Ed Woodward 2019 - Until all Arctic ice melts edition

[C'est Moi Cantona]

This really is a terrible comment.

So let me get this straight, one of the main complaints currently is that the board aren't reacting to falling behind other clubs, but when they do... it's also wrong? Such pearls of wisdom to be found here.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but aren't the anti glazer caftards currently praising Real Madrid for "Reacting" to poor seasons and spending, but when we do it... feck the glazers, feck Ed? What's Reals plan / structure? Until these transfers actually deliver its the complete unknown how this current outlay turns out.

Almost every anti glazer poster here does this exact thing where they want every demand met, even if it means contradicting another demand.

Worst post in the history of Redcafe

.. am I doing this catchy first paragraph thing right?

Yes my complaint is that it takes us to fall behind before we do anything significant, then when we are maybe catching up we stop, and what we are doing is generally extremely poor, and badly thought out, it all points to the people doing it do not know what they are doing, it's really not hard to understand.

Don't compare us to Real Madrid, three straight CL wins, they were well within their rights to have a blip, but one season blip complete, they come back all guns blazing, and get their transfers in order before we've just finished haggling over a couple of quid for Daniel James, it makes you look silly.

Anyway I have no idea why I'm rising to the bait, you are clearly not been serious, so well done for getting a response.

 

[Patrick08]

This really is a terrible comment.

So let me get this straight, one of the main complaints currently is that the board aren't reacting to falling behind other clubs, but when they do... it's also wrong? Such pearls of wisdom to be found here.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but aren't the anti glazer caftards currently praising Real Madrid for "Reacting" to poor seasons and spending, but when we do it... feck the glazers, feck Ed? What's Reals plan / structure? Until these transfers actually deliver its the complete unknown how this current outlay turns out.

Almost every anti glazer poster here does this exact thing where they want every demand met, even if it means contradicting another demand.

Will we ever Sign a Right winger to balance the team or a competent midfield? The likes of Tottenham have been beating united for top midfielders in the game( Modric, Erikson, Ndombele) and probably finishing above us from past many seasons. The last top midfield combo we had was Scholes and Carrick. We have never bought a world class Midfield controller and Playmaker since scholes Hung his boots. When will the Glazers and Ed Woodward address this?

 

[oz insomniac]

Keefy and others who slavishly support the Woodward regime should consider the question that the board is again dictating to the manager on signings for the managers team. Ole wants to sign Fernandes and Woody/Judge don't believe he is the right player at the right price. After their failure to support a manager they previously appointed for a 3 year term, looks like they are doing the same to a manager they appointed to rebuild the club.

Trying to prove they are masterful negotiators and player evaluators appears more important to them than replacing the dead wood they extended and bringing in players to suit the managers style .Sounds familiar , that's why we are falling out of the top 4 and Champions League with no apparent responsibility sheeted back to the board and Woodward.

 

[ayushreddevil9]

Keefy and others who slavishly support the Woodward regime should consider the question that the board is again dictating to the manager on signings for the managers team. Ole wants to sign Fernandes and Woody/Judge don't believe he is the right player at the right price. After their failure to support a manager they previously appointed for a 3 year term, looks like they are doing the same to a manager they appointed to rebuild the club.

Trying to prove they are masterful negotiators and player evaluators appears more important to them than replacing the dead wood they extended and bringing in players to suit the managers style .Sounds familiar , that's why we are falling out of the top 4 and Champions League with no apparent responsibility sheeted back to the board and Woodward.

Where did you read that Woodward denied Fernandes signing?

 

[oz insomniac]

Where did you read that Woodward denied Fernandes signing?

Being on the other side of the world there is reliance on media, the Daily Mirror stated that Woodward isn't convinced that they should pay more than £30 million for a player that Ole is adamant he wants, but he has not been able to persuade them as Sporting want £50 million. That was also the story in a Portuguese media report.

Seems to fit the narrative of the recent windows, bargain down attitude prevails.

 

[UncleBob]

Being on the other side of the world there is reliance on media, the Daily Mirror stated that Woodward isn't convinced that they should pay more than £30 million for a player that Ole is adamant he wants, but he has not been able to persuade them as Sporting want £50 million. That was also the story in a Portuguese media report.

Seems to fit the narrative of the recent windows, bargain down attitude prevails.

 

[oz insomniac]

Not sure why the laughter, this is reported in the Express 1 hour ago.

Let's see what develops before you enter hysteria over an interweb opinion

 

[ayushreddevil9]

Being on the other side of the world there is reliance on media, the Daily Mirror stated that Woodward isn't convinced that they should pay more than £30 million for a player that Ole is adamant he wants, but he has not been able to persuade them as Sporting want £50 million. That was also the story in a Portuguese media report.

