Is recruitment biggest mistake Man Utd have made?
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The biggest mistake Manchester United have made post-Sir Alex Ferguson. That's a tricky subject but it's one you've asked about via our 'Ask about Manchester United' form.
It is such a huge question it is virtually impossible to answer.
You also have the unknowns and projections of the unknowns, so if Rene Meulensteen and Mike Phelan had stayed at the club when David Moyes came in, it might have helped – but then it might not. To coin a Mick McCarthy answer to 'it can't get worse', it could have been.
I would prefer to say the area the club has got wrong that would have had the most impact if they had got it right is recruitment.
There was not enough change in the summer Moyes came in. Louis van Gaal wanted Gonzalo Higuain in the summer of 2015 and got an injured Radamel Falcao. Jose Mourinho wanted Paul Pogba and Anthony Martial out in the summer of 2018 and the club wouldn't do it. Cristiano Ronaldo coming back in 2021 and altering the shape of a squad that had finished second the season before. Going for Rasmus Hojlund not Harry Kane as Erik ten Hag wanted. Forcing Ruben Amorim to leave Sporting in mid-season, against his wishes.
We can't know what effect going down the alternative route would have had, but there are enough question marks to suggest at least a couple would have made a significant difference.
In the end, recruitment is key in football. The teams with the most 'best' players, playing to the right system, motivated and pulling in the same direction tend to win. Pep Guardiola couldn't make a National League team challenge for the Premier League title.
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