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Daily Manchester United - Episode 117 - Wildcard Wednesday
12 Plays4 days ago
Show Notes
Kieran, Toluwa, and Sam are on Wildcard Wednesday to discuss the latest statement from the club.
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Transcript
Introduction and Guest Welcome
00:00:03
Toluwa Famuyide
Thank
00:00:09
Global Sports Podcast Network
Hello everyone and welcome to the daily Manchester United podcast here on the Global Sports Podcast Network. My name is Kieran, it's Wildcard Wednesday and I'm glad to say I've got two fantastic guests joining me along on today's episode. First up is Sam Brady. Sam, welcome along.
00:00:27
Sam Brady
Yeah, thanks, Keren. How are you?
00:00:28
Sam Brady
Good, good.
00:00:28
Global Sports Podcast Network
um um
00:00:29
Global Sports Podcast Network
no I'm not too bad. and you know It's Wildcard Wednesday. We get to talk about something other than the first team for a change.
00:00:31
Sam Brady
Okay.
00:00:34
Global Sports Podcast Network
It's quite nice. And for the first time on our podcast, ah we have Tolua Famuyide. Tolua, welcome to the show. A bit of a stretch between us and yourself across the pond. How is it over
Tolua's Journey to Becoming a Man Utd Fan
00:00:46
Global Sports Podcast Network
there in the US? s
00:00:47
Toluwa Famuyide
it's ah It's pretty chilly. I'm not a fan of the cold weather, but hey, it's this is life. I have to accept it.
00:00:55
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, cold weather and whatnot. I mean, yeah, you see Giroud's beard freezing as well.
00:00:59
Toluwa Famuyide
Yeah. Yeah.
00:01:00
Global Sports Podcast Network
It's pretty impressive. Anyway, slightly off topic. Today, we're here to talk about something, you know, whatever comes to mind, really. And first thing, obviously, Tolua, first time on the show. You're based in the US and you're on the United podcast.
00:01:10
Toluwa Famuyide
yeah
00:01:13
Global Sports Podcast Network
Well, we have to know how this happened then.
00:01:16
Toluwa Famuyide
Um, look, like I said, uh, soccer, football, whatever you want to call it. I hated it to start. Let's just start there. I was not a fan. Six-year-old me hated it.
00:01:28
Toluwa Famuyide
I couldn't stand I thought it was super boring. Truth is, my dad forced me to watch the beautiful game. And, you know, from this day, um, from that day until now, I'm just so grateful. Uh, first game I ever watched was 07-08, Man United-Chelsea-Chemons-League Final.
00:01:44
Toluwa Famuyide
And, um, I was leaning towards Chelsea, i'm not going to lie, but there was one man, one man that changed everything for me. CR7.
00:01:53
Global Sports Podcast Network
Was it?
00:01:53
Sam Brady
Uh.
00:01:53
Global Sports Podcast Network
was gonna say, don't say John Terry.
00:01:56
Sam Brady
i
00:01:57
Toluwa Famuyide
I think I just love the way that he played in that game. And it made it, and made it made the game of soccer so different for me. When I was watching it at first, I was watching the MLS and that's such a, you know, very poor quality league in comparison to the standards of the primary league, even the championships.
00:02:13
Toluwa Famuyide
But that was when I first started to watch. I thought it was so boring. I thought the players were so bad. And then you go ahead and you watch a Champions final and you see Ronaldo and you see like Anelka, you see Tevez, you see Lampard. It's like the difference in quality is so different, so much better.
00:02:28
Toluwa Famuyide
And it really drew me in. So that's kind of how I became a United fan.
00:02:32
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, you've not mentioned Rob Green yet or anywhere in that sort of 2010.
00:02:34
Toluwa Famuyide
Hey,
00:02:35
Sam Brady
So,
00:02:36
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, I'm glad you didn't glad you didn't mention that whatsoever.
00:02:39
Toluwa Famuyide
John O'Shea will always live in my mind.
00:02:39
Global Sports Podcast Network
and
00:02:40
Toluwa Famuyide
I'll never forget John O'Shea.
