Obvioulsy, they didn't want to lose the opportunity of signing a young proven manager. Rudd may well have just been enjoying a dead cat bounce. Ole looked great for a while don't forget.
Dan "The Gardener" Ashworth Has Left | Venit, vidit, non vicit
- Thread starter Berbaclass
- Start date
Ridiculous decision. If there was something that didn't align right with his vision and ideas, it should have been seen as a concern at the interview stage and not cropped up once he started work. Keeping ETH is not half as bad a decision as this one.
And probably Martinez also, but it shouldn't be that much different as a LCB in a 3 or two.
I am assuming Ashworth wanted data analysis on how current set of players are suitable for Amorim's system. If that is so then it makes sense and it is how it should be.
I mean that's the positive we can take out of it. We didn't know those were his choices when we publicly courted him and called him best in class and such? There surely must have been some discussion on what his role was going to be and future plans and such. It's a shambles that they fecked up so bad looking back in hindsight.
Anyways, hope we don't bottle the new hiring. That new guy must also have to rate Amorim too as they both are going to be working on bringing in new players. It's absolutely crucial that we get it right this time around.
The more I read these reports and the context behind the sacking the more I believe Ratcliffe has done the right thing.
We need to be ruthless as a club to get us back to the top and if that means cutting ties early if they’re not working out then so be it. Sounds like there was a not an alignment in direction between ashworth and the other directors so this is the right decision. We need everyone to be on the same page and we need leaders who are decisive.
We need to be ruthless as a club to get us back to the top and if that means cutting ties early if they’re not working out then so be it. Sounds like there was a not an alignment in direction between ashworth and the other directors so this is the right decision. We need everyone to be on the same page and we need leaders who are decisive.
What the feck is going on with this club?!
I read that report in The Athletic on this, and it sounds like Jim wants everything everywhere all at once. He wants Ashworth to have already implemented data science and then felt the chicken innards to know not only how the current squad is playing but also how they will play under the new system. Jim also sounds like the kind of employer who expects employees to have a psychic gift for predicting their next thoughts. Ashworth had postponed a big family event and finally was able to have it, and got stick for it. I've worked for people like that who think you're going to miss your kid's birthday or your wedding anniversary because the project needs your attention. Basically the lords and the serfs redux.
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Mind blowing assumptions here.
What would JR know about running a business that experts on here don’t?
Not ruthless enough to sack ETH but is too ruthless for Dan
What would JR know about running a business that experts on here don’t?
Not ruthless enough to sack ETH but is too ruthless for Dan
The reasons touted in the press so far sound like bullshit to me:
- "He wanted a British manager. Preferably Southgate"
They chased this guy for months and were in a stand-off with Newcastle to get his signature willing to wait as long as it was required. During this long period they didn't have any communication or exchanges with him? During this period they didn't have one conversation about ETH or Dan's idea about the next manager if ETH was to be sacked?
We are led to believe that he was hired without any communication and then he came on board started mentioning his preference for Southgate, a guy who hasn't managed in club football for a decade and a half.
Yeah, I am not buying that.
- There was a difference of opinion regarding the recruitment for Amo's 3421 and it didn't match with Dan's long term vision.
Is that recruitment going to be that different? Who are these special players that are needed for 3421 then won't fit in with a 4231/433 in the future?
From what we have seen so far of Ruben's system:
1. He needs a GK with ball playing skills - no different that a GK in any other system.
2. He plays Maz at RCB - a player who can easily move to RB in a 4231.
3. The Two CB's (CCB and LCB) he wants should be strong and have good ball playing skills - No different than any other system.
4. He wants his RWB to be a left footed attacking player who basically plays as a winger - This guy can easily play as a RW in a 4231.
5. So far Malacia and Dalot have been used as LWB's, the options we are linked with Davis or Kekera can both play LB.
6. He wants two CM's - a more defensive minded option and someone who can pass and move the ball - No different than any other CM combination in any system.
7.. He wants two #10's - A more traditional pressing number 10 and another one who is a left attacking player. Anyone telling me that an Odegaard/De Bruyne and a Kvara/Williams combo won't work in a traditional 4231 as a #10 and Left wide attacking player?
"Amorium needs special #10s" is hipster talk from folks who think football is more complicated than is it. I call it the Pepization of football.
8. He wants a striker with good hold-up & link-up and goal scoring nous - Again, every team and every system needs that.
Long story short, all these discussions on formations, 3421, 343, 4231 etc. are nonsense time killers and avenues for people to display their superior footballing knowledge. And I very much doubt that was the point of contention between Dan Ashworth and others.
There are has to be more to this story than low hanging fruits like Southgate or formation. We may know about it in the coming days or we may never know about it ever. The simple fact is that it makes the club look like a right mess, which is not good with a new manager in charge who has already pointed out that he'd like to spend his time coaching the team rather than all the other nonsense that comes with the territory.
