holdsteady
Hates Sir Alex Ferguson
- Joined
- Jul 15, 2009
- Messages
- 5,515
Saf watching matches should be accepted. Saf being on an advisory board now is not acceptable.
Why
Saf watching matches should be accepted. Saf being on an advisory board now is not acceptable.
Yup.Saf watching matches should be accepted. Saf being on an advisory board now is not acceptable.
What has actually been reported? Early on it sounded like Gill and SAF were just around for Arnold to bounce ideas off of, which I'm sure is fine and appreciated.
Woodward and Ferguson were known to have a frosty relationship, stemming from the way in which David Moyes was sacked, which saw news of the dismissal leak before the manager had been told. Ferguson also voiced concerns about how Woodward ran United generally, given the team’s failure to challenge for the title amid poor transfer market decisions. Woodward let it be known he felt Ferguson’s influence was too great and more distance between the club and its greatest manager would have been for the best.
Arnold has instead welcomed Ferguson into the fold. While Woodward was on his way out of United, Arnold tasked Ferguson and Gill with a root-and-branch review of the club’s management structure. Ferguson gave Arnold his opinion on various matters around returning United to contenders for the biggest honours. Rather than paying lip service to Ferguson, sources insist Arnold genuinely listens and takes on board the advice, feeling it prudent to tap into the knowledge of a man who won 38 trophies over 26 years at United.
Gill’s return to prominence at the club is significant too, having previously been on the periphery since resigning as chief executive in 2013 after a decade in the role.
Arnold invited both Ferguson and Gill to be part of a brainstorming group involving Murtough that met several times last summer with the aim of sharing ideas about United’s short and long-term plans. Also included at the meetings were Bryan Robson, Denis Irwin and Nemanja Vidic.
The group even discussed the signings of Casemiro and Martinez ahead of time, with Ferguson giving his thoughts. United’s recruitment department, led by Ten Hag, had total authority on the pursuits but the discussions with former players and Ferguson was regarded as providing a useful sounding board.
The inaugural lunch date coincided with Cristiano Ronaldo’s first day back at training following his absence from United’s pre-season tour last summer. It allowed for a brief meeting at Carrington between Ronaldo and Ferguson, at a moment when tensions were high over the Portuguese star’s future.
A source explains: “The group is a chance for club staff to be reminded of best practices from the past and to communicate current strategies. They want influential friends of the club to have confidence in what is going on and be advocates.”
Arnold has taken that approach more widely too. Former players, such as Peter Schmeichel, speak highly of him having shared time together on ambassadorial trips abroad for sponsors.
Arnold has known Robson and Irwin, members of the informal think tank, for several years. They accompanied him to Chicago in 2010 for the launch of United’s shirt sponsorship with Aon.
Embarrassing.
The clubwhats embarrassing?
This.The club
I'm not sure this one makes SAF look good either. The extreme style that made manager sackings at the club incredibly burdensome and difficult was the direct product of his ethos. I know it's says it was more about how it was handled but left to him I'm not even sure Moyes would have been sacked that early. Manager sackings here needed to be more ruthless not more sympathetic. We already give managers the longest rope of all the big clubs.
Was gonna say this, here come the fluff pieces. Means the takeover is near then.Arnold doing his own PR I see. Fair enough I would too if I wanted to stay on as CEO of Manchester United.
Right. Even if he had been doing an undeniably good job, the new owner would still probably want their own person in charge after spending billions acquiring the club.Arnold is likely to be the first man out the door when JR or Qatar come in. Regardless of who the new owner is, it’s highly likely they want their own CEO in place especially when the club is in the midst of a decade of mediocrity.
Dickie Arnold PR in overdrive today. I wonder does he feel his job is on the line with the takeover? Surely a new owner will look to replace / upgrade the majority of the executive staff that have failed the club over the past decade or so.
Arnold is likely to be the first man out the door when JR or Qatar come in. Regardless of who the new owner is, it’s highly likely they want their own CEO in place especially when the club is in the midst of a decade of mediocrity.
I’m not sure about this really. Did you vote for EtH to be sacked if we don’t get Top 4? Quite a few people did. There’s ruthless and then there’s clueless.I'm not sure this one makes SAF look good either. The extreme style that made manager sackings at the club incredibly burdensome and difficult was the direct product of his ethos. I know it's says it was more about how it was handled but left to him I'm not even sure Moyes would have been sacked that early. Manager sackings here needed to be more ruthless not more sympathetic. We already give managers the longest rope of all the big clubs.
That isn't a response about ETH. That's such a silly comparison. ETH is nowhere close to failing as United manager or even trending towards. He has a cup and has a clear style of play. Actual progress metrics that the others couldn't sniff without sacrificing the other. ETH will stay because he earned it not because of blind faith.I’m not sure about this really. Did you vote for EtH to be sacked if we don’t get Top 4? Quite a few people did. There’s ruthless and then there’s clueless.
I’m not sure about this really. Did you vote for EtH to be sacked if we don’t get Top 4? Quite a few people did. There’s ruthless and then there’s clueless.
Just making the point that loads of people voted that he should be sacked if we don’t get top 4 - check out that thread. It would be ruthless but also stupid. If I understand you correctly, you’re really saying that we haven’t recognised the right time to sack managers in the past. There is no point being ruthless for the sake of it.That isn't a response about ETH. That's such a silly comparison. ETH is nowhere close to failing as United manager or even trending towards. He has a cup and has a clear style of play. Actual progress metrics that the others couldn't sniff without sacrificing the other. ETH will stay because he earned it not because of blind faith.
It’s impossible to say what might have happened if managers were kept on instead of being sacked but if you sack someone and your fortunes improve then it’s not really a mistake. Or is it?That difference is usually only evident in hindsight. Were real Madrid useless or clueless when they sacked benitez after 7 months, they were 3rd in the league 4 points off top and had qualified to the last 16 of the champions league, people on here would have said that was harsh, but they won 3 champions leagues in a row as a result, so ruthless or clueless?