00:02:41
Global Sports Podcast Network
ah Well, yeah, yeah. Nile will have really appreciate that one, Tolua. He really, really will. So if you're listening, Nile, that one was for you. Unprompted, I promise. um But obviously as well, not only that, but we've got the World Cup, i believe, in the US, Mexico
Rise of Premier League Popularity in the US
00:02:56
Toluwa Famuyide
Yeah. Yeah.
00:02:56
Global Sports Podcast Network
and Canada.
00:02:57
Global Sports Podcast Network
So this is really good timing for you to pop onto the show, Tolua. I mean...
00:03:01
Toluwa Famuyide
yeah
00:03:01
Global Sports Podcast Network
ah we've We've seen the Premier League has got big over the US in in quite you know exponentially over the last couple of years or so. What do you think has been the difference? what What's been the catalyst of of the US sort of adopting the Premier League?
00:03:15
Toluwa Famuyide
I think the biggest thing was the the TV coverage and the rights. Coming over um to NBC with the Premier League, Rebecca Lowe, Robbie Earle, I think that was huge um for Americans watching soccer.
00:03:23
Sam Brady
Thank you.
00:03:29
Toluwa Famuyide
Before, we only had a network called Fox Soccer Channel, which would show a variety of games, but it'd only be, how would I say, like the marquee games. Like Fox Soccer Channel would show you Manchester United versus Liverpool, but they'd never show you coverage on, I don't know, Reading versus whoever was in the Premier League at that time.
00:03:44
Toluwa Famuyide
You know what i mean? So I think that was huge. um Obviously, the love of the game has grown over time due to the impact of social media as well. I think a lot of fans in this generation are starting to know who Messi and Ronaldo and Manchester United and all these teams are because it's so easily accessible.
00:04:03
Toluwa Famuyide
But I would attribute it mostly to, you know, you lovely people, the British people coming over to America and honestly giving us something that we never had. i mean, I'm so grateful that Robbie Earle and Robbie Musto, Rebecca Earle, I said, I'm so grateful they came and started this in America because if not for them, I don't know what it would look like
00:04:22
Global Sports Podcast Network
I mean, i've been hogging the mic, Sam.
Stigma around American Players in Europe
00:04:24
Global Sports Podcast Network
You you take it for me You can ask a question if you like.
00:04:26
Sam Brady
Yeah, I mean, as Kieran mentioned there about US soccer or football, whatever you want to call it, growing ah over in America, I think a big thing that's also in recent years as well has obviously been the CBS show that definitely in Europe and definitely in the UK that is obviously an American channel but is captured sort of ah European and and especially British audiences with Jamie Carragher and
00:04:42
Toluwa Famuyide
Yeah. Yeah.
00:04:55
Toluwa Famuyide
yeah
00:04:55
Sam Brady
Kate Abdo. And I want to sort of get your opinion as well on, I remember watching a debate, although sort of soccer football has grown in in America, does there's always been this stigma in a way around American players and American managers. And I remember they had this debate a couple of months ago, I think it was this year, maybe last year, about do Americans still get disrespected in Europe's top five leagues with the likes of Christian Pulisic, Weston McKenna? and i think I think it was maybe Clint Dempsey, I think, was saying they do. It might have been another American ex-player. but
00:05:37
Sam Brady
um yeah, I wanted to sort of just get your opinion on whether you still think they do get disrespected, even though they play in in sort of the top five leagues. And and if they do, why why why do you think that is?
Challenges for American Players in Top Leagues
00:05:51
Toluwa Famuyide
Unfortunately, I do, I do think that, you know, the disrespect is still there. Um, majority of the reason being is that because, you know, this isn't the most coveted sport in America.
00:05:56
Sam Brady
Hmm.
00:06:03
Sam Brady
Hmm.
00:06:03
Toluwa Famuyide
Um, so the major thought is that, you know, America can't develop, um, world beaters, they can't develop the next Messi or the next Ronaldo. And honestly, that's true. i'm i've I've been in America and I played not at a high level, but I played in high school and wanting to go to the next step in college is so difficult.
