Thought the dutch reliant scouting should have brought our chiefs concern a full year ago when it could have been rescued before hundred of millions was poured. Whether or not he realised it he needed help. This would have been a good DoF's call to action. We also need to stop thinking that backing every single thing the manager does is positivity. Hopefully not but if the summer turns out a flop only new owners with deep pockets can get ETH a clean slate to do things right. I think he's still a great manager and should focus on that
Manchester United name John Murtough as Football Director and Darren Fletcher as Technical Director
- Thread starter Tom Van Persie
- Start date
Principally it seems okay but you need a strong DoF in place.
Would be interesting to know if either of them has properly vetoed a gettable suggestion from the other.
Add it to the never-ending list of things that should be changed.
A good DoF? That doesn't exist here.
Yeah but this form of backing is not good, as you say.
He's been backed financially but given absolutely no safety net nor proper guidance for recruitment and being left to fall on his own sword because he doesn't have the skill-set to be both the manager and the head of recruitment.
Kane was vetoed by the club, not sure if that counts.
I’d say that that definitely counts!
I’m not overly surprised, he’s not the kind of signing that the finance bods at a club would be drooling over. I bet ten Hag wouldn’t have said no, given half a chance.
That split is ridiculous, Ten Hag representing the same amount of power as the entire scouting and recruitment department under Murtough. At least it backs up the claims that it has been him and Murtough running the recruitment, that sweet accountability we’ve been looking for.
The issue is here it seems like there are only two men directly making final say. In case one of the two is incompetent, yes man with no back bone, then it's basically the other person dominating the decision making, outside of asking for the impossible.
I'm not sure whether to feel happy or sad about Regulion good performance for us so far.
On one hand, I'm glad that he is doing so well for us at LB. On the other hand, we are loaning someone surplus to Spurs requirement and instantly become our best player.
Spurs also signed Kulusevski for 25M while we signed Antony for 80M.
What's our DOF doing?
On one hand, I'm glad that he is doing so well for us at LB. On the other hand, we are loaning someone surplus to Spurs requirement and instantly become our best player.
Spurs also signed Kulusevski for 25M while we signed Antony for 80M.
What's our DOF doing?
It's an absolute disgrace. How many players are there in world football that are no associated with this agency. There are thousands of players that the scouting infrastructure assess as it's their sole responsibility. United will suffer in recruitment under Erik if this is the directive heading forward.
I find it very uncomfortable when managers have a club of United's resources and infrastructure at their disposal and the players they have acquired are all predominantly former players it's never a good look.
I think that’s bang out of order.
Our season got saved by Rashfords purple patch last season. What does dumb and dumber do in the summer window? They don't sign a proven goal scorer that's what they do. Hojlund and an experienced striker someone like Watkins as expensive as he would have been.
So you wanted us to spend close to 150m and ignore the other positions?
EtH and his midtable roster agency have us the balls
That mediocre agency is probably more scouting network than all of our directors combined
Our recruitment has been underperforming for so long that the problem outlives one single CEO, DoF or a manager. Seems to me both a structure as well as a competence issue. Some of our past decisions are baffling, not just in the player choice but also the type of players we have targeted:
1) Under Jose: Got 2 LWs in Martial & Rashford but don’t have anyone to to play RW. We get in Sanchez, fans are excited that we will have competent player on both wings and what do we do? Drop Martial for Sanchez and play Alexis on the left wing.
2) Under Ole: Same issue as above, we sign Sancho and he apparently does not want to play RW. Wtf?
3) Under Ole: Cavani has played a good stop gap role. We now need a young striker in his prime. Instead, we sign a declining Ronaldo
4) Under EtH: We have found a reasonable midfield balance with Casemiro, Bruno and Eriksen. Towards the end of season, it is clear we need someone with similar on the ball skills as Eriksen but more physicality. We get Mount to replace him
5) Under EtH: We absolutely need a WC striker who can immediately come in to the side and give the attack a boost. We sign a young striker, albeit with good potential, and burden him with spearheading the attack.
