If we wanted to avoid this situation we could have named the price for both and gave a deadline for the deals to be completed. Told them that we wouldn't budge from either and not to waste our time with anything else.
That way the club would know exactly where they stand and we'd have left ourselves more time, and a bigger market, to get replacements in, if needed.
Man Utd have acted shoddy but we could have handled ourselves much, much better. Bill's desperation to get money in has cost our club again in reputation and pride.