00:06:22
Toluwa Famuyide
It's so difficult.
00:06:22
Sam Brady
Yeah.
00:06:23
Toluwa Famuyide
It kind of deters players and people who have this dream to want to do it because of the money, the aspect of pay to play is huge. I think the reason why Americans get disrespected, especially in like the Premier League,
00:06:37
Toluwa Famuyide
is because they're just not good enough. Like, there's not been too many Americans that can honestly say that they've had great spells in the Premier League. I think Clint Dempsey's probably the top one.
00:06:48
Toluwa Famuyide
Pulisic had a good time in the Premier but injuries really hampered his progression at Chelsea.
00:06:52
Sam Brady
yeah
00:06:53
Toluwa Famuyide
um I think Dempsey, you could say, like, Brian McBride. There's a lot of players that have played yet, you know, at United, yeah.
00:06:57
Sam Brady
You had Tim Howard as well.
00:07:00
Global Sports Podcast Network
I was going to mention, came through the well ah United as well.
00:07:03
Sam Brady
ah United,
00:07:05
Toluwa Famuyide
But at the end of the day, you know, he didn't last.
00:07:06
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:07:07
Toluwa Famuyide
You know, he went on to play for Everton and have a much more successful team with Everton, which is deemed in America to be a smaller club. But history speaking, Everton back in the day was very good.
00:07:18
Toluwa Famuyide
um Long story short, i think there is room to grow, obviously, for Americans in the Premier League, in Serie A, in the Bundesliga. um it's all just about the quality at the end of the day.
00:07:31
Toluwa Famuyide
I mean, I don't think anybody really cares about where you're from as long as you can produce.
00:07:34
Sam Brady
Yeah.
00:07:35
Toluwa Famuyide
And unfortunately, a lot of Americans just haven't produced in the Prem. Same with Germans. I've noticed that a lot of Germans come to the Premier League and struggle and they go elsewhere abroad. They maybe go to Italy or Germany, back to Germany, and they succeed again.
00:07:48
Toluwa Famuyide
I think it's just a is' where you play, how you adapt to the league, and and it goes from there.
00:07:54
Sam Brady
Yeah, I also was going to say, i I think I agree completely with what you say. And I also think it's ah ah ah probably a negative on British culture where we are so ignorant to the fact that if anyone calls it different to football or if anyone tries to sort of I don't know, in the media, there's always that stigma around Americans playing football.
00:08:17
Toluwa Famuyide
Yeah.
00:08:19
Sam Brady
And even you add the likes of Ted Lasso, where this stupid American managers come to England and and and even and yeah and it's just that stigma around I think Americans playing football and us in British culture, we always act as if you don't know what you're doing when it comes to football.
00:08:38
Sam Brady
When I actually think that's completely untrue.
00:08:39
Toluwa Famuyide
yeah
00:08:41
Sam Brady
When ah as you've said, you've got, you've had players who quality players like Dempsey and Tim Howard. And even now you've got players like Christian Pulisic playing for AC Milan, Weston McKenna also playing out in, in Syria. And And it's ah it's a credit to to football over in America now that the MLS is obviously growing to the to levels that it's grown to. So I think it's also ah a ah British cultural thing where I think we also dismiss people and different cultures of the way they play football. and
00:09:15
Sam Brady
And maybe maybe it's historic in terms of like, we see the US s and they haven't really done much in World Cups and they haven't won many major trophies. So maybe we we look at it from that perspective. But
Man Utd's Financial Struggles and Solutions
00:09:27
Sam Brady
I also...
00:09:28
Sam Brady
I also think the World Cup, as Kieran said, the next World Cup is going to be big a big one for the US because it's going to going to put the US on a global stage and it's going to basically show the the best of US talent.
00:09:42
Sam Brady
And hopefully for you guys, you and and I hope for you guys, you take that opportunity and and prove all the doubters wrong. Because, yeah, because, yeah, yeah, yeah.
