If we did win the Europa Cup, it would be rather odd in the future to look

[Peter]

You and Monty are both entirely correct, he has been a brilliant manager and his record over his tenure will show that. However said success cannot take away from the fact that the last few years have largely been unsatisfactory and I don't mean that as a spoilt brat type comment.

Football has changed almost beyond recognition all the same. As you say when you started you compared then with Bertie Mee's time.

You reference Man U under Ferguson, even that is an almost unknown to young kids now who associate City with success whereas to you and I they were a joke club for many many years. United pre Ferguson, 25+ years without a title.

Liverpool now vs Liverpool of the 70s/80s.

You are right that football has changed. It does tend to highlight that Ferguson's true brilliance (and I hate saying this) was his ability to freshen his perspective, his back room staff and his approaches to keep up. He also managed to keep a hugely successful squad hungry each season and wasnt afraid to dismantle his side, or remove key players, as and when he felt it necessary.

Wenger's 'stubborness' does get in the way here. Arguably we are also seeing the first signs of football leaving Mourinho behind as he struggles to make his usual impact at United.

[SWv2]

You are right that football has changed. It does tend to highlight that Ferguson's true brilliance (and I hate saying this) was his ability to freshen his perspective, his back room staff and his approaches to keep up. He also managed to keep a hugely successful squad hungry each season and wasnt afraid to dismantle his side, or remove key players, as and when he felt it necessary.

Wenger's 'stubborness' does get in the way here. Arguably we are also seeing the first signs of football leaving Mourinho behind as he struggles to make his usual impact at United.

Well yes all well and good but we should never overlook the fact that they were spending monies on a level that more or less every other club could not compete with and when some did they were also caught up and overtaken.

[Peter]

Well yes all well and good but we should never overlook the fact that they were spending monies on a level that more or less every other club could not compete with and when some did they were also caught up and overtaken.

Well.... he won the league in his final season. THeir dominance was ended by the influx of gigantic sums of money but I dont think you can argue that they were overtaken until he left. THe extent of that shows the full effect of his departure.

Now they spend a fortune and are not able to catch up.....