- "He wanted a British manager. Preferably Southgate"
They chased this guy for months and were in a stand-off with Newcastle to get his signature willing to wait as long as it was required. During this long period they didn't have any communication or exchanges with him? During this period they didn't have one conversation about ETH or Dan's idea about the next manager if ETH was to be sacked?
We are led to believe that he was hired without any communication and then he came on board started mentioning his preference for Southgate, a guy who hasn't managed in club football for a decade and a half.
Yeah, I am not buying that.
- There was a difference of opinion regarding the recruitment for Amo's 3421 and it didn't match with Dan's long term vision.
Is that recruitment going to be that different? Who are these special players that are needed for 3421 then won't fit in with a 4231/433 in the future?
From what we have seen so far of Ruben's system:
1. He needs a GK with ball playing skills - no different that a GK in any other system.
2. He plays Maz at RCB - a player who can easily move to RB in a 4231.
3. The Two CB's (CCB and LCB) he wants should be strong and have good ball playing skills - No different than any other system.
4. He wants his RWB to be a left footed attacking player who basically plays as a winger - This guy can easily play as a RW in a 4231.
5. So far Malacia and Dalot have been used as LWB's, the options we are linked with Davis or Kekera can both play LB.
6. He wants two CM's - a more defensive minded option and someone who can pass and move the ball - No different than any other CM combination in any system.
7.. He wants two #10's - A more traditional pressing number 10 and another one who is a left attacking player. Anyone telling me that an Odegaard/De Bruyne and a Kvara/Williams combo won't work in a traditional 4231 as a #10 and Left wide attacking player?
"Amorium needs special #10s" is hipster talk from folks who think football is more complicated than is it. I call it the Pepization of football.
8. He wants a striker with good hold-up & link-up and goal scoring nous - Again, every team and every system needs that.
Long story short, all these discussions on formations, 3421, 343, 4231 etc. are nonsense time killers and avenues for people to display their superior footballing knowledge. And I very much doubt that was the point of contention between Dan Ashworth and others.
There are has to be more to this story than low hanging fruits like Southgate or formation. We may know about it in the coming days or we may never know about it ever. The simple fact is that it makes the club look like a right mess, which is not good with a new manager in charge who has already pointed out that he'd like to spend his time coaching the team rather than all the other nonsense that comes with the territory.
The Southgate links are all lazy media bullshit since the two had previously worked together. There's no real evidence Ashworth ever wanted him at United, but people keep bringing it up as a mark against him, because reasons.
Somebody needs to pay the price of keeping ETH beyond summer. If this dude is behind all that, we all should personally drive him back to the barcodes. No matter how bumpy the road will be.
What have you read
Nothing. It's been wrong for so many years, one more wrong shouldn't be a surprise to anyone.
You can have discussions and plan for stuff, and then when in the building - it just doesn't work out. Could be multiple factors.
Nonetheless, if true as reported, that he advocated for Ten Hag, that's a huge blunder.
I'd rather the people in charge are proactive are rectifying errors - even those committed by them, than sticking with something that's not working for the sake of optics
Good to see we now have Dan Ashworth fans here as well. I’m in the “who gives a feck” club. We never know what these guys do anyway, it’s all media BS.
It’s better to part ways early and focus on what we do on the pitch. Let it go guys. No need to take sides on this one.
It’s better to part ways early and focus on what we do on the pitch. Let it go guys. No need to take sides on this one.
The best football club "owners" in the last 20 odd years, for me, have been Roman and Perez, both of whom are very engaged in the ongoings of their clubs, have very high standards for their clubs and do not waste time getting rid of people when they think it is not working out. United needs more of that rather than the passiveness we, and it seems our fanbase, have become so accustomed to.
So was it actually necessary to hire both a sporting and a technical director? Couldn't one person just do both jobs, if they are indeed 2 completely separate roles with no overlap?
He wasn't even at the club when the decision was taken
We're all right, thanks.
Maybe he's been downloading porn at work.
The reason were are no longer good is precisely because standards dropped. We are not nearly as ruthless as the other European giants. Every club goes through ups and downs but if you see the way we have behaved in our down period compared to the down periods of the other European giants, you will see the reason why our down period has been extended.
It really is a non-story, who really gives a flying-fu..
After the calm, it seems there are too many stories, I could not care less to be honest, my focus is on how Amorim does, I know it is extremely important to have the right people leading the football dept in the club, especially in players recruitment, but for now, Barrada and Wilcox can handle that I hope.
Who's going to be a new sport director?
According to Sky Sports and the papers it's due to wanting managers to other managers. To be fair I'd rather we didn't get Southgate to keep Ashworth.
Maybe no-one, they have Berrada, Wilcox and Vivell. I think they can manage with those three.
Boo boo 343. I mean his first coach at Brighton played it and Southgate got to two finals playing it and he loves taking credit for England.
If he can’t manage to adapt to the things he “apparently” overseen in other institutions you have to ask questions what was he actually doing?
