294: More SOLSKJAER Talks! Double TRANSFER Snub!

0:01Hello, everybody. Welcome to the United Stands. I'm Mark Goldbridge and this is your latest Manchester United news as Manchester United hold more talks with Ole Gunnar Solskjaer. They're expected to announce the interim coach next week. Also, a double transfer snub from Conor Gallagher and Diamande of RB Leipzig. It's interesting how Man United's spin work, isn't it? You know, for the last two weeks, they've been talking about Diamande, Diamande. We didn't get Semenu. We want Diamande. And then Diamande comes out and says he wants to play for Liverpool. So, you know, it's just it's a joke after a joke after a joke with Man United.

0:34They can't even get their spin right at the moment. You know, I don't like the Glazers, but at least under the Glazers, it was crap. But their spin game was quite good. Under Ineos, they're crap and their spin game is even worse. So that's to talk about as well. Ahmad's been talking about his disappointment about the sacking of Reuben Amorim. Also a little bit about Rashford. Lots course, Connor Gallagher could be heading off to Aston Villa. Man United deciding to, well, look, if we call it for what it is, football clubs that are ahead of us, like Aston Villa, what are they, 10 points ahead of us?

1:10So Aston Villa living the dream, 10 points ahead of Man United, firmly in the top four, looking to buy players in January and build on an opportunistic position. Man United drifting away from Champions League football, instead of buying players, are sat there deliberating over a bloody interim. I mean, what are they talking to Ollie for? You know, what tune we're going to sing Ollie's at the wheel? You know, what pen do we want to get Rio going like that for? I mean, what are we, what are they doing? Do they not understand? An interim manager is literally, hello, yeah, we don't really want you, but will you do it till the summer?

1:46You will, thanks. You start today. Bye. I mean, it's like Alan Sugar spending a month deliberating on who's going to bloody polish his shoes. You know, it's... And I don't say that in an offensive way. It ain't even that difficult. What are they doing apart from the bloody obvious? You know, shoving their head up their backside and whistling ollies at the wheel. I mean, what are they doing? Well, we know what they're doing. They're spinning. They're avoiding the transfer window. They're like, don't look at Villa trying to sign a midfielder. Don't look at Diamande saying he wants to go to Liverpool.

2:21We're at the wheel Tell you how good does it feel Come on, Jason We've got Barada and Wilcox a gym Man United is into the bin La la la la la la la Bring Ole on La la la la la la la la la la la Yeah, it's just a distraction tactic That's all it is Everyone else is trying to build their team in January and Man United are spending two weeks on a bloody interim. They're interviewing interims. I mean, it's incredible. They're interviewing interims. They're wasting the January transfer window interviewing interims. I mean, what is there to talk about? Hello, Oli. Come on in, Oli. Sit down. Talk to us about 99.

3:07What did that feel like? Well, I'm not here to talk about that. I want the Manchester United job. Okay. Right. We know that you failed last time. We know that you put your arm around everybody. We know about the song. We know we got it wrong with the contract. We know some of these players that are still here stabbed you in the back. We know the football wasn't that good. We saw the interview where you were crying at the end. What's going to be different this time? I'm just going to do better. And anything else? I'll do it for free. I don't need any money. I'll make Bruno the best player in the world.

3:40Play him anywhere. Put him in goal if you want. Yeah. Now, are you going to say anything bad about us in interviews? Have you seen my previous interviews? I'm just Mr. Happy Happy. I'm just the yes man. That's good. Jason, anything from you? Are you willing to play a back eight if I wake up one morning having had a late night on Football Manager and get a little bit crazy? Yeah, I'll do it. Are you willing to say that I'm amazing every opportunity you get? Yeah, I'll do that. I don't really have anything else, Sir Jim. What about you, Omar? Nothing from me. You know, it's sort of what are we what what is the point?

4:15I don't I don't really get what the point is of this of this whole process of, you know, taking our time on on an interim when we desperately need somebody now. So I don't, I don't, I don't, I actually don't get it. I really don't. And I don't understand why we've already spoken to Ali once and we're speaking to him again. Now, Fabrizio Romano has said that, let me just confirm this. Fabrizio says, Man United have held direct talks with Solskjaer, Carrick and their camps. And next week, they're going to announce their interim manager. I mean, I'll tell you how little I give a shit about an interim coach that's going to come in, not have any signings and work with what we've got.

4:59next to no interest at all. I genuinely do not see any other explanation other than just trying to eke out another week of the window. Because as I said to you yesterday, Karik or Oli come in, we play badly against Arsenal and Man City, we lose, right? The window is still there, people are going to be going mad, protests, whatever. So, you know, try and keep Fletcher in for a little bit, then bring a new interim in and then get a bounce from that. And then the window's closed. I can't see any other explanation because genuinely, why is Darren Fletcher worse than Ole Gunnar Solskjaer? I mean, he's been at the club for the last three years working under Ineos.