Seems to fit the narrative of the recent windows, bargain down attitude prevails.

Well i am happy to be away from that part of the world where the news outlets like Express, Mirror and some Portuguese outlet are labeled "reliable".

 

[oz insomniac]

Well i am happy to be away from that part of the world where the news outlets like Express, Mirror and some Portuguese outlet are labeled "reliable".

That's your word reliable, perhaps you can find a source to dispute what they are reporting. Again, the behaviour from the board seems similar to last year re Maguire.

 

[UncleBob]

Not sure why the laughter, this is reported in the Express 1 hour ago.

Let's see what develops before you enter hysteria over an interweb opinion

Amazing

 

[Patrick08]

https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/news/man-utd-paying-price-6-18336649

 

[Josep Dowling]

https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/news/man-utd-paying-price-6-18336649

Click bait guff. Not sure how hiring a DOF is going to reduce what we pay in transfers. The media will keep bashing United and all the ABUs will keep lapping it up, and now a load of United fans are as well.

We pay a premium because we are a big club and because we have far more money than anyone else. Real just paid £88m rising to potentially £150m for a player with one year left on his contract. Barcelona have hardly had a bargain since they sold Neymar. Atlético just paid 126 million euros for potentially a one season wonder. City try to portray they get bargains but they have replaced a lot of expensive crap over the last few years - Mangala, Danilo, Bravo. Their financial records are anything but genuine.

 

[Seij]

Will we ever Sign a Right winger to balance the team?

No.

We'll probably sign another left winger who can "also play on the right" but never plays there while Lingard and Mata continue to rotate there for next decade.

 

[Bastian]

Click bait guff. Not sure how hiring a DOF is going to reduce what we pay in transfers. The media will keep bashing United and all the ABUs will keep lapping it up, and now a load of United fans are as well.

We pay a premium because we are a big club and because we have far more money than anyone else. Real just paid £88m rising to potentially £150m for a player with one year left on his contract. Barcelona have hardly had a bargain since they sold Neymar. Atlético just paid 126 million euros for potentially a one season wonder. City try to portray they get bargains but they have replaced a lot of expensive crap over the last few years - Mangala, Danilo, Bravo. Their financial records are anything but genuine.

Hazard is world class. That's why Chelsea managed to get such a good deal. Also, Chelsea no how to extract value from sales. The article is pretty strange in that it starts of correctly spelling out Woodward's total ineptitude and that Maguire is in no way worth 80m, but then concludes that we should pay the 80m to look big.

Felix went for big money because of his talent, his age and the interest in him. Atletico are also in a difficult spot and they needed some sort of statement signing when they're losing so many players.

Barcelona, I agree, have spent silly amounts on players, but most people thought Coutinho would be a hell of a lot better there than he has been, and the same with Dembele.

Even though it was a pretty tame click-bait piece in the end, I find it positive that Woodward's ineptitude is being called out more and more.

 

[SER19]

Takes too long to get things done. Can’t see him getting another in if Maguire keeps dragging

 

[forevrared]

Can’t wait til he fails to sign anyone else and tries to convince us that keeping Pogba was the “signing of the summer”.

 

[clarkydaz]

Takes too long to get things done. Can’t see him getting another in if Maguire keeps dragging

The infuriating thing is they choose to take too long. No reason why they cant seal the deal when they are eventually going to pay the wanting price anyway

 

[Thisistheone]

Takes too long to get things done. Can’t see him getting another in if Maguire keeps dragging

And the league starts 3 weeks today. Just not good enough.

 

[Crustanoid]

Why does it take him so long to make signings? He is truly incompetent. This summer of all summers he should have been on it. Instead he’s gone on holiday, come back and done almost anything other than work on transfers. The guy needs to get his priorities in order

 

[SER19]

And the league starts 3 weeks today. Just not good enough.

Same old same old

 

[clarkydaz]

Its been a clear window with no World Cup/Euros. Pathetic

 

[iammemphis]

Going for Maguire for £80m when he could get Alderweireld for £25m

 

[The Cat]

Going for Maguire for £80m when he could get Alderweireld for £25m

I'd be happy with both. Then if Lukaku needs a replacement get that done alongside a midfielder and I would call that as good a window as we could expect this time around.

 

[romufc]

I fail to understand why this man is still in charge of transfers.

He promised to back the manager
He stated £200m available

Yet, he is totally unable to complete transfers, and yet people defend him staying we are working on a few transfers.

I can't believe a senior employee of such a big club is getting away with failure after failure and gets rewarded.

Ofcourse, when you are getting millions of ££ for failure as a bonus, you dont give a monkey about the signings, football etc.

