Manchester United has long been not just a football club, but also an inexhaustible source of content for the sports media. Every poor result, every coaching change and every internal crisis provokes a new wave of comments, analyses and accusations. And among the most vocal participants in this process are the club's former stars, who are increasingly using their own media platforms to express their positions.
In an analysis for “BBC Sport” journalist Sean Kearns draws attention to how the crisis at “Old Trafford“ has gradually turned into a kind of content creation industry. While Michael Carrick gets another chance to stay in charge at least until Chelsea's visit, the Amazon Prime Video team is preparing a documentary series with unprecedented access to what goes on behind the scenes at the club.
For fans, however, the constant stream of opinions is sometimes no less exhausting than the results themselves on the pitch. Former players who were once symbols of United's success and now regularly analyze the performance of the current squad are particularly active.
One of the most striking examples is Gary Neville. After the 3-0 defeat at Bournemouth, he harshly criticized the behavior of some players, accusing them of unprofessionalism and lack of the necessary dedication.
„There are a few players who are not professional enough. "I live in Manchester and I know some of them don't go to bed on time, don't eat right and don't think about Manchester United every minute of every day," Neville said.
His influence now goes far beyond traditional TV commentary. In 2021, he launched The Overlap, which has become one of the most popular sports shows on digital platforms. Neville has also expanded his presence on YouTube by acquiring a network of channels from popular supporter and content creator Mark Goldbridge.
Another former United captain, Wayne Rooney, has also been heavily involved in this media conversation. On Stick to United, he said that the current players need a serious shake-up, using the phrase "fireworks need to go off under their arses." Neville himself commented that sometimes managers have to be fired even for their own good. Roy Keane also expressed his bewilderment as to why Carrick and his staff still hold onto their positions.
The criticism doesn't come from them alone. Paul Scholes and Nicky Butt, other members of the club's legendary academy generation, host their own podcast — “The Good, The Bad & The Football”. Before the derby with Manchester City last season, Butt predicted that Erling Haaland would be able to pick up Lisandro Martinez and carry him with him, while Scholes added that the Norwegian striker would “throw him into the goal” after scoring a goal.
However, United won 2-0, and Martinez played a strong game. After the match, the Argentine reacted sharply to the words of the former footballers and stated that if Scholes has something to say to him, he can do it in person.
Carrick himself prefers not to pay attention to such comments. At a press conference before the match with Chelsea, he explained that he is mostly interested in the opinion of the supporters and what the team shows in the stadium.
“I don't follow these things. I watch what I have to watch. I don't look for them because they don't help me in any way. I'm interested in what the supporters think, what they feel in the stadium and what we give them. Honestly, I don't pay attention to the rest“, said the manager.
When does criticism help and when does it hurt?
Former United manager Erik ten Hag also raised the question of the influence of constant comments on footballers. In an interview with “The Athletic” he admitted that some players are influenced by the words of Neville and Rio Ferdinand and that former footballers could be more useful to the club.
Ten Hag did not deny the achievements of former players, but believes that their experience can be used more constructively.
Neville, for his part, admitted that he has not always managed to find the right balance in his criticism of the club for which he played for almost two decades. However, he stressed that Manchester United is one of the most difficult teams to comment on precisely because of his personal relationship with them.
“Sometimes in the last ten years I may not have found the right balance“, admitted the former captain.
There is another side to this story. Despite the sporting problems, Manchester United remains one of the biggest football brands in the world. The club generates huge revenues from sponsorship deals, commercial partnerships and ticket sales. Interest in it does not fade even when results are disappointing.
Back in 2018, former chief executive Ed Woodward caused discontent among supporters by saying that performance on the pitch had no significant impact on the club's commercial opportunities.
The motto "Hated, loved, never ignored" has long been present in the stands at "Old Trafford" and was even used in an official collection of club merchandise. In a sense, it is the constant interest, whether positive or negative, that has become part of Manchester United's identity.
The club finds itself in an unusual situation: its sporting problems are transformed into content that attracts millions of viewers, while the people who are most critical of its condition benefit from the huge interest in each new drama surrounding the “Red Devils”. And while supporters wait for the team to start winning again, the media machine around it continues to work at full speed.