Graeme Souness claims the calamitous day-to-day running of Manchester United since Sir Alex Ferguson's retirement is evidenced by club chiefs previously handing new contracts to Phil Jones and Juan Mata.
The Red Devils have endured a sharp decline since Ferguson departed in 2013, only adding one FA Cup, one EFL Cup and one Europa League to the cabinet since then. United's poor on-pitch performance and frivolous spending in the transfer market has led to the Old Trafford hierarchy coming under serious scrutiny.
Ed Woodward left his position as executive vice-chairman earlier this year and there is a new power structure in place, led by CEO Richard Arnold. Souness believes the new regime has very little margin for error after years of "poor footballing decisions" at Old Trafford, including those which saw Jones and Mata extend their stays.
Centre-back Jones, 30, has become a peripheral figure but remains under contract until next year, with the option for another season, after penning a new deal in 2019. Playmaker Mata, 34, also agreed new terms that year which tied him down until 2021, while the club later activated a clause which kept him for another year before his departure this summer.
"The problem they have is they're so poor in so many areas. That's a problem for those making the decisions at the football club," Souness told Sky Bet of the Red Devils. "If you're a big player, do you go to Manchester United? I mean, they've had a decade of just poor footballing decisions.
"It's not just the players they've bought - which is the easy thing to focus on - but when you look at making decisions like giving Phil Jones a new contract, giving Juan Mata a new contract, and you think things might be different next year.
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"And then you talk about the players they've signed over the last decade, tell me one who's been a stand-out, one who makes you go wow. It's 10 years of mismanagement.
"For Manchester United, it's not about the top four, it's about challenging for the title. They're a country mile away from that. Yes, they'll be better, but whoever is making the decisions going forward needs to get them right. They've got to improve their footballing decisions, who they keep and who they recruit."
There is no denying the mismanagement which has plagued United since 2013, but there is optimism for the future with a new leadership structure in place and Erik ten Hag in the hot seat. The Red Devils have shown signs of promise during pre-season, winning three games - including a 4-0 drubbing of Liverpool - before drawing 2-2 with Aston Villa on Saturday.
