A Manchester United Unicef dinner in late January revealed the picture was far more complicated than it first seemed when Ole Gunnar Solskjaer arrived as manager.
The Norwegian's team had strolled to seven straight wins, leaving you wondering why the club hadn't thought of going back to the old school sooner.
But guests who had paid out for tables at the Old Trafford event were puzzled by Paul Pogba's apparent disappearance after 45 minutes. They found Alexis Sanchez less than enthusiastic when approached.
'The Spaniards — Juan Mata, Ander Herrera and David De Gea — were a different class,' says one guest. Solskjaer's powers of transformation evidently had their limits.
The fundamental humility and humanity of this individual, pictured collecting his clothes from an Altrincham dry cleaners this winter, were like a warm breeze after the preening and self-absorption of Jose Mourinho.
But if the past has taught United anything, it is that a fundamental niceness cannot sustain a football team.
There was a myriad of miseries in the team's defeat by relegated Cardiff on Sunday, not least the footage of fans remonstrating with Pogba. But a Premier League 'value for money' table, published by Sporting Intelligence, surely topped the lot.
It revealed Cardiff paid each of their players an average £28,161 for every point they won this season — better value than any side. United were rock bottom, dishing out a monumental £99,010 per point — nearly £20,000 more than any other club.
It says everything that they could not find a way to beat two of the three relegated sides in the season's last week.
Solskjaer now reflects that the necessary rebuild could take years, though it is impossible to sustain an argument he can lead the vast and complex job of overhauling a club which finds itself staggering around in the dark.
He has been a welcome release from the intimidating conduct of Mourinho.
But beyond his vague attempt to introduce more pace, in keeping with the United of yore, there has been no evidence he has known what to do with those at his disposal. The players sense it. It's hard to find any exhilaration in their ranks about what lies ahead.
The manager has talked relentlessly of improving their work-rate, though this side have covered less distance than the opposition in 18 of the 21 games they have played under him. Management requires an edge; a professional distance between players and leader.
Clubs as adrift as United can haemorrhage talent. Pogba had wanted to leave for Real Madrid. Now it is thought he just wants to leave.
There is thought to be some enthusiasm for Marcus Rashford at Manchester City, who have always been ready to raid United in their relentless quest for self-improvement. Old Trafford can no longer recruit players on the basis of reputation and legend. Monumental salaries may no longer be enough.
United's rush to make Solskjaer's appointment permanent was in keeping with the way they have lurched from one disaster to the next without any method in the past six years.
A little due diligence would have told them that Solskjaer was not a visionary in his brief managerial time at Cardiff in 2014. He arrived with a philosophy of ball retention but Cardiff — relegated in the season he arrived — lacked any identity. He looked out of his depth.
United do not seem capable of any diligence as they grapple for a way out; obsessed by the spirits of ages past, they conjure with Mike Phelan, Darren Fletcher and Rio Ferdinand for strategic and recruitment roles, when none of the above have any experience or track record.
Stuart Webber, the sporting director who has delivered Norwich and Huddersfield to the Premier League, would doubtless be considered too prosaic for the so-called Theatre of Dreams.
So, too, Dan Ashworth, architect of England's winning structure before he left for Brighton.
Edwin van der Sar, chief executive of the young Ajax side who have moved mountains, has not entered the conversation.
A club with a modicum of curiosity and intellectual energy would have spoken to all three.
We are about to hear more about 'Ole at the Wheel'. The imminent 20th anniversary celebrations of United's 1999 Munich miracle will prompt a new wave of sentiment. But the rose tint of past glories did not secure a trophy for anyone.
Better Solskjaer goes now and the embarrassment of a U-turn than another grim autumn and a sacking by Christmas.
If Mauricio Pochettino feels a Champions League final is as far as he can take Tottenham, then United should make their move. If not, they should be seeking alternatives.
As Sir Alex Ferguson was fond of reminding us, the spoils in football go to those who are modern and progressive. The ones who look ahead.
lukzlat910
209
Sir Alex Ferguson started of his career with United in a 13th place finish, followed by 11th place then 13th placed.....and so on, it took him 5-6 years to finally win his first PL title for United, those were the good old times..... Nowadays the fans and the board have no more patience, once things go bad they immediately shift the blame to the manager or the player that screwed up, we shouldn't sack Ole as of yet, he may be inexperienced but that's the reason why Mike Phelan is there, to coach and guide him, with the players and their attitude he has, it's obviously not going to get any results
prayag
136
Now a days United fans doesnt have patience they want instant success. Most of them turn against our own players after one or two bad games eg. Rashford he is young needs time to develop, after he scored the winning goal against PSG everyone was saying Rashford>Mbappe, Now they are trolling him saying Trashford. Look at Klopp, He finished below top 6 in is first season Liverpool showed faith in him, I dont like Liverpool but i should say thier recruitment strategy is great. They didnt sign any big names rather invested in talented players who has hunger for success, We should do the same. Give Ole time he will bring United back to where they belongs.
CityMan
124
Obviously I’m not a United fan but I think they should keep Ole, sell old players, buy inexpensive young players. Then they should accept that there will be one or two mediocre seasons and build from there. I think the problem is that the owners are desperate for instant success, but it won’t happen with big money signings or new coach after new coach.
Nanabceknu
108
mybe he need time because the time he was given was not enough
Lucabceo
99
before one month everybody is saying appoint ole ....ole is baby assassin ...ole is on wheel....ole is bla bla bla....look at zidane right now they are also losing as well so they should sack zidane as well??? useless people
Sadiqyahuza
82
pls don't sack him give him some times to prove him self I know he will sign best players
Wimbpty
72
Opinion if Ole is a wrong man . Who is the right man? We Saïd Mois wrong as was Vangal and Mourinho. Thy spend 650 M on transfer het they were not right man. Who is the right man? Potichino? Why him he has been in EPL with no single Trophy what make him a right man? Rapha Benitez 4 Trophy in EPL is he a right man? What os right man per say? If u dont have any other things to do write about climat change and stop smiring Ole. Everton deserve a chance let see what he has to offer
Man-U_Raypacker
50
you are totally correct,our fans are busy condemning him already,considering how far we were behind in the previous season point wise,Ole has really done a good job coz were so far behind the Tottenham who were third the time he came in. And I take all the loses that we have had as an advantage,bcoz it has given him ideas on how to adjust the squad.If you consider Clopp who is a great manager and has been at Liverpool for years 2 or more years if am not mistaken,hes made a lot of signings. and my honest opinion is their best performances have come from the 2017/18 and the recently ended seasons, now see where he has come from.Lets also try to be patient with Ole
Kuybcdmo
45
From the moment they made him permanent manager things went south Ole has a good personality and he humble man but humility can only get you far he's is still a low level coach Jesus are we forgetting that he's previous managerial records in England was a failed carrer at the very club who handed us a whopping in old traford he's not a top tier manager he was meant to be an intrim coach but apparently a series of wins got to fans heads and we gave him the job and once the players saw he was the permanent coach they didn't have no one to impress anymore and why he was hired was because he's a yes man that sees the interest of the board and not the fans he absolutely fears English media as you can see why he's always playing young and lingard