Manchester United under the direction of Sir Alex Ferguson was once the most respected team in Europe. But now Manchester United is no longer feared by their opponents. Manchester United is known as a club that has solid sharpness and defense. Likewise with the mental steel of the players that made them succeed in winning many titles.
Until now, Manchester United have collected 20 English Premier League titles, 12 FA Cup titles, three Champions League titles, one Europa League title, and one title at the Club World Cup. However, the prestige of the Red Devils continued to decline after Ferguson decided to retire. A number of managers are still not able to restore the glory of the pride of the Manchester club.
Here are 3 reasons that Manchester United are no longer a feared team:
1. Managers Less Stable
Man United failed to find a decent figure to replace Ferguson’s role. David Moyes and Louis van Gaal failed to make a positive impact on the team and eventually left the club after several sad seasons.
The decision to bring Jose Mourinho was initially a good hope for the Red Devils because he had a good record with the previous club, including when he was coach of Chelsea. Despite spending a lot of money, the public’s criticism of Mourinho was sharper before finally retreating in November 2018.
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer who had given hope was only able to bring Manchester United to an end in the 6th place with a record of 54 goals conceded. Now, what Manchester United needs is a world-class coach who can not only work but also attract world-class players to come.
2. Lack of a leader figure
To succeed, a team must have respected leaders. In the past, Manchester United had leaders such as Eric Cantona, Roy Keane, David Beckham to Rio Ferdinand who were highly respected friends and opponents in the field.
When compared to the current situation, there is almost no leader in Manchester United. Ashley Young, the only senior player who served as captain, still has not proven its worth.
3. Error of Player Contract
One of United’s biggest problems in recent years is the player contract. Even though Alex Ferguson is known as the most careful figure in matters of extending player contracts.
For example, Ryan Giggs is only limited to a one-year contract extension in 2009 because it has been 35 years. But last season, Ashley Young, Chris Smalling and Phil Jones were awarded long-term contracts despite having inconsistent performances throughout the season.
Whereas David de Gea, who is arguably the best Manchester United player in recent years, is still not given a new contract. Leaving one of the world’s best goalkeepers with free transfer potential is another big mistake that can occur.
