Is the Man United Era begining to Wind Down?

By: Rob | January 20th, 2010

premierleaguehughes All great Empire’s must eventually come to an end. Alexander The Great wept as there were no more worlds left to conquer. The British Empire slowly melted away after two world wars. Liverpool stopped winning every league title ever as the 1980s became the 1990s.

All this might sound slightly premature after Man United lost a league cup semi final first leg (which they dominated for large portions) to monied rivals Manchester City. But it isn’t just that. This season there have been signs that perhaps the Man United era in the Premier League won’t be lasting forever.

In the league this season, they may still be well in the title race, but they’ve looked unconvincing. If Arsenal beat Bolton tonight they’ll go to the top of the league, with Chelsea second, and Man United third having played a game more then Chelsea.

Finance isn’t the carte blanche it once was. Even after selling a player for £80m, Fergie wasn’t entitled to spend a great deal of it – indeed without the Ronaldo sale, United would have been in the red this financial year.The financial difficulties have meant that United have put up Carrington, the training complex, up for sale.

Of course there is also the Fergie Factor. He might talk up being around forever, but there is going to come a time, surely, after so many threats where he has to walk away from United. Some United fans have been asking him to for political reasons, but they’re wasting their breath. Fergie will go when he’s ready – but surely this is the last United team he’ll build?

That isn’t to say that whoever takes over from him is not going to have success. But its certainly going to be a great deal for any manager to live up to. And it does make you wonder, if by the end of this decade, United will have quite the stranglehold over English football they have enjoyed for the past 15-20 years.

They can have no complaints if it does come to pass – they’ve enjoyed an incredible run at the top of English Football. I don’t want to sound like I’m writing the last rites here either – writing off Man United is a very dangerous game, especially in January. But even if they do win the title this season, I can just see things out of their control conspiring to take them down a a peg or two.