If he can’t manage to adapt to the things he “apparently” overseen in other institutions you have to ask questions what was he actually doing?
Anyone who can sum up what the credible journos seem to know? Ornstein-type level of credibility?
I wonder if it was a Mike Bassett situation where Ashworth insisted we play 442 but Amorim played 343 instead.
I find the below part in the latest article about this very interesting;
So, if true, it means he is good at running the football operations that already exists and improves upon them, rather than overhaul an existing system, and make radical changes, he tends to be simpler and seek safer options in managerial appointments as his reported suggestions indicate (Howe, Silva, Frank & Potter), Ratcliffe wanted more than just an "Ops Manager" it seems, so he moved quickly and cut his losses.
So, if true, it means he is good at running the football operations that already exists and improves upon them, rather than overhaul an existing system, and make radical changes, he tends to be simpler and seek safer options in managerial appointments as his reported suggestions indicate (Howe, Silva, Frank & Potter), Ratcliffe wanted more than just an "Ops Manager" it seems, so he moved quickly and cut his losses.
And that may well be true.
However, we should keep in mind that the information is coming from the club and that it's supposed to make the decision look right.
What was the actual family event? I mean a whole squad basically is obliged to say no to a Christmas with their family every year, so it better be something important like your child's wedding or similar. Because sacrifices has to be made in a position like that.
Even your own wedding-anniversary seems over the top for me, and what example does it set, when players are asked for more sacrifices?
It's not like it's the real wedding, it's just a reminder. Like it isn't enough to be reminded of you being married almost every freaking day of the year
Just saying it's a bit different when you're at the top, than when you're an employee further down the hierarchy.I think this insider article might shed some light
Inside Dan Ashworth’s shock Man United exit: What irritated Ratcliffe and how it ended
Laurie Whitwell and Adam CraftonDec 8, 2024
66
Seeing Manchester United wait five months to get Dan Ashworth in as sporting director only to usher him to the exit five months later is a remarkable development that has left staff at the club stunned.
Ashworth attended United’s under-21 game against Sparta Prague at Carrington on Saturday morning, then watched the senior side face Nottingham Forest from the Old Trafford directors’ box — to the outside world conducting business as usual.
But 20 minutes after the final whistle, he took a rare route out of the directors’ lounge under the stands, walking through the press conference room alongside chief operating officer Collette Roche. He was on his way to Omar Berrada’s office, where he was told by the chief executive his brief time at United was coming to an end.
Ashworth had let people know it was difficult working in Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s newly assembled football leadership team and so perhaps there is some relief at the development.
In hindsight, it was possible to perceive a hint of awkwardness between the executives when Ashworth arrived in his seat ahead of the defeat to Forest, which he had invited family members to attend.
The 53-year-old is expected to have no shortage of offers. Several people in the game are privately pointing out how Arsenal are searching for a new sporting director and their managing director is Richard Garlick, a close colleague of Ashworth’s from their West Bromwich Albion days, although there are no indications of anything substantive at this stage.
Then West Brom director of football Garlick, left, speaking with Ashworth at a game in 2013 when he was working as the FA’s director of elite development (Mike Egerton – PA Images via Getty Images)
Nevertheless, his departure from United, as revealed exclusively by The Athletic on Sunday, was instigated by those at the top of the club. The sense among staff is a joint decision between Ratcliffe, Berrada, Sir Dave Brailsford, and co-owner Joel Glazer. Berrada’s role does cross over into the football department.
To explain the shock exit, The Athletic spoke to multiple people familiar with it who were speaking anonymously to protect relationships. United would not be drawn on any of the issues mentioned in our reporting and maintain the decision was mutual. Ashworth has been approached for comment.
The signs of disharmony were detectable at the very moment that Ashworth would have been expected to prove his worth. In searching for a replacement for Erik ten Hag as manager, Ratcliffe wanted to hear ideas from the man he had sanctioned spending around £2.5million ($3.2million) to bring in from Newcastle United due to his expertise at building structures. Ashworth, it is claimed, did not provide clear, compelling arguments for who to bring in.
Instead, there was a list and those he did propose had a theme: Premier League experience. Suggestions included Eddie Howe, despite the picture not always being rosy at Newcastle United; Marco Silva, the Fulham head coach; and Thomas Frank, the Brentford head coach. Graham Potter was another name mentioned by Ashworth, possibly as an interim until the end of the season.
Ratcliffe wanted more decisiveness and a dynamic appointment, someone with a certain charisma who was capable of shouldering the enormous responsibility and scrutiny that comes with leading one of the world’s biggest clubs.
It seemed no coincidence that after being quoted on Ten Hag’s contract extension and every signing brought in during the summer, there was nothing from Ashworth on the official announcement of Ruben Amorim’s appointment.
Ashworth was said to have had little input on selecting Amorim as United’s new head coach, with Berrada a major influence on the Portuguese getting the job. It was Berrada who flew to Lisbon when Ten Hag was sacked to negotiate with Sporting CP president Frederico Varandas face-to-face.
