The news that Old Trafford is not amongst the venues for the United Kingdom and Ireland’s bid to stage Euro 2028 was not a shock.
In fact, it was flagged up a few days prior to the announcement in a statement from the club. “Manchester United were pleased to put Old Trafford forward as a potential host of UEFA Euro 2028 matches and proud of the strong case we made.
“However, during follow-up discussions with the FA, it became clear that we were unable to provide the necessary certainty around the availability of Old Trafford due to potential redevelopment of the stadium.”
Hang on, what?
You put the stadium forward to host matches at a certain time but also said you could not be certain it would be available at that certain time?
And you thought that was a ‘strong case’?
That such a grand institution, such an iconic club, has descended into such shoddy limbo off the field (and it’s still not brilliant on the park) is the biggest indictment of an ownership that has been in place for 18 years.
Yes, technically, Old Trafford was not snubbed by the Euro 2028 bid team but it had to pull out of the running because, quite simply, no-one at the club has a clue what will be happening in 2028.
The statement said ‘potential redevelopment’ but that could be 2028, it could be 2026, it could be 2038, it could be whenever.
They do not have a clue.
This idea that Old Trafford is some sort of decrepit, crumbling edifice - completely unfit for purpose - is a falsehood. And, to an extent, it is the fans that make a stadium great, otherwise Goodison Park would have been levelled decades ago.
But Manchester United have been left miles behind in providing an ultra-modern, beautiful, commercial and fitting venue for such a club.
It is now SEVENTEEN years since any sort of meaningful work was done on the place and it could be another seventeen if the Glazers hang around.
And that is just one of many compelling reasons why the fans do, indeed, need the Glazers out.
If you are a United fan, it is time for the campaign to force them to sell to be reinvigorated.
The current so-called sales process has descended into farce, a couple of American investment firms now interested in acquiring a minority stake. If the maverick Finnish businessman Thomas Zilliacus - who wanted to split the costs with the supporters - describes it as a ‘farce’, it must be bad.
He has now withdrawn and the two remaining parties interested in a full purchase, Sir Jim Ratcliffe and Sheikh Jassim Bin Al Thani, have been asked to enter a third round of bidding. And let’s face it, they will not be going anywhere near the £6billion asking price and they will, sooner or later, tell the Glazers to stick it.
What then for United, unless the Glazers reduce the price? What then for Old Trafford?
A great club will remain in that shoddy limbo, paying dividends to the Glazers, carrying huge debt and a stadium that gets more outdated by the day.
Gary Neville believes the Glazers will eventually go because “after all this, it will be toxic” and “it will be unbearable for them”.
As long as it is within the law, of course, that is exactly how United fans need to make it.
