the mikey phelan appreciation thread

parking and putting out the cones, from the great man's own lips

In terms of your role, how do you assist Sir Alex?
You back up a lot of things and put things in place, becoming a buffer between the players and the manager. You also become a little bit of a sounding board for the manager at times and also for the rest of the staff. We have to communicate things with each other and get the message across. We make plans and, as an assistant, you do exactly what the word says and assist in every department and, hopefully, try and make things run as smoothly as you can.

Has your role changed over the years. Do you take more training?
I think the role has developed. Years ago, the assistant manager did do a bit more on the training ground. Certainly, when I was coaching out there on the training ground I was doing a lot of work out there but now we have different people to do different things. Rene [Meuelensteen] does quite a bit of the coaching and there's myself, who is hanging around with the manager to discuss coaching, the games and individual players. My role now is being in between everything. Sometimes that can be good and sometimes it can be frustrating as you want to do a bit more if you possibly can but it's important to be a good listener if you're an assistant manager.

Has the manager mellowed at all as some of the players suggest?
He has mellowed out, definitely. What the manager has created is a good working environment for people like myself and other members of staff to do their job. I think he's still in control of everything, still has the final word on everything but now has more of an oversee of everything that's going on and makes the major decisions. That's really important.

Do you have to treat each player differently?
I think you do. The modern player has now become quite open to situations where you have to think about them first. You need to give them an ear when they need to talk to you individually. You need to tell them sometimes what they want to hear and sometimes what they don't want to hear. You've got to get the balance right there. It's easy for players to find a member of staff who they can communicate well with. They know that they're not always going to get an answer they want all the time but we have that relationship amongst the staff and players. They understand what's required when they come to see a member of staff to discuss things and what they're being told is for their benefit.

How much has football changed since you played?
The game itself has not changed. It's still about individuals, the team and results. It's about being prepared well for the games. What has changed is the way we get these things out of them and become a little bit more about the individual and collective. The individual now has far more members of staff to use to get them to the peak performance - both in terms of fitness and mentality - and being available for football matches. That has changed a lot. In my time, you were either fit or unfit. You either trained or didn't train. Nowadays, you can find you're not fit to play but you are fit to train. It's a bit of a weird one and I'm not sure how it sits with me overall. But now the process is in place to take care of players and we have to use that facility to get them out on the football field.

http://www.manutd.com/en/News-And-Fe....aspx?pageNo=2

he's been an absolute revelation. I remember some supporters were weary when quieroz departed for the 2nd time. Through his coaching and innovation we had the strongest defence in europe and had just pioneered the modern false number 9 & roaming front three.

but rene and mikey proved they could do at least half the job of one man and the idea of playing two midfielders, two wingers and two strikers in a rigid 442 that was abandoned nine years previously has been a master stroke. Especially in europe.

Can imagine the brainstorming prior to barcelona last may. Lets play 442. They can't cope with our wingers and carrick and giggs are a great match for xavi iniesta, busquets and messi dropping deep.

£#%&!ing hell, it sounds like we've taken coaching duties off him and given them to a social worker - no wonder we're always top of the treatment table league

In my time, you were either fit or unfit. You either trained or didn't train. Nowadays, you can find you're not fit to play but you are fit to train. It's a bit of a weird one and I'm not sure how it sits with me overall. But now the process is in place to take care of players and we have to use that facility to get them out on the football field.

Spoiler:

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o4cpOpvoWgM

Originally Posted by Zorg

Sir Alex Ferguson's Balloon Scare With Sound (Exclusive!) - YouTube

quality!

Originally Posted by Zorg

Sir Alex Ferguson's Balloon Scare With Sound (Exclusive!) - YouTube

Good attempt to kill the boss tbh.

Originally Posted by Zorg

Sir Alex Ferguson's Balloon Scare With Sound (Exclusive!) - YouTube

phelan's face!

£#%&!ing hell :shakehead:

So, as many have always suspected, all he does is make the tea and fetch Fergie's copy of the Racing Post in the morning?

cant stand anyone called mikey/mickey tbh

Originally Posted by The Watcher

£#%&!ing hell :shakehead:

So, as many have always suspected, all he does is make the tea and fetch Fergie's copy of the Racing Post in the morning?

Fergie should hire James Corden at least we could see his robot when we score

Hes £#%&!ing clueless.One of the worst players and now a shit number 2.

Originally Posted by Fuzzy Dunlop

he's been an absolute revelation. I remember some supporters were weary when quieroz departed for the 2nd time. Through his coaching and innovation we had the strongest defence in europe and had just pioneered the modern false number 9 & roaming front three.

but rene and mikey proved they could do at least half the job of one man and the idea of playing two midfielders, two wingers and two strikers in a rigid 442 that was abandoned nine years previously has been a master stroke. Especially in europe.

Can imagine the brainstorming prior to barcelona last may. Lets play 442. They can't cope with our wingers and carrick and giggs are a great match for xavi iniesta, busquets and messi dropping deep.

Originally Posted by MJ Ramone

Missed that

Actually scary to think that Fuzzy's more tactically astute then the Assistent Manager at Manchester United

Originally Posted by The Watcher

Missed that

Actually scary to think that Fuzzy's more tactically astute then the Assistent Manager at Manchester United

jokes aside I have ideas. Ideas that have worked. It's not £#%&!ing surgery. I just think SAF wants a yes man. Someone to go along with what he says. He's basically got two tagalongs, probably cheap as chips too.

It's the united way, get mediocre shitbags who do what they're told.

Originally Posted by The Watcher

Missed that

Actually scary to think that Fuzzy's more tactically astute then the Assistent Manager at Manchester United

and no way that Phelan could draw sullers being double teamed by Hitler and Batman so Fuzzy owns him totally.

Originally Posted by Jez Quigley

and no way that Phelan could draw sullers being double teamed by Hitler and Batman so Fuzzy owns him totally.

Phelan's such a @#%&!.

Aw go on boss let him put his shorts on!

Originally Posted by ScholesScoresGoals2

Fergie should hire James Corden at least we could see his robot when we score

NO ONE should hire James Corden. Apart from people conducting medical research.

If Mourinho isn't available, Phelan would make a very good United manager when Fergie retires.