Berrada played a big role in the appointment of Amorim as Ten Hag’s replacement (Ash Donelon/Manchester United via Getty Images)
There are other reasons for that, such as it being described as a one-person job, with United wanting to show respect by sending the equal counterpart. United also needed someone at Carrington to run the club, with Ashworth staying to support interim manager Ruud van Nistelrooy. But it is also notable that Berrada went because he, rather than Ashworth, knew the people at Sporting.
Ratcliffe had met Amorim the week before, as United were in Istanbul facing Fenerbahce, with Brailsford also present. Ratcliffe likes to understand big decisions before signing off and he got on well with Amorim, whose charisma has made an early impression on fans and players.
Ratcliffe felt Ashworth should have been much more assertive in targeting a new head coach and should have looked beyond those people he already knew.
He was also said to have raised eyebrows at Ashworth taking a holiday on Amorim’s second day at Carrington. There were mitigating circumstances, with Ashworth marking a significant family event having postponed previous attempts for work reasons. His absence, around the same time, from November’s executive committee (ExCo) meeting was however seen by some as a further indication all was not well. Ashworth had attended the ExCo summit in October at INEOS headquarters in London, as well as the previous one in Barcelona.
Friction was also apparent when Ashworth proposed bringing in a data company to evaluate the candidates to replace Ten Hag. Ratcliffe was said to have reacted badly, countering that it was Ashworth’s job to know such matters rather than outsource, while also making him question United’s in-house capabilities.
Ratcliffe at the FA Cup final at Wembley (Mike Hewitt/Getty Images)
In his interview with fanzine United We Stand, Ratcliffe said: “Data analysis comes alongside recruitment. It doesn’t really exist here. We’re still in the last century on data analysis here.”
Ashworth oversaw all the summer signings, which included some influence from Ten Hag. Ashworth was tasked with making things work with Ten Hag and sanctioned the signings of Noussair Mazraoui and Matthijs de Ligt, two preferences for the manager, among a spend of around £200m. Joshua Zirkzee, who moved to United in the summer from Serie A side Bologna, was seen as more of a club-led transfer. He had been on Newcastle’s list of potential transfers at the start of the year.
But there are also questions about what Ratcliffe thought he was getting in Ashworth and whether due diligence was done, despite long-standing relationships. Ashworth is primarily an operations manager, according to people who have worked with him, rather than a transfer guru. He made a good impression at Carrington, where he was regarded as “the man” at the top of all sporting functions, hence why his exit now has caused such shock. Colleagues say he is honest, very intelligent and a good figurehead.
In a bid to explain the decision, Brailsford, Berrada and technical director Jason Wilcox addressed players and staff at Carrington on Sunday, going through the turbulence experienced and why they felt a change was necessary. Berrada and Wilcox are close, having worked at Manchester City together.
The relationship between Ratcliffe and his primary football executive had become strained after the only public address given by Ashworth as a United employee. Before kick-off in the Liverpool game on September 1, Ashworth and Berrada spoke to journalists to map out their thoughts on how the summer window had gone and what might come next. Both denied being involved in Ten Hag staying and extending terms after United’s FA Cup final victory, but they were across the decision, according to sources.
Those responses irritated Ratcliffe. Berrada and Ashworth had been on gardening leave, so understandably had to be careful on the record, but both were in communication on United business before they were officially in the building.
(Ben Stansall/AFP via Getty Images)
Ratcliffe felt the concept of gardening leave “absurd”, so wanted his incoming executives to get started straight away. For instance, Berrada was in meetings when Ten Hag’s future was agreed upon.
At times, as the proposed arbitration with Newcastle loomed, Ashworth went radio silent. There was much greater legal sensitivity around his appointment than that of Berrada, but Ashworth had been in touch with United colleagues and involved in some meetings about prospective managers when Ten Hag’s future looked in deep jeopardy.
Ratcliffe’s instinct had been to move on from Ten Hag, who was himself anticipating his dismissal. The lukewarm greeting from Ratcliffe to Ten Hag when he went to lift the FA Cup spoke volumes. But Ratcliffe and everyone else was persuaded to stick with him given there was so much change elsewhere at the club, as well as difficulties in appointing Thomas Tuchel with no viable alternative.
Therefore, the backing given by Berrada and Ashworth to Ten Hag during that briefing before the Liverpool game in September took Ratcliffe by surprise. Berrada and Ashworth wanted to update fans on how they thought the summer had gone, but Ratcliffe felt it was an unnecessary juncture at which to speak. It is perhaps telling no directors have spoken with journalists about Amorim’s arrival.
Since then, Berrada has impressed with his work on Amorim and also around the club. He regularly holds meetings with staff to understand their daily commitments and listen to thoughts on improving practices. The mood at United is described by several sources, who were speaking anonymously to protect their jobs, as “very low” given the 250 redundancies and cost-cutting, but Berrada’s visibility is appreciated.
