Manchester United Team Talk/Gossip/Rumours Thread 2015 Mod Note Post #2331

castletownman

Fletcher has played every minute in the Premier League so far. I find it strange how he was released by the club citing that he hadn't the fitness levels required. Yet surely, seeing as WBA are a lower-ranked side, that he would generally be running around more in their midfield (less quality therefore more "work-rate" required)? Not criticising the club letting him go by the way, as it was the best move for all parties involved at the end of the day, just find it a bit peculiar is all.

StringerBell

When did the club say he didn't have the fitness levels required?

From what I remember it was his choice and in fact Van Gaal didn't want him to leave at all. Fletcher himself has said as much hasn't he?


Edit:
Direct quotes from Fletcher

'Manchester United are a fantastic club and I've got so many great memories there but I feel it's time for a new challenge for me.

'I haven't had as many games as I would like this season and, after everything I've been through, I'm a professional football player. I want to play football and hopefully I can do that at West Brom. They've given me the opportunity to do that.

'I'm leaving Manchester United but I've got so many happy memories and got to know so many great people there I'm leaving with a smile on my face.

'I spoke to the manager [Louis van Gaal] about not playing as much as I wanted and the club didn't really want me to go but they respected my wishes.

'The manager and (executive vice chairman) Ed Woodward have been fantastic. I cannot speak highly enough of them. I have great respect for them and how they have dealt with this. They helped me as much as possible and made the move possible. I have to thank them for being professional and catering for my wishes.'

castletownman

Apologies. For some reason I had it in my mind that he was let leave because of issues with his fitness arising from his illness. Obviously mistaken

StringerBell

Terrible shame how his career was impacted by illness, it is the measure of the man that he has got back to playing at such a good level not to mention how he came back from the injury early in his career. Not everybody would know this (especially given how underwhelming he was for such a long time) but Fletcher was touted to be the next big thing when he was coming through the ranks only to be set back a few times with injuries, one of which was a broken foot. He was delayed a lot in terms of getting integrated into the first team and it looked like he may never develop to the level he was thought he would go to, and i guess he didn't actually but he became a very important member of a very successful United squad.

A great man by all accounts, even Keane was a fan of his all the way coming through and a great servant to the club. I am delighted he is back enjoying the game and playing consistently. If he wants it I can pretty much guarantee he will be back at the club when his playing days are over either as a coach or an ambassador. He is held in very high regard at the club.

jayo26

StringerBell wrote: »

Terrible shame how his career was impacted by illness, it is the measure of the man that he has got back to playing at such a good level not to mention how he came back from the injury early in his career. Not everybody would know this (especially given how underwhelming he was for such a long time) but Fletcher was touted to be the next big thing when he was coming through the ranks only to be set back a few times with injuries, one of which was a broken foot. He was delayed a lot in terms of getting integrated into the first team and it looked like he may never develop to the level he was thought he would go to, and i guess he didn't actually but he became a very important member of a very successful United squad.

A great man by all accounts, even Keane was a fan of his all the way coming through and a great servant to the club. I am delighted he is back enjoying the game and playing consistently. If he wants it I can pretty much guarantee he will be back at the club when his playing days are over either as a coach or an ambassador. He is held in very high regard at the club.

Well said mate i remember him as young lad well he was going to be a big star and I think he was captain of Scottish team at only 19 if i recall?

Some lads, you can tell they are a sound c**t just by the look of them. Darren Fletcher is one of those lads.

Canadel

stankratz wrote: »

Some lads, you can tell they are a sound c**t just by the look of them. Darren Fletcher is one of those lads.

Same goes for Welbeck too. The sad thing is, he was plenty good enough to still become a star at Utd.

StringerBell

Canadel wrote: »

Same goes for Welbeck too. The sad thing is, he was plenty good enough to still become a star at Utd.

Are you Danny Welbeck by any chance?

Canadel

StringerBell wrote: »

Are you Danny Welbeck by any chance?

No, but that's not the first time I've been asked that.

Rayne Wooney

Welbeck is brutal lads, he's also 26 this year

Liam McPoyle

Canadel wrote: »

Same goes for Welbeck too. The sad thing is, he was plenty good enough to still become a star at Utd.

Danny is a very likeable fella and always gave 100% but he never did it for us. His performances for the Arse have completely exonerated United's decision to sell him, though he has been blighted by injuries this season.

homerjay2005

stankratz wrote: »

Some lads, you can tell they are a sound c**t just by the look of them. Darren Fletcher is one of those lads.

I read that a couple of times and missed the word sound, was wondering what the hell you were talking about!😆

Dragovic talk stepping up this morning, looks like we are going for him , anybody rate him?

Giggsy11

Surprising we are not linked with many players in Jan considering how badly we are playing.

