Marcel Brands

[Drico]

To be honest, I wonder if people are looking at this the wrong way?

Last year, Brands had Ancelotti as manager, so he brought in James, Allen and Doucoure to help play to Ancelotti's style.

This year he's had Benitez and no money. So he's brought Gray and Townsend in to help play Benitez's way.

From that perspective he's done his job, and done it well

From what we can gather, James and Allan came here on Ancelotti's request. Brands merely got out of the way. He did buy Doucoure, however, so he'll get whatever credit/brickbats are coming his way in time over that signing.

As for Gray and Townsend, all indications seem to suggest they were Senor Benitez requests. The point I'm making is Brands seems rather superfluous to most of our transfer activity. The successful signings that can be credited squarely to him - i.e., that do not appear to be made because the manager demands them - are vanishingly few. Digne and Mina are probably positives. Iwobi was disastrous.

 

[Drico]

As it stands, we`re a threat to them.

The only way they`re letting us have players, is if our season starts tanking and we stop being a threat to them.

In that case, "Welcome Donny!"

 

[LouReedwalkonthewildside]

Van De Beek is an excellent, clever player. His total exclusion at United is another symptom of the Ole-at-the-wheel school of management that is inevitably careening United off an upcoming cliff at gathering pace.

Benitez would get the best out of VDB. Obviously, he would have to sanction the move. But if he thinks it a good idea, I reckon we'd have a really good player on our hands...and we don't have too many of those.

Funny that, my missus's dad and brother are both Manc supporters (her brother is a season ticket holder) and they both have said he's garbage and apart from the odd thing here and there.

 

[Drico]

Funny that, my missus's dad and brother are both Manc supporters (her brother is a season ticket holder) and they both have said he's garbage and apart from the odd thing here and there.

How many times have they seen him play for them, because he's not getting a look in. Yet, he was magnificent for Ajax - including in the high stakes Champions League games - and for the Netherlands under Koeman.

He simply does not seem to fit in at United - for whatever reason. Given the current identity of the manager, I'd hazard a guess that the player is far better than United fans are currently witnessing.

 

[LouReedwalkonthewildside]

How many times have they seen him play for them, because he's not getting a look in. Yet, he was magnificent for Ajax - including in the high stakes Champions League games - and for the Netherlands under Koeman.

He simply does not seem to fit in at United - for whatever reason. Given the current identity of the manager, I'd hazard a guess that the player is far better than United fans are currently witnessing.

I just had a quick gander and he's made 39 apps for the Mancs in all comps so not a load of games and I'm just going off what they've said, he's been garbage for them and he brings nothing. Could be totally different in a different team and manager.

I remember Klaassen being boss for Ajax and being their captain.

 

[FrenchDarrenBent]

From what we can gather, James and Allan came here on Ancelotti's request. Brands merely got out of the way. He did buy Doucoure, however, so he'll get whatever credit/brickbats are coming his way in time over that signing.

As for Gray and Townsend, all indications seem to suggest they were Senor Benitez requests. The point I'm making is Brands seems rather superfluous to most of our transfer activity. The successful signings that can be credited squarely to him - i.e., that do not appear to be made because the manager demands them - are vanishingly few. Digne and Mina are probably positives. Iwobi was disastrous.

Of course it's Benitez

https://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/spo.../demarai-gray-Rafael-benitez-everton-21590799

Or is he lying again?

 

[cjuk87]

I just had a quick gander and he's made 39 apps for the Mancs in all comps so not a load of games and I'm just going off what they've said, he's been garbage for them and he brings nothing. Could be totally different in a different team and manager.

I remember Klaassen being boss for Ajax and being their captain.

When you look into those 39 games, a lot of them are 10 mins too. Hardly time to form a fair opinion.

 

[Bluestar]

I just had a quick gander and he's made 39 apps for the Mancs in all comps so not a load of games and I'm just going off what they've said, he's been garbage for them and he brings nothing. Could be totally different in a different team and manager.

I remember Klaassen being boss for Ajax and being their captain.

I was thinking about Klassen too.