(Alex Livesey/Getty Images)
In United’s first quarter financial results, a statement by Berrada touched on United’s “cost and headcount reductions” remaining “on track”, a reference to Ratcliffe’s determination to make the company as lean as possible. This is an aspect Ashworth allegedly had issues over; he was said to be reluctant to reduce jobs in his areas, a hesitation Ratcliffe could not countenance.
Ashworth has expressed to people a feeling of working in a highly pressurised environment and suggested he may not have left Newcastle had he known Amanda Staveley would subsequently depart. Howe’s strong relationship with Staveley, at the time a Newcastle minority shareholder and director, had been built before Ashworth’s arrival at the club and the Newcastle manager had always had a direct dialogue with her, so did not go via Ashworth.
But Ashworth was demonstrating to those at Carrington, his base, that he wanted to embrace the job. He was talking about changes he wished to make to improve the sporting structure, leaning into his strengths. He is regarded as a very good general manager after his work at the FA and Brighton, understanding how to keep a football club running smoothly. Brailsford established a relationship with Ashworth after they worked on an FA panel together in 2016.
Ashworth once described himself as being at the centre of several spokes of a wheel, but United is Ratcliffe’s wheel and he wanted more from a sporting director. Ratcliffe could have waited until the end of the season to make the change given how acting now can be seen as an embarrassing about-turn. It was only February when he was describing Ashworth as “clearly one of the top sporting directors in the world”, ranking him “10 out of 10”.
But, aged 73, Ratcliffe has shown himself as a man in a hurry and having decided things weren’t working, concluded it was better to cut the cord immediately and move on. Teething problems are not uncommon when new regimes take charge of clubs.
The development will, though, inevitably bring scrutiny on Ratcliffe and the INEOS/United hierarchy. There are accusations those at the top of the club are guarded to challenge one of Britain’s richest men given his power. Sources say Brailsford is one of the only people who talks honestly with him, regarded as an important trait by those who witness the dynamic. The Glazer family are majority shareholders, but Joel, the most engaged sibling, is satisfied to take a back seat on football calls.
His curtailment of Ashworth’s time at United is evidence for those who believe he gets overly involved in his football club. Others insist Ratcliffe wants to simply keep abreast of all major matters, as would be expected of someone investing £1.2billion into the club, but his influence is felt at all levels.
Ratcliffe told UWS: “I don’t make the decisions, but I like to feel comfortable that we’re making the correct decisions. I do get involved in most of the big decisions, but ultimately so that I can understand the rationale behind them.”
In that same interview with UWS, Ratcliffe confessed to making mistakes at United. “Our antenna wasn’t perfect at United and we’ve made one or two errors, but they’re a lot better than they would have been than if we’d not done Nice and Lausanne. There is major change to come to achieve elite status. If you shy away from the difficult decisions, nothing much is going to change.”
The technical director Jason Wilcox and Ashworth with Amorim following the coach’s arrival at the club (Ash Donelon/Manchester United via Getty Images)
The cost of hiring Ashworth, having his input on a summer spend reaching £200million, and then dismissing him before Christmas can be put down as a major error, especially at a time when Ratcliffe has hiked ticket prices to £66 per person, no concessions, in a bid to raise around £1.5million for the rest of the campaign. Morale among staff at United is still reeling after the 250 redundancies and cost-cutting that continues, with the traditional office Christmas party cancelled.
Whether United fill Ashworth’s position remains to be seen. Agents have complained of not knowing who to speak to at United regarding transfers, citing several potential figures. That level of executive was viewed as potentially bloated and it may be that others pick up more responsibilities.
Wilcox, who is a regular at training sessions, is said to have struck up a good rapport with Amorim. Christopher Vivell, the interim director of recruitment, could see his job become permanent.
The same could be said for Sam Erith, who arrived as interim performance director in September. James Morton, professor of exercise metabolism at Liverpool John Moores University, is also a frequent presence at Carrington. He has led the delivery of the INEOS X programme, which aims to link all the INEOS Sport departments. Matt Hargreaves, as director of negotiations, has primarily handled the club’s transfer talks in the past two summer windows.
Whatever the solution, Ashworth’s departure so soon into his tenure — after all the attention on securing his services — was not part of the plan.
I think the argument with this is that Ratcliffe obviously felt that after a few months at the club, he should be in a position to gather that data in-house. An should have been more proactive and prepared with recommendation for a managerial replacement.
It sounds like Ashworth was good at managing the day to day, but perhaps not so much at being a longterm operator. The names he apparently put forward for the next manager are shocking and just scream uninformed.
This article on the BBC provides a decent summary. In short, it seems like there was a bit of a power struggle behind the scenes between Ashworth and Berrada, with both of them having differences of opinion over key decisions. The main ones seem to pertain to how long Ten Hag was kept in the job, the players we signed during the summer and eventually which managers were being lined up to replace Ten Hag.
