Focusing on commercial value?No wonder team declined for a decade!

Shri0001

If a team prioritizes a player's commercial value over their athletic ability, it's normal for the team's performance to decline. According to an anonymous former Manchester United player, senior executives at Manchester United once refused to sign a skilled player for commercial reasons, which is a microcosm of the team's decline over the past decade.

According to ESPN reports, this unnamed former Manchester United player revealed some internal situations during their time at Manchester United. At the time, the coach was Jose Mourinho, who wanted to sign Perisic, who was playing for Inter Milan at the time, to strengthen his team. Perisic had an excellent season at Inter Milan, scoring 11 goals and assisting 8 times in Serie A.

However, then-Manchester United executive Ed Woodward refused Mourinho's request, solely because Woodward believed Perisic was not viable "commercially" and not the right choice. As a result, Perisic did not join Manchester United. In the following seasons, Perisic scored another 20 goals and helped Inter Milan win the league title in the 2020-21 season. Missing out on such a talented player was undoubtedly a loss for Manchester United.

This wasn't the first time Woodward had signed or sold players for non-athletic reasons. The anonymous player also said that Mourinho once requested the sale of forward Anthony Martial because he felt Martial was not outstanding or reliable enough. However, this decision was again vetoed by the Glazer family, with Joel Glazer reportedly being a loyal fan of Martial. But as we know now, Martial's professionalism was questionable.

Therefore, the reason for Manchester United's decline can be attributed to the unprofessionalism of the senior management, spending big money on trivial matters, and ultimately leading to increasingly poor results.

Jatin255

The team's athletic performance also determines its commercial success, so the two are complementary. The decisions of Manchester United's owners are still somewhat perplexing.

Jiger955

The football world is in chaos! It's all about money... Clubs that only care about money won't progress, will they?

Niti998

It's really hard to determine whether income comes from commercial ventures or from winning matches and gaining fame through strength.

977Iti

Team decisions require balancing commercial and athletic considerations. Unprofessional decisions may lead to declining performance. Expecting more rational talent selection.

Iravan774

Seeing the headline, I knew they were talking about Manchester United. Sigh, there's no way around it. Manchester United's operations over the past decade have indeed been terrible. Let's hope Jim Ratcliffe can put an end to the blind player acquisitions.

Kamal531

Nowadays, it's all about the money. Who cares about honors and achievements? It's the cold, hard cash that matters most. Athletes are human too; they need to eat and support their families.

Shri

Ever since Sir Alex Ferguson retired, Manchester United has been in endless turmoil, with little hope in sight. But it's not entirely accurate to say that Manchester United buys players for commercial value. In recent years, aside from Cristiano Ronaldo, who among the signed players has significant commercial value? Players like Diogo Dalot and Donny van de Beek lack both skill and commercial appeal. Who would invest in a black player? Or in a domestic abuser? Ironically, Cristiano Ronaldo, the player with the highest commercial value, was let go by Manchester United. At present, Manchester United's allure for top-tier players has significantly diminished. Players with potential or actual talent wouldn't consider joining Manchester United anymore. After all, Manchester United can't win championships or secure Champions League qualification, and they have to play second fiddle to the Glazers' favorites. Even Casemiro and Varane, who thrived at Real Madrid, are being discarded by Manchester United. It's evident that this team has no future. The transfer authority at Manchester United is likely in the hands of the Glazers, who have brought in many of their favorites, regardless of skill level. If they can't achieve good results this season and secure Champions League qualification, the Glazers' days are numbered. When a new coach comes in, the Glazers' favorites will likely be offloaded at low prices, perpetuating an endless cycle. Liverpool waited nearly 30 years for someone like Klopp. Let's see how long it takes for Manchester United to find their renaissance leader.