00:09:49
Global Sports Podcast Network
um
00:09:50
Toluwa Famuyide
yeah
00:09:50
Global Sports Podcast Network
i I hope so.
00:09:52
Sam Brady
and yeah yeah
00:09:53
Global Sports Podcast Network
i was just going to say, it anyway because ah that leads me perfectly onto another point. If there is one US player right now out in the world that you could bring to Manchester United, who would it be? Sorry to put you on the spot on your very first episode, but I think it's a question that needs asking.
00:10:10
Toluwa Famuyide
For sure. um I mean, the obvious one would be Pulisic. We need attacking threat on the wing. like We just need it. um
00:10:20
Toluwa Famuyide
That's a tough one. That's a tough one. Really, because there's so many positions that I feel like, let's not say, let's let's leave quality aside.
00:10:23
Global Sports Podcast Network
I thought it might.
00:10:28
Toluwa Famuyide
We just need somebody to fulfill a certain role. I'm looking at somebody like Tyler Adams at Bournemouth who fulfills that, you know, that anchor type midfielder role that I feel like we really need.
00:10:35
Sam Brady
Mm-hmm.
00:10:39
Toluwa Famuyide
um But he's just not good enough to play for Manchester United. I think the only one that's good enough is Pulisic.
00:10:46
Global Sports Podcast Network
Interesting.
00:10:46
Toluwa Famuyide
Yeah. At this moment in time, at this moment in time, for the level and standards that we want, yeah.
00:10:47
Global Sports Podcast Network
Interesting.
00:10:50
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:10:53
Global Sports Podcast Network
Jim Ratcliffe, you've you've heard of Lua. Get on the phone. thats ah That's our June, July, August signing. Wow. A lot to unpack there. And we've all got happy, smiley faces. Unfortunately, it gets a little bit more serious after the break. We'll be talking about the recent news that United had announced on Monday. We'll be talking about that after this.
00:12:06
Global Sports Podcast Network
So the news that came out of Manchester United on Monday, according to their own communications department, was that they're now set to bring in a transformation of the corporate structure as part of a series of additional measures to improve the club's financial sustainability and enhance operational efficiency. According to the Manchester United website, the transformation plan aims to return the club to profitability after five consecutive years of losses since 2019.
00:12:32
Global Sports Podcast Network
This will create a more solid financial platform from which the club can invest in men's and women's football success and improved infrastructure. As part of these measures, the club anticipates that approximately 150 to 200 jobs may be made redundant, subject to a consultation process with employees These would be in addition to the 250 roles removed last year.
00:12:53
Global Sports Podcast Network
Omar Barada, the Manchester United CEO, said, We have a responsibility to put Manchester United in the strongest position to win across our men's, women's and academy teams. We are initiating a wide-ranging series of measures which will transform and renew the club.
00:13:08
Global Sports Podcast Network
Unfortunately, this means announcing further potential redundancies, which we deeply regret the impact on those affected colleagues. However, these hard choices are necessary to put the club back on a stable financial footing.
00:13:22
Global Sports Podcast Network
At the end of this process, we will have a more lean, agile and financially stable football club while continuing to provide a world class service to our valuable commercial partners. Right, that's only part of it. The full details are on the Manchester United website and on the Manchester United app.
00:13:38
Global Sports Podcast Network
But Sam, ah five years, they've they've commented since 2019, the club has made a consistent loss year after year. Now's the time, apparently, to try and recoup some of those costs.
00:13:49
Global Sports Podcast Network
And we've heard... Clippets in the media about how they're going to do that. The stoppage of free meals at the canteen for everyone but the first team. I think the first team mends, but sightensions needed for that one.
00:14:02
Global Sports Podcast Network
I mean, currently it's a shambles on the pitch and a shambles off it.
00:14:06
Sam Brady
Yeah, I mean, it's not a surprise that we're we've had a significant loss since 2019. I mean, obviously, COVID was probably a significant factor to that. But also, I mean, if you just look at on the pitch recruitment, I mean, it's been an absolute farce, to be honest.
