AT the warong, at the workplace, in social media or elsewhere, Manchester United fans in Malaysia are used to talking about the greatness of what was once the world’s greatest club.
But for this season, United fans around the world have little to brag about their underachieving team.
The Premier League season has gone horribly wrong for them, the results mostly terrible, and on Sunday, redder were the faces of the Red Devils after a 4-0 thrashing by Everton.
Such was the anger and humiliation that United’s great players of the past gave the present team a tongue lashing for their galling attitude.
The total capitulation of Paul Pogba and Co to Everton, who themselves were beaten 2-0 by relegated Fulham a week ago, was just hard to swallow for United fans who are more used to wallowing in success, and singing “Glory, glory, Man United”.
So bad was United’s performance at Goodison Park that their present generation of fans have not seen anything like this before.
Those lazy Devils, came the condemnation; those incompetent Devils, came the vilification.
On Sunday, United players were so slothful, so reluctant to run, so unwilling to challenge for the ball. As a result, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s players were out-run and out-fought by Everton.
Everton players ran 8.03km more than United stars. What is exasperating is that the Devils covered less ground than 15 of their 17 league opponents under Solskjaer.
“They beat us with the basics. Long throw-ins, stick your head in. Their corner, they’re first to the ball.
“We were beaten on all the things, the ingredients that you need to add to your talent,” lamented Solskjaer.
“It’s about decisions, put your head in where it hurts. It hurts to win football matches. We were far off Everton. They deserve all the credit.”
By now, Malaysia’s United fans would not feel like wearing their Man U replica jerseys, whether the RM300 genuine ones or the imitation RM30 ones from the pasar malam.
The Man U brand has been cheapened by their results, and devalued by the “poor workmanship” of their overpaid stars.
The pundits say players like Pogba, Alexis Sanches, Anthony Martial, Marcus Rashford and Nemanja Matic don’t deserve to be in the team.
It is increasingly obvious that they are no longer hungry for success, when their bank accounts are fattened by huge wages, and they are only interested in moving to other clubs.
And suffer the ManU brand because of players like them.
When United were listed on the New York Stock Exchange in 2012, they sent their people to Asia, asking global fans, including Malaysians, to invest.
Will Manchester United PLC’s performance graph in the NYSE mirror that of their EPL’s show?
Don’t expect the Devils’ stocks to go up if they fail to finish in the top four and win a ticket to the wealth-spinning Champions League.
United are now considered a “top six team” in the EPL, and that is not flattering to their fans.
To stop the rot at Old Trafford, Solskjaer needs good soldiers to rebuild United and restore the brand.
Following this bad experience, United need to buy real good men. Real Madrid can have Pogba, and United can cut their loss by selling him and a few others.