Ha, Paul Mitchell has been my go to DOF on FM for years! I hope that happens, and not Dan Ashworth. The FA has only jsut started to get it right and taking that away from English football would be a bad idea.
Man Utd set to appoint Director of Football (when hell freezes over)
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United have to be the worse ran big club in Europe. Have never adjusted to life after SAF and continue to make mistake after mistake, but never learn from it.
The club extends Jose's contract, but won't support any of his signings. Having Woodward in charge of transfers. It makes no sense. The board needs to back the manager or sack him. If they don't like any of his requested signings, exercise the damn scouting network and find suitable players for the weak areas the manager identified. There are more CB's available than Maguire, Alderweireld and Boetang. It's embarrassing really.
I don't even think it's the Glazers. The club has spent the money on transfers in the last 5 years. There's just no real vision of how the club should be any longer.
Other than that, I think Jose is past it. He won't be successful with this team. The frustrating part is that once Jose is gone, will the board have any real vision on his replacement? Or do we just start 4th rebuilding job in 6 years and expect a different result?
The club extends Jose's contract, but won't support any of his signings. Having Woodward in charge of transfers. It makes no sense. The board needs to back the manager or sack him. If they don't like any of his requested signings, exercise the damn scouting network and find suitable players for the weak areas the manager identified. There are more CB's available than Maguire, Alderweireld and Boetang. It's embarrassing really.
I don't even think it's the Glazers. The club has spent the money on transfers in the last 5 years. There's just no real vision of how the club should be any longer.
Other than that, I think Jose is past it. He won't be successful with this team. The frustrating part is that once Jose is gone, will the board have any real vision on his replacement? Or do we just start 4th rebuilding job in 6 years and expect a different result?
Firstly, it's a collaborative effort with Ed, the DOF and the manager. Therefore, Ed will never be 100% away from football matters, that's not practical.
However, I'm worried that Ed and the Glazers think they only need someone to help with transfers. We need far more than that to be a properly run club on the football side of things.
Off the top of my head, I would say they need to commit to United's football ideals and then place someone in charge to execute it. Clearly you don't give one person absolute power because it doesn't work, but you hire them for their technical knowledge and defer to them on such matters as long as it meets the set criteria and is within budget.
I would say they need to get someone to do the following:
1) Be good in the transfer market - both buying and selling players
2) Recruit the right personnel, both innovative coaches, and players that will deliver the style of football the fans want and expect
3) Player development
4) Improving our scouting network/set up
5) Ensuring our facilities are up to date
6) Ability to identify talent
7) Great communication skills
8) Meticulous - even to the point where we are looking at players' diets
9) Might also be an idea to have them do thorough research on the mentality of prospective players. Think Sir Alex would take that into account as well. It's not easy playing in the fishbowl that is United, so we need to balance talent and mentality.
I clearly have no knowledge of these things but I should hope that the above would be the bare minimum that Ed and Co are looking to get this person to do. If it's just transfers, then I dunno.
We're just a mess.
However, I'm worried that Ed and the Glazers think they only need someone to help with transfers. We need far more than that to be a properly run club on the football side of things.
Off the top of my head, I would say they need to commit to United's football ideals and then place someone in charge to execute it. Clearly you don't give one person absolute power because it doesn't work, but you hire them for their technical knowledge and defer to them on such matters as long as it meets the set criteria and is within budget.
I would say they need to get someone to do the following:
1) Be good in the transfer market - both buying and selling players
2) Recruit the right personnel, both innovative coaches, and players that will deliver the style of football the fans want and expect
3) Player development
4) Improving our scouting network/set up
5) Ensuring our facilities are up to date
6) Ability to identify talent
7) Great communication skills
8) Meticulous - even to the point where we are looking at players' diets
9) Might also be an idea to have them do thorough research on the mentality of prospective players. Think Sir Alex would take that into account as well. It's not easy playing in the fishbowl that is United, so we need to balance talent and mentality.
I clearly have no knowledge of these things but I should hope that the above would be the bare minimum that Ed and Co are looking to get this person to do. If it's just transfers, then I dunno.
We're just a mess.
Ed Woodward's main job is to appoint a successful manager. Then to buy players who will also be successful. Third, to make money for the owners.
He seems to be only good at the third of these things, and yet he retains his job. That would rather suggest that the owners are now locked into an Arsenal mentality. And that ends in decline.
