With Rafael da Silva the latest Manchester United player to leave for pastures new following his move to ligue un side Lyon, his departure continues a theme of a high turnover of players signed during the Ferguson era who have left the club in the last 18 months.
This summer alone, Nani and Robin van Persie have since left
for Turkish side Fernerbache. Last season, Danny Welbeck left Old Trafford for
the Emirates. Darren Fletcher joined West Brom
in January, Patrice Evra left for Juventus last summer, Javier Hernandez was sent out on loan last season; the injury he
suffered few months ago means no club has come to sign him permanently.
Louis van Gaal has been ruthless since he assumed the manager’s
position at Old Trafford. The way he dealt with the Robin van Persie was a case
in point. He stated during the club’s pre-season tour of the United States
that he told his fellow Dutch national during a golf game that he was not part
of his plans. Little wonder the former Feyenoord striker is now out of Old
Trafford.
In spite of the fact that some players that were key furniture
of the Ferguson era have now left the building because they are clearly not
rated by Van Gaal, some other important players signed by the Scotsman still remain part of the
manager’s plans, Wayne Rooney, Ashley Young and Micheal Carrick remains key
components of the Dutchman’s team. The latter was offered a one year extension
of his contract before last season ended after the existing one was due to run
out this summer, while there are reports that Ashley Young is on the verge of
signing a new contract.
Other players that Alex Ferguson signed that still remain
part of Van Gaal’s plans are Phil Jones, Chris Smalling and Antonio Valencia.
The fact that the latter featured prominently last season came as something of a
surprise to many, but with the signing of Italian right back Matteo Darmian he
might suffer from limited game time this season.
Two other signings of the Scots era whose futures still
remain up the air by contrasting fortunes are David de Gea and Jonny Evans. For
De Gea, the club wants to keep him, but with one year left on his contract, and
the fact that the lure of Real Madrid still lurks around, it is one that is
expected to run between now and the end of the transfer window.
Jonny Evans’ case is different with unconfirmed reports that
the club is open to sell him. He was reported to have been close to a move to
Everton last month, but Roberto Martinez dismissed it as untrue.
As Louis van Gaal continuous to build his own team with
several signings this summer, the departure of Angel di Maria will leave a
measure of disappointment for the Dutchman, for his inability to get the best
out of the Argentine winger, who is now expected to sign for Paris Saint
Germain after just a season at Manchester United. With Barcelona winger, Pedro expected to arrive at
Old Trafford, it could mitigate for the departure of Di Maria.
The temperament of United’s manager is clearly different
from that of Alex Ferguson, he has shown that he has little patience to keep
players who does not fit into his plans, irrespective of whether there is a
chance that they could improve or not.
Though the Ferguson
era is now history, that he was able to get the best out of players like Rafael
da Silva, showed the Scots qualities. Since his departure, the young Brazilian
who spent eight years at Old Trafford was not the same right back he was under Ferguson. Although there was
some measure of technical ability lacking in most Ferguson’s teams, however,
what they lacked in technical ability, they more than made up for it with a
combined will to win all the time. Something the Scotsman instilled in his
players during his time as manager.
With the relics of the Ferguson era gradually giving way in
terms of signings as more technically gifted players are now being brought in,
it remains to be seen whether the new signings would bring the same level of
success the signings made by Ferguson brought to the club.
With more players of the Ferguson era expected to leave, the
question of how the Scotsman was able to get players who many agreed where not
the best technically, but performed consistently would continue to remain
unanswered particularly as other managers have not been able to get the same
level of performance out of the same players.
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