Manchester United Thread 25/26 - Teamtalk/Transfers/Gossip Mod Note in OP 26.09.24

I guess it depends on how much importance you put on results and league position this season. Realistically, bar entering a relagation battle the results are not going to impact RA's position this season, this is his only opportunity to do it, results and league position will matter next season.

It's most certainly in his interests to take as much short term pain as possible now and I'd argue it's in the club's interests too.

You could be right in pointing out that this short term pain will not result in much long-term gains with this set of players. I don't hold that view personally and there's plenty of talent and application in the squad. There are plenty of signs that the attitude is shifting in the squad. Some of the more lackadaisical squad members are breaking a sweat while not quite running like mad dogs just yet. Maz was showing some of that mad dog quality RA is looking for when he came on yesterday.

It's been a worry for the last 11 years that the new arrivals would show the required effort and vitality before being reverting to the squad mean over time.

Ruben has to change the squad mentality over the course of a season while playing and possibly losing football matches. It's a tough task but I believe he can achieve it with this squad of players given enough support from fans and board. Ashworth's departure could be a sign of that backing or maybe the opposite.

There's so much doubt around the club currently that RA has to show none and plough on regardless with his "one idea".

I'm excited to see it unfold and would be disappointed by a more pragmatic short termist approach as I believe we've tried that once or twice before.

Season is pretty much a write off now, let him assess him the players get them used to his system then get rid of who he doesn't want in the summer.

If it is SJR’s singular vision, there may be reasons for concern.

Depends how the next two domestic cup games go. Could be out of both by 12th Jan or still in the game. Hopefully we can give the Europa League a good go too, if the aim is to be in the CL next season, (which I assume is what SJR is demanding), that’s the best hope of getting there right now.

If we don’t get CL, I’d like to see how next season goes with no Europe at all. Plenty of time for training and less games, with a squad more aligned to what Amorim wants.

I hope Ashworth was the 3rd, and the second (Amorim) was/will be the charm.

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/football/2024/12/08/dan-ashworth-odd-man-out-manchester-united-power-struggle/

Interesting read, apparently he didn't "gel" with Berrada.

Muppetiers saying there was a disconnect on transfer targets, with berrada and wilcox pushing 343, with amorim, and ashworth going against them. Seemingly transfer issues in the summer too but id have put that down to EtH.

To be fair, many a sacking is presented as a mutual agreement.

Speaking of said with such certainty, you said:

“or walk and he's clearly chosen the latter.”

Which goes against everything that has been reported on it.

“mutual agreement” - surely you understand the reasons why decisions like these (to let Ashworth) go are announced with those choice of words for PR and/or legal reasons.

He was literally walked out of the building in front of the press.

Today I learned that there are people who take the words "by mutual agreement" at face value.

New hires often don't work out, but again, this was a hugely important new hire that they spent a lot of time working on. 6 months plus waiting for him to start. 6 months plus where the leadership team could communicate and discuss plans and ideas.

But its only after he starts that they realise he has different plans and ideas?

Of all the possible reasons for a new executive to fail, a personality clash with his boss is definitely the sort of thing that should have been apparent from the many discussions they should have been having in the past 6 months.

Concern isn't the word I would use really, but INEOS are now two for two in managerial fuckups, it doesn't inspire confidence.

”But 20 minutes after the final whistle, he took a rare route out of the directors’ lounge under the stands, walking through the press conference room alongside chief operating officer Collette Roche. He was on his way to Omar Berrada’s office, where he was told by the chief executive his brief time at United was coming to an end.”

Because of trying to find square pegs for round holes he is trying to find out who is coach able to his system and who isn’t. I think by January you wil find a couple of surprises involved and a couple more frozen out. I think Bruno might be at risk

The positive spin from United seems to be wilcox is better and more admired within the club than expected, and I think berrada has taken on and settled in better too, and I believe they knew each other at city so it might be ashworth had less authority than he expected, which was what we heard of his time at Newcastle too.

If the 3 main football people weren't pulling in the same direction it's best we course correct that now.

But it's still an embarrassment that we need to correct it so soon. It can be the right decision, and still worthy of criticism.

And when you put this on top of the recent ticket pricing news, it's just another point against the ineos ownership.

I still see reasons for optimism, more than under the glazers cause I still believe berrada, wilcox and possibly vivel are good appointments the glazers didn't and wouldn't have made. But I also though ashworth was...

But we need to start seeing reasons for optimism on the pitch, consistently. Coming up on a year since it was announced, and we're still looking for reasons, rather than being able to point concretely.