KP claim’s Jof target

“I SAID to the players I lost the final of the Champions League winning 3-0. It can happen sometimes.”

It is hard to know who will be less impressed by Carlo Ancelotti’s reaction to Everton’s late surrender of a two-goal lead in the draw against Newcastle.

The fans or the players.

THERE are times when a football club really needs its fans – and 2-0 down at home to Burnley with a few minutes left is one of them.

It says as much for the supporters who scarpered as it does for Ed Woodward or the Glazers that Old Trafford looked half-empty a fair while before Jonathan Moss blew the final whistle on Wednesday.

The clue is in the word. Supporter.

You support when support is needed most.

True, an 8.15pm kickoff is a joke, another crime against supporters’ interests from the Premier League.

But, even so, the desertion towards the end of the defeat by Burnley (above) was startling.

The sense of entitlement among followers of modern-day super clubs is depressing.

It is why players somehow feel compelled to apologise for poor performances.

Lads, you do not need to say sorry. When you sign up to follow a club, you sign up for better or worse. And just because you sign up to Manchester United, it does not mean it will not be for worse now and then.

At the moment, that means just outside the leading four (albeit a country mile from the top), a wafer-slim chance of making the Carabao Cup final, still in the FA Cup and in the knockout stages of the Europa

League. Yes, yes, yes, we know that is not good enough for Manchester United, but it’s football. It happens.

Now, it is what the United board do about it. And, if they have the courage of their convictions, they will stick with Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.

Not long ago, Woodward was making it clear he bought into Solskjaer’s long-term vision. Of all the missteps he might have made, sacking Solskjaer now would confirm Woodward as unfit for footballing purpose.

Word coming out of Old Trafford is that Solskjaer is safe. He has to be.

To get through three managers in fewer than seven years is unfortunate, to go through four would be downright careless.

Woodward’s job right now is not to find a new manager, but it is to oversee the overhaul of a squad that is seriously short of quality.

Manchester United must be the only elite club with more high-class goalkeepers than outfield players on their books.

So why the unfathomable delay in hiring a director of football?

I’ve said it here before. Solskjaer needs to toughen up if he is to stay in the job for much longer and he also needs help – on the training ground and in recruitment. It is not just about bringing in the right players with the right mentality.

It is about not giving fat new contracts to players who have not done enough to earn them.

Supposedly, Woodward and Solskjaer have a masterplan that will unfold over several years.

For now, considering he has had only one summer transfer window, Solskjaer should be given time to try and deliver it.

Supporters’ vitriol – and the show of disgust represented by Wednesday’s early walkout – is, of course, aimed at Woodward and the ownership, not the manager.

And the loyalty of United fans is no less than the loyalty of their counterparts at other clubs.

Plus, when a game kicks off at that time in the evening, there are last trains to catch.

But, no matter how many shortcomings he has, Solskjaer does not deserve to see his side deserted by so many.

There are times when a club – as in the players and the manager rather than the suits upstairs – needs support.

For Solskjaer, that time is now.

Solskjaer and his struggling team need the backing of their crowd more than ever

IN a rant at the media ahead of today’s fourth Test in Johannesburg, Kevin Pietersen – of Sky Sports, TALKSPORT and South African broadcaster Supersport – suggested there was some sort of agenda against Jofra Archer. Pietersen (above, right) said: “He might decide, ‘Stuff you guys’ and just go and play franchise cricket.” There is no agenda against Archer (above, left). Every English sports journalist is as excited about Archer as the members of the cricketloving public. But don’t forget, for Barbados-born-and-bred Archer – who represented the West Indies at junior level – English Test cricket IS, essentially, franchise cricket. Just as it was for South African-born-and-bred KP. THIS column is a fan of VAR, always has been. But one issue that needs to be addressed is the desperate need to recruit more officials. If you take into account the two officials in the Stockley Park bunker, that makes six on duty for every Premier League match. Inevitably, that has to mean a dilution of quality down the food chain... as I am sure most managers in the EFL this season will be willing to confirm.

HAVING climbed to No.32 in the world rankings, Dan Evans’ tame secondround exit at the Australian Open was hugely disappointing. Not for him, though, it seems. Seeded for the first time at a Grand Slam, Evans (below) succumbed in straight sets to world No.71 Yoshihito Nishioka. “He played good. I knew it would be difficult. I didn’t want him to win his firstround match,” said Evans. “And it was windy. Some days you look forward to matches and I didn’t look forward to it.” On top of that, Evans casually suggested he might not fancy competing in the Olympics this summer. After battling to the top echelon after the selfimposed setbacks he has had, Evans deserves some credit. But if you wanted to measure the difference in attitude between Evans and Andy Murray, it would be from here to Melbourne.