Also

https://twitter.com/MirrorAnderson/status/687607360840400896?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

Giggsy11

homerjay2005 wrote: »

I read that a couple of times and missed the word sound, was wondering what the hell you were talking about!😆

Dragovic talk stepping up this morning, looks like we are going for him , anybody rate him?

https://twitter.com/Sport_Witness/status/687675782764834816

When SportMediaSet said on Thursday that Aleksander Dragovic was set to move to Manchester United for around £16m, we had a distinct feeling of déjà vu. Almost a year ago to the day, similar rumours had appeared from the Austrian media, and at the time they seemed far more reliable.

Wednesday's Italian reports led us to say: 'Forgive us therefore for coming out in cold sweats as Italy's SportMediaSet say Dragovic is once again close to becoming a Manchester United player. They claim that a €21m deal, roughly £16m, is close to being done, the player is 'one step away' from the club and that everything could be sorted 'in the coming hours'.

SportMediaSet have said nothing on the matter since, so with Dragovic being Austrian we thought we'd check their media, and this is what we found:

Kleine Zeitung covered the story, saying it would be an 'Austrian mega transfer', but referred to the Italian claim and added nothing of their own.

Laola1 (who had been big on Dragovic to Man United a year ago) said 'Dragovic- decision in the next few hours?', but they merely relayed the claim and didn't add anything.

Nachrichten fleshed things out, explaining Manchester United's need for the player, and how the amount would be 'peanuts' to them, but a 'record book' transfer for an Austrian player. But once more they referred back to SportMediaSet.

The situation was the same for the media local to Dragovic's current club Dinamo Kiev. A lot of smoke but no sign of a fire.

beno619

Business Cat wrote: »

Danny is a very likeable fella and always gave 100% but he never did it for us. His performances for the Arse have completely exonerated United's decision to sell him, though he has been blighted by injuries this season.

Disagree on him not doing it for us. Arsenal fans were very happy with him before he got injured.

Liam McPoyle

beno619 wrote: »

Disagree on him not doing it for us. Arsenal fans were very happy with him before he got injured.

20 league goals in more than 90 games for us, for a striker, would suggest otherwise.

IMO.

beno619

Business Cat wrote: »

20 league goals in more than 90 games for us, for a striker, would suggest otherwise.

IMO.

If only things were that black and white, argument has been done to death at this stage though.

Lukekul

stankratz wrote: »

Some lads, you can tell they are a sound c**t just by the look of them. Darren Fletcher is one of those lads.

The soundest

2moreMinutes

What would be the best way for someone living locally to get their hands on home tickets? I've just moved to the surrounding area and would obv like to get going to games now I no longer have the "but I need to travel from Ireland" excuse!

Someone was telling me that if I just rocked up to Old Trafford on the morning of a match and asked, I'd get one no bother but I really don't wanna chance that unless it's confirmed by someone who knows that I'd likely get a ticket that way.

newballsplease

2moreMinutes wrote: »

What would be the best way for someone living locally to get their hands on home tickets? I've just moved to the surrounding area and would obv like to get going to games now I no longer have the "but I need to travel from Ireland" excuse!

Someone was telling me that if I just rocked up to Old Trafford on the morning of a match and asked, I'd get one no bother but I really don't wanna chance that unless it's confirmed by someone who knows that I'd likely get a ticket that way.

Any local supporters club, or Try the soccer tickets and travel thread.

bangkok

Rayne Wooney wrote: »

Welbeck is brutal lads, he's also 26 this year

A fit Danny Welbeck would walk onto our team

Maximus Alexander

bangkok wrote: »

A fit Danny Welbeck would walk onto our team

Even if that were true, a fit Danny Welbeck is a like a young Pele. It doesn't exist.

Giggsy11

bangkok wrote: »

A fit Danny Welbeck would walk onto our team

Yeah, considering how goal shy our team is, Welbeck fits like a 'T'.

bangkok

Giggsy11 wrote: »

Yeah, considering how goal shy our team is, Welbeck fits like a 'T'.

he would create things though, great at stretching opposition defences and making space for other players. Clever on the ball as well.

He also played the majority of his United career on the left wing so its very unfair on some saying he was a striker. He actually did well when he was up front

StringerBell

I could find a place for Danny in the team no problem, but it would be from a wide position which apparently he didn't want and didn't want to be a bit part player so ce la vie really.

The_Kew_Tour

Welbeck attitude was Super under Moyes.

He really was one of the few who put in a decent shift most games and least tried wear shirt with pride. That's why I never have pop at his miss against Munich.

But Di Maria and Falcao came in, who was going say no to them? Somebody had make way.