 

[clarkydaz]

imagine we sold Lukaku and didn't manage other signings. Happy days for the board

 

[gica_7]

Even if he completes Fernandes and Maguire, and that's a one huge if, he has to be protested in every single game. I don't know how are the match going fans let him get away with this for the last 2 years, honestly. If this happens in Germany, Spain, Italy, Turkey wherever you think, he would be slaughtered.

 

[Fosu-Mens]

I can't believe a senior employee of such a big club is getting away with failure after failure and gets rewarded.

Ofcourse, when you are getting millions of ££ for failure as a bonus, you dont give a monkey about the signings, football etc.

As long as we are financially competitive then all is good.....

If his job was to ensure that united was first and foremost competetive on the pitch, then he would never have been appointed or we would have appointed a DoF a long time ago. Given that this is not the case, and the owners does not give a rats ass about how the team performs as long as the club is financially healthy, then Woodward, based on what can be assumed to be his main job objective (££££), does an ok job.

I mean, if you buy a Chihuahua to guard your sheep, then gets pissed when he is not really good at being a cook?

Not that he does a good job from a perspective of someone who wants the club to be competitive on the pitch... Then he should have been sent back to JP Morgan yesterday.

 

[Johan07]

I fail to understand why this man is still in charge of transfers.

He promised to back the manager
He stated £200m available

Yet, he is totally unable to complete transfers, and yet people defend him staying we are working on a few transfers.

I can't believe a senior employee of such a big club is getting away with failure after failure and gets rewarded.

Ofcourse, when you are getting millions of ££ for failure as a bonus, you dont give a monkey about the signings, football etc.

Could we just please stop making stuff up. Please.

 

[romufc]

As long as we are financially competitive then all is good.....

If his job was to ensure that united was first and foremost competetive on the pitch, then he would never have been appointed or we would have appointed a DoF a long time ago. Given that this is not the case, and the owners does not give a rats ass about how the team performs as long as the club is financially healthy, then Woodward, based on what can be assumed to be his main job objective (££££), does an ok job.

I mean, if you buy a Chihuahua to guard your sheep, then gets pissed when he is not really good at being a cook?

Not that he does a good job from a perspective of someone who wants the club to be competitive on the pitch... Then he should have been sent back to JP Morgan yesterday.

I agree with you but sooner or later results on the pitch will effect commercial aspect. i.e Pogba will want to leave next summer if we don't perform this year.. De Gea has already asked for assurances, if we cant keep hold of them, Nike / Addidas will will reduce the sponsorship deals too?

 

[romufc]

Could we just please stop making stuff up. Please.

Ok sorry mate, No one knows the budget then. But what we do know is we make millions of money as a club without needing the owners to fund us. Where is that money? no money spent on OT.

What we do know is we have only put 1 bid in for Maguire as stated by Brendon Rodgers.

No one else. I am saying this because we haven't heard about bids going in.

 

[Johan07]

Ok sorry mate, No one knows the budget then. But what we do know is we make millions of money as a club without needing the owners to fund us. Where is that money? no money spent on OT.

What we do know is we have only put 1 bid in for Maguire as stated by Brendon Rodgers.

No one else. I am saying this because we haven't heard about bids going in.

He did not state that it was us. So we do not know that either for a fact.
But its very likely that we did, I will give you that.

 

[VanGaalyTime]

I understand the other top 6 clubs haven't really done much business. But surely then this is the ideal time for United to start signing players and get ahead? I worry that all the focus on youth players during the tour is because we're not signing first-team players. Gomes and Greenwood are exceptional. But they cannot carry the team this season. This isn't 1995. We can't just sell Hughes, Kanchelskis and Ince in one window and bring in Beckham, Scholes and Neville. We've lost Fellaini, Herrera and Valencia. We certainly need a midfielder. And obviously we've needed a CB for three seasons. And an RW for 7 seasons. I don't expect things to change with Woodward in charge. But this is truly an insane position for the world's wealthiest club to be in.

 

[romufc]

He did not state that it was us. So we do not know that either for a fact.
But its very likely that we did, I will give you that.

Rodgers confirmed 2 bids from 2 different clubs were rejected, he obviously can't name the teams but he went on to say he understands when a team like Manutd or City come for you.

It is almost a certainty that we submitted a bid.

I don't get what you are trying here?

 

[VanGaalyTime]

Could we just please stop making stuff up. Please.

All the talk before the season tickets went out were of a 200m budget (250 in some papers). To be fair, the budget should be double that given the lack of investment last year. Hard to say what Woodward's plan is, but I hope it involves a spree in the final weeks of the window. I struggle to see this United team staying in the top 6, never mind the top 4 as it is.

 

[Fosu-Mens]

I agree with you but sooner or later results on the pitch will effect commercial aspect. i.e Pogba will want to leave next summer if we don't perform this year.. De Gea has already asked for assurances, if we cant keep hold of them, Nike / Addidas will will reduce the sponsorship deals too?

