New Chief - "No Major Spending Required"

Walrus

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Manchester United: No need for lots of signings says new chief

Incoming Manchester United chief Ed Woodward says there is no need for "a major retooling" of the Premier League champions.

Manager Six Alex Ferguson had spoken of a planned summer recruitment drive.

But Woodward, who will replace David Gill in July, said: "There's incredible depth. We could put two first teams out with 11 internationals in each.

"We have a young squad, each now a year older. We're very comfortable with the make-up of team and squad."
United structure from 1 July

Last week, Ferguson responded to questions about a link with Borussia Dortmund striker Robert Lewandowski by claiming he would always find room for quality additions to his squad.

But despite releasing impressive financial figures on Thursday, which showed year-on-year turnover for the first nine months of the financial year has risen 13.1% to £278.1m, despite not including the new £120m, eight-year sponsorship deal with AON, Woodward said the club had no intention of making dramatic changes.

"I wouldn't expect there to be a major retooling of the squad," insisted Woodward, who will retain his title of executive vice chairman when he assumes out-going chief executive Gill's responsibilities.

"It has been a phenomenal season. We are a long way ahead in the Premier League and, whilst I wouldn't describe the way we got knocked out of the Champions League as luck, things could have gone differently in that game."

Woodward, 40, is a former investment banker who joined United in 2005 and has mainly concentrated on managing the club's vast debt and maximising income.

United's broadcast and matchday sectors have increased 21.7% and 34% on the corresponding three months in 2012, whilst gross debt now stands at £367.6m, still a vast sum but a decrease of 15.9% since 30 June last year.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/22385277


Seems to not be entirely in agreement with Fergies previous statements? Probably just a bit of bluffing/positioning to avoid us paying over the odds though - if we announce we are going on a massive spending spree this summer then you can instantly add £5-10m on to any prices.

I hope that what they are meaning is that whilst the squad by and large is fine and there is no need for a major overhaul, that we may still go for 1-2 high quality signings to put the icing on the cake, as it were.
 
If you analyse his language, which people will do to the letter, there isn't really anything groundbreaking. He says there's no need for a major retooling. Actually, he even says he wouldn't expect there to be - that certainly doesn't exclude signings of any kind. He's right, the United squad is amazingly deep. There's no need for a major rebuild. I have a sneaking feeling it'll be a quite interesting summer. This team is on the verge of being one of the best teams we've ever had, but there are a few uncertainties.

The midfield question being the most obvious one. RvP being another, on the back of his amazing season. Can he replicate? He still has a history of injuries.What will happen to Rooney? Nani?

I'm not usually one to drool in transfer muppetry, but I think I will turn to the dark side this summer. There's just too many intriguing possibilities.

Oh, and Nike is quite obviously buying Ronaldo for us. I've read that on twitter and stuff.
 
We dont need alot of signings. Just 2 CM will do.
 
He doesn't really ever say no major spending required. He says no major restructuring of the squad. We could buy a midfielder for £30m and a winger for £20m and that wouldn't be seen as a major overhaul.
 
Fair to say we can safely regard anything that Fergie or any other United official says as subterfuge. They're not going to squander a potential transfer target by tipping the competition off through public statements.
 
Solius said:
He doesn't really ever say no major spending required. He says no major restructuring of the squad. We could buy a midfielder for £30m and a winger for £20m and that wouldn't be seen as a major overhaul.
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Yup, that's exactly right. We'll buy what Ferguson sees as needed.
 
He is correct though - we are champions of England with a great youthful squad.

All we need is quality now, rather than quantity.

I would be happy getting rid of the Anderson/fletch/scholes for a Martinez/Modric/moutinho etc...
 
In Italy there are rumours we're after Marchisio. It would be interesting to see the Carrick-Marchisio pair leading our CM.
 
Really,don't read to much into it. They are just covering if we miss out on our targets.
 
The way fergie talked i doubt we are after a experienced CM, he used the word youth and watching how the player performs in recent times.

I think Strootman / Matic is much more likely IMO
 
I'm really shocked that our business minded new CEO hasn't advertised to the world that we have lots of money to spend. Baffling.
 
I wish Ferguson, Woodward, Gill whoever would really just keep their trap shut about summer spending. Every damn year we have the same old regurgitated snippets about "identified targets for months" and "we can't spend like Chelsea & City do" or "the squad is just fine."

Just pipe down and get on with the job quietly and effectively....I struggle to notice our European rivals constantly harping on about what they want to do in the transfer market...they just fecking do it! Bayern have already signed Gotze & are on the verge of perhaps acquiring Lewandowski. They are already getting their shit together and don't feel the need to talk about what they want to do....it just isn't necessary.

Unless of course you are expecting to not acquire your primary transfer targets.
 