Whatsisname

Wasnt the biggest Welbeck fan but didn't dislike him either but I don't think he'd dislodge Martial from the left, certainly not Rooney in the centre anyway.

Maximus Alexander

The_Kew_Tour wrote: »

Welbeck attitude was Super under Moyes.

He really was one of the few who put in a decent shift most games and least tried wear shirt with pride. That's why I never have pop at his miss against Munich.

But Di Maria and Falcao came in, who was going say no to them? Somebody had make way.

I liked the chap, and was sad to see him go, but at the same time I didn't feel like the team had lost a great talent. I liked the fact that he seemed to love the club and always gave his all, but he was what he was and it wasn't great like. He was ok. Ultimately dispensable. I'd rather have Hernandez like.

weemcd

Lads the recent run of results must be getting to your head and clouding your judgement, that plus some nice hazy nostalgia to help blur the reality. The reality is that Danny Wellbeck was absolutley brutal and I was doing backflips the day we got rid of him.

weemcd

weemcd wrote: »

Lads the recent run of results must be getting to your head and clouding your judgement, that plus some nice hazy nostalgia to help blur the reality. The reality is that Danny Wellbeck was absolutley brutal and I was doing backflips the day we got rid of him.

It's ok, its being going on in here for a while now and is a good way to beat LVG with a stick
Begging for deadwood to return

homerjay2005

2moreMinutes wrote: »

What would be the best way for someone living locally to get their hands on home tickets? I've just moved to the surrounding area and would obv like to get going to games now I no longer have the "but I need to travel from Ireland" excuse!

Someone was telling me that if I just rocked up to Old Trafford on the morning of a match and asked, I'd get one no bother but I really don't wanna chance that unless it's confirmed by someone who knows that I'd likely get a ticket that way.

I should be able to sort you out for most games, drop me a PM and let me know what game you want.

I've a couple of spares for a good few of the remaining games as there's always lads out of our group of season ticket holders unable to go.

bangkok

weemcd wrote: »

Lads the recent run of results must be getting to your head and clouding your judgement, that plus some nice hazy nostalgia to help blur the reality. The reality is that Danny Wellbeck was absolutley brutal and I was doing backflips the day we got rid of him.

no he wasn't, far from it. You think the 2 most successful manager in Britain thought he was brutal?

Probably the best manager in the world Pep Guardiola identified welbeck as one of the biggest threats to his Bayern munich side. A regular starter at International level and one of Englands best players.

IamtheWalrus

bangkok wrote: »

no he wasn't, far from it. You think the 2 most successful manager in Britain thought he was brutal?

Probably the best manager in the world Pep Guardiola identified welbeck as one of the biggest threats to his Bayern munich side. A regular starter at International level and one of Englands best players.

Simply not the Manchester United of old's standard. Current Utd? Definitely.

bucketybuck

IamtheWalrus wrote: »

Simply not the Manchester United of old's standard. Current Utd? Definitely.

Wellbeck was never a world class player, but he was always a very useful player to have available.

He could have filled in a lot of positions in the current setup, not least that of the position we have very little cover for, the striker. He could have played wide left or right and he also had the workrate to cover back, which Van Gaal should have appreciated. He would in fact have been perfect for the system and small squad that we currently have employed.

He was also at an age where with the right development he could have done a Chris Smalling and started hitting his potential consistently. Injuries have curtailed that but had he stayed it may have been different, who knows.

So considering the meager sums involved it never really made any sense to sell him to a rival. Anybody who just dismisses him as useless doesn't really know what they are talking about, but more to the point, its not about him being world class or not, its about him improving our team or not. Maybe he wasn't world class, but when we have Mata, Young, Depay and Lingard all faffing about on the wing it mightn't have been the worst thing in the world to be able to throw Wellbeck in the odd time.

bangkok

Klopp: "I had really good moments with Sir Alex. It was an honour to talk with him. Maybe he's greatest ever - the John Lennon of football."

bangkok

http://www.independent.ie/sport/soccer/premier-league/manchester-united/head-of-manchester-united-youth-development-to-retire-after-becoming-disillusioned-with-clubs-policy-reports-34367076.html

not good news

Cantona's Collars

The Daily Fail saying Woodward is to control transfers instead of LVG,probably bull but could be an indicator that a replacement is lined up and he has a list of targets that he want's Woodward to sign????

Maximus Alexander

bangkok wrote: »

http://www.independent.ie/sport/soccer/premier-league/manchester-united/head-of-manchester-united-youth-development-to-retire-after-becoming-disillusioned-with-clubs-policy-reports-34367076.html

not good news

Yeah the youth system might stop churning out world class players now. :mad:

secman

Maximus Alexander wrote: »

Yeah the youth system might stop churning out world class players now. :mad:

Hardly a good state of affairs that former players are putting their kids into city academy. .. Hard to defend it really... just another sign of the current malaise. ...