5:45He's been the under-21 coach and the players know him. You know, Kunja knows him, Ahmad knows him. These players that Ole doesn't know, they all know him. I mean, when you deep it, I don't like the idea of an interim, but Darren Fletcher makes way more sense than Solskjaer or Carrick because is Fletcher worse than Solskjaer or Carrick? Maybe a little bit, maybe not a lot, maybe a little bit, maybe they're the same. But he actually does know the players more than Solskjaer and Carrick. And the players that Solskjaer does know sacked him and the players that don't know him don't have a relationship with him.

6:17So I don't get that. I don't get let's bring Oli back so he can work with the players that sacked him and work with some players that don't know him. Whereas Fletcher knows all the players. More and more, I'm thinking, why don't we just keep Fletcher? I mean, we're interviewing interims like we're interviewing permanent managers. It makes no sense to me at all. Apart from, I just think it's the blind leading the blind, the stupid leading the stupid, and they're just trying to buy themselves time because the club's in a bloody mess and this PR spin continues. And as I said to you on the video outside yesterday, if somebody can explain to me the relevance of recruiting Ole Gunnar Solskjaer or Michael Carrick because they used to play for Manchester United, then please, the floor is yours this morning, because I would just love to know what the relevance of bringing Ole Gunnar Solskjaer or Michael Carrick back to Manchester United is just because they used to play for Manchester United.

7:15Because as somebody that's watched every bloody game we've played together with you people for the last, well, over a decade, I don't see anything about Man United. The only thing that's Man United to me is me and you and the memories we have about what Man United should be, which is why we're so bloody frustrated. We are not Manchester United. You know, if you want that on a headline, this is not Man United anymore. We're Manchester United because of the reasons we support Man United, the heritage of why, you know, maybe grandparents, friends, uncles, whatever, who taught us about Man United.

7:50Maybe some of us are fortunate enough to have grown up with that Man United, but we're not Manchester United. If you're a younger generation fan, what's Man United to you? If you didn't see the Sir Alex Ferguson era, all you've got is memories and stories in MUTV. This last 13 years of Man United is not Man United. So what is it they think they're getting from Cary Canoley? There is nothing in that club. Jason Wilcox is a bloody Blackburn Rovers legend. Omar Barada is a Man City legend. Sir Jim Radcliffe is a petrochemical billionaire who used to be good at cycling. The Glazers don't even like football.

8:27So that's your board. Nothing to do with Man United. As for your playing staff, basically a bunch of injured, inconsistent mercenaries. The only thing that's Man United is the fans. And most fans are saying, don't go back to ex-players. The only thing that's Manchester United about this club is the fans. And the fans are saying, why are you going back to something that doesn't exist anymore? You've got to start building something new. I heard somebody having a pop at Roy Keane because they were saying Roy Keane never talks about tactics. Roy Keane thinks she can be a good team in the modern day just by giving everyone a kick up the backside and telling them to run harder.

9:06And I thought, you hipster dick, you know, get yourself back on TikTok and lube yourself up with your bloody spirographs or whatever it is you're drawing. Nobhead. Do you see a Man United side that runs for 90 minutes? Do you see a Man United side that's focused for 90 minutes? Have you seen a Man United side play well for 90 minutes? Shove your tactics up your arse. Ten Hag had tactics. Ruben Amrim had tactics. The players wouldn't run. The players wouldn't work. I think Roy Keane probably does have tactics. But what he's saying is, first things first, you've got to walk in that dressing room and you've got to get people running and working hard for the badge.

9:46We haven't got that at the moment. Yeah, you know? So I think that with regards to, you know, these tacticals who were talking about hipster coaches, mate, we're not Man United anymore. I think that's what Roy Keane's talking about. You know, if you want to be Man United, you've got to get the team back doing the basics first. You've got to get, you know, what Sir Alex Ferguson did in the mid 80s is he walked into a cup team that had a drinking culture. What did he do? He focused on the youth to provide a platform for the next 20 years. and he rooted out the issues in the team, talented or not, to get a hardcore bunch of players that would run hard and work hard.

10:23That was the first thing he did before he even started about style of play and everything like that. So that's where Man United are to me. We brought a guy in Amarim who looked at a broken mansion and decided it needed to be broken down to ground zero and rebuilt. And they sacked him. That isn't the wrong thing to do. Man United needs somebody to come in and build the foundations again. We don't need somebody that sticks a flag in front of it and goes, oh, he's at the wheel. It's just, it's papering over the cracks. I don't know why we're going back to, and as I said to you yesterday, if we're going to go back to ex-players, at least, I mean, you're not going to get someone like Beckham, are you?

11:03But if you're going to go for an ex-player, why don't you go for somebody that's actually going to excite the fans? Why don't you go for a Roy Keane? Why don't you go for someone from the class of 92? Why don't you go for something that probably won't work, but for six months is something different, new and inspiring rather than an ex-player who is a Glazer yes-man. What is exciting about an ex-player that's not even really in the top 10 legendary status who is a yes-man to the Glazers? Because that's what we've got to do. That's what we've got to do, isn't it? Do you reckon Carrick and Fletcher could be a successful duo, says Amit?