Adam-Utd said:
... I think .... Matic is much more likely IMO
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He's a bit of a mysterious character apparently. For example, he only recently revealed that his first name is Enig.
 
Comsmit said:
I wish Ferguson, Woodward, Gill whoever would really just keep their trap shut about summer spending. Every damn year we have the same old regurgitated snippets about "identified targets for months" and "we can't spend like Chelsea & City do" or "the squad is just fine."

Just pipe down and get on with the job quietly and effectively....I struggle to notice our European rivals constantly harping on about what they want to do in the transfer market...they just fecking do it! Bayern have already signed Gotze & are on the verge of perhaps acquiring Lewandowski. They are already getting their shit together and don't feel the need to talk about what they want to do....it just isn't necessary.

Unless of course you are expecting to not acquire your primary transfer targets.
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What are you on about?

Uli Hoeness, in November 2011 :

"To get players to solve the problem is not a solution," Hoeness told Sky Sports News HD. "Those we have must play to their potential. And then we will have no need for new players."

However, Hoeness did not rule out the possibility of adding reinforcements during the summer.

"For us to think about it again at the end of the season is something else."
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Him again, this February:

"When I look at how strong our squad is, I don’t think we need to make too many changes in the summer. "
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Real, Barca et al are far worse than us when it comes to talking about targets and transfers, not to mention blatant tapping up.

I'd say we are one of the best at keeping things hush hush.
 
Pogue Mahone said:
What are you on about?

Uli Hoeness, in November 2011 :



Him again, this February:
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Fair enough I expected something would be nit-picked from the bowels of the web. Well he is right in both those little snippets you provided. That is what they are though....just snippets....and a couple of fairly minute ones at that. I wasn't suggesting Bayern or our European rivals don't talk to the press about transfer policy....it is obviously a part of football journalism.

I was suggesting it is rare they engage in such a constant flow of press statements attempting to justify transfer policy, placate supporters with assurances of spending power and openly/subjectively criticise rival clubs and their resources. All of which United's key figureheads (barring perhaps Sir Bobby) have prescribed to in the last 4 years.

I'm not going to waste time funneling through various statements from Gill or Ferguson (there are countless examples) but it's been par for the course since summer 2009. Just to be clear I am not criticising transfer policy, just perhaps the constant desire to make it public.
 
OnlyTwoDaSilvas said:
what happened to the Garay deal that was being touted as "confirmed". is that still being kept hush until the window opens, or was it just nonsense?
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Hopefully nonsense. With our collection of defensive players (and the young ones coming from the ranks) it would be mental spending 20m+ for an another central defender, who still cannot be considered as one of the best.
 
ashgabat said:
If you analyse his language, which people will do to the letter, there isn't really anything groundbreaking. He says there's no need for a major retooling. Actually, he even says he wouldn't expect there to be - that certainly doesn't exclude signings of any kind. He's right, the United squad is amazingly deep. There's no need for a major rebuild. I have a sneaking feeling it'll be a quite interesting summer. This team is on the verge of being one of the best teams we've ever had, but there are a few uncertainties.

The midfield question being the most obvious one. RvP being another, on the back of his amazing season. Can he replicate? He still has a history of injuries.What will happen to Rooney? Nani?

I'm not usually one to drool in transfer muppetry, but I think I will turn to the dark side this summer. There's just too many intriguing possibilities.

Oh, and Nike is quite obviously buying Ronaldo for us. I've read that on twitter and stuff.
Click to expand...

They said the same when Sneijder was linked with us :boring:
 
Comsmit said:
I wish Ferguson, Woodward, Gill whoever would really just keep their trap shut about summer spending. Every damn year we have the same old regurgitated snippets about "identified targets for months" and "we can't spend like Chelsea & City do" or "the squad is just fine."

Just pipe down and get on with the job quietly and effectively....I struggle to notice our European rivals constantly harping on about what they want to do in the transfer market...they just fecking do it! Bayern have already signed Gotze & are on the verge of perhaps acquiring Lewandowski. They are already getting their shit together and don't feel the need to talk about what they want to do....it just isn't necessary.

Unless of course you are expecting to not acquire your primary transfer targets.
Click to expand...

Apart from Van Persie, pretty much all of our recent deals has been done pretty quickly though.
 
If a player we really want becomes available, then we will go for it. We are not the type of team to fax in a bid of 40mill straight away for a player we have not enquired about. Hence why what we say to the press and what de actually do can be complete polar opposites.

I dont expect much business this summer, partly as we dont need alot. We are fairly well covered in both defence and attack. Midfield is a bit of a problem, but that 1 or 2 players will surely be aimed at this area. Job done then.
 
