Lonnick warned United that if the club wanted to recast their glory, they would have to stop the chaotic transfer operations. In the nine years since Histon's retirement, Manchester United have spent 1 billion pounds to buy people, but this season, whether Manchester City or Liverpool win the Premier League, Manchester United are destined to enter the 10th year of missing the league title.
Lonnick said: "The key is a clear transfer strategy, signing players who fit the team's tactical system. That's what two clubs, Manchester City and Liverpool, have been doing for the last five or six years. Just look at City's transfer policies, and their successful transfers, the players they bring in, and after a year or two, few people say it might not be the right signing. Those two clubs have been very successful, and that's why United are out of the game. Under Sir Alex Ferguson, United have been fighting for the title, but since then, many different coaches have failed."
Very few of the big-name players United have really succeeded in bringing in over the past nine years, they are extremely expensive and well-paid weekly, but they have not been able to prove their worth of money. Including Sancho, who was introduced before the start of the season, and even C Ronaldo, one of the "absolute double pride", is also struggling in the black hole of Manchester United's stars.
Lonnick believes that United lack their own characteristics and therefore lack stability and consistency. "Your style of play has to have its own characteristics, even the fans want to see how we play. It's always been an attractive, proactive attacking football, entertaining way of playing, and then making sure the transfer is right. You have to be fast enough in the transfer market to sign the right player at the right time."
Ronnick, who will be United's senior football adviser this summer, wants to reform the transfer system, but he pointed out that he must qualify for the Champions League to have a chance to sign elite players. Lonnick explains: "Financially, everyone knows what the Champions League means. Of course, if United join the Champions League, it could also make negotiations with any new signings much easier."
Another obstacle to United's reform of the transfer system is the Grizer family, which is known for being a door-knocker, never injecting any money into the club, but instead taking 20 million pounds in dividends every year, and transferring all the debts of the borrowed to buy clubs that year to Manchester United, resulting in the Red Devils paying more than 1 billion pounds in interest and other aspects so far in 2005.
British media also revealed that because of the high cost, Glazer has shelved Manchester United's plans to move from carring the Carrington training base to a new training center with better equipment. Originally, United wanted to move the training ground to Tatton Estate in Cheshire, and update the training centre to the most advanced level, comparable to Manchester City, Tottenham and Liverpool. Tatton Manor is the largest private land in East Cheshire, with 5,000 acres of land, including two villages and 50 farms, and is also a national nature reserve.
But after hearing that the cost of relocating to Cheshire was as high as £200 million, the Glazer family gave up and only agreed to transform Carrington. The club has appointed Magus Monaher as carrington development program director, and training ground staff received an email last week to be in charge of carring the Carrington refurbishment. Monaher was responsible for building Leicester City's £130 million training ground.
A source told The Sun: "The club considered moving to Tatton, but the owner heard that it would cost tens of millions before construction started. Now, Carrington needs to serve the men's, women's and academies, and the board knows it will definitely need a lot of money."
United left the old Cliff training ground 20 years ago for Carrington, which is no longer big enough and the club plans to acquire more land around and expand the training ground.