"Ole’s not the problem.
He’s the meat trapped in the rotten sandwich"
Okay. I see your point.
Their biggest problem is SAF and their history. What Jermaine Jenas said is true, they need to see past their history, "the United way of playing" and all that nonsense. Man Utd won so many trophies not just because they had SAF and a ferocious attacking philosophy but because they had the best players - they bought whoever they wanted from rival teams in the league, and were the first English team to virtually have a squad of 22 good players, which enabled their European success (eventually). Since Abramovich took over Chelski there has been an increasingly level playing field financially.
Actually, this is really spot on.
SAF was a great manager. That's beyond debate. But at one point Utd were the Bayern of England. Their financial clout meant that not only did they buy the league's best players to strengthen, they also weakened their rivals in the process.
They can't do this now. Something that Mourinho complained about. Though I think it's more about the Sky TV money rather than Abramovich.
Also, and often overlooked. The rules about Academy recruitment changed late into the Fergie era. Adding a local rule. That team of 'kids' that won the league under Fergie weren't all from the North West. Beckham's a London lad, for instance. Now Utd don't have the free pick of England's best young players either.
I guess they're still coming to terms with having to compete on a more level playing field.