So, Sir Jim it is then. Not quite official just yet but he’s well on the way to becoming Mr. 25% at Manchester United. Reports state that he has coughed up around £1.3bn for the privilege of having the Glazers turn down any of his requests that may, in the slightest possible way, cost them any money or profit.
Initially there will be no investment in the facilities, the stadium or paying off any of the almost £1bn debt that the self-centred siblings have saddled the club with.
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Ed Woodward was employed by the Glazers. It was, in many ways, a thank you for the part he had played as an enabler when Malcolm Glazer bought United with very, very little of his own money and a lot of borrowed money. Unfortunately, the collateral for the borrowed money was Manchester United Football Club who, fairly soon afterwards, became plain old Manchester United.
Woodward soon became, in his own mind at least, the most important person at the club. Some good sponsorship deals and profitable alliances were coupled with shocking football decisions which, as he had never kicked a ball in his life, was hardly surprising.
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There may be a new sheriff in town but, unfortunately for him, the posse he sends out to round up the wanted men is full of the same inexperience and clueless leadership as it was under the previous sheriff.
John Murtough, who is described as ‘Director of Football’, was promoted to this role based on previous experience of having coached the academies at Fulham, Everton and United which was followed by trying his hand at sports science!
Another strange promotion was that of Richard Arnold, a clone of Ed Woodward, who was put in overall charge when the hated Woodward finally fell on his sword.
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Ed Woodward and Richard Arnold met at Bristol university. They had a few things in common. They were both from Chelmsford in Essex. They were both destined to enter the banking business and neither of them had the first idea about football. With such credentials it was only natural that they would also both be employed by Manchester United.
After a time Woodward was promoted, well beyond his knowledge, when David Gill decided to leave Manchester United along with Sir Alex Ferguson. Instead of designating the important football roles like handling transfers in and out, negotiating contracts with players and hiring/firing managers, Woodward decided he was the best man for the job and would take care of these things himself.
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Well, not quite yet because, although Ed Woodward is stepping down from his role as CEO on February 1st, he is not due to leave the club until June.
This is obviously to ensure that his replacement, Richard Arnold, is well schooled in how to waste millions in the transfer market, employ a long list of managers with limited to zero success and totally fail to win either of the two major trophies coveted by the big clubs nowadays.
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Some people, who shall remain nameless, even if their name is David Moyes, think that Louis van Gaal should be given more time.
Had Moyes himself been given more time, United could well be in the Championship by now which might have made them a less attractive proposition for an arrogant egotist like van Gaal.
Moyes would still have been sacked but United would have somebody other than the Dutch clown in charge, which would probably have been a good thing.
Moyes is currently touring the TV channels in his new found vocation as an ‘expert’. He has been a guest on Clare Balding’s show on BT, he has appeared on BBC to give his views on the FA Cup. Sky has welcomed him to their studios, once for a match and once for ‘Goals on Sunday’ so he could be asked infantile questions by the infantile Ben Shephard. (more…)
WHY SAY ANYTHING? 