ...
Yes, your 'solution' makes sense. I can still support RCB but cheerlead GI, PBKS, DC, etc.
Superbly written. I don't think I'm going to read anything better this week, or next month.
Thank you so much for reading and the kind words :)
Very well written Sarthak.
Also, those lines comparing SAF's departure to watching your Grandpa leave knowing the house would feel different without him, hits right there in the feels🎯
Thank you, Hitesh!
United fans story of hope and waiting for a rescuer could be made into a movie, with an open ending.
Heartfelt writing. Being a fellow United fan, you capture all our emotions well. Beautiful Sarthak!
Thank you, Avinash!
Beautiful writing Sarthak❤️
Thank you, Aditi!
Incredibly well written. Can feel the pain and agony Sarthak..it’s hard to be objective of our relationship with the things we love, especially when they’re struggling. But this is arguably one of the best accounts of United’s decline. And that aside piece on Fergie was one helluva TIL 😳
Thank you Sudhanshu!
FWIW, ManU is still one of a small handful of European football clubs the average American NFL fan could name if you stopped him on the way into a game. That’s probably true in other parts of the world too, although soccer is more of a thing outside the US.
It’s also interesting that your comparison of the glory days was to Phil Jackson and the MJ era Bulls, rather than the New England Patriots and Bill Belichek. Also, fwiw, the Glazer family still owns the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and while not a dynasty, they have won several Super Bowl titles, the last in 2021.