Woodward (old thread)

[Gladiator]

He didn't actually we'll be spend. He said we are capable off.

I don't know why people are losing their shit over these quotes. It's not like he's telling something new, every damn club in the world knows that we're flushed with money after that Adidas deal. There's nothing wrong in saying what Woodward has said here. People need to calm down rather than dissecting every word that this man says and then trying to think of implications it'll have on our business.

It's just getting so stupid now. weeks ago, weren't people complaining why Ed isn't saying anything? Now the story is he needs to shut up and get us some signings? Even though he's not the one picking the targets? What do people want? Just absurd

 

[Drummer]

@Drummer not sure why you wrote all that or expected me to read it

Why bother responding so? It's open forum , not your personal blog....

 

[Gladiator]

Why bother responding so? It's open forum , not your personal blog....

because you "quoted my post"

 

[Pogue Mahone]

It's just getting so stupid now. weeks ago, weren't people complaining why Ed isn't saying anything? Now the story is he needs to shut up and get us some signings? Even though he's not the one picking the targets? What do people want? Just absurd

It's almost as thought those differing opinions are coming from different people, rather than the single hive-mind we all know this place really is. Mental, isn't it?

 

[Empire]

From Sky

http://www1.skysports.com/football/...and-prepared-to-spend-big-insists-ed-woodward

Manchester United still global giant and prepared to spend big insists Ed Woodward

Manchester United executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward is looking forward to the squad’s tour of North America, as he insists the Old Trafford club remains the biggest in the world, writes Sky Sports News' James Cooper.

And while Woodward is not ruling out competing with the biggest spenders in the game, he is refusing to set any objectives for new manager Louis van Gaal.

Woodward said: “We don't have a target this year. Let’s be totally clear. We don't have a target.

“I am not sitting down giving targets to anybody. We want to strive to win. That is what we want to do. That expectation comes with the history of the club. You have to accept that. I have to accept that. Everyone has to accept that. Everyone has to have that benchmark for Manchester United. That is what all the fans want. That is what our history demands. We want to win.

"There is no budget, there is money. We are in a very strong financial position. We can make big signings. That doesn’t mean we are going to throw money around. Louis is the manager. We have a lot of scouting output through the last 12 months that is flagging various things to us.

“Louis is the one who makes the ultimate decision around who he wants in his squad. I am not going to force feed him with a player he has not selected. The reality is that we're not afraid of spending significant amounts of money in the transfer market. Whether it's a record or not doesn't really resonate with us. What resonates is a top, top elite player that the manager wants that is going to be a star for Manchester United."

Woodward has been impressed by Van Gaal’s impact since the Dutchman arrived at the club less than a week ago, and only a few days after the 62-year-old guided the Netherlands to a third place finish at the World Cup.

And Woodward concedes that finding a successor to David Moyes after a season that saw United slump to seventh in the Premier League and miss out on European football was one of the biggest decisions he’s ever made.

“Yes, by some distance it is the most important job in the club. And we didn’t take the decision lightly,” Woodward said.

“We ran a process and we thought very carefully about the characteristics we were looking for in a manager. We were looking for a manager who would sync with the Manchester United philosophy.

“If you pause and take a step back, it is attacking football, it’s giving youth a chance, and both of those things are core to Louis’s philosophy of football - and a track record. If he brings so much energy to this, we felt he was the right choice.”

While United endured difficulties on the pitch, the club’s commercial momentum has not been affected, as Woodward points to a new sponsorship deal with US car giant Cheverolet and a world-record £750m kit agreement with Adidas.

Woodward said: "What the deal shows and what we are seeing and everything we are doing from a commercial perspective, also from talking to agents and players about wanting to come to us, we are the biggest club in the world. There is no question in my mind about that.

“All I am saying is that there is a different expectation at this club. It is a different size in terms of interest level, fan base, a lot of what we tried to do. We also have a commercial arm that interacts with the football club in a way that doesn't disrupt the football club."

One factor that may have disrupted Manchester United in recent weeks is the departure of their captain Nemanja Vidic, his centre-back partner Rio Ferdinand and full-back Patrice Evra. Their exits leave Van Gaal short of defensive cover and relying on the likes of Jonny Evans, Phil Jones and Chris Smalling to deputise. Luke Shaw's arrival from Southampton will certainly help, but Woodward is expecting his new manager to use the US tour as a fact-finding mission to decide who stays, who goes and who comes in.