It is interesting seeing the various ways the headlines are spinning these comment also how various posters are interpretting it. Essentially he says the same thing Fergie already said, no major retooling. Now that doesn't necessarily mean no spending or no major spending, though then we get into the whole debate about what is major spending.

Now I am not holding my breath to see 2 superstar players coming it at a total transfer spend (gross not net) of 100mil, but it is possible we could still spend around 50mil to get a couple of players.

We have some weak spots, and no need to repeat them they have been mentioned enough on the forum, but it is not like we need 5 or 6 new players either.
 
Comsmit said:
Fair enough I expected something would be nit-picked from the bowels of the web. Well he is right in both those little snippets you provided. That is what they are though....just snippets....and a couple of fairly minute ones at that. I wasn't suggesting Bayern or our European rivals don't talk to the press about transfer policy....it is obviously a part of football journalism.

I was suggesting it is rare they engage in such a constant flow of press statements attempting to justify transfer policy, placate supporters with assurances of spending power and openly/subjectively criticise rival clubs and their resources. All of which United's key figureheads (barring perhaps Sir Bobby) have prescribed to in the last 4 years.

I'm not going to waste time funneling through various statements from Gill or Ferguson (there are countless examples) but it's been par for the course since summer 2009. Just to be clear I am not criticising transfer policy, just perhaps the constant desire to make it public.
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Did you ever consider the possibility that maybe you're more likely to notice comments coming out of the club you support?

It took me all of 10 seconds on google to find those comments from Hoeness. I didn't even bother searching for comments from chairmen of other clubs but you can bet they're out there.

The "constant flow of press statements" which seems to bother so much are part and parcel of running any big club. If nothing else they have a statutory obligation to keep shareholders up to date with any news which will potentially affect the share price and will regularly be asked about transfer strategy whenever they face the press.

You've got yourself in a dither about nothing.
 
Bayern have a number of officials other than Hoeness like Rumenigge, the manager and others who come out with such comments. Dunno, what Comsmit is going on about here.
 
Comsmit said:
Fair enough I expected something would be nit-picked from the bowels of the web. Well he is right in both those little snippets you provided. That is what they are though....just snippets....and a couple of fairly minute ones at that. I wasn't suggesting Bayern or our European rivals don't talk to the press about transfer policy....it is obviously a part of football journalism.

I was suggesting it is rare they engage in such a constant flow of press statements attempting to justify transfer policy, placate supporters with assurances of spending power and openly/subjectively criticise rival clubs and their resources. All of which United's key figureheads (barring perhaps Sir Bobby) have prescribed to in the last 4 years.

I'm not going to waste time funneling through various statements from Gill or Ferguson (there are countless examples) but it's been par for the course since summer 2009. Just to be clear I am not criticising transfer policy, just perhaps the constant desire to make it public.
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What is odd is that I have seen so many people complain about our "secrecy" around transfers in other places. It is not like they really laid out the plan in detail and it is not like they are running around just telling anyone. They answered a question from the press and in a pretty general way.
 
Pogue Mahone said:
Did you ever consider the possibility that maybe you're more likely to notice comments coming out of the club you support?

It took me all of 10 seconds on google to find those comments from Hoeness. I didn't even bother searching for comments from chairmen of other clubs but you can bet they're out there.

The "constant flow of press statements" which seems to bother so much are part and parcel of running any big club. If nothing else they have a statutory obligation to keep shareholders up to date with any news which will potentially affect the share price and will regularly be asked about transfer strategy whenever they face the press.

You've got yourself in a dither about nothing.
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Fair point...I know Sandro Rossell for one has been quite outspoken regarding Barcelona's finances, and how much they are prepared to pay for certain targets.

As for the press statements from United it is the constant repetition I find tiresome. Only 2 days ago Ferguson felt it necessary to (yawn) mention how the Glazers have always provided money when he has asked for it. Great Sir Alex, we are all so happy that is the case. He also wished us to know they can't spend like City or Chelsea, why? Surely that isn't an obligation?

It just doesn't sound like a club who are particularly confident in their transfer strategy...
 
Christ, maybe find something else to get annoyed about, because this is nothing unique to United nor is it really anything that important.
 
Comsmit said:
Fair point...I know Sandro Rossell for one has been quite outspoken regarding Barcelona's finances, and how much they are prepared to pay for certain targets.

As for the press statements from United it is the constant repetition I find tiresome. Only 2 days ago Ferguson felt it necessary to (yawn) mention how the Glazers have always provided money when he has asked for it. Great Sir Alex, we are all so happy that is the case. He also wished us to know they can't spend like City or Chelsea, why? Surely that isn't an obligation?

It just doesn't sound like a club who are particularly confident in their transfer strategy...
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Perhaps just being realistic?
 
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