These Three Problems are erasing Manchester United's Glorious Legacy

When Sir Alex Ferguson retired in 2013 Manchester United were champions of England and were Champions five times in 10 seasons prior to that year. Since the 2013-14 season, the Red Devils have replaced six managers, spent £1.2 billion on transfers, and won just five trophies. Their highest finish has been second on two occasions, once under Jose Mourinho and once under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.

Manchester United have failed to finish within single digits of any Premier League winning team since Sir Alex retired. Why is it that given all that money and the powerhouse that the club are, they have failed to challenge for the title? We look at three levels: the players, the managers, and the owners below - the problems at Manchester United are holistic and each level of the club influences the other.

Manchester United's current club captain

Manchester Utd v Middlesbrough: The Emirates FA Cup Fourth Round

If a neutral saw Manchester United’s squad they would assume that it was a brilliant team brimming with talent. There are some genuinely talented players like Bruno Fernandes and Jadon Sancho. Albeit, there have also been some very expensive mistakes like Harry Maguire.

Maguire, the club's current captain, is the most expensive centre-back ever in the history of football, costing a whopping £80 million. But if have witnessed his recent performances, nothing would suggest that he is, in fact, the most expensive defender in the world. It is quite clear that the dressing room dynamic has not been great this season and one of the reasons has been the weak leadership on the pitch.

Maguire has no trophies to show and has been relegated twice in his career. The centre-back, seemingly through no desire of his own, was given the captaincy and has remained at the helm till date. The 28-year-old doesn't appear to be very vocal at the back and doesn't seem to have much control over his troops.

His own skillset has been sub-par, to say the least, this season, and as a captain, it hasn't inspired much confidence. We are, after all, talking about a club who've had stalwart captains like the legendary Roy Keane, Gary Neville, Nemanja Vidic, etc. Just take a moment and compare Maguire to these titanic leaders in your mind.

The 28-year-old has made some stunning errors leading to opposition goals. How can we forget the mid-bogglingly dense red card he received against Watford after Donny van de Beek of all players got one back for the Red Devils! In all fairness, his performances have not really improved in recent matches under Ralf Rangnick. It might be time to relegate the England international to the bench and relive him from captaincy duties.

Manchester United's Manager Selections

Aston Villa v Manchester Utd - Premier League

The appointment of David Moyes, Louis Van Gaal, Jose Mourinho, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has resulted in a meager two Community Shields, one Europa League title, one FA Cup, and one Carabao Cup. Mourinho won three of those trophies six years ago in the 2016-17 season. Up-and-comers, ex-legends, and serial winners have all come in over the last 10 years and none have lived up to the grand stature of the club.

Moyes joined Manchester United at the time but failed to handle the dressing room politics. Van Gaal brought balance but fans and players lost patience with his methods. Mourinho brought success, but in typical fashion, fell out with his players and the club. Solskjaer managed to bring the feel-good factor and then stayed beyond his welcome to take it away.

Ralf Rangnick is the most recent interim appointment and while the German is well respected, his success has come in positions away from the football pitch. Truth be told, it seems as if Rangnick has been given no authority or support to make the necessary changes. He seems to have inherited several problems and has not been given any tools to deal with them.

While there is no questioning the German's tactical acumen, he doesn't seem to have justified the hype that came with his appointment. Manchester United need a strong personality as a manager who is not only tactically astute in handling things on the pitch, but also handling a dressing room filled with big egos.

Manchester United's Ownership

Manchester Utd v Burnley - Premier League

Malcolm Glazer bought a controlling interest in the club in 2006 essentially taking ownership. Much of the money used in the takeover was borrowed and all that debt was transferred to the club. This means that they have been paying off that debt ever since. As recently as 2019, Manchester United had a net debt of $400 million.

The initial years were fine because they had Sir Alex as manager and could rely on his ability to win trophies and keep the club moving along on the pitch. Since 2013 though the figures have been grim. The issue is that the owners treat the club as a business rather than a football club. Social media involvement, merchandise, financial profit, etc., have all taken precedence over winning.

There has been plenty of financial expenditure but much of it has been misguided. Since 2013, no player apart from Bruno Fernandes has made a real impact at the club. Decision-making roles have been given to people who have no knowledge of the sport. Ed Woodward, for example, was a banker by profession and has only looked at the monetary side of things.

Manchester United, given their expenditure and wages, should be challenging for the Premier League every season. Next summer will be the tenth year since they last won the league. It is an unimaginable statement for someone who grew up watching the club in its early Premier League years.

The ownership, for once, should take a leaf out of the glorious history book of Manchester United Football Club and envision the future. It's simple really; performances on the pitch need to be backed by them and the money will follow.