"We are still assessing things and looking at options," he added. "We are not sitting on our hands and waiting for Louis. He is indicating clearly what he wants.

"All I am saying is there could be some other things that happen as a result of the time he spends with the players in the next few weeks. If you think about it, for an experienced professional like him from a football perspective, maybe he knows the first 15 players really well but the next 15 not so well. He is taking time to see."

Good interview. He does sound like he is a winner, he probably wants United to be the most valuable football club in the world by some distance, not just will that make him and the other shareholders a lot of money but also to achieve this he would need a club that wins a lot of trophies.

I'm not sure how long Louis will be here but I'm sure Woodward will keep an eye on the careers of Klopp and Guardiola and then do what he can to get those managers.

 

[Empire]

Exactly, this is the guy who approved of the signing of the world's most expensive teenager when there were safer and cheaper options out there(Ricardo Rodriguez and Ben Davies). He also approved Herrera's signing for a similar price to Fabregas as well. So LVG is not buying into the 'no value in the market' bs and is clearly not bothered by transfer fees.

So you are saying he would happily have bid £100m to Herrera? Or are you in fact willing to accept he will value a player and not spend ridiculously big for the sake of it?

 

[Sparky Rhiwabon]

“We ran a process and we thought very carefully about the characteristics we were looking for in a manager. We were looking for a manager who would sync with the Manchester United philosophy."

Why didn't we think to do that before we appointed Moyes? Then we probably wouldn't be out of the CL now.

 

[Drummer]

because you "quoted my post"

.

Why reply to my post originally , state that i should add more to my point of view and when I reply state that I shouldn't of expected you to read it!

This makes no sense unless Perhaps you are only interested in your own views in which case you need to just setup your own blog as previously advised....

 

[Joga Bonito]

So you are saying he would happily have bid £100m to Herrera? Or are you in fact willing to accept he will value a player and not spend ridiculously big for the sake of it?

I am saying that given the circumstances we find ourselves in, we can't afford to be indecisive and risk harming the chances of a transfer by haggling over a few million... I would say we overpaid about 5-10 million for both Herrera and Shaw, which Ferguson probably wouldn't have done. I don't want LVG to spend big just for the sake of it, but if he identifies a player and values him highly and thinks he can take us a level or two higher, then I can see him splashing big bucks...

 

[Gladiator]

.

Why reply to my post originally , state that i should add more to my point of view and when I reply state that I shouldn't of expected you to read it!

This makes no sense unless Perhaps you are only interested in your own views in which case you need to just setup your own blog as previously advised....

to make a point. it's circular

 

[Gladiator]

It's almost as thought those differing opinions are coming from different people, rather than the single hive-mind we all know this place really is. Mental, isn't it?

hehe indeed

 

[Drummer]

to make a point. it's circular

Truely Insightful ...

 

[Shark]

The days of us having our own fixed value for talent like Hazard, Vidal and Fabregas should be gone IMO. While I respect SAF's approach in that regard and the trust that he had in youth, it's painfully obvious that our starting 11 is lacking the world class talents that a club like United should be boasting. Penny pinching can only take a club of United's ambitions so far.

 

[Gladiator]

Truely Insightful ...

ironic lol. perhaps if you had realized that. could have saved yourself the extra effort but alas

 

[Drummer]

ironic lol. perhaps if you had realized that. could have saved yourself the extra effort but alas

Certainly Less effort then trolling through financial reports that play a minor role with the topic.

I know how it plays out here though. Revert to insults and "witty" replies to derail conversation. As you said, it's a circular motion. The argument goes up, down and around.

 

[Gladiator]

Certainly Less effort then trolling through financial reports that play a minor role with the topic.

I know how it plays out here though. Revert to insults and "witty" replies to derail conversation. As you said, it's a circular motion. The argument goes up, down and around.

you feel it plays a minor role though...

 

[Oneunited26]

I look forward to quoting this and listening to whatever whiney and ignorant excuse you come up with when the stud delivers.

Has he delivered yet? No. Yes he signed shaw and Herrera, but it's concerning players who should be leaving have not, and the Vidal saga is dragging on a bit, if the club are serious

I just do not like him saying we can match what Madrid payed for this and that, but we have not

 

[Oneunited26]

Exactly. I bet the same people complaining about these quotes would also be complaining if Woodward had said that the club cannot spend big money.

