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Manchester United's dilemma

It's widely recognised that Manchester United is at a critical juncture. The initial optimism generated by the appointment of the sunny Oli Gunnar Solksjaer masked deeper problems at the club. However, the failure to qualify for the Champions League in itself makes it more difficult to tackle these problems, as the financial gap between the prestige competition and the Europa League is growing year by year: Manchester United finances

The club may need to make more out of player sales than it has in the past. Of course, one should not overdo the gloom. This is a very profitable club, in large part because of its sponsorship deals. The club is able to spend freely if it wants to, although it also has to spend wisely. There is also the issue of whether it is as attractive a prospect to world class players as it was in the past.

Of course, an even more fundamental problem is the way in which the club is run under the Glazers. Their leveraged buy out did not, of course, prevent success in the past, but that was because of the unique skill and magic of Sir Alex Ferguson. Even when he had an outstanding side, he was looking to build the next one. Patience may be required to rebuild, but patience does not come easily in football.

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