He seems to be only good at the third of these things, and yet he retains his job. That would rather suggest that the owners are now locked into an Arsenal mentality. And that ends in decline.
In some ways; with the even distribution of finances, we are edging the Premier League to an NFL or NBA kind of Salary Cap model. Obviously, we don't have a salary cap but the distribution of talent is far more even than previously. With that in mind, I really think you need to plan around finding young players before they cost £100m and developing them. Pogba and Lukaku show that buying for big money doesn't get you superstars, anymore.
I'd be right behind the board/manager if we did a scorched earth rebuild. Sell off anybody over 28/29 and rebuild with youth. Massive investment in youth facilities and scouting. Hoover up as many u-21 talents as you can and build for 3-4 years.
Real Madrid has already recognised this trend and invested in Jesus Vallejo, Alvaro Odriozola & Vinicius Jnr. Let's do a football manager wonderkids team and buy De Ligt, Tierney and Pulisic.
I'd be right behind the board/manager if we did a scorched earth rebuild. Sell off anybody over 28/29 and rebuild with youth. Massive investment in youth facilities and scouting. Hoover up as many u-21 talents as you can and build for 3-4 years.
Real Madrid has already recognised this trend and invested in Jesus Vallejo, Alvaro Odriozola & Vinicius Jnr. Let's do a football manager wonderkids team and buy De Ligt, Tierney and Pulisic.
I'd be down for that
Only they're hardly unknown gems anymore. They'd cost a fortune
Glazers wouldn't have a problem with it. It'd be more aligned with the structure they're familiar with in American sports.
If United don't appoint a DoF now then it's safe to say we never will. So much uncertainty and turmoil at the club given what's going on with Pogba and Jose. We seem to be set for another overhaul after this season and while we are in a better position than when Jose took over, we are far from being where United should be. We need leadership on the field but even more off of it, a football brain with a vision not only for today but for 3-5 years from now. Why do we seem to be the only top club that relies solely on the manager? Barca, Madrid, Bayern, transition from manager to manager and yet it doesn't impact the overall goal and vision of the club.
I hope we appointment a DoF soon and let them be in charge of the football matters while leaving Woodward to handle the business operations. But if it's true that Woodward does not want to lose some reign, then I have a feeling that the DoF will have to report to Woodward still on some final matters.
Isn't Nicky Butt doing exactly that? Didn't Giggs too?
I’d disagree with your priorities.
Woodward is there to make money for the Glazers. He’s already said there isn’t much of a difference for us financially and commercially not winning the league.
Woodward is the issue. We’ve been ran so poorly since he took over. Our squad is a mess of a random assortment of players who aren’t good enough, and average players on big money contracts.
We have a massive squad, and we’re struggling to get players to leave so he won’t spend the £££ to replace them.
It’s laughable how glaringly obvious the weaknesses in our squad are, but we did nothing to address them yet again.
I'm glad people are starting to realise now - It's no coincidence that since he took over the club has had no direction or strategy.
He needs to stop interfering with the football side of the club. Not "show leadership". He's not got a clue about anything other than finance.
The Glazers are his bosses. How can you be sure he's not simply following their instruction?
He is. His priorities are what I imagine are the priorities for the Glazers.
Same. Thankfully it's penetrated the mainstream media now. Cat's out of the bag. Next stop: Glazers.
If Jose is sacked or walks, should Woody resign also? As he's appointed three failing managers.
So lets talk managers we have had since Ferguson left.
Moyes: this was Ferguson choice and the board choose to accept it. And are you guys saying that he have no clue about the United way or football? Nah you blame Ed for Moyes ofc.
Van Gaal: experienced manager that have a history of promoting youth and good football. The plan was that Giggs would take over after 3 years. Sadly the football was boring but we still won the FA cup and that is more than hyped managers like Poch/Klopp have done.
Mourinho: Won the league the season before, proven winner who have won it all. Easy choice imo
And the best thing about everything with Ed is that fans here on redcafe knows exactly what to do but a guy who is working in a football club knows nothing about football just because he is not an old player.
Never knew most people here are football managers or similar role plus have inside information about how the board decide targets
Moyes: this was Ferguson choice and the board choose to accept it. And are you guys saying that he have no clue about the United way or football? Nah you blame Ed for Moyes ofc.