Only ways they are staying are if we:
1. Suddenly becomes a much better team than we are and are competing with LFC and City in the EPL this season.

Spoiler

Not going to happen.

2. We give DDG and PP more £££ in wages.

The club is banking and have benefitted from the global increase in popularity in football. And with the potential increase in value from the new EPL deal, the club can still be financially productive for many years.

 

[romufc]

Only ways they are staying are if we:
1. Suddenly becomes a much better team than we are and are competing with LFC and City in the EPL this season.

Spoiler

Not going to happen.

2. We give DDG and PP more £££ in wages.

The club is banking and have benefitted from the global increase in popularity in football. And with the potential increase in value from the new EPL deal, the club can still be financially productive for many years.

I agree with that, but fans across the world are fickle. They will support the team that wins / challenges. Look at the revenue Liverpool and Spurs have made in the last 2/3 years, this has all come about from being challengers.

We can give DDG and PP more wages but that again is coming off the bottom line profit.

The EPL deal is fair in terms of it is distributed evenly so other teams will be more valuable, as we lose stock.

We have a board that doesn't want to spend money, soon we will have new balance sponsoring us instead of Nike / Addidas, and OT needs work. Other clubs around Europe all upgrading stadiums.

 

[Johan07]

All the talk before the season tickets went out were of a 200m budget (250 in some papers). To be fair, the budget should be double that given the lack of investment last year. Hard to say what Woodward's plan is, but I hope it involves a spree in the final weeks of the window. I struggle to see this United team staying in the top 6, never mind the top 4 as it is.

I have no idea what our "transfer budget" is. Most likely because there is not one, and how we act on the transfer market is much more dependent on our wage bill, which players are available and which players we can sell for a fair price and get their wages off the books.
I just dont like when people post fake statements like that Woodward "stated" that 200m was available for transfers (which is literally untrue to begin with and that such a budget even exists is illogical for the exact reasons I stated).
The number 200m is very close to what United has in cash according to the interim Q3 report. Maybe some journo actually read a financial report and came to the brilliant conclusion that this is the transfer budget. Thats probably a better guess that the made up statement in the original post I replied to.
I didnt say anything about what I think about Uniteds transfer activity so far, I just dont like when people peddle untruths.

 

[vanderpants]

Simply no excuses from that tawt, he has had all year getting ready for the transfer window and beyond that. They wanted all the transfer sorted before pre season , that hasn't happened unless you think that that's it , just 2 players in. We are miles behind the top two and that's only going to grow if we aren't improving the squad drastically.
If we carry on like this Eds main reason for being here, sponsorships , will dry up and become less profitable and he will lose his job. At times I think he's a secret Liverpool fan sabotaging us from I side out !

 

[romufc]

I have no idea what our "transfer budget" is. Most likely because there is not one, and how we act on the transfer market is much more dependent on our wage bill, which players are available and which players we can sell for a fair price and get their wages off the books.
I just dont like when people post fake statements like that Woodward "stated" that 200m was available for transfers (which is literally untrue to begin with and that such a budget even exists is illogical for the exact reasons I stated).
The number 200m is very close to what United has in cash according to the interim Q3 report. Maybe some journo actually read a financial report and came to the brilliant conclusion that this is the transfer budget. Thats probably a better guess that the made up statement in the original post I replied to.
I didnt say anything about what I think about Uniteds transfer activity so far, I just dont like when people peddle untruths.

Most club have a budget. You cannot go into a transfer window for a "rebuild" without a budget in mind. Going into a transfer window blind is poor, shows incompetency.
Your comment about which player is available? Most times, big clubs like Utd target players who are the best for the position, not who is available. AWB was not available, hence they had to pay £50m whereas Tripper at £21 was available. But we went for AWB because he is a better fit. There are probably other Cb's around "available" but we want Maguire because he fits what we need.

 

[Johan07]

Most club have a budget. You cannot go into a transfer window for a "rebuild" without a budget in mind. Going into a transfer window blind is poor, shows incompetency.
Your comment about which player is available? Most times, big clubs like Utd target players who are the best for the position, not who is available. AWB was not available, hence they had to pay £50m whereas Tripper at £21 was available. But we went for AWB because he is a better fit. There are probably other Cb's around "available" but we want Maguire because he fits what we need.

I would say that all clubs have financial planning. That there is a "transfer budget" that refers to transfer fees is just not true IMO. Its FM thinking.
The wage budget is much, much more important than transfer fees; at least for players under 28.
My biggest issue with the original post was the fake news that Woodward "stated" that this was the case. Which is not true and as I said completely illogical that such a thing would even have been said.