"I've pulled out of the next two pro tours this week," he wrote on Twitter. "You can clearly see my 70 averages don't cut it in this PDC jungle." There is certainly a balance to be struck. Look at Tottenham, who have spent two years looking for a man who can match Mauricio Pochettino, let alone better him, and short-termism has plenty to answer for in football. Chancellor Rishi Sunak will announce at Wednesday's Budget £30m of But United are, underneath it all, as far away from ruthless off the pitch as they are on it. This decline has been weeks, months, in the making, and their hesitancy has left them 12 points off Chelsea. Whoever follows Solskjaer must work under a boardroom for whom winning is everything, or bridging that gap will be hard work.Ron Walker