It is clear that we have no plan nor cohesion in our decision making. We are handicapping the football team with years of poor recruiting decisions and now we have run the well dry. Need a change in ownership to change our fortunes. Change in DoF or manager will be a band-aid for a bullet wound.
1) Under Jose: Got 2 LWs in Martial & Rashford but don’t have anyone to to play RW. We get in Sanchez, fans are excited that we will have competent player on both wings and what do we do? Drop Martial for Sanchez and play Alexis on the left wing.
2) Under Ole: Same issue as above, we sign Sancho and he apparently does not want to play RW. Wtf?
3) Under Ole: Cavani has played a good stop gap role. We now need a young striker in his prime. Instead, we sign a declining Ronaldo
4) Under EtH: We have found a reasonable midfield balance with Casemiro, Bruno and Eriksen. Towards the end of season, it is clear we need someone with similar on the ball skills as Eriksen but more physicality. We get Mount to replace him
5) Under EtH: We absolutely need a WC striker who can immediately come in to the side and give the attack a boost. We sign a young striker, albeit with good potential, and burden him with spearheading the attack.
It is clear that we have no plan nor cohesion in our decision making. We are handicapping the football team with years of poor recruiting decisions and now we have run the well dry. Need a change in ownership to change our fortunes. Change in DoF or manager will be a band-aid for a bullet wound.
If the cash is not there get the experienced goal scorer now and find a young striker next year.
Hear it's his kid doing the analysis, sad days, we are not elite.
Murtough and Arnold have been hiding behind Ed for years. Now they are in the hot seats it shows that these are the same idiots as Ed who are in the board of one of the world biggest football club without proper track records and competency to run a football club.
They are cut from the same cloth and have been in Ed's board for so long and we expect different results? What's Einstein said?
They are cut from the same cloth and have been in Ed's board for so long and we expect different results? What's Einstein said?
The leadership at the club is clueless and are no more than Woodward rebranded. It’s like everything is decided in isolation and there is clearly no plan about how to take the club forward. We shouldn’t be surprised as the club has no ambition and that is exactly why people like Arnold and Murtough were chosen to succeed Woodward.
The owners need to go, new CEO and new DOF and then probably a huge overhaul of pretty much everything. The club has been neglected and infested with incompetence for such a long period of time there is no quick fix.
Murtough and Fletcher should be both be sacked along with ETH for wasting so much money
Why do we get so many Dutch players? Their national side is trash for the most part. I’d get it if we were after the best French or Brazilian talent but the Dutch get pumped by most teams half decent a bit like we do.
The only Dutch player I wanted was De Jong who now fully justified said hell no to joining us.
The only Dutch player I wanted was De Jong who now fully justified said hell no to joining us.
Do we? We've got Malacia as backup left back. Who else is there?
Theeeeere's Donny. But yeah can't really blame that nationality for tonight other than the management.
Can he catch a ball? Could be worth a punt in goal.
That is a good point actually. I should say Dutch league then or something of that ilk. I’m just not getting it.
I feel we 100% need De Jong to play his football at a high level in the build up.
We’ve been screaming out for a deep lying playmaker for 10 years after the Kroos deal fell through. We just said screw that plan don’t need to control possession.
Ten Hag’s signings since Ajax have a surprising lack of technical ability and are lightweight for the most part. Basically the opposite of what City integrate successfully.
Granted most of those players with physicality and technical ability won’t join us. Kane, Kim, Gvardiol etc. Those types of players around a world class playmaker pulling the strings let you dominate sides on and off the ball.
It just highlights the lack of planning and structure behind the scenes. The club simply isn't committed to the football side of things. Of course the manager is going to suggest players he's managed in the past. But no other club structures their transfer strategy solely on the whims of their manager like we do.
Didn’t help either his first choices didn’t want to sign for us. Kim, Kane, De Jong etc. I think he may have just fallen back on his plan B. Players he’d managed before as our scouting is poor.