It seems like Ashworth is copping the blame for messing up the decisions in the summer and Berrada was the main instigator behind appointing Amorim while Ashworth favoured a domestic appointment (the list of managers he suggested were reportedly Thomas Frank, Marco Silva, Eddie Howe and Graham Potter). It sounds like Ratcliffe has been unimpressed by Ashworth for a while and had been slowly freezing him out before making the call to sack him on Saturday.
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Very interesting read. If I want to pick out just one single sentence it's this: " Berrada’s role does cross over into the football department."I think this insider article might shed some light
Inside Dan Ashworth’s shock Man United exit: What irritated Ratcliffe and how it ended
Laurie Whitwell and Adam Crafton
Dec 8, 2024
66
Seeing Manchester United wait five months to get Dan Ashworth in as sporting director only to usher him to the exit five months later is a remarkable development that has left staff at the club stunned.
Ashworth attended United’s under-21 game against Sparta Prague at Carrington on Saturday morning, then watched the senior side face Nottingham Forest from the Old Trafford directors’ box — to the outside world conducting business as usual.
But 20 minutes after the final whistle, he took a rare route out of the directors’ lounge under the stands, walking through the press conference room alongside chief operating officer Collette Roche. He was on his way to Omar Berrada’s office, where he was told by the chief executive his brief time at United was coming to an end.
Ashworth had let people know it was difficult working in Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s newly assembled football leadership team and so perhaps there is some relief at the development.
In hindsight, it was possible to perceive a hint of awkwardness between the executives when Ashworth arrived in his seat ahead of the defeat to Forest, which he had invited family members to attend.
The 53-year-old is expected to have no shortage of offers. Several people in the game are privately pointing out how Arsenal are searching for a new sporting director and their managing director is Richard Garlick, a close colleague of Ashworth’s from their West Bromwich Albion days, although there are no indications of anything substantive at this stage.
Then West Brom director of football Garlick, left, speaking with Ashworth at a game in 2013 when he was working as the FA’s director of elite development (Mike Egerton – PA Images via Getty Images)
Nevertheless, his departure from United, as revealed exclusively by The Athletic on Sunday, was instigated by those at the top of the club. The sense among staff is a joint decision between Ratcliffe, Berrada, Sir Dave Brailsford, and co-owner Joel Glazer. Berrada’s role does cross over into the football department.
To explain the shock exit, The Athletic spoke to multiple people familiar with it who were speaking anonymously to protect relationships. United would not be drawn on any of the issues mentioned in our reporting and maintain the decision was mutual. Ashworth has been approached for comment.
The signs of disharmony were detectable at the very moment that Ashworth would have been expected to prove his worth. In searching for a replacement for Erik ten Hag as manager, Ratcliffe wanted to hear ideas from the man he had sanctioned spending around £2.5million ($3.2million) to bring in from Newcastle United due to his expertise at building structures. Ashworth, it is claimed, did not provide clear, compelling arguments for who to bring in.
Instead, there was a list and those he did propose had a theme: Premier League experience. Suggestions included Eddie Howe, despite the picture not always being rosy at Newcastle United; Marco Silva, the Fulham head coach; and Thomas Frank, the Brentford head coach. Graham Potter was another name mentioned by Ashworth, possibly as an interim until the end of the season.
Ratcliffe wanted more decisiveness and a dynamic appointment, someone with a certain charisma who was capable of shouldering the enormous responsibility and scrutiny that comes with leading one of the world’s biggest clubs.
It seemed no coincidence that after being quoted on Ten Hag’s contract extension and every signing brought in during the summer, there was nothing from Ashworth on the official announcement of Ruben Amorim’s appointment.
Ashworth was said to have had little input on selecting Amorim as United’s new head coach, with Berrada a major influence on the Portuguese getting the job. It was Berrada who flew to Lisbon when Ten Hag was sacked to negotiate with Sporting CP president Frederico Varandas face-to-face.
Berrada played a big role in the appointment of Amorim as Ten Hag’s replacement (Ash Donelon/Manchester United via Getty Images)
There are other reasons for that, such as it being described as a one-person job, with United wanting to show respect by sending the equal counterpart. United also needed someone at Carrington to run the club, with Ashworth staying to support interim manager Ruud van Nistelrooy. But it is also notable that Berrada went because he, rather than Ashworth, knew the people at Sporting.
Ratcliffe had met Amorim the week before, as United were in Istanbul facing Fenerbahce, with Brailsford also present. Ratcliffe likes to understand big decisions before signing off and he got on well with Amorim, whose charisma has made an early impression on fans and players.
Ratcliffe felt Ashworth should have been much more assertive in targeting a new head coach and should have looked beyond those people he already knew.
