Dan "The Gardener" Ashworth Has Left | Venit, vidit, non vicit

Banter era continues. It really is going to be 2030 before we ever win the league again.
 
We are such a shambles football club, this is beyond anything Liverpool and Arsenal served up. We are truly awful.
 
Its obviously a disagreement with strategy. The problem is if its Ratcliffe determining the strategy and only wants to get a sporting director that does what he says then we are fkd. The owner should not be driving strategy. I guess he out looking for a yes man

You don’t get binned off after five months and frog marched out the stadium after a game because the billionaire owner disagrees with your strategy. If this was the case it would’ve been a mutual parting, and not after five months. And I know the club has said it’s mutual, but he’s clearly been fired and if so, it has to be something unrelated to football.
 
If this was the reason then he has to go. His job is basically to make hard decisions, not influenced by public but only by logic.
Yeah agreed, something ETH related is the only way I can see his sacking being justified.
 


This was from last month.


If he believed it was the wrong decision to keep ETH, why didn't he just overrule them and go with Berrada's suggestion (who advocated for a change)?

It's all nice and well to say that you want the best in class and claim that they'll all be deciding together on the best way forward, only to swing the axe after the first bad decision.

And what will all this anger actually achieve? Because he was furious indeed with ETH. Even Amorim said that, when he suggested it would be best to do the deal in the summer - with a transfer window and a preseason to work it out - Sir Jim told him: "now or feck off". Now, we're looking at 6 months that can "burn" the new manager before he even begins.
 
Just another decision to add to the ever growing list of decisions made by INEOS that leave fans scratching their heads and asking questions. It’s worrying, very worrying.
 
This is Berrada exercising his authority as CEO. The decision to bring in Ashworth was made before he became CEO. Wilcox and Amorim are his men, Ashworth is not. With Wilcox at the club, Ashworth is not required.

This feels like the most plausible reason this has happened.

Things probably came to a head around the appointment of Amorim. He was clearly Berrada's choice and I guess at that time Ashworth realised how much, or how little, power he actually had.

It makes sense for Wilcox to just step up into the Sporting Director role, given what he was doing at Southampton and his relationship with Berrada. At times it has felt like there are a lot of suits around and it's not been clear how they're all meant to work together. This possibility simplifies things.
 
A bit more info would be helpful so we don't all jump to wild conclusions here. Surely there's got to be a leak somewhere about what exactly went down?
 
I think Ratcliffe’s comments in United We Stand point to the reasoning - the ability to make tough decisions. Maybe the thinking was that Ashworth was too nice and was influenced by public sentiment to keep ETH after the cup final win. The signings have to have contributed too - spending £200m isn’t going to be seen as a non event anymore. Every penny will be scrutinised.

On one hand, we’re steering a huge ship and have a long way to go. If we’re not oriented precisely to where we want to go, any deviation will be extremely costly. It’s better to get the right man in at the helm early rather than persist with a high profile mistake.

To me, Ashworth seems like someone we should’ve gotten in 10 years ago but he doesn’t come across as an eminently modern, pioneer thinker like he used to. Omar Berrada seems like the young gun; a man to bet our future on. As does Amorim (as opposed to Ten Hag). Maybe Berrada has let Ratcliffe and co know that Ashworth isn’t the one. Perhaps Amorim has confirmed this (after all, it was pointed out very obviously in the media that Ruben was a Berrada pick… in hindsight, that looks very pointed now).

On the other hand, it is worrying that so much went into getting Ashworth in, only for him to be gone within six months. How can one not look negatively upon INEOS’ decision making? Especially when Nice and Lausanne are no better off than before the takeovers.

I wonder whether Ashworth will be replaced or whether Vivell or Wilcox might be deemed sufficient or one of them expand their remits.

Overall, this whole thing is embarrassing and we feel further away from getting back to the top.
 
Something drastic has happened which has caused an immediate and unplanned sacking.
 