00:14:22
Sam Brady
Bringing players in on um massive contracts just for them to leave the club a year later. Obviously, that that that's where most of the finances is probably being lost. And there's still a lot of players still within the squad that that are on high-wage contracts that that probably need to be ah moved on ah sooner rather than later. I think...
00:14:44
Sam Brady
We saw that in the in in January, getting sort of Marcus Rashford on loan, sort of significantly paying for maybe a bit of still his contract, but obviously ah that that reduces um sort of the the hardships on finances. Anthony as well.
00:15:03
Sam Brady
um But ah yeah, it's' it's not a good look at all. And and and as you said, there's as those rumours as well coming out of the training ground around... closing the canteen and and try trying to do different ways of of of making a profit. And look, we'll have to wait and see if if what they say is true about after all these cuts, we'll we'll get back to becoming a profitable business, which at the end of the day, a football club is a business. And And if your business is losing money, then then you need to significantly make make changes. And it's just not a good look, really, especially where we are on the pitch, especially where we are in the league and how this season's gone. And and now this is coming out sort of ah ah away from the pitch. and
00:15:52
Sam Brady
And yeah, it's just it goes just goes from bad to worse, to be honest. But as as I said, we'll have to wait and see. And it'll probably be another year or two until we we truly see the the results of of what they're doing now. So yeah, yeah, not good, really.
00:16:08
Global Sports Podcast Network
Not good at all. Yeah, five years of financial losses consistently, Tolua. Apparently now is the time to start making these changes with the the cutbacks they're making. But how do you see it across the pond?
Critique of Man Utd's Management and Glazer's Priorities
00:16:24
Toluwa Famuyide
I mean, honestly, I feel like, you know, I could run this club better on Football Manager. I feel like, honestly, you know, a lot of these decisions, if I had to, just from the from the outside looking in, a lot of these decisions almost seem as if the higher-ups are making excuses for their, you know, um how would I say, their shortcomings.
00:16:44
Toluwa Famuyide
I'm not gonna obviously put any specific blame on anything because we don't know what really happens behind the scenes, but we have owners who also have subsidiary and who also own a a franchise in America.
00:16:57
Toluwa Famuyide
in the Bucks.
00:16:57
Global Sports Podcast Network
Mm-hmm.
00:16:58
Toluwa Famuyide
And I'm not seeing any financial issues with the Bucks. I'm not seeing any problems going on with the Bucks. You know what i mean? And you come across over to England to one of the biggest teams, if not the biggest team in the world globally, not even just results on the pitch. I'm just talking, you know, everything.
00:17:14
Toluwa Famuyide
And we're struggling. We have to cut costs. We have to ah reduce real people's jobs to nothing. has It's a bit jarring. um And like Sam said, it's just a joke. It's kind of a joke. I mean, let alone the position we are in on the pitch.
00:17:32
Toluwa Famuyide
where cutting costs and like I said, removing people's livelihoods, for what reason? To save money for a club that already makes money on the pitch? I just feel like it's a lot of excuses. I don't see the actual reasoning as to why we're getting rid of these things that were in place that were successful in the past,
00:17:51
Toluwa Famuyide
successful in the past with previous managers, with previous players, and now all of a sudden we're cutting costs. I just think it's a cop-out from the United higher-ups. um I know that Ineos has come in and they've promised us this change, but all I see is us going backwards.
00:18:07
Toluwa Famuyide
it's It's not like we're doing anything different. I know we're not making those major signings like Sam said, where we've signed somebody on ridiculous wages and then the next year they're gone. We're starting to move away from that. We're starting to be a little smarter, a little bit more financially tight.
00:18:23
Toluwa Famuyide
I still think that this isn't the way to go. I mean, does this change the fact that we're 15? Will this change the result tomorrow against Ipswich? I don't think so. You know, if anything, like Sam said, it's just a bad look. It makes us look, and by us, of of course, I mean Manchester United, it just makes us look kind of weak, kind of makes us look like we have nothing else, desperate, if you want to say.
00:18:43
Toluwa Famuyide
um So, yeah.
