There are a lot of things about this AP report that I consider unbalanced. Harris wrote about how the team's cash reserves were used to invest in a roster "failing to maintain the English champions' dominance," but he neglected to say that David de Gea, Phil Jones and Ashley Young were purchased at reasonable prices. More importantly, all three players filled needs on the roster. Manchester United had to make some moves after multiple players were either released or retired following the 2010/2011 season.
I also disagree with Harris's assertion that the investments are failing to maintain the club's dominance. Last time I checked, the Red Devils had a double-digit point lead on traditional powers Chelsea and Arsenal in the Premier League standings. Sure, the club is two points behind Manchester City, but that's what a title race is all about.
The club's eliminations from the Champions League and both domestic cups are discouraging, but no team is going to win every trophy in every season. There were a lot changes made on the roster in the past year, and that doesn't include injuries to rising playmakers Tom Cleverly and Javier Hernandez. I think it's premature to label the club's 2011 moves as failures, even if the Red Devils struggled in tournament play.
However, despite my belief that Harris's report is rather slanted, the numbers don't lie. The club is $694 million dollars in debt, even though it reported revenue gains of $277 million in the last six months of 2011. I'm even more baffled by the amount of the club's debt because the Glazers have had seven years to pay it down. There's no reason why that number shouldn't be lower.
The real problem is that the Glazers were irresponsible to take on such massive debt in order to take over Manchester United. If they didn't have the money to purchase the Red Devils, then they shouldn't have done it. Their inability to pay down that debt tells me they need to sell the club, and they need to do it now. The longer Manchester United is stuck in debt, the more restricted they will be when it comes to bringing in new players to improve the roster. The team depends on revenue made from European competition, but if it can't afford to pay incoming stars the salary they require, then the club will eventually fail to qualify the Champions League.
It's time for the Glazers to sell Manchester United. They've proven unworthy stewards of the legendary club, and I'm unwilling to tolerate their ownership any longer. I don't want to see the mighty Red Devils eventually fall by the wayside because the Glazers were unfit to lead the Manchester United organization.
Derek Ciapala has been a fan of Manchester United since the World Cup in 1994. His favorite Red Devils' moment is when they won their 19th English Championship in 2011
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