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Why Poch might leave.......and why he might stay

spud

Well-Known Member
Sep 2, 2003
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So arguably the biggest job in club football has just become available and our manager is obviously a leading contender for it. We should be concerned. While there was a lot of chatter about him going to Madrid in the summer that wasn't nearly as worrying as the vacant Man. United job. Following a manager who has won three successive European Cups is a poisoned chalice, whereas now is possibly the best time for somebody to take on the United job.

For all it's size and economic power, only two managers have ever given United the success that the status of the club probably demands: Matt Busby, who made it what it is, and Alex Ferguson. Everybody else - and there have been some very good managers - has, in relative terms failed. Anybody who takes this United team, in this condition of disarray, and puts the club back at the top of the pile will be revered in the same way that those two previous managers are.

Unfortunately for us, Poch could probably do it. We all know how good he is and unfortunately that isn't our secret. If he were to go to United now, on the back of three failed managers since Ferguson, he would get all of the time and resources that he would need to make them successful again. He would have nothing to lose. If he fails, then it wouldn't be his fault and his reputation would be largely intact: if the 'serial winner' Mourinho couldn't do it then how could Poch be expected to? But if he succeeded, as he probably would, then he would be universally acclaimed as one of the greats.

So, as I said, we should be worried. But would he leave Spurs?

As we all know, and as everybody knows, has transformed us. Like Wenger did when he arrived at the Enemy, he has not only improved our results, he has changed the culture of the club. In his four years we have gone from being a perennial soft touch to a team, and club, that is taken seriously by all of the heavy hitters. Spurs was always a club that could field a good team that, on its day, could get a good result, but it's been decades that we could be considered to be contenders. Now we are. Now we are on the cusp of big things and it is mainly due to our manager and his team.

There are tangible reasons why he should stay. The training facilities are apparently second to none, he will shortly lead us into a world class stadium which will provide the financial muscle for us to consistently compete on economic terms with other trophy-chasing clubs, and he has the support of everybody at the club. From the Chairman right down through the players to us, the fans, I would be amazed if anybody would want him to leave and who would deny him anything that he wanted.

But I don't think these tangible reasons would be enough to keep him. With the exception of a shiny new stadium, United can offer him anything that we can. If he stays, I think it will be about 'legacy'. If he leaves now, he will be the 'nearly man'. The manager who woke the sleeping giant from its slumber and started our journey on the road to tangible success. To winning trophies. Started but didn't finish. Whenever he leaves he will be fondly remembered as the man who changed our fortunes, but will that be enough for him? Espanyol and Southampton remember him as a good manager and didn't want him to leave, but as we're constantly being told, he didn't win anything. If he finishes our journey to the promised land, he will achieve legendary status.

If he wins the league, he will rank up there with Arthur Rowe and (Sir) Bill. If he wins the Champions League, he will be unmatched in our history. It would also raise his reputation higher than it would if he did those same things in Manchester. Others have done them there; but very few, or nobody, has here. Even if he never did anything of note after that, he would always have god-like status here. That means something; and I think and hope that it means something to Poch.

He will never manage Barcelona because of his loyalty to Espanyol. He has dismissed the possibility of managing Arsenal because of his association with Spurs. He is a loyal man. He has values that don't simply include getting the most money or winning the most trophies. That, I believe, is our best hope of him staying. Completing the journey with us would probably mean more to him than winning a few cups elsewhere.

Let's hope so.
 

ChristianBaler

Well-Known Member
Aug 13, 2010
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People went nuts when he was spotted having lunch with Fergie two years ago....he signed a new contact that same week.

He isnt going to United
 

spids

Well-Known Member
Jul 19, 2015
6,647
27,841
I do not buy this 'biggest job in football' ... it's a self assigned title and bullshit. The two biggest jobs are Barca and Real Madrid. When Man U have won a whole load of Champions Leagues again and they have the World's best player, and they win the EPL every year (or every other year) then maybe they have a shout. At the moment they are just a mid table club in England with a shit load of debt. Their global fan base shrinks every year as they play more turgid football and win less and less.
 

JimmyG2

SC Supporter
Dec 7, 2006
15,014
20,779
Won't leave while
'The Project' is still ongoing at Spurs
unless we win the Prem
or the Champions' League this year.
The 'no trophy' thing
hangs over him meanwhile.

Two years time
when the next MU manager fails
might be tricky though.
 

'O Zio

Well-Known Member
Dec 27, 2014
7,405
13,785
I do not buy this 'biggest job in football' ... it's a self assigned title and bullshit. The two biggest jobs are Barca and Real Madrid. When Man U have won a whole load of Champions Leagues again and they have the World's best player, and they win the EPL every year (or every other year) then maybe they have a shout. At the moment they are just a mid table club in England with a shit load of debt. Their global fan base shrinks every year as they play more turgid football and win less and less.

Even for arguments sake we say Real and Barca are the bigger jobs, Man Utd are still comfortably the 3rd biggest job then. There's absolutely no denying that. This idea that they're suddently "just a mid-table club" based on their temporary league standing is just complete and utter bollocks. That's like saying Leicester are the biggest club in ENgland now because they won the title. One or two poor seasons during a transition phase doesn't miraculously undo all the things tehy've done to become one of the top 3 clubs in the game over the past few decades for christ's sake
 

Bobbins

SC's 14th Sexiest Male 2008
May 5, 2005
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People went nuts when he was spotted having lunch with Fergie two years ago....he signed a new contact that same week.