00:18:45
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, I think the to to make the decision to make the cuts at the bottom of the chain rather than seeing at the top.
00:18:49
Toluwa Famuyide
Yeah.
00:18:51
Global Sports Podcast Network
you know you've You've got lots of footballers on there, as as we've already mentioned on previous episodes, and as you've mentioned there as well, to luu bringing in these you know these stars that have passed their best.
00:18:51
Sam Brady
Yeah. Thank
00:19:02
Global Sports Podcast Network
let's Let's put it like that. yeah It's great to have them for a season or two. I mean, when Varane and Casemiro joined, They would have been great seat great signings, absolute world-class signings five years ago. There's a reason Real Madrid were happy to absolutely take, what was it a combined 70, 75 million, was it roughly? Maybe even more than that, it could have been.
00:19:20
Toluwa Famuyide
Yeah. Yeah.
00:19:20
Global Sports Podcast Network
And to give them the bumper wages. But you can sort of try and track back to the the star signings. I mean, how much did Ibrahimovic cost? Yes, he was a free agent, but how much were his wages? You know, bringing Ronaldo back to the club.
00:19:31
Global Sports Podcast Network
um It was a cut price fee, but how much were his wages? Even Alexis Sanchez, who it was reported, he was getting, you know maybe £350,000, £400,000 per week.
00:19:39
Sam Brady
Hmm.
00:19:41
Toluwa Famuyide
yeah
00:19:41
Global Sports Podcast Network
I mean, when a player like that comes in and they're considered a star player, it's no wonder that players around that signing, that incoming signing, are going to say, well, why aren't I on that money?
00:19:52
Global Sports Podcast Network
And so the the the negotiations start have to start with the agents about raising the whole wages of the entire squad, not just one player.
00:19:52
Toluwa Famuyide
Yeah.
00:20:00
Global Sports Podcast Network
And I feel like if you if you really break the wage structure and don't back it up with, you know, on pitch success, you know, consistent Champions League football, that even with the Premier League money, and it's one of the best paid leagues in the world in terms of TV rights and TV licensing, and you're still struggling financially.
00:20:18
Global Sports Podcast Network
that That should be selling alarm bells three years ago, not now. As Sam said, COVID, it might be a big reason for this, but we were making losses before COVID.
00:20:27
Toluwa Famuyide
Yeah.
00:20:27
Global Sports Podcast Network
you know to To use COVID as as an excuse and just you know say that's the whole reason is incorrect. I think you know the bigger picture is there, as you said, Talua, are real jobs on the line. There are people's livelihoods whose full-time jobs are at stake.
00:20:43
Global Sports Podcast Network
by a wage budget that has been broken for at least five or six years. um We're going to take a little bit of a breather and when we come back we should be talking a little bit more about Manchester United. Shock, horror, we'll join you after this.
00:21:05
Global Sports Podcast Network
Here at the Global Sports Podcast Network, we spent a lot of time selecting our delivery platform. Zencaster came out the clear winner. With 4K video recording from your phone and AI editing, it's super easy to start a podcast that sounds great and is delivered efficiently.
00:21:22
Global Sports Podcast Network
If you're ready to tell your story, check out the link in the show description to learn more about Zencaster.
00:21:38
Global Sports Podcast Network
Just to well wrap up that bulletin from Manchester United with a quote from Omar Barada, Manchester United CEO. We have lost money for the past five consecutive years. This cannot continue.
00:21:51
Global Sports Podcast Network
Our two main priorities as a club are delivering success on the pitch for our fans and improving our facilities. We cannot invest in these objectives if we are continually losing money.
00:22:02
Global Sports Podcast Network
It's a good point you raised, though, to little because the Buccaneers, um didn't they have world-class... facilities built in 2022, 2023, correct me if I'm wrong.
00:22:09
Toluwa Famuyide
Yeah. Yeah.
00:22:11
Global Sports Podcast Network
So, you know, you've got the Glazers who are not in, well, ah according to Ineos's website themselves, Ineos right now have sports control over Manchester United, but yeah Jim Ratcliffe, Sir Jim Ratcliffe owns around about 27, 28% of the football club.