11:37Mate, I honestly think that if we don't want to be revisionist here, and I've got a lot to talk about this morning because it's a new show. But if we don't want to be revisionist this morning, Oli got sacked because the football was crap at the end and the players downed tools, right? So you can go back to the first eight games and I heard Terry talking about that last night and it was an amazing start. But let's not forget, the players had basically downed tools for Mourinho and were looking for somebody that they could blame. So as soon as Oli came in, they were like, let's try. So there was this bounce.

12:07And then as soon as Oli got a contract, they downed tools again. We got stuffed at Goodison Park at the end of that season. Oli took us from sixth to sixth and got a contract for it. But when you look back at that, it wasn't Solskjaer. It had Michael Carrick and McKenna. And the feedback from the training ground was the training was a little bit basic, but it was basically McKenna. So bringing Solskjaer back, a lot of the success he had was because he had Carrick and McKenna with him. It was a threesome. Solskjaer was just the guy who did the interviews. So what people are missing here is that if you bring Solskjaer back, you're not bringing McKenna back.

12:48He's got a job at Ipswich. Too expensive. Carrick, I don't think, will work for Oli, and I don't think Oli will work for Carrick. So you might only get one of them. Well, there was three people in that relationship, and Oli didn't really do the coaching. So I don't, I don't, I don't, I just don't. The encouraging thing for me is there are so many people, so many people in the media ridiculing it, so many ex-players who are very concerned about it, and so many fans that are going, what the hell are we doing? So this determined PR spin bollocks that they're trying to push, they're desperate to just appoint Oli in the hope that we get this feel-good factor.

13:28I don't think you're going to get the feel-good factor. I really don't. I really don't think they'll get the feel-good factor. He's got a win against City and he's got to win against Arsenal and then he'll get the feel good factor. But if he doesn't, I think people will go, what the hell are we doing? What the hell are we doing? Because I genuinely think, as stupid as it sounds, under Amerim, we'd have beat Burnley, we'd have beat Brighton and we wouldn't have got beat by City. I really think we were on that trajectory and people will say what you're talking about, but we'd have had Embermo and players back for the City game.

13:58And also, we beat Liverpool at Anfield. Like, this team is actually quite good against the better teams. We just struggle against the low block. Jay says, the same people that told us to stop holding on to the pass when they need an excuse to build a new stadium. Hypocrites, says Jay. Thoughts on Horncastle from The Athletic using the insanity correlation with respect to United has been mentioned a lot here on the United stand, says Rajaf. I haven't read it, but I think hopefully the more people that are... I said this yesterday. the more people that see the numbers we're doing at the moment and the noise around the fan base, you know, I think hopefully the mainstream and the journalists are waking up to the fact that you can't be a glazer bitch anymore.

14:37Otherwise, you're going to get called out. I'm seeing journalists in their replies getting called out for being client journalists, you know, for being on the payroll. What was it? What's the athletic podcast with Whitwell on it yesterday? They were getting absolute pelters because, you know, people just see them as a bunch of people who get information from the club and feed it out. Whereas you've got James Dukker writing an anti-peace about United. You've got the guy in The Guardian writing an anti-peace. At the moment, that's what people want. So, you know, these journalists have got a choice to make, haven't they?

15:05They've got a living to make. They need, you know, they can get on the gravy train of going around the world with Man United, getting your interviews, or you can speak properly to the fans who really pay you wages. And it's up to them, isn't it? But people are seeing it for what it is at the moment. I mean, I presume a lot of these journalists want Oli as well, so they can, you know, feed out the PR and buzz of the positivity of that. H Mez says, what about Mareska? Well, the reason Glasner's on the thumbnail this morning is that there was a piece, I think it was caught offside, wrote about Glasner looking like he's the favourite at the moment.

15:37Mareska's up there. Just be careful with this. The only reason we put it on there is more of like, you know, you could almost put more spin there. Two days ago, it was Tuchel's the favourite. Now it's Glasner's the favourite. Mareska as well. I wouldn't be surprised if United are going to go for Maresca. I really wouldn't because he worked with Barada and Wilcox at Man City. But again, I would say, what are we doing? What is it we're actually doing? Like you've got a director of football who has sacked Amarin, which he shouldn't have done, is now trying to bring Oli or Carrick back and is probably looking at Maresca long term.

16:16Now, if I'm Sir Jim Radcliffe, I'm going, what type of wallies have I appointed here? This is Manchester United. We've just sacked a manager a year into a project. We've got X players coming back that we've already failed with. And now we're going to go for another guy that's associated with Man City and been sacked by Chelsea. I mean, I just despair, but I wouldn't be surprised if we went with Maresca. Now, if we go with Maresca or Glasner, my feeling is like Glasner at Frankfurt has played different styles of football, but in the Premier League is predominantly a 3-4-3. He's a back five, low possession, counterattacking manager.