I don't care what he says, has long as he delivers, talk a good game is one thing, but actions speak louder than words

 

[Drummer]

you feel it plays a minor role though...

If you are going to say that a club spends proportionally to its success, revenues and previous years spending and not factor in inflation cost of players , increased tv revenue and comparable rivals statistics, then yes.

I think it's like saying "look at the clubs spending in comparison to 1992" as if that's a barometer of the level of investment in the squad...

Spending £30mil on a player in 2002 could reasonably be inflated to £60mil on a player today.

When you look at the success the club has had and even the commercial growth that you guys keep banging on about, do you really think that the transfer kitty has grown at similar levels?

Personally I think the club could of achieved so much more had they given SAF the funds to push for bigger players without stupid resale value restrictions and considering we had won several epls and got to three cl finals, it's difficult to understand how we didn't once make some crazy transfer purchase on the bale/ronaldo level.

I don't believe for a second that SAF was happy to limit himself to £30mil pound players for no other reason then that he liked value for money signings. With rio , yorke, Veron and even Roy Keane he proves he was never afraid to break the bank for top players.

Even with Rvp , when the resale rule was relaxed, the first thing he did was bought a proven experienced forward. But even at that the price was right....

There should of been no need for resale value restrictions of players SAF could buy when the club was doing so well. The only reason this was the case was because the club was limited financially by its debts.

 

[NoWinNoFee]

Same old recycled bollocks about no budget etc, nothing new here.

Walk the walk, that's all people care about.

 

[NoWinNoFee]

The days of us having our own fixed value for talent like Hazard, Vidal and Fabregas should be gone IMO. While I respect SAF's approach in that regard and the trust that he had in youth, it's painfully obvious that our starting 11 is lacking the world class talents that a club like United should be boasting. Penny pinching can only take a club of United's ambitions so far.

Sir Alex trust in youth, really? Other than the class of 92, Sir Alex was terrible with youth.

 

[Pexbo]

Has he delivered yet? No. Yes he signed shaw and Herrera, but it's concerning players who should be leaving have not, and the Vidal saga is dragging on a bit, if the club are serious

I just do not like him saying we can match what Madrid payed for this and that, but we have not

There's a whole month left to go, we've spent £60m on two great young talents and LVG wants to look at what he has before he lets anyone go or spends any money. It's really not in any way shape or form a bad situation.

 

[Oneunited26]

There's a whole month left to go, we've spent £60m on two great young talents and LVG wants to look at what he has before he lets anyone go or spends any money. It's really not in any way shape or form a bad situation.

Those signings should be his bread and butter signings, its his job. Not when united have no more than 5 first team defenders, united going to need 3 defenders just add depth and add numbers to our injury prone defenders like rafeal smalling jones and evans, we cannot think those 4 are going to stay fot all season. In midfield we have lost carrick to injury, and our CM options consist of herrera fletcher cleverly anderson and fellaini, its not good at all. So the needs to strengthening the defence and midfield are vital this season

 

[Shark]

Sir Alex trust in youth, really? Other than the class of 92, Sir Alex was terrible with youth.

De Gea, Ronaldo, Rafael and Fletcher would all say otherwise. I was mainly talking about his trust in the likes of Jones, Smalling, Cleverly and Welbeck in the later years though, who all still have a lot to prove.

 

[Oneunited26]

De Gea, Ronaldo, Rafael and Fletcher would all say otherwise. I was mainly talking about his trust in the likes of Jones, Smalling, Cleverly and Welbeck in the later years though, who all still have a lot to prove.

All jones and smalling have got to prove, is their fitness levels not their ability

 

[NoWinNoFee]

De Gea, Ronaldo, Rafael and Fletcher would all say otherwise. I was mainly talking about his trust in the likes of Jones, Smalling, Cleverly and Welbeck in the later years though, who all still have a lot to prove.

It's not so much trusting Smalling/Cleverley and Welbeck because of their youth, i think that was just Sir Alex, he took a lot of punts, bought average/trusted average and made average feel better than what they was and made them champions, that for me is what made him the best manager in the world.

Giving opportunities to youth who we never paid for though, he was terrible at.

