Ed Woodward is finally set to depart United at the start of February, with current Group Managing Director Richard Arnold set to take on the vacancy under a revamped title of Chief Executive Officer. However, the ending of Woodward’s problematic at phase at the club only marks the eradication of one of many, many issues ongoing throughout Manchester United Football Club.
It's brutal, but Woodward has ultimately been a failure at United. He is reported as being frustrated at leaving the club knowing he has failed in the main priority - creating a structure which can ensure silverware. He is known to regret not providing David Moyes with a stronger structure, supposedly telling staff that he failed Moyes.
As he prepares to stand down, one piece of advice given to Arnold by Woodward is to focus on the long term and ignore the noise. Woodward has been the cause of many issues, but problems also lie within the dressing room. Per reports from multiple sources since the defeat against Wolves, it's not a pleasant place to be right now.
On Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s final day at Carrington, it is suggested that he was asked by some members of staff as to why he hadn’t done more to expose the players who let him down so badly - the question was met with a smile and shrug of the shoulders.
There have been suggestions that players are talking openly about this being the worst atmosphere they can remember at United. The mood around Carrington has been described as oppressive, and has sunk so low that senior players fear it is actually becoming close to hitting rock bottom. Senior players are reported to talk openly about this being the worst group, and consequently atmosphere they can remember. One source suggested that "the atmosphere is really bad and it looks like there are going to be big problems ahead.”
It has been widely covered that cliques are understood to have formed within the squad, with Ralf Rangnick facing many of the same problems that forced the sacking of Solskjaer. An increasing number of the players marginalised under the former manager are said to be suffering the same treatment under Rangnick, which has led to the reported divisions within the dressing room.
It's suggested that Mike Phelan has been asked to help unify the dressing room and prevent the club's season falling into further disarray. He is seen as the ideal man to build bridges in a dressing room which has divided into cliques, and recently held a two-hour discussion with Rangnick about this intended unification.
Doubt is already emerging within the dressing room that Rangnick is the right man to be in charge, with players struggling to adapt to his methods - including the new 4-2-2-2 formation. Many of the players are said to be underwhelmed by the German's coaching, not impressed by his tactics and disappointed by the quality of his assistants. A source suggested a belief that "they have the players at United who are ready to play, but they don’t have the coach to get the best out of those players."
A word has to be said on the doubt, and essential 'giving up' on the manager after merely a month and five representative games in charge. It's frankly pathetic, and increases the negative representation of the players' attitude. Nobody should never give up at this club, let alone after such a brief and disrupted period. It simply emphasises views of a lack of willingness to change their ways, which are clearly not guiding them to any success.
United are possibly facing an exodus of players that could hit double figures before the start of next season - around a half of the squad are rumoured to be seriously unhappy. Many of those unhappy are under contract and will not be sold, but there will likely be a significant number of departures.
Maybe a clear-out wouldn't be so bad an idea given these reports, with a freshening up clearly verging on a necessity.
Dressing room sources suggest confrontation is brewing between a number of players and Rangnick if moves are not sanctioned as early as this month. Some of Jesse Lingard’s teammates believe he is overdue a run in the team amidst Jadon Sancho’s struggles, with Mason Greenwood’s apparent greediness also believed to have riled some teammates. Frustration is reaching a climax surrounding the dwindling standards of the club, with resentment festering amongst some of the club’s under-used players.
Lingard is one of a number of fringe players after a move. The Donny van de Beek situation is a continuously a mess. It’s being extensively reported that he wants to leave, with a loan move favoured by the midfielder this month. However, Rangnick and the club seem to be barring any transfer. He constantly seems to be ‘guaranteed’ gametime, but that is still to be granted. He is being robbed of some of the best years of his career, sitting undeservedly on the bench week by week. It’s definitely not down to his attitude, with many with a poor attitude continue to be given chances ahead of him, which is massively unfair on him. There seems to be fear that Van de Beek ill-suited to the rigours of the Premier League - his technique is pristine but sources say in training he struggles to cover ground.
Otherwise, fringe players chasing after moves include the likes of Dean Henderson, Phil Jones, Juan Mata and Anthony Martial. There is, furthermore, possibility of both Paul Pogba and Edinson Cavani leaving for free in the summer.
You can imagine those aforementioned aren't the only players chasing an exit given the suggestion surrounding the disjointedness of the dressing room at present.
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