During one of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's 20 defeats at Old Trafford, the opposition dug-out were puzzled when he stayed in his seat as Manchester United fell behind, and amused when one of his staff entered the technical area instead to bellow 'Wakey wakey'.
Though that unscientific message was aimed at the underperforming United players, it would also reflect how fans feel about the club as a whole.
Cristiano Ronaldo would probably agree as he compares how the club were when he left them as Champions League finalists in 2009 to how they are now, trophy-less in four years and nine points behind Premier League leaders Chelsea after only 11 games.
After re-joining Manchester United, Cristiano Ronaldo can clearly see the club's fall from grace
Ronaldo's poor challenge on Kevin De Bruyne at the end of a one-sided Manchester derby on Saturday reflected his personal frustration.
Previously used to working with Carlos Tevez and a prime Wayne Rooney up front, the five-time Ballon d'Or winner had 20-year-old work-in-progress Mason Greenwood alongside him against City.
But it's not just during matches that Ronaldo will have noticed differences in the 12 years he has been away.
No Fergie to set the atmosphere, less quality and experience among the coaching staff, investment needed in the stadium and training ground, United are no longer brand leaders on or off the pitch.
There is no doubt Solskjaer is a personable individual and knows Manchester United inside-out. But there is surprise given his own modest managerial CV that his coaching staff are also largely unproven.
When Ronaldo won the Champions League in 2008, he saw Ferguson use established and well-respected figures Carlos Queiroz and Rene Meulensteen to run coaching sessions, factor in the latest tactical trends and ensure the players were at peak fitness.
It allowed Ferguson to focus most on his own strengths, man management and creating the right working environment at Carrington.
Ronaldo played with a prime Wayne Rooney before but now has a young Mason Greenwood
Though he could pull out the hairdryer on occasion, Ferguson in fact ensured his players came into a happy and positive camp. He would sometimes deliberately make himself the fall guy, practicing his French on the overseas players, often to howls of laughter.
Solskjaer also wants to be that grand overseer but there are doubts from senior players in the squad, particularly the expensive imports, that the coaches he relies upon are up to the job.
First-team coach Kieran McKenna is 35 and has a background in academy football. His knowledge isn't questioned but lacks the gravitas to excite some of the biggest names in the game.
'You can't have people learning on a job,' summed up Sky Sports pundit Jamie Carragher
Former United midfielder Paul Ince was more brutal: 'You've got an under-23s coach (McKenna), Michael Carrick – no coaching experience. Mike Phelan, I don't know what he does.
'That is Ole's coaching staff. Compare that with the world-class players you've got in the team.'
There are concerns at United that Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's coaching staff are too inexperienced
Sir Alex Ferguson had the likes of Rene Meulensteen (left) and Carlos Quieroz (right) with him
Like Solskjaer, Carrick won numerous trophies as a United player. But working with the first team as a coach is the former midfielder's first job in football since retiring.
Phelan is a nod to the glorious past and he was Ferguson's last assistant manager before retirement. Though he is a visible presence on matchdays, Phelan himself admits his current role is more as a bridge between different departments than day-to-day dealing with players.
'One of my strengths might be listening,' he says. 'I've listened to a lot of things, not just to football coaches, I listen to what is going on in the organisation of the club and