 

[Kag]

All jones and smalling have got to prove, is their fitness levels not their ability

Try playing competitive football once every three weeks and then being told you're going to play at right back, out of position, tasked with chasing Raheem Sterling up and down the wing all game. See how the fitness holds up then. Rotation and idiocy has been the cause of our injuries. It will change this season.

I agree in regards ability.

 

[Hed Zitin]

I'd prefer it if he kept quiet about how much we can spend and just did the deals. All he's doing is adding millions on the players asking prices.

I think Louie isn't the type to spend £50-60m anyway, so there isn't any point in saying it.

 

[Randall Flagg]

It's not so much trusting Smalling/Cleverley and Welbeck because of their youth, i think that was just Sir Alex, he took a lot of punts, bought average/trusted average and made average feel better than what they was and made them champions, that for me is what made him the best manager in the world.

Giving opportunities to youth who we never paid for though, he was terrible at.

Everyone good enough was given opportunities. For a club with ambitions like Utd to get players through at that level is not easy. After the "Class of 92" the following all went onto to play a lot of games for the club and become full internationals

Brown
O'Shea
Fletcher
Cleverley
Welbeck
Evans

This is an impressive list IMO

 

[Shark]

It's not so much trusting Smalling/Cleverley and Welbeck because of their youth, i think that was just Sir Alex, he took a lot of punts, bought average/trusted average and made average feel better than what they was and made them champions, that for me is what made him the best manager in the world.

Giving opportunities to youth who we never paid for though, he was terrible at.

Agreed, but we also suffered for it when somebody like Moyes came in and couldn't come close to replicating what SAF was able to do with players that were not up to standard. LVG has the ability to raise their game again, but a club like us shouldn't need to be relying on 'miracles'. We need to spend some money to avoid a similar disaster to last season. Herrera and Shaw are a good start.

 

[NoWinNoFee]

Everyone good enough was given opportunities. For a club with ambitions like Utd to get players through at that level is not easy. After the "Class of 92" the following all went onto to play a lot of games for the club and become full internationals

Brown
O'Shea
Fletcher
Cleverley
Welbeck
Evans

This is an impressive list IMO

That is not an impressive list at all in terms of names or numbers within a 21 year year period, especially when you look at names that did leave us due to lack of opportunities, if the above players was good enough certainly the likes of Pogba/Morrison/Pique/Rossi/Shawcross was too.

I honestly believe if Sir Alex was still Manchester United manager, Adnan Januzaj would probably not have gone to the world cup either as he would have still been in the reserves, Sir Alex would have gone the Zaha route, a young player he signed.

 

[Randall Flagg]

That is not an impressive list at all in terms of names or numbers within a 21 year year period, especially when you look at names that did leave us due to lack of opportunities, if the above players was good enough certainly the likes of Pogba/Morrison/Pique/Rossi/Shawcross was too.

Shawcross, Pique and Rossi? None of them had a chance of breaking through and being better than what we had

Pogba and Morrison are different stories for one reason or another

The list I provided all played well over 100 game sfor the club and won many trophies. Its a very impressive list

You mention 21 year period. That brings us back to 1993. The players I mentioned are from 99

 

[Oneunited26]

Agreed, but we also suffered for it when somebody like Moyes came in and couldn't come close to replicating what SAF was able to do with players that were not up to standard. LVG has the ability to raise their game again, but a club like us shouldn't need to be relying on 'miracles'. We need to spend some money to avoid a similar disaster to last season. Herrera and Shaw are a good start.

The worry thing is? these average players or players not up to standards like fellaini fletcher anderson cleverly bebe nani young and kagwa who we do not even need, are still here. I would keep cleverly, but over a 2 year span all of them I hope do leave the club, so better players come in, or players breaking through the can take their places

 

[Oneunited26]

I'd prefer it if he kept quiet about how much we can spend and just did the deals. All he's doing is adding millions on the players asking prices.

I think Louie isn't the type to spend £50-60m anyway, so there isn't any point in saying it.

Like they say, he can talk the talk, but can he walk the walk? Its one thing saying we can spend this and that, but actions speak louder than words.