16:55So we're going to employ a guy on no evidence then. Or we're going to play a 3-4-3 again. So look, look, Glasner can change his tactics. He definitely, definitely can. But if you recruit him based on him doing well at Palace, you're recruiting him blindly if you want him to play a different formation because at Palace he plays a basically more defensive Amriem system. Mareska at Leicester and Chelsea had his critics. His football can be quite bland. So these are hardly the most inspiring attack-minded managers in the world. so that would be my concern about a Maresca or a Glasner is I just don't get the feeling that they are going to really do anything and also I think they're exactly the profile of manager that won't last very long under this fan base or the mainstream media I think they'd be ridiculed quite quickly Bringing Oli back is like your porn analogy Mark says John, that's why I said it yeah and Constantine says I was watching Roy Keane and Gary Neville talk about how the next manager of Man United needs to inspire the players.

18:00Shouldn't they already be inspired that playing for Man United? Well, this is the problem, isn't it, Constantine? They're not inspired. I mean, I actually saw that it's Mason Mount's birthday today. So happy birthday to Mason Mount. 27. 27. I can't even remember how many years he's been here. I can't remember. I mean, I know we didn't buy him last summer. Did we buy him the summer before? I think he came in the summer that Rasmus was here. So, or did he come in the summer before? I don't know how many years Mason Mount's been here. Is it two and a half or one and a half? I don't know. I don't know.

18:35But he's 27 and he's basically been injured for three years. So, you know, again, it's just another issue. He came in 2023, says Siri. So it'll be three years in a few months' time. So we bought him at 24. Or maybe it was 25. I don't know. I don't know. I mean, it's just it's just a bad signing. We plot as amazing as you are, Mike. I can't help but think what a shame it is that we need these channels to get by. I remember just enjoying watching United as a kid and that was it. No politics, just football, says Claim. I'm from Denmark and I'm going to the Fulham game. Should I be worried about the game being cancelled?

19:15Says Apex. No, I don't think I don't think that's the purpose of the protest. It won't be anything like that. Anil says we started playing without any structure under Oli. and Connor says, when has it ever worked with coaches coming back to clubs? It doesn't, Connor. It's, it, there's a, there's two reasons for this. One, why, why do you need to interview interims? You don't, you don't. Ranyik came in really quick after Oli. Oli came in really quick after Jose. We're now interviewing interims. It's buying time to kill the transfer window. And secondly, they're doing it because they're under so much scrutiny, they're just trying to spin the fan base into positivity because when Ollie's there in front of you, it's like a puppy.

20:00You won't be able to say anything bad. You know, behind the puppy, there's a load of shit and evil, but the puppy's there looking at you going, and that's why they're bringing him in. They're bringing him in to simply calm the fan base. It's got nothing to do with trying to be successful. It's just a smokescreen, in my opinion. That's all it is. Give it to Carrick or Fletcher. Need something new, says Irish Whiskey. and the same people that told us to stop holding. I've done that one from Jay. Yeah, I mean, look, if it's a choice between Fletcher, Carrick and Oli, I'd rank them like this. Oli last, Fletcher second, Carrick first.

20:32But I'm not massively inspired by Carrick. I just think it's something different and we shouldn't be trying something we've already tried. Anyway, let me carry on. So talks continue with Solskjaer today. Fully expect him to be announced next week. Can't wait. And the transfer window. Let me talk to you about the transfer window very, very quickly. So Aston Villa are in advanced talks with Conor Gallagher to take him to Aston Villa with a loan obligation to buy. Now, I know many of you don't really rate Conor Gallagher, but Aston Villa are in third. Unai Emery is a manager you would like, and he is going for Conor Gallagher.

21:09So, look, we can all have our own opinions. My opinion is he's better than what we have. Even if he's not that much better than what we have, it's added quality into the midfield, which is crap. I'm pretty sure he'd track a runner better than Casemiro. And I'm pretty sure he'd be fit more than most of our players. So I think it would be an improvement. It's a very cheap deal to do. But United are too busy interviewing interims. and drip football says Connor Gallagher is crap. Mate, I'm so bored of this. I'm so bored of this conversation. Like, are you literally saying you wouldn't bring Connor Gallagher in in January on a loan to buy and you'd rather stick with what we've got?

21:49I mean, I'm not going to call you stupid. I just can't believe we have got fans that sit there moaning about the club, moaning about results, moaning about the midfield. And then in January, when you've got an opportunity to go and get someone, you go, is crap. I don't want him. I mean, you deserve to starve. You deserve to starve. And you call yourself drip football. I think I can think of something else. You deserve to fail. Have you never heard of the thing, when you're hungry, don't get picky, you need to eat? And he isn't crap, is he? Is Unai Emery a crap coach? Are Aston Villa a crap team?

22:25Why do Aston Villa, a team that's very close to the top of the table, want Conor Gallagher, then? For a laugh? Are they doing it for a laugh? and they're doing it so they can sign him and parade him around Birmingham going, look at this shit player that we're not going to pick. It's better than anything else that we've got, in my opinion. I don't think it's necessarily the most inspiring signing, but it's better than what we've got and we're desperate. And for me, I've always used Connor Gallagher. And I said this to Terry the other day. It's not an obsession about Connor Gallagher, by the way.