00:22:11
Toluwa Famuyide
yeah
00:22:26
Global Sports Podcast Network
So what's the difference? You know, is is the appeal to the Glazers actually the NFL should be our main priority and perhaps United is being left behind?
00:22:36
Toluwa Famuyide
Absolutely. um the The Buccaneers won a Super Bowl when Tom Brady was on the team not too long ago. um And from that moment on, i I realized like, you know what, this is the Glazers true priority is success on the field because I'm not calling the folk NFL.
00:22:53
Toluwa Famuyide
not calling it a pitch. It's a field. um Success on the field is way more important than what they do financially. But for some reason for United, it's flipped. They're so worried about how much money United brings in and how much they can take versus they don't really mind if United has a couple of years here and there outside of the Champions League, or maybe they're not challenging for top four.
00:23:15
Toluwa Famuyide
I think now it's all come to light because the team, the decline has actually just been so rapid. When Sir Alex left, we you know We had to suffer under Moyes, Van Gaal, Mourinho, Ole.
00:23:28
Toluwa Famuyide
And i say suffer because I say suffer because even though we were winning some of those years, it wasn't, how would I say, it wasn't convincing.
00:23:28
Global Sports Podcast Network
Stop it.
00:23:36
Toluwa Famuyide
It wasn't enough for me as a United fan, and I'm sure you guys as well, to say, oh, wow, we're back. Next season, we'll definitely challenge for the title. I said it. I believed it. And then next season, we didn't. So, yeah.
00:23:48
Toluwa Famuyide
I don't know, I just feel like they're so much more inclined and focused on their American ventures, making money over there, that this is kind of secondary to them. And they've already taken so much money out of the club. I mean, it's in the reports, the athletic, it's public knowledge at this point, you know.
00:24:05
Toluwa Famuyide
ah so They're not worried about United. That's just clear and obvious to me. The problem is with such a big enterprise like Manchester United, who operates on a global level, not just the continental level like the Bucs.
00:24:19
Toluwa Famuyide
um that just doesn't work for a 10-year model. You can't expect the team here and there to make the Champions League or Europa League or we will win the FA Cup and think that the longevity of the club is going to last. It's not going to happen. The fans might back the club for until the end of time.
00:24:37
Toluwa Famuyide
But like you said, the money is not always going to come in. And with the Premier League TV rights, Champions League TV rights, you're making so much money and we're messing out on it. um it's just it's honestly just a shambles altogether and i'm waiting patiently for the day that i get a fabrizio romano alert the glazers have left their post as you know as united owners
00:24:50
Global Sports Podcast Network
Mm-hmm.
00:25:01
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, well, but look it might happen. It might happen. It might not. um I think i think the three one of the some of the three scariest words in football, Sam, is five-year plan.
00:25:05
Toluwa Famuyide
am i not
00:25:12
Global Sports Podcast Network
We haven't heard it yet, but whenever a football club mentions a five-year plan, that just sound sends alarm bells all over. um So how how long should we expect this sort of rebuild to happen? Haven't we been trying to rebuild for the last 11 years?
00:25:28
Global Sports Podcast Network
I don't understand that one.
00:25:28
Sam Brady
Yeah, well, well that's that's the point. We've been waiting long enough now and it shouldn't have even taken this long for us to be start challenging for for for titles and and
Future Challenges and Required Changes for Man Utd
00:25:40
Sam Brady
where we should be. what We're over 10 years now and And um we've we've been promised success and and it still hasn't come. and And they've tried different methods, different managers, different players. And and it seems like we're at a loss now. And as Toluwa said about the Bucs winning the Super Bowl, it made me sick to to my core when I saw Avarant Glazer on the field with the Bucs when they won the Super Bowl. Because...