He was also said to have raised eyebrows at Ashworth taking a holiday on Amorim’s second day at Carrington. There were mitigating circumstances, with Ashworth marking a significant family event having postponed previous attempts for work reasons. His absence, around the same time, from November’s executive committee (ExCo) meeting was however seen by some as a further indication all was not well. Ashworth had attended the ExCo summit in October at INEOS headquarters in London, as well as the previous one in Barcelona.
Friction was also apparent when Ashworth proposed bringing in a data company to evaluate the candidates to replace Ten Hag. Ratcliffe was said to have reacted badly, countering that it was Ashworth’s job to know such matters rather than outsource, while also making him question United’s in-house capabilities.
Ratcliffe at the FA Cup final at Wembley (Mike Hewitt/Getty Images)
In his interview with fanzine United We Stand, Ratcliffe said: “Data analysis comes alongside recruitment. It doesn’t really exist here. We’re still in the last century on data analysis here.”
Ashworth oversaw all the summer signings, which included some influence from Ten Hag. Ashworth was tasked with making things work with Ten Hag and sanctioned the signings of Noussair Mazraoui and Matthijs de Ligt, two preferences for the manager, among a spend of around £200m. Joshua Zirkzee, who moved to United in the summer from Serie A side Bologna, was seen as more of a club-led transfer. He had been on Newcastle’s list of potential transfers at the start of the year.
But there are also questions about what Ratcliffe thought he was getting in Ashworth and whether due diligence was done, despite long-standing relationships. Ashworth is primarily an operations manager, according to people who have worked with him, rather than a transfer guru. He made a good impression at Carrington, where he was regarded as “the man” at the top of all sporting functions, hence why his exit now has caused such shock. Colleagues say he is honest, very intelligent and a good figurehead.
In a bid to explain the decision, Brailsford, Berrada and technical director Jason Wilcox addressed players and staff at Carrington on Sunday, going through the turbulence experienced and why they felt a change was necessary. Berrada and Wilcox are close, having worked at Manchester City together.
The relationship between Ratcliffe and his primary football executive had become strained after the only public address given by Ashworth as a United employee. Before kick-off in the Liverpool game on September 1, Ashworth and Berrada spoke to journalists to map out their thoughts on how the summer window had gone and what might come next. Both denied being involved in Ten Hag staying and extending terms after United’s FA Cup final victory, but they were across the decision, according to sources.
Those responses irritated Ratcliffe. Berrada and Ashworth had been on gardening leave, so understandably had to be careful on the record, but both were in communication on United business before they were officially in the building.
(Ben Stansall/AFP via Getty Images)
Ratcliffe felt the concept of gardening leave “absurd”, so wanted his incoming executives to get started straight away. For instance, Berrada was in meetings when Ten Hag’s future was agreed upon.
At times, as the proposed arbitration with Newcastle loomed, Ashworth went radio silent. There was much greater legal sensitivity around his appointment than that of Berrada, but Ashworth had been in touch with United colleagues and involved in some meetings about prospective managers when Ten Hag’s future looked in deep jeopardy.
Ratcliffe’s instinct had been to move on from Ten Hag, who was himself anticipating his dismissal. The lukewarm greeting from Ratcliffe to Ten Hag when he went to lift the FA Cup spoke volumes. But Ratcliffe and everyone else was persuaded to stick with him given there was so much change elsewhere at the club, as well as difficulties in appointing Thomas Tuchel with no viable alternative.
Therefore, the backing given by Berrada and Ashworth to Ten Hag during that briefing before the Liverpool game in September took Ratcliffe by surprise. Berrada and Ashworth wanted to update fans on how they thought the summer had gone, but Ratcliffe felt it was an unnecessary juncture at which to speak. It is perhaps telling no directors have spoken with journalists about Amorim’s arrival.
Since then, Berrada has impressed with his work on Amorim and also around the club. He regularly holds meetings with staff to understand their daily commitments and listen to thoughts on improving practices. The mood at United is described by several sources, who were speaking anonymously to protect their jobs, as “very low” given the 250 redundancies and cost-cutting, but Berrada’s visibility is appreciated.
(Alex Livesey/Getty Images)
In United’s first quarter financial results, a statement by Berrada touched on United’s “cost and headcount reductions” remaining “on track”, a reference to Ratcliffe’s determination to make the company as lean as possible. This is an aspect Ashworth allegedly had issues over; he was said to be reluctant to reduce jobs in his areas, a hesitation Ratcliffe could not countenance.
Ashworth has expressed to people a feeling of working in a highly pressurised environment and suggested he may not have left Newcastle had he known Amanda Staveley would subsequently depart. Howe’s strong relationship with Staveley, at the time a Newcastle minority shareholder and director, had been built before Ashworth’s arrival at the club and the Newcastle manager had always had a direct dialogue with her, so did not go via Ashworth.
But Ashworth was demonstrating to those at Carrington, his base, that he wanted to embrace the job. He was talking about changes he wished to make to improve the sporting structure, leaning into his strengths. He is regarded as a very good general manager after his work at the FA and Brighton, understanding how to keep a football club running smoothly. Brailsford established a relationship with Ashworth after they worked on an FA panel together in 2016.