22:56It's an obsession about a midfielder. It's an obsession about what's available. Connor Gallagher could be Ruben Neves. I don't care who it is. There are options available in this window that we can go for. And people are going, nah, they're crap. Don't want him. And I'm like, they're crap. They're crap, are they? What's happened to our club for the last week then? You're dismissing players that will probably improve us. What world do you live in that you think we can turn down Ruben Neves and Connor Gallagher? What world is that? I mean, have you been in a coma the last week? Did you not watch the Burnley game where we're cruising, but we can't control a lead because we've got no midfield?

23:36Did you watch the Burnley game at 0-0 where we watch somebody just run off the midfield again and score? I mean, have you watched the club spending two weeks interviewing interims? Have you watched the club sack a manager because he wants a January signing? And you're sat there going, nah, that one of me is crap. You may as well put I Love Glazers tattooed across your arse. you know enter here madness absolute madness but look it's all about opinion um we only need to adjust some little things to zan yeah yeah yeah mate we're so close it's fine margins mate we're so close to being a good side aren't we yeah brilliant uh is it is it sunday is it toxic sunday here or or is it i don't know steven welcome to members club thank you very much also also on from the conor gallagher story because it's clear that we're not going to do anything in january um this one made me laugh the most so diamonde yan diamonde currently playing for ivory coast in the afton man united lost out on semenu who is now signed for um manchester city um so man united as soon as we missed out on semenu we started briefing leaking uh ben jacob spoke about it.

24:50I think the Athletics spoke about it. Romano spoke about it. So as soon as we missed out on Semenyu, United got to work with their spin. We really like Jan Diamande. We really like Diamande at Leipzig. Now, it's not a signing for January, but it is one for the summer. But we really like Diamande. Don't worry about Semenyu. We like Diamande. He's a really good player, right? Brilliant. OK, so classic United. You miss out on a player, you spin towards another. The problem is the player himself with a direct quote, I want to play Anfield. I want to play for Liverpool. I'm a big Liverpool fan. My father's dream is to see me play for Liverpool.

25:27Mic drop. And United have probably sat there going, oh no, Jason, it's happened again. We're cursed. We're cursed. So we try and get Semenu. He chooses Man City. We brief that we want Diamande. And he basically says he's a fan of our rival and wants to play for them. So, you know, another slap in the face because as somebody in the chat just said, we can still sign him, Mark. We can still sign him. We can. But Liverpool fans, the minute we sign him, are going to go, we didn't even want him. It's laughable. It's absolutely laughable just how much of a mess it is at the moment. And look, I don't think we were ever signing Di Amon Bay anyway.

26:07I personally think that's just United embarrassed that they've got schooled by Man City on Semenyo and they try and brief about somebody else. But, you know, tell me the direction of the football club at the moment because I really just, I just do not know. And you know what? The fact that Jason Wilcox and Omar Barada are probably driving into Carrington with a big smile on their face saying we're interviewing Oli today and they think that's progress. You know what we're doing tomorrow? We're playing an FA Cup game against Brighton of huge magnitude that if we lose it, we're out the cup again, which means it's all or nothing in the league.

26:50There's also this thing called a transfer window that is open now where you could improve your team, and they're just busy interviewing interims. I mean, I don't know whether they haven't figured out what an interim manager does. They literally survive on fumes, vibes. You know, it's literally like, can I get a bit of a bounce? You know, can I just get this collection of players to do something for a few months? And we're interviewing them like they're going to be the bloody prime minister. I am Simon says, keep Fletcher interim. Don't rush a manager. Define identity. Agree next coach now and implement his style immediately.

27:33Prep players and recruitment so the summer appointment walks into a ready structure. Very intelligent comment. It's sort of what I was saying a few minutes ago about Fletcher. For me, if you bring Oli or Carrick in, you are setting yourself up to recruit them long-term because they've not been at the club for three years. So if you bring Carrick and Oli in, in fairness to them, it's going to take them weeks to understand the club again because it's changed. Carrington's new, new players, players have been sold, new ownership. They didn't work under Ineos. They didn't work under Wilcox. They didn't work under Barada.

28:05They didn't work with some of these players. The whole club has changed in three years. So you bring Carrick or Oli back. They've got to get used to the club. And then hopefully by the time they've got used to it, we've been them off for a proper manager, right? You give it to Fletcher. Fletcher's been here for the last few years, last few weeks. He knows the club. He knows the players. There's some structure there. And also there's no getting used to anything because he already knows it. so he just keeps the job for four or five months and there's a bit of structure and continuity into the next manager in the summer because Fletcher will stay as well.

28:40For me, I'd never really thought about it because I can't stand the idea of an interim. But the more you think about it, Fletcher already knows the club. Fletcher already knows the players and Fletcher will be here in the summer and beyond. Why would you bring somebody in for a few months who doesn't know the club anymore and you're going to get rid of them in the summer? It's just completely and utterly ridiculous. If you want a bit of continuity and you want a bit of structure into the future, Fletcher's the guy to give it to. But they seem so thick they can't figure that one out either. It's madness.