00:26:07
Sam Brady
That made me realise he really does not care about United at all. And I think that's why he brought Jim Radcliffe in and Ineos in. think that's why they they they were brought in because they didn't want to deal with the football side anymore. They they just see Manchester United as a business and they brought Radcliffe in and Ineos in the aus in and and said, you guys deal with the football because we don't care anymore.
00:26:31
Sam Brady
that was That was what that said to me. and Now, obviously, INEOS have come in and they're trying to, as we've discussed, turn it around and in in making a profit and and and have this plan. but if you just look at if you just look at the players, sort of obviously before Ineos, in the past, we know where the money's gone. If you look at the past two years, if you just look at the players, Casemiro brought in doesn't play anymore, really. Eriksen doesn't really play anymore.
00:27:01
Sam Brady
Varane's gone. um Anthony's gone. like We sign players for one or two years on high wages and then sell them for a loss. That's where your money's going.
00:27:13
Sam Brady
So... It's just not good. and and And to your question, how long should we expect to wait? Well, a while. It's going to take a good ah go three, four, five years maybe, for ah unfortunately, for us to to start...
00:27:22
Global Sports Podcast Network
Thank you.
00:27:29
Sam Brady
push into where where we should be. As Toluwa said, we've we've had relative success here and there, and I think that's what, as United fans, we should ex we should expect sort of in the next short-term period. Obviously, it's not where wa our club should be at any stretch of the imagination, but unfortunately, that's the reality of of Manchester United now. We're, what, 15th, 16th in the league, and And unfortunately, if we want to get anywhere near the top of the league, so much has to change. I mean, we were calling for change under Ole Mourinho. And we were saying, oh, we don't like the style of play, get Mourinho out or oh this, that and the other.
00:28:16
Sam Brady
Whereas actually, if we look back at that now, there was there's so many bigger problems now than just the manager or a few players that there's just so much going on. And And obviously Jim Radcliffe and Ineos came in and and said that they'll they'll do things differently than they've done before at the likes of Nice and their other sort of um businesses.
00:28:39
Sam Brady
and And because it was, we were as United fans, we were so sick of seeing Ed Woodward and the Glazers. I think we just took everything that Ineos and Jim Radcliffe said as the truth and and hope that they were telling the truth.
00:28:54
Sam Brady
Whereas now, i think we're starting to rethink and think, actually, okay it's better than what we had, but is it is it much better? So, yeah, it's it's stick it's a sticky situation and and we'll we'll see how ah how the season unfolds really on and off the pitch.
00:29:14
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, it's a rocky one, isn't it? Well, we have just over 11 or 12 games to go in the Premier League.
Conclusion and Engagement with Fans
00:29:20
Global Sports Podcast Network
Hold on, Ty. As Toluwa said, we've got Ipswich coming up as you're listening to this today.
00:29:26
Global Sports Podcast Network
So look forward to that one. And we've got the FA Cup game over the weekend as well against Fulham in the fifth round of the f FA Cup. One thing I want to leave on and one thing I really want...
00:29:37
Global Sports Podcast Network
myself to ponder on is the Glazers sold less than 30% of Manchester United to Ineos and that gave them sporting control. I'll leave that thought with you.
00:29:49
Sam Brady
Thank you.
00:29:49
Global Sports Podcast Network
Well, in the meantime, though, thank you so much for listening to Wildcard Wednesday. Pleasure to have you on. And Sam and Talua, thank you for joining me today. You've been great guests. ah Make sure as well you do follow us on all the socials and make sure you get involved in our conversation because there will be a lot of it. GSPN Man United. We're on Twitter and X. We're on Facebook. We're on Instagram. We're even on TikTok as well whilst it's still around for you, Talua. There you go.
00:30:11
Global Sports Podcast Network
ah We're also on YouTube as well.
00:30:12
Toluwa Famuyide
but
00:30:14
Global Sports Podcast Network
It's the Global Sports Podcast Network, LTD. Find the Manchester United playlist and you can watch our episodes to your heart's content. Aren't we nice? In the meantime, enjoy the rest of your window Wednesday.
00:30:26
Global Sports Podcast Network
Hope we have a good Ipswich game and we'll talk to you soon.