He isnt going to United

Wouldn't be a massive surprise to find out that this conversation involved Fergie telling Poch his time and chance would come and that he could afford to wait back then though would it?

We know that Fergie told United Poch was the man. Ok, so he said the same thing about Moyes, but his word still carries more weight than anyone else at that club.

I'm 50/50 as to whether I think Poch will leave us for them next summer - one of the things to hope for is that Solksjaer does really well with them to the point they might take him on full-time - but I just don't understand this blanket dimissal from some fans.

"He won't go" is no more rational or likely than the "He's gone, fuck him" statements I'm seeing. The fact is that there's a very good chance he'll go, and a very good chance he'll stay. He'll make his own mind up in the summer and nothing else will effect that decision.
 

Donki

Has a "Massive Member" Member
May 14, 2007
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I do not buy this 'biggest job in football' ... it's a self assigned title and bullshit. The two biggest jobs are Barca and Real Madrid. When Man U have won a whole load of Champions Leagues again and they have the World's best player, and they win the EPL every year (or every other year) then maybe they have a shout. At the moment they are just a mid table club in England with a shit load of debt. Their global fan base shrinks every year as they play more turgid football and win less and less.

I think you need to do a little research, yes their fortunes on the pitch have been going through a rough patch but they are still the most supported and wealthiest club, turnover wise, in the world. In the last 5 years they have still won more than we have, which is a little depressing.
 

coys200

Well-Known Member
May 22, 2017
8,436
17,403
There’s so much more in the stay column. Also don’t underestimate family being settled. Look Mourinho didn’t even want to live there. Literally the only reason to leave is more transfer funds that’s it.
 

Donki

Has a "Massive Member" Member
May 14, 2007
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Wouldn't be a massive surprise to find out that this conversation involved Fergie telling Poch his time and chance would come and that he could afford to wait back then though would it?

We know that Fergie told United Poch was the man. Ok, so he said the same thing about Moyes, but his word still carries more weight than anyone else at that club.

I'm 50/50 as to whether I think Poch will leave us for them next summer - one of the things to hope for is that Solksjaer does really well with them to the point they might take him on full-time - but I just don't understand this blanket dimissal from some fans.

"He won't go" is no more rational or likely than the "He's gone, fuck him" statements I'm seeing. The fact is that there's a very good chance he'll go, and a very good chance he'll stay. He'll make his own mind up in the summer and nothing else will effect that decision.

Pretty much where I am on the situation, I don’t think he has made up his mind yet and the next 6 months will massively influence the outcome. He will continue with his, it’s not up to me it’s up to Daniel line, which doesn’t really fill me with confidence. As always he could very easily rule himself out of the running if he wanted to.
 

newbie

Well-Known Member
Jul 16, 2004
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I hope this works in our favour and levy goes shopping in jan buys some real quality
 

dontcallme

SC Supporter
Mar 18, 2005
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81,937
Why he could leave:

Utd are and always will be a huge pull.
Utd have a huge turnover and can compete for the world's top players financially.
Poch is a good fit for Utd. He can manage the team rather than being a head coach.
Their fans seem to really want him.
They are in a strong position to challenge for league titles for years to come if managed correctly.

Why he could stay:
He has spent a long time here and reoprts are he lives and breathes the club.
He has spent time building a working relationship with Levy. Despite lazy talk of needing to give him a war chest to keep him, Poch has shown a huge amount of dedication to his players and wants to keep them.
Utd are a mess from the top. They have financial backing but don't seem to be run correctly.
A lot of big egos at the club. A big job to get them back on track.

How Poch views the situation is anyone's guess. Utd are a pull for an ambitious manager. My guess is Poch will continue his work here.
 

Mornstar

Well-Known Member
Jun 2, 2005
4,897
1,589
Won't leave while
'The Project' is still ongoing at Spurs
unless we win the Prem
or the Champions' League this year.
The 'no trophy' thing
hangs over him meanwhile.

Two years time
when the next MU manager fails
might be tricky though.
Cracking bit of poetry once again
 

Mornstar

Well-Known Member
Jun 2, 2005
4,897
1,589
There are tangible reasons why he should stay...he will shortly lead us into a world class stadium which will provide the financial muscle for us to consistently compete on economic terms with other trophy-chasing clubs, and he has the support of everybody at the club. From the Chairman, who would deny him anything

great post but i dont agree with any of the above.
 

Japhet

Well-Known Member
Aug 30, 2010
19,232
57,392
If he had any thoughts of leaving I can see no reason at all why he would have signed a new long term contract at exactly the same time as the Real Madrid became vacant. They're a much more appetising prospect than Man Utd..
 

wishkah

Well-Known Member
Jan 27, 2011
4,791
14,449
completely contradicting what I wrote ten mins ago in the Poch thread.

We are right to apply sprinklers to the current situation and [wish to] dampen it as much as possible.

Once Ole Gunnar has been there for a while the media panic should settle. and if things go well, we will move into the stadium with such momentum behind us that 'the next season' will be too exciting in anyone's eyes for Poch to leave.
 
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