29:13But look, I'm not saying I'm inspired or excited by Fletcher, but I really we need to win tomorrow. And if we win tomorrow, why would you not give him the job? Yeah, doesn't make any sense, does it? OK, let me carry on with a bit of the news here. So we've also had, I spoke to you about that one. So a bit of breaking news, not that much breaking news. Cameroon played against Morocco last night. Embermo Cameroon, Masraoui Morocco. Morocco won 2-0. So Cameroon out of the AFCON, which means Embermo back. Now, obviously, he's not going to play tomorrow, but he will be back for the Manchester Derby.

29:54Masraoui will play in the semi-finals midweek next week so even if he loses that I wouldn't expect him to be back to play in the Manchester derby so good luck to Morocco and Masraoui but we've got Embermo coming back honestly I was asked this last night and I don't know what your thoughts are who would you rather have won that game last night well it doesn't matter because Morocco won it and Embermo's coming back but there is a case to say that I think in a back four we're not as strong defensively as we were with a back five because we've got one less defender I think low key hot take Masraoui might be more important to us than Mbamo if we can bin off De Lowe because Masraoui is a better player so Masraoui at right back might actually make us a better team more than Mbamo but I would go for Mbamo but look I think we need them both back I think Masraoui is really important in a back four because De Lowe is crap and he's going to be even worse in a back for um utterly tc says morning bridget if solskjaer gets the gig which he will that the ideal shield there is zero chance it's an interim here to stay and he'll know it yeah well yeah um i'm not going to um i'm not going to argue with you on that i'm absolutely convinced that they will give solskjaer the job full time i don't i don't you know i'll argue with anybody i'll argue with sir jim if he wants.

31:16I'm absolutely convinced that they'll keep him full time for the reasons I've just said. He's cheap. He's a yes man. And if he comes in and does okay and gets Europe, why would you replace a guy that everybody likes who's a yes man for somebody that's going to cost you money and want loads of players and make your life harder? They will keep Solskjaer. If they give him the job, they will keep him because he's cheap. He won't demand things. He's a glazer. And what I mean by a glazer, he's a yes man. And they don't need to spend any money on anything. So they're definitely going to keep him. That's why they're doing the interviews.

31:56If people haven't figured it out, the reason they're taking their time and doing interviews is this is not an interim job. This is not an interim job. This is a view to a permanent job. And I also know that pretty much from somebody as well. The reason they're taking the time is these interviews are quite in-depth. You don't have in-depth interviews for an interim. This is okay, it's an interim job, but if it goes well, there's an opportunity there. And they've all been told that. So I think it's going to be whoever gets this job, if they do well, they're going to stay. They're cheap. They're yes men.

32:32They won't demand transfers. They won't speak badly in public. and I think that's the way that they will go. Ram says they won't keep Oli. Mate, but the trouble is, mate, and I'd love to agree with you, is that can you explain to me why I should trust this ownership? Everything they've said, they've been proved to be liars on. So I'm sorry, Ram. You can't reassure me. I am absolutely convinced that they will keep him if he gets European football and I think that's why they're taking so long on the interviews because they will keep him and I don't understand why people can't figure that one out.

33:06I think this is here to stay and they know it, but they're doing it as a... It's a bit like when your mum and dad break up, right? And your mum comes home with a guy that she's been dating and you don't like them, but she says, oh, don't worry, we won't get married. It's just a bit of fun, you know, after your dad. I just need to, you know, just have a bit of fun. You can't begrudge me that. And it's your mum. So you go, you know what? I can't be selfish. She's just going out there, going dancing, having a good time. Two months later, she comes back with a bump and a ring and you go, well, that's that.

33:41You fucking lied, didn't you? You lied, you bitch. You lied. You bloody lied. That's it. I can't stand him. He doesn't like football. Oh, you know, you can have another kid. That's me not getting good presents at Christmas. Get out. Get out. I feel like I'm revisiting trauma there. But no, that's what it is. And I'm sorry, Ram. I think a lot of people agree with you that you think this is just an interim, but I genuinely think it is that scenario again. I think it is. Oh, don't worry. I'm not going to marry them. It's just a little bit of fun. And then three months later, a little bit of a bump and a ring and they're getting married.

34:18And I don't trust this ownership. I don't trust Sir Jim. I don't trust Barada. I don't trust Wilcox. I don't trust the Glazers. when they say it's just an interim and we're going to look at proper managers in the summer. Oh, my God. It literally is rinse and repeat, copy and paste. When Mourinho got the sack, Ed Woodward put it out there. Oli's coming in as an interim. And in the summer, we're going to have an extensive search for a proper manager. And here we are. So I absolutely do not think that he's here for an interim job. I think he's here for the long term. And look, the problem is, when I tell you I told you so in the summer, you'll all be on the bandwagon going, well, we don't care.

35:06We're in Europe. The song's great. He's got a lovely smile. And you'll all have been fooled again. And in 18 months, I'll still be saying I told you so because it'll all go wrong. I'm not saying I want Oli because I don't, but maybe Oli has learned from his last time at United. JMR, I don't give a shit if he's learned or not. Are we bringing Ten Hag back? Ten Ogs are a better coach than Oli. Are we bringing Mourinho back? No. Are we bringing Van Gaal back? No. Are we bringing Ranić back? No. Why are we bringing Oli back then? Because he's got a song and he used to play for the club. The only embarrassing part is that they had no plan.