Van Gaal: experienced manager that have a history of promoting youth and good football. The plan was that Giggs would take over after 3 years. Sadly the football was boring but we still won the FA cup and that is more than hyped managers like Poch/Klopp have done.
Mourinho: Won the league the season before, proven winner who have won it all. Easy choice imo
And the best thing about everything with Ed is that fans here on redcafe knows exactly what to do but a guy who is working in a football club knows nothing about football just because he is not an old player.
Never knew most people here are football managers or similar role plus have inside information about how the board decide targets
And if top man Poch fails?
Indeed they do but I'm sure it's to what extent their role is at Salford City.
Know him well do you?
I’ve picked up David Gill from his house a few times. He lives in Bowden. Next time I pick him up I’ll ask him if he knows what’s going on. I wish he would of stayed for a few years after sir Alex left. We might not be in this terrible mess now.
He is following orders and those orders are to make money for them. His job is not to win trophies.
When Woodward did what he did during the transfer window, I knew where we were going (ie. follow the Arsenal blueprint) and most fans have not realised what is going on.
Our target is to get top 4 using the least amount of money (in transfer funds and wages). It's that simple. And as far as the Glazers are concerned, he is doing a fantastic job.
The transfer window which just went by - Woodie will probably pick up a bonus for that, for an excellent job of not buying players.
The above strategy, was also used when Fergie was in place. Remember the words, "there is no value in the market"? Fergie used to use that excuse a lot and with Jose able to get top 4 with a lesser team, the Glazers have got their man, to replace Fergie. Jose has a job for life, as long as he wants to stay and is able to get top 4 on a low budget.
The same people who want him hired, will want him sacked after 2 years. Just as they did with Moyes, LVG and Jose.
I’m sorry but I find that all very unbelievable. We pay top dollar for every transfer, every players wages. Hence we can never recoup our money on player sales. Success off the pitch is linked to success on the pitch. The two go hand in hand we can’t keep the corporate beast growing if we end up mid table and mediocre, which we will do if your suggestion is true.
The Glazers won't be able to get away with the Arsenal model because they have to compete with City who being a rival club from the same place could walk away with the sponsors and attention eventually. Only a matter of time before the marketable players, sponsors and money men see City as a more attractive option. Kroenke does not depend on sponsorships to leech money off Arsenal the way the Glazers do for United.
So I think you are wrong. The Glazers target is Top 4 and to win the league occasionally. They are probably least concerned about the CL admittedly, but being top dog in the PL is necessary now that City are a force to be reckoned with.
Considering how Woodward openly clashed with Jose over transfers and is still briefing continuously about it, I'd say this working relationship doesn't look like "a job for life". Jose will walk at the end of the season no matter what, IMO.
He might engineer his own sacking but he isn’t stupid enough to walk away from all those millions
Have a feeling it'll be either Jose or Woodward who will go at the end of the season. Either will cost a fortune to get rid of but we need change. This just is not good enough.
Better owner in relation to what? This depends on what the aim of the owner is. Is it to win trophies or is it financial interest in the club?
Doubt they'll have any influence. It needs more than one man to sort out the mess.
Ok - so to be world-class it's enough to walk onto our 11 ? I never said Sterling was bad - but to call him World-class? He is not World-class today, and he was nowhere near World-class before Guardiola took charge of City.
As I said in an earlier post everyone will have different definitions of what world class is so it's a bit pointless. I say that Pep inherited 6 players that would walk into the United first team Mourinho got- Aguero/Silva/KDB/Sterling/Kompany/Fernandinho. He wouldn't have had to spend 80m on Lukaku if he had Aguero, or bring in Sanchez if he had Sterling or even Pogba if he had KDB etc
The fact that Pep inherited these players and outspent Mourinho just puts him at a huge advantage, it shouldn't be surprising that we're finishing 2nd.
I wonder what him and SAF really think about the Glazers.
How often does the chief exec lose his job?
How often are managers sacked or resign?
It's 99% Jose being fired/resigning and 1% Ed going if it comes down to that.
Totally agree mate. Dodgy as fook.
Woodward out blud, Mourinho out fam.
If you're drawing parallels between how United are being run and how Arsenal are being run - then you're right.
Top 4 is the target blaaad.
Don't talk about spend, talk about net spend.
Woodward is going nowhere. He’s been in with the Glazers since he helped them during the take over.
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