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September 2, 2024
Paul Scholes has criticized former teammate Mark Bosnich as Manchester United’s worst signing ever, calling him unprofessional. Meanwhile, Erik ten Hag faces increased pressure after a harsh reality check, with United struggling and slipping into the Premier League.
Paul Scholes has named Mark Bosnich Manchester United’s worst-ever signing. Scholes harshly critiqued the former goalkeeper’s ability, even suggesting he couldn’t kick a football properly. Throughout its more than 30-year Premier League history, Manchester United has enjoyed a position of dominance and signed legendary players like Wayne Rooney, Cristiano Ronaldo, and Peter Schmeichel.
In the past decade, Manchester United has faced challenges on and off the field, particularly with recruitment. Since Sir Alex Ferguson’s retirement in 2013, the club has missed more transfer targets than it has succeeded with. During his recent appearance on The Overlap, Paul Scholes was asked to name the best and worst signings in the club’s history. He identified Wayne Rooney as the best signing ever, a sentiment likely to be widely agreed upon.
Scholes surprised many when asked to name the worst signing by choosing Mark Bosnich, despite some attendees suggesting more recent players like Antony. Scholes returned to Ferguson’s era, declaring Bosnich the club’s worst-ever signing.
After Peter Schmeichel left Manchester United in 1999, the club faced the challenge of finding a suitable replacement. With numerous failed attempts, it took several years to discover a standout option in Edwin van der Sar. One such misstep was the signing of Mark Bosnich in 1999, following his eight-year stint at Aston Villa.
Bosnich only stayed at Old Trafford for a year; the move didn’t work out. Scholes’ comments explain why he called Bosnich unprofessional and said he couldn’t even kick a football.
“I thought he was a good keeper at Villa, but he came to us, he was so unprofessional. Honestly, it was ridiculous. In shooting practice, you normally have 15/20 shots, after three shots he’s knackered and I never realised, he couldn’t kick a football. Honestly, I’d never seen anything like it.”
“We played Everton in the first game of the season, and none of us picked up on it, but he couldn’t even reach the halfway line. There was no wind. It was a perfect day.”
When considering the worst signings in Manchester United’s history, Scholes considered Antony, Alexis Sanchez, and Massimo Taibi but ultimately chose Bosnich.
Although Scholes labeled Bosnich as the worst signing in Manchester United’s history, the Australian had a solid Premier League career with Aston Villa. He joined the club in 1991 and stayed until his move to Old Trafford in 1999. During his time at Villa Park, Bosnich played nearly 250 games and established himself as a reliable Premier League goalkeeper.
However, his success at Villa was undone after his move to United. After just one season, he transferred to Chelsea, where he played only five league matches over three years before leaving in 2003.
United’s humiliating 3-0 home loss to Liverpool on Sunday left them in 14th place in the Premier League table, just three games into the season.
Sitting with the new Old Trafford leadership, Co-owner Jim Ratcliffe buried his face in his hands as United displayed all their familiar flaws against their bitter rivals.
Ten Hag’s team matched Arne Slot’s side for 30 minutes. Still, Casemiro’s mistakes and Luis Diaz’s precise finishing gave the visitors a commanding lead by halftime.
Mohamed Salah added his usual goal against United in the 56th minute. Liverpool managed the game comfortably as the stadium quickly emptied.
For long-suffering United fans, it seems like the same old story.
The club, which hasn’t won the Premier League since Alex Ferguson’s last season in 2013, seems trapped in a never-ending cycle of mediocrity despite numerous changes in players and management.
Ten Hag received a contract extension in July, but only after United had explored other options due to a disappointing season that saw them finish in eighth place in the Premier League.
United’s 2-1 win over Manchester City in the FA Cup final in May was crucial, coming at a time when it appeared the Dutchman might be dismissed.
Under pressure, Ten Hag had to defend himself following Sunday’s defeat, after a narrow victory against Fulham and a loss to Brighton.
“It is just the third game in the season; we have to build a new team,” said the 54-year-old. “I explained this so many times: we will build this new team; we have young players and players to build in.”
“It is clear we have to improve, but at the end of the season, I am confident we will have a big chance to lift another trophy.”
The former Ajax manager can highlight some mitigating factors—Manuel Ugarte, United’s new midfield addition from Paris Saint-Germain, was unavailable, and recent recruit Leny Yoro is injured. Mason Mount, Luke Shaw, and Rasmus Hojlund are also sidelined.
However, United appeared to need more creativity and quality against Liverpool, who won all three Premier League matches under their new manager, Slot.
Former Real Madrid midfielder Casemiro was responsible for both of Diaz’s goals and was substituted at halftime. Meanwhile, forward Marcus Rashford appeared to need both form and confidence.
United’s lack of depth was highlighted when Ten Hag had to rely on 20-year-old Toby Collyer, who was making his Premier League debut.
Ten Hag requested patience regarding Ugarte.
“We have to build him in the team; it will take time,” he said. “It is not like I’m Harry Potter; you must acknowledge that. If you see Manuel Ugarte, he hasn’t played so far in the season, not one match minute.”
Whether or not United regrets sticking with Ten Hag, former Manchester United captain Gary Neville, now a Sky Sports pundit, believes Ten Hag will be given until Christmas to turn things around.
“It is a time for a bit of calm,” he said. “It’s the international break, which is probably well-needed for United.”
“But Erik ten Hag is going to have to get the club into a position challenging for the Champions League towards Christmas, or else he will be in trouble.”
The international break in September comes at a crucial time for Ten Hag, with United’s next match at Southampton scheduled for September 14.
However, the United manager will likely have many sleepless nights as he works to find a solution to stop the decline.
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Katarzyna Nowak is a seasoned writer with over five years of experience in editorial content, news reporting, and cricket sportsbook app reviews. As an author for 24kbet, she combines her deep understanding of the sports betting industry with a passion for cricket, delivering insightful and accurate content that keeps readers informed and engaged.
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