35:41When looking at results alone, they should have had a ready plan for his replacement, says Serpi. But this is why they didn't sack him. They didn't sack Amarin for results because they had no plan. Simon Burke says, Sacking Amrim felt different. If it wasn't player power or bad results, it was a fallout with the board. I reckon most fans liked him, including myself. Wilcott needs to fall on his sword. Well, look, thank you very much for that comment there, Sir P and Eamon. But look, look at it like this. This is what Ahmad had to say about Amrim sacking. And they won't like this, the club, because they can't control it.

36:17no player who's part of United at the moment is allowed to speak about Amarim. So you won't get Maguire or Bruno or Mount or Luke Shaw or any other player that really likes Amarim. They're not going to do an interview because to do that interview, they'd have to do it with one of the client journalists and United have got it all on lockdown at the moment. No one's allowed to speak positively about Amarim because they all need to be together. But the great thing about international breaks is they can't control players. So Ahmad's in an international tournament. This is what he had to say on the sacking of Amrim.

36:52He said, it was a tough topic. I was a bit sad because he's the coach who gave me more visibility and more opportunities to play for Manchester United. I was very sad. I even sent him a message to thank him for everything he did for me, both in my life and especially in my career. I wished him good luck wherever he goes. It was a difficult moment for me, but I'm really focused on Ivory Coast and on this competition. I want to finish well here and try and win this AFCON. But we had a really good relationship, almost like a father-son relationship. He understood me. He gave me a lot of advice and let me play freely.

37:21It's very unfortunate. That's life. You have to adapt. That's football. I wish him all the best in life and in his next club. My next focus is Ivory Coast. I mean, that is not a player. And considering Ahmad's one of our best players, that is not a player that is happy that Amarim's gone. And there's a lot of players who share the sentiment of Ahmad. But of course, United put it out there on Tuesday that everyone was really excited and everyone was really happy, but they weren't. Bruno's not happy. Bruno was out with one of Amirim's coaches the other night, so they're not happy. Some players are happy, and we can all name them, and that's fine.

38:02They've got a reason to be. A lot of players are sort of like, what's going on? and that's why it's a great point to say that this sacking is not really like any other sacking in many ways it's worse because with Mourinho the players are down tools with Oli the players are down tools with Ten Hag they'd mainly down tools not as bad but they had with Amarin it's got nothing there's nothing to do with the players the players literally hadn't down tools the players were like happy it's a fallout with the board so it's a very different type of sacking and And you know what? It's interesting, isn't it?

38:36Because you've got all these people out there who are obsessed with Mainu and the treatment of Mainu. And then you've got Ahmad, who's a young player, saying we had like a father-son relationship. He did so much for my career. So there's that contradiction, isn't there? I mean, I really do think Mainu should have been used more. And it did frustrate me why Amrim wouldn't use him. But then you've got Ahmad, who as a young player was treated ridiculously well and really liked playing for him. And I just think sometimes, unless you're the manager yourself, and even if you're the manager yourself, you're going to have your own preferences.

39:11Sometimes managers just don't take to certain players, but really treat other players well. And, you know, I don't really understand the Manu thing. I think Manu is really important to us, but I thought it was a nice thing from Ahmad. And the brilliance of it is, you can just imagine Man United cringing at that, going, oh my God, why didn't someone tell Ahmad not to say anything? He's made us look really stupid now. We need to keep pretending that it was Amrim's fault. So, yeah, very good interview there. Also, just a little bit on Rashford. Romano's been speaking about Rashford. He basically said that there was a report coming in from Alfredo Martinez, who is a German, Spanish source, saying that Barcelona fully intend to trigger the 30 million euro buy option for Rashford to sign him permanently in the summer and there is no doubt Romano has reacted to that and said Barcelona have already informed Rashford about their wishes to keep him past this season a final decision on the 30 million euro buy clause is yet to be made but Barcelona are happy with Rashford's progress I suppose look that that story is a bit like a yo-yo but incredibly there are fans out there that want Rashford back um and I presume they're the same people don't want ollie back um i think they want to go i i present i i i respect these people but i i suspect they spend a lot of time watching uk gold yeah um because they seem to like nostalgia um i wouldn't rule rashford out coming back you know there is a world where ollie you know is there going please come back rashy um but i just don't you know me i firmly do not believe you should go back, whether it's relationships, broken friendships, you know, there's a reason those things broke.

41:00And I think the human nature is for two weeks, you can pretend everything's fine, but eventually everything will just start coming back into your head. Um, I don't know how it's going to work bringing Ollie back. I certainly don't know, Matt, know how it would work bringing Rashford back. I think there'd be a honeymoon period. And then the minute he starts struggling, everyone will be going, he's shit again. And you know, he's going to struggle in that environment. he is in an amazing situation in an amazing city an amazing team where he's doing really really well i don't know why he'd want to come back i really don't um so i i don't think he will come back but um there are some that that think we that we should or he will uh could you do a watch along for the afcon says divine nah it's a bit hypocritical when i've not really took any interest in it um but look honestly i don't take any interest in the copper america i don't take any interest in other tournaments.