39 games is plenty to form an opinion.

 

[The Legend of Southall]

From what we can gather, James and Allan came here on Ancelotti's request. Brands merely got out of the way. He did buy Doucoure, however, so he'll get whatever credit/brickbats are coming his way in time over that signing.

As for Gray and Townsend, all indications seem to suggest they were Senor Benitez requests. The point I'm making is Brands seems rather superfluous to most of our transfer activity. The successful signings that can be credited squarely to him - i.e., that do not appear to be made because the manager demands them - are vanishingly few. Digne and Mina are probably positives. Iwobi was disastrous.

I don't agree that Brands merely got out of the way. He played a big part in the negotiations.

Quite frankly, I'd rather it was Brands doing that. Rather than Bill 'crying down the phone to Ferguson' Kenwright and Farad 'Lukaku's mum consulted a voodoo priest' Moshiri.

If Ancelotti and Benitez have said to Brands 'I want this player' and Brands has then gone and got him, then Brands is doing his job in my eyes.

 

[LouReedwalkonthewildside]

I was thinking about Klassen too.

39 games is plenty to form an opinion.

yeah you would think after 39 apps mate you would be able to at least gauge what a player can do, the in - laws said they can’t figure out what he brings to the team.

 

[blueconverse]

To be honest, I wonder if people are looking at this the wrong way?

Last year, Brands had Ancelotti as manager, so he brought in James, Allen and Doucoure to help play to Ancelotti's style.

This year he's had Benitez and no money. So he's brought Gray and Townsend in to help play Benitez's way.

From that perspective he's done his job, and done it well

Ancelotti is the reason we got James and Allan and Benitez is the reason we got Townsend and Gray, both of record as saying he has kept in contact with them.

So this waste of space can only really be credited with Godfrey who we paid 25 mill to a relegated team for so not exactly a bargain and Doucoure who Silva wanted for a while so not sure he can even be credited with scouting him.

 

[The Legend of Southall]

Ancelotti is the reason we got James and Allan and Benitez is the reason we got Townsend and Gray, both of record as saying he has kept in contact with them.

So this waste of space can only really be credited with Godfrey who we paid 25 mill to a relegated team for so not exactly a bargain and Doucoure who Silva wanted for a while so not sure he can even be credited with scouting him.

But he's much more than just a scout.

Brands has played a part in all player movements for both managers

 

[Bluestar]

yeah you would think after 39 apps mate you would be able to at least gauge what a player can do, the in - laws said they can’t figure out what he brings to the team.

Hmmm. He is either like Klassen, or being hopelessly managed, and both are possible. After what you said, I’m veering on the Klassen side.

 

[Drico]

I just had a quick gander and he's made 39 apps for the Mancs in all comps so not a load of games and I'm just going off what they've said, he's been garbage for them and he brings nothing. Could be totally different in a different team and manager.

I remember Klaassen being boss for Ajax and being their captain.

I remember Dennis Bergkamp going to Inter Milan and flopping and yet...

The point I am making is that there is no point comparing Van De Beek with Klaassen - you might as well compare him with Bergkamp. All three were blond and all three were failures for their first club abroad after leaving Ajax. It happens.

Regardless, I reckon there is a very fine player there in VDB in the right hands. The incompetent sentimentalist who is currently managing Manchester United is, in my view, not a great coach of a player. I'm very interested to see how Donny fares over the coming seasons... It seems to me that that wonderful Ajax side was broken up three years too soon. Those players - VDB, De Ligt, and De Jong - should have been allowed mature first, but Ajax cashed in. Maybe they knew something. Only time will tell.

 

[maccavennie]

Hmmm. He is either like Klassen, or being hopelessly managed, and both are possible. After what you said, I’m veering on the Klassen side.

He looks hopelessly like a Klassen to me, constantly hiding from the ball, on the periphery of play all the time, certainly doesn't have the trust of his teammates because they very rarely give him the ball when he is available.

I've only seen him about 5-6 times mind, but nit once as he done anything of note except to look completely out of his depth.