Ashworth once described himself as being at the centre of several spokes of a wheel, but United is Ratcliffe’s wheel and he wanted more from a sporting director. Ratcliffe could have waited until the end of the season to make the change given how acting now can be seen as an embarrassing about-turn. It was only February when he was describing Ashworth as “clearly one of the top sporting directors in the world”, ranking him “10 out of 10”.
But, aged 73, Ratcliffe has shown himself as a man in a hurry and having decided things weren’t working, concluded it was better to cut the cord immediately and move on. Teething problems are not uncommon when new regimes take charge of clubs.
The development will, though, inevitably bring scrutiny on Ratcliffe and the INEOS/United hierarchy. There are accusations those at the top of the club are guarded to challenge one of Britain’s richest men given his power. Sources say Brailsford is one of the only people who talks honestly with him, regarded as an important trait by those who witness the dynamic. The Glazer family are majority shareholders, but Joel, the most engaged sibling, is satisfied to take a back seat on football calls.
His curtailment of Ashworth’s time at United is evidence for those who believe he gets overly involved in his football club. Others insist Ratcliffe wants to simply keep abreast of all major matters, as would be expected of someone investing £1.2billion into the club, but his influence is felt at all levels.
Ratcliffe told UWS: “I don’t make the decisions, but I like to feel comfortable that we’re making the correct decisions. I do get involved in most of the big decisions, but ultimately so that I can understand the rationale behind them.”
In that same interview with UWS, Ratcliffe confessed to making mistakes at United. “Our antenna wasn’t perfect at United and we’ve made one or two errors, but they’re a lot better than they would have been than if we’d not done Nice and Lausanne. There is major change to come to achieve elite status. If you shy away from the difficult decisions, nothing much is going to change.”
The technical director Jason Wilcox and Ashworth with Amorim following the coach’s arrival at the club (Ash Donelon/Manchester United via Getty Images)
The cost of hiring Ashworth, having his input on a summer spend reaching £200million, and then dismissing him before Christmas can be put down as a major error, especially at a time when Ratcliffe has hiked ticket prices to £66 per person, no concessions, in a bid to raise around £1.5million for the rest of the campaign. Morale among staff at United is still reeling after the 250 redundancies and cost-cutting that continues, with the traditional office Christmas party cancelled.
Whether United fill Ashworth’s position remains to be seen. Agents have complained of not knowing who to speak to at United regarding transfers, citing several potential figures. That level of executive was viewed as potentially bloated and it may be that others pick up more responsibilities.
Wilcox, who is a regular at training sessions, is said to have struck up a good rapport with Amorim. Christopher Vivell, the interim director of recruitment, could see his job become permanent.
The same could be said for Sam Erith, who arrived as interim performance director in September. James Morton, professor of exercise metabolism at Liverpool John Moores University, is also a frequent presence at Carrington. He has led the delivery of the INEOS X programme, which aims to link all the INEOS Sport departments. Matt Hargreaves, as director of negotiations, has primarily handled the club’s transfer talks in the past two summer windows.
Whatever the solution, Ashworth’s departure so soon into his tenure — after all the attention on securing his services — was not part of the plan.
Just WHY?! I get people disagreeing, maybe not everyone sharing the exact same vision, that's normal and expected. While the broad direction should be shared by everyone, disagreeing about details is to be expected. But I didn't expect that this new "best in class" structure would result in this. Either Ashworth wasn't able to do his job and Berrada had to step in (which would make the sacking well deserved), or they really failed to create a proper structure with clearly defined roles. It sounds like the latter, and that's something that makes me worry.
With everything that is written, I am not that surprised.
The term "too many cooks" has also been touted around.
So in my view, United have appointed a CEO, Technical director and Vivell (interim recruitment), so where does that leave Ashworth in decision making?
SRJ also has Brailsford so it doesn't leave too much decision making, where Ashworth has been successful, he has some control.
The term "too many cooks" has also been touted around.
So in my view, United have appointed a CEO, Technical director and Vivell (interim recruitment), so where does that leave Ashworth in decision making?
SRJ also has Brailsford so it doesn't leave too much decision making, where Ashworth has been successful, he has some control.
Yes and no. Time will tell, but by the sounds of it, him and the others had a major parting of agreement and SJR was on the warpath about summer recruitment. Probably for the best that they parted.
My next point (and this may end up a topic in its own right) but why aren’t players capable of playing a multitude of different formations? It’s not rocket science to go from 4 at the back to 3. We’re not asking a nurse to perform surgery.
Individual players can. Squads can't. The difference often more is a question of numbers, not of abilities. Simple things like: If you play with a back five you need more (starter level) CBs as if you play with a back four. If you recruit for a back four you have too few CBs once you switch to back five. If you recruit for a back five you have too many expensive CBs on the bench. Similar issues arise around the pitch.