41:50World Cup Euros, that's about it for me. Glazer's been sacking managers since 2014 and people are here blaming Ineos as pizza. Are you Wilcox in disguise? Are you Wilcox in disguise? What are you talking about, mate? Ineos took over the footballing side 18 months ago and sacked Ten Hag and sacked Amarin and wasted£550 million. I can't stand the Glazers, but it's a fact that Ineos are in charge of the footballing side and they have sacked two managers. Why would any world-class manager come to United to be head coach and take instructions from these clowns as one and only? Because football managers are incredibly egotistical.

42:32I will never subscribe to the view that managers won't want to come and take the Man United job because they're ego. Have you ever played football manager and you can take the Arsenal job where you've got all the good players and you're top of the league or you take the Man United job where they're, you know, they're a fallen, you know, sleeping giant. I always take the sleeping giant because it's like I can be the guy that takes them back to the top. And it's the same in real life. There will always be managers that want to take the Man United job, even if they're walking into a trap. I think the bigger problem is the players.

43:03You know, that Diamande story is really interesting. He's what, a teenager and he wants to play for Liverpool because he's a Liverpool fan. Well, that makes sense because if you go back 10 years you're probably more interested in Liverpool than you are Man United and this is going to happen more and more now where you know we did really well with Cunha and Mbamo because they're mid-20s and when they were 10 15 years ago we were winning titles but those players are going to become less and less there's going to be less and less players that look at Man United and go oh I really want to play for Man United there will be less and less and there'll be more going I want to go to Arsenal I want to go to City I want to go to Liverpool because we're moving into that era now where 10 years ago we were shit.

43:43And there's more and more youngsters coming through that will only know Man United being shit. So thank you very much to the Glazers. We're not going to have that pull anymore and we haven't got the money anymore. So I think the job gets harder and harder with every passing year. I believe the people upstairs, Glazers, are ruining the stability. Despite being a yes man, would you be happy if Oli stays for a long tenure? No, Alex, I do not want Oli at all. if ollie succeeds we can say goodbye to an elite manager says ahmed and i'm not saying i want ollie because i don't but maybe ollie has done that one from jmr as well uh the thing about the ollie song is as it was being sung by rival fans he'll have the potential to go bad quickly if he can't get his first record glenn if he can match his first record i'd almost say give him a bloody full-time job because he won his first eight games i mean our first eight games off the top of my head.

44:34Well, depends when you bring him in. But our next three games are Brighton City Arsenal. So I don't see him winning his first eight games. I really don't. Anyway, we've got the preview for Brighton coming up at two o 'clock and it's Saturday night live at eight o 'clock tonight. We are live at eight o 'clock. So I will. I think I'm I think I'm going out for a meal. So I've had a couple. So Saturday night, different vibe. But who would you appoint, Mark? OK, I'm not going to write. interim, I'm leaning more and more to Fletcher because Fletcher won't keep the job permanently. So I want an interim that's only going to be here till the summer.

45:12I think the danger with Ollie is he'll get it permanently. The danger with Carrick is they'll get it permanently. You do not spend time doing multiple interviews with interims if they're only here till the summer. They're all being told the opportunity is there. I know it for a fact anyway. They're all being told the opportunity is there because they want the opportunity to stay longer. And they're all being told that in certain circumstances they can stay. So I'd go Fletcher. My permanent manager in the summer, I mean, I'm not massively excited by it because I think they'll fail, but I would try and get the best I can get.

45:49So you've got to say three names, Ancelotti, Unai Emery, and I still think Conte. They're the three. One of those three for me. All very different, but all proven winners with attitude. So it'd be one of those three. I do understand why people are saying Tuchel and Maresca and Pochettino and they're not bad managers, but we're shit. We're really shit. You've got to go for the best managers you can get, but we're not looking for a manager, are we? do you reckon Cisco is a symbol of resurgence as Amit I don't believe in I don't think anybody's a symbol of resurgence at Man United sorry I don't think that's negative until I I'll tell you when I see a symbol of resurgence the only symbol of resurgence I would see is the Glazers and Ineos out of the club and brand new owners at that point I'd say this might be it but I don't see a player or a manager or a CEO as a symbol of resurgence when we're owned by who we're owned.

46:56Sorry. Thanks everyone for watching. Absolute legends this morning. Make sure you're subscribing, bottom right hand corner, getting involved. Real conversation here on the United stand every day. We don't always agree, but we do explain, we do debate and you're all very welcome as ever. Stay safe, take care and I'll see you at two for the Brighton preview and then back at eight for Saturday Night Live and tomorrow match day as well. So take care, everyone. Obviously, if anything breaks around the interim or anything, we will be live as well. Brilliant show this morning. Take care, everyone. And I'll speak to you all in a bit.