What the hell :lol:

Let's get Dougie Freedman?

(At least it's good to have confirmation from the Athletic that we only paid "around £2m to £3m" to Newcastle for him)
 
Look at what he did at brighton and the structures he left behind there. The guy is elite, that no one can deny.

Yes that certainly seems to be the case.
But in reality, this type of thing happens in all big businesses.

There could be a host of reasons. But I guess we will find out in time why he felt it was best for him to leave.
 
He clearly didn’t/doesn’t agree In the direction we want to go so he’s out. Got no problem with it. Although I did think he was the best candidate. But directors are everywhere. Go get one that can do what is required. Not signing off signings like Zirkzee and De Ligt.
 
What the hell :lol:

Let's get Dougie Freedman?

(At least it's good to have confirmation from the Athletic that we only paid "around £2m to £3m" to Newcastle for him)
Freedman is at Newcastle isn't he? As Ashworth's replacement

EDIT: Nope, he turned down the role
 
It’s a bit wild but none of us have a scooby if this is completely crazy or them correcting a mistake early. The idea this is anything like the Glazers is weird to me though - when the feck did they sack anyone outside of managers not getting top four?
 
No coincidence he's left after amorim is in

My take, he's not on board with who amorim wants in the window, they're clashing. out you go ashworth

Think it'll end up being a good decision, but we must get the next guy right
This would be a terrible approach considering their corresponding job descriptions
 
This was supposed to be a new era, seems like it’s actually gotten worse, for all the Glazers faults they generally didn’t get involved in running the club but just let fools run it. Now Ineos think they can run the club and clearly aren’t very good at it.
 
If he believed it was the wrong decision to keep ETH, why didn't he just overrule them and go with Berrada's suggestion (who advocated for a change)?

It's all nice and well to say that you want the best in class and claim that they'll all be deciding together on the best way forward, only to swing the axe after the first bad decision.

And what will all this anger actually achieve? Because he was furious indeed with ETH. Even Amorim said that, when he suggested it would be best to do the deal in the summer - with a transfer window and a preseason to work it out - Sir Jim told him: "now or feck off". Now, we're looking at 6 months that can "burn" the new manager before he even begins.
It's not that simple. You do that and you are a boss who doesn't let his employees make decisions.
 
If he believed it was the wrong decision to keep ETH, why didn't he just overrule them and go with Berrada's suggestion (who advocated for a change)?

It's all nice and well to say that you want the best in class and claim that they'll all be deciding together on the best way forward, only to swing the axe after the first bad decision.

And what will all this anger actually achieve? Because he was furious indeed with ETH. Even Amorim said that, when he suggested it would be best to do the deal in the summer - with a transfer window and a preseason to work it out - Sir Jim told him: "now or feck off". Now, we're looking at 6 months that can "burn" the new manager before he even begins.
That undermines Ashworth's position before he's even officially started. Ashworth might have felt so strongly about it, he may not have joined, as ultimately the decision about the manager should come from the sporting director.
 
This would be a terrible approach considering their corresponding job descriptions
Is it? What if Ashworth wanted the likes of Jarrad Branthwaite and amorim doesn't? They could be a clash of players and idea.
 
When will the circus move on? This is incredible to end so soon after the drama of acquiring Ashworth in the first place.

If this is essentially a sacking, INEOS need to show the same ruthlessness with the players. There are several players at the club riding out their contracts and giving back nothing.
 
I think Ratcliffe’s comments in United We Stand point to the reasoning - the ability to make tough decisions. Maybe the thinking was that Ashworth was too nice and was influenced by public sentiment to keep ETH after the cup final win. The signings have to have contributed too - spending £200m isn’t going to be seen as a non event anymore. Every penny will be scrutinised.

On one hand, we’re steering a huge ship and have a long way to go. If we’re not oriented precisely to where we want to go, any deviation will be extremely costly. It’s better to get the right man in at the helm early rather than persist with a high profile mistake.

