Why Has United Become a Low Point in Players’ Careers?

Up until 2013, Manchester United were a silverware-winning institution who were feared not just by teams in the UK but all around the world.

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However, since the departure of the great Sir Alex Ferguson, almost every player who has come to the club has had one or two breakthrough years, before their career starts to decline in terms of performance.

But why is this? Some say it’s the Manager, while others say that the players are being paid too much.

But the real reason is the club itself.

While the Glazers have enraged United fans with the misuse of their ownership, it seems like nothing has improved under Sir Jim Ratcliffe and INEOS.

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Ratcliffe giving Ruben Amorim three years to prove he is the right person to take the team forward is not only arrogant but also naive, given that the players are still not inclined to his system.

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Three years? Are you laughing? You are Manchester United, not a team that has just been promoted from the Championship.

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Marcus Rashford, a home-grown player now at Barcelona, insists the environment at the club hasn’t been as consistent as in the previous decades.

‘Consistency is a massive part of it. I feel like I’ve been in an inconsistent environment for a very, very long time. So it’s even more difficult to be consistent then,’ ‘When people talk about consistency, in order to be consistent in anything, not just sport, you need consistent variables in your life, in the way you train and we’ve just had so many changes so far in my career.

Rashford: Metro

Since Sir Alex’s departure in 2013, United have had 10 different managers, including interim spells for Ryan Giggs, Michael Carrick, Ralf Rangnick, and Ruud Van Nistelrooy.

None of those have survived for more than two or two and a half years.

A big part of that is to do with the environment of the club, especially when the players have begun to down tools with the manager.

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So why is this the case? Why are clubs like Manchester City, Liverpool, Arsenal, and Chelsea, who also spend money, achieving more success on the pitch than United?

It all comes down to the mindset and strategy of the owners, which ultimately outlines the future of the club and their players.

The top four clubs can have better seasons because their recruitment programme is far superior to United’s, as they are focused on success both on the pitch and off it.

If you are a new player coming into United, it can be challenging to cope with that environment; you don’t want to fall into the trap of failure.

The fact that United have gone two successive seasons without Champions League football shows how low the standards have fallen at this great club.

Over the past 13 years, United have never been in a proper Title race.

Jose Mourinho’s statement that finishing as runners-up in his second season was his greatest achievement at the club highlights how intoxicating life has been at Old Trafford.

If you look at the current situation, unless there’s a 5-10 game unbeaten streak, it seems Amorim is on his last legs as the Red Devils’ boss.

How much lower can United fall, or is there a way back?

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