Strumms

zerks wrote: »

The Daily Fail saying Woodward is to control transfers instead of LVG,probably bull but could be an indicator that a replacement is lined up and he has a list of targets that he want's Woodward to sign????

It wouldnt suprise me. Either way if not true i doubt LVG will get the full arsenal of our war chest when it comes to transfers. He will be gone in the summer for definate or before depending how results go i feel.

Maximus Alexander

secman wrote: »

Hardly a good state of affairs that former players are putting their kids into city academy. .. Hard to defend it really... just another sign of the current malaise. ...

Ah I'm just being facetious as usual. It's a disease that I have. I need help.

StringerBell

secman wrote: »

Hardly a good state of affairs that former players are putting their kids into city academy. .. Hard to defend it really... just another sign of the current malaise. ...

Eh, sorry now but that has been going on for about a decade if not more at this satge

StringerBell

bangkok wrote: »

http://www.independent.ie/sport/soccer/premier-league/manchester-united/head-of-manchester-united-youth-development-to-retire-after-becoming-disillusioned-with-clubs-policy-reports-34367076.html

not good news

Which part?

I have nothing in particular against Langley, but he has overseen the complete failure of the academy in keeping up with and indeed keeping ahead of the competition as it should be. I am not certain how much control he had in Fergies days but I know Moyes couldnt quite believe how poor a state the academy was in and Van Gaal's work putting that right is seen by many as a reason he has been kept on despite results on the field.

Maybe Langley leaving isn't exactly a bad thing?

Maximus Alexander

StringerBell wrote: »

Eh, sorry now but that has been going on for about a decade if not more at this satge

Well there's a question, might he be leaving because they're trying to change the current shambles?

jayo26

secman wrote: »

Hardly a good state of affairs that former players are putting their kids into city academy. .. Hard to defend it really... just another sign of the current malaise. ...

They weren't even former players rvp was at the club and his young lad was with city,

Andy Cole is a club ambassador and his young lad joined city ya couldn't make that up.

StringerBell

Maximus Alexander wrote: »

Well there's a question, might he be leaving because they're trying to change the current shambles?

He has been there since 2000. IF he had no problem in the shambles since then why would it bother him now? Is he being moved on or leaving as he is seen as part of the problem rather then the solution?

I have no idea, all I can say is what I already said, he has been at the club 16 years and in those years we have fallen so far behind our contemporaries its not funny.

StringerBell

jayo26 wrote: »

They weren't even former players rvp was at the club and his young lad was with city,

Andy Cole is a club ambassador and his young lad joined city ya couldn't make that up.

Kaspar Schmeichel went through the City academy, started there in 2002.

Fletchers son is/was there, same as Phil Nevilles, started while he was at Everton, City have one hell of an impressive set up it has to be acknowledged.

The underage team there are coming along really well and they will bear the fruit of it in the future, it is an indictment of United that it has fallen so far behind, but it is a folly to think this is current. It has been going on a long time.

Not replacing BMC when he took up the Scottish position (still!) is mind boggling also.

We are now in the incredible position of having to play catch up to City in this regard, for a club that prides itself on youth that is a disgrace tbh

Giggsy11

bangkok wrote: »

http://www.independent.ie/sport/soccer/premier-league/manchester-united/head-of-manchester-united-youth-development-to-retire-after-becoming-disillusioned-with-clubs-policy-reports-34367076.html

not good news

Hardly a news. He is retiring anyways.

StringerBell

Giggsy11 wrote: »

Hardly a news. He is retiring anyways.

News because Louis and the press don't get on, anything that can be slanted negatively at the club will now be "newsworthy"

jayo26

StringerBell wrote: »

Kaspar Schmeichel went through the City academy, started there in 2002.

Fletchers son is/was there, same as Phil Nevilles, started while he was at Everton, City have one hell of an impressive set up it has to be acknowledged.

The underage team there are coming along really well and they will bear the fruit of it in the future, it is an indictment of United that it has fallen so far behind, but it is a folly to think this is current. It has been going on a long time.

Not replacing BMC when he took up the Scottish position (still!) is mind boggling also.

We are now in the incredible position of having to play catch up to City in this regard, for a club that prides itself on youth that is a disgrace tbh

I dont mind kasper as his dad was playing with city at the time it's the fact that we have payed staff at the club as ambassadors and players and yet they send their kids to the city rivals its a joke.

I can't get my head around not replacing bmc either it was a perfect opportunity to bring in someone from a successful European setup or even likes of Southampton to overhaul that side of The club the only reason I could think is they have someone lined up too but id imagine end of season means fek all to youth setups.