Doesn’t trust anyone above him that’s pretty evident by this point.
And therein lies the problem. Even if Ten Hag is the "wrong" manager then he'll be replaced by someone else who is wrong anyway, and that's not even mentioning that they'll be hamstrung with the same issues that other managers have had.
Truth be told he was damned even if De Jong joined as who was he gonna put next to him - McTomminay probably…
Glazernomics kick in after a few transfers every season. As does FFP since we don’t sell players.
It's more Dutch league players rather than Dutch players tbh. Great question though, their league is shit.
I like Hojlund but at this point I wouldn't be surprised to learn the reason we bought him is because his name looks like Holland.
He is safe as houses unless we get a massive shock and this takeover actually happens
John Murtough is Ten Hag boss or the position to evulate Ten Hag. Then it require and demand that Murtough football knowlegde shall be equal or better than Ten Hag.
And to be honest i dont know Murtough at all. But as person and fotball area. So if your football knowledge is lower than Ten Hag. How is qualify to eveluate and report Ten Hag to the CEO or owner?
At Ajax. Marc Overmars who i have was watching a lot, playing for Arsenal and Netherland. That man was so skill ful and good with the ball.
In that case. I think and rate Overmars football knowledges was equal or better than Ten Hag. As a coach or youth developer too.
At United. Ten Hag doesnn't have a football guy above him to recruit and judge/rate players in.
So it helped a alot for Ajax at that time. Now, first Overmars left and later Ten Hag. And we can see where Ajax are at this moment. Maybe as worst as United.
I think Owner has something to say. But even i don't know, not much about Murtough. But as a top level football player? You get to touch, feel and understand the ball and game a lot. Passion as a player.
When you take 1 or 2 of that top football guy out of a club. Naturally it will affect the club a lot.
And to be honest i dont know Murtough at all. But as person and fotball area. So if your football knowledge is lower than Ten Hag. How is qualify to eveluate and report Ten Hag to the CEO or owner?
At Ajax. Marc Overmars who i have was watching a lot, playing for Arsenal and Netherland. That man was so skill ful and good with the ball.
In that case. I think and rate Overmars football knowledges was equal or better than Ten Hag. As a coach or youth developer too.
At United. Ten Hag doesnn't have a football guy above him to recruit and judge/rate players in.
So it helped a alot for Ajax at that time. Now, first Overmars left and later Ten Hag. And we can see where Ajax are at this moment. Maybe as worst as United.
I think Owner has something to say. But even i don't know, not much about Murtough. But as a top level football player? You get to touch, feel and understand the ball and game a lot. Passion as a player.
When you take 1 or 2 of that top football guy out of a club. Naturally it will affect the club a lot.
What’s Fletcher got to do with spending transfer money?
Yeah he should never have got the job as DOF because just doesn't have the knowledge required
OMG there’s so much baloney written in the United forum. Some of the stuff written in this page alone is complete and utter drivel 
Go on enlighten us !OMG there’s so much baloney written in the United forum. Some of the stuff written in this page alone is complete and utter drivel
Whether it’s criticism for signing players who played in the eredivisie (obviously this doesn’t count for Liverpool for example..), or stating that one person has better football knowledge because he was the better player as professional, or even that under ten Hag we only signed players who are inferior, it’s all utter bollocks. And that’s just from this one page. Sure, be critical about the way the footballing side of things have been run, but at least keep it real and true to the facts rather than just posting things which in your mind you (not necessarily you, Red00012 so don’t take it personally) may think are right. Or, you could also phrase more carefully like ‘I wish we wouldn’t sign players from the Eredivisie because I personally don’t rate the Eredivisie’ rather stating it as a matter of fact. And I could write a similar post in almost every single thread in here.
So after another summer of mostly dubious signings, does anyone think this guy should be in his job?
I know a guy that likes writing long posts and 'explaining' stuff that might disagree