 

[NoWinNoFee]

Shawcross, Pique and Rossi? None of them had a chance of breaking through and being better than what we had

Pogba and Morrison are different stories for one reason or another

The list I provided all played well over 100 game sfor the club and won many trophies. Its a very impressive list

So you think 6 average players in a 21 year period is fantastic and cements Manchester United's academy as one of the best in the world and Manchester United a club who always gives youth a chance?

Let's put things into perspective, never mind 21 years, Southampton probably produced 6 new first team players last season from their academy who went onto play in the Premier League and are probably better quality than all those 6 Manchester United have produced in 21 years, they sold 1 of those players to Manchester United this summer (funnily enough) for a fee more than all our 6 are worth combined.

I'm not saying Manchester United's academy doesn't produce, it does, I'm saying Sir Alex was rubbish at giving opportunities to these players.

 

[Randall Flagg]

So you think 6 average players in a 21 year period is fantastic and cements Manchester United's academy as one of the best in the world and Manchester United a club who always gives youth a chance?

Let's put things into perspective, never mind 21 years, Southampton probably produced 6 new first team players last season from their academy who went onto play in the Premier League and are probably better quality than all those 6 Manchester United have produced in 21 years, they sold 1 of those players to Manchester United this summer (funnily enough) for a fee more than all our 6 are worth combined.

I'm not saying Manchester United's academy doesn't produce, it does, I'm saying Sir Alex was rubbish at giving opportunities to these players.

If you are going back 21 years you have to include most of the class of 92. Also I dont consider those 6 to be average players

Pogba is the only one of who got away. Every other player was either not good enough or challenging for a position they had no hope of getting

If Utd were on the same level as Southampton, far more of the academy would have come through to be first team players. Thats pretty obvious

 

[MDFC Manager]

So you think 6 average players in a 21 year period is fantastic and cements Manchester United's academy as one of the best in the world and Manchester United a club who always gives youth a chance?

Let's put things into perspective, never mind 21 years, Southampton probably produced 6 new first team players last season from their academy who went onto play in the Premier League and are probably better quality than all those 6 Manchester United have produced in 21 years, they sold 1 of those players to Manchester United this summer (funnily enough) for a fee more than all our 6 are worth combined.

I'm not saying Manchester United's academy doesn't produce, it does, I'm saying Sir Alex was rubbish at giving opportunities to these players.

Which ones? Its only Pogba who did not get sufficient opportunities despite there being a case for getting those opportunities.

 

[NoWinNoFee]

If you are going back 21 years you have to include most of the class of 92.

No you don't, i've acknowledged the class of 92, hence me saying in an earlier post "Sir Alex trust in youth, really? Other than the class of 92, Sir Alex was terrible with youth." which made you reply to me with those 6 names - We are on about what Manchester United have produced since the class of 92.

Sir Alex retired 2013, 21 years after the class of 92 - In that time, 6 players went on to be regulars for Manchester United. To me Alex Ferguson always going on about Manchester United's youth and how it's Manchester United's policy giving youth opportunities and people people recycling that on here (which made me reply) is just a load of bollocks.

Moyes was only at the club for 9 months, but gave a chance to an academy prospect, who Sir Alex would never have given a chance to last season and reason i can say that confidently is there was no indication what so ever Adnan would be given a opportunity at Manchester United under Sir Alex, he came in from under the radar and was a shock to everyone, as said Sir Alex would have gone the Zaha route (a young player he paid for).

If Moyes was at Manchester United for 21 years (the horror to think about that) i would bet, more than 6 youth players would have gone on to play for us, same for Van Gaal and many other managers, so what does that say about Sir Alex and youth? Says to me his development of youth and him giving a clubs own youth from academies a chance is all a myth and something he was not very good at.

 

[Empire]

I am saying that given the circumstances we find ourselves in, we can't afford to be indecisive and risk harming the chances of a transfer by haggling over a few million... I would say we overpaid about 5-10 million for both Herrera and Shaw, which Ferguson probably wouldn't have done. I don't want LVG to spend big just for the sake of it, but if he identifies a player and values him highly and thinks he can take us a level or two higher, then I can see him splashing big bucks...

I don't think we overpaid for Herrera or Shaw.

 

[Empire]

If Moyes was at Manchester United for 21 years (the horror to think about that) i would bet, more than 6 youth players would have gone on to play for us

If Moyes were at the club for 21 years we would be a mid-table club with a good youth academy so it stands to reason he would produce more than 6 youth players that become regulars.