To me, Ashworth seems like someone we should’ve gotten in 10 years ago but he doesn’t come across as an eminently modern, pioneer thinker like he used to. Omar Berrada seems like the young gun; a man to bet our future on. As does Amorim (as opposed to Ten Hag). Maybe Berrada has let Ratcliffe and co know that Ashworth isn’t the one. Perhaps Amorim has confirmed this (after all, it was pointed out very obviously in the media that Ruben was a Berrada pick… in hindsight, that looks very pointed now).

On the other hand, it is worrying that so much went into getting Ashworth in, only for him to be gone within six months. How can one not look negatively upon INEOS’ decision making? Especially when Nice and Lausanne are no better off than before the takeovers.

I wonder whether Ashworth will be replaced or whether Vivell or Wilcox might be deemed sufficient or one of them expand their remits.

Overall, this whole thing is embarrassing and we feel further away from getting back to the top.
Being tough is one thing, but it's much better to not just make the mistake in the first place. If ashworth was a free agent we could have picked up pre summer to help with our first window that would have been one thing but Ratcliffe seemed solely focussed on appointing him for the longer term. I always found the sole focus on ashworth a bit odd and the delay in getting him might have made our summer business more difficult.

Appointing wilcox to replace him would have shades of murtough
 
It’s a bit wild but none of us have a scooby if this is completely crazy or them correcting a mistake early. The idea this is anything like the Glazers is weird to me though - when the feck did they sack anyone outside of managers not getting top four?
The Glazers whole strategy appeared to involve keeping people long past their use by date, and/or keeping people in roles they never should have been appointed to in the first place.
 
It's actually seems like Berrada convinced Ratcliffe to sack him.


Ashworth’s departure was agreed in a meeting with chief executive Omar Berrada at Old Trafford after United’s Premier League game with Nottingham Forest on Saturday evening.


Sir Jim Ratcliffe has been pivotal to the call to part ways, in a move that will stun staff at United given Ashworth’s prominence in trying to reshape the club.

https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/5972334/2024/12/08/manchester-united-dan-ashworth-leaves/
 
Was not expecting this news at all today.

It really makes me question if the new regime have any clue what they are actually doing!
 
If he believed it was the wrong decision to keep ETH, why didn't he just overrule them and go with Berrada's suggestion (who advocated for a change)?

It's all nice and well to say that you want the best in class and claim that they'll all be deciding together on the best way forward, only to swing the axe after the first bad decision.

And what will all this anger actually achieve? Because he was furious indeed with ETH. Even Amorim said that, when he suggested it would be best to do the deal in the summer - with a transfer window and a preseason to work it out - Sir Jim told him: "now or feck off". Now, we're looking at 6 months that can "burn" the new manager before he even begins.
In all fairness, SJR probably played this right. If you bring in experts in the field you have to let them make decisions and then judge the outcomes.

If it's true he disagreed but believed in his people, its right he would then judge the outcome. Not only was it the wrong decision, it was also handled horribly in the summer which I would assume was also down to Ashworth.

That, mixed with not getting certain players out the club (we no there was a push for Casemiro) and liklihood of January preplanning not being up to snuff are reason enough for him to go.

I just hope this level of ruthlessness follows through the the playing staff. They seem to be the only aspect of the club that are let off the hook week after week.
 
Freedman is at Newcastle isn't he? As Ashworth's replacement

EDIT: Nope, he turned down the role

Still at Palace but I hope we get someone no one's ever heard of from a smaller club tbh...or an internal promotion. Fans probably overrate this sort of stuff and think the only good professionals in this field are the ones whose names they've heard of and whose clubs have done well both on the pitch and the market. I don't even like just poaching the best guys from rival clubs anyways as I think it's a bit soulless, so Berrada is enough for me. Let's get a talented guy from someone like Carlisle who aligns Berrada's vision, like I assume Wilcox does.
 
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