Obviously there are short-term things United can do to make improvements, such as appointing a different coach and finally recruiting a midfielder. There are more structural things we can do: reforming the strategy-making and executive structure of the sporting organisation so that qualified people make coherent decisions about recruitment. Get that right and those granular details should sort themselves out. But above the structural level, there's another, existential one: what is Manchester United and what is its purpose? In the same way, this fundamental tier of what the Glazer family wants from the club they own shapes everything below it, and I believe it's the reason we don't have a DoF or the professionalism in sporting matters that our rivals enjoy.
There's an article in the Irish Times (apparently excellent, but behind a paywall https://www.irishtimes.com/sport/soccer/ken-early-it-s-high-time-that-united-remembered-that-winning-pays-1.4722176) that discusses the phenomenon (recently criticised by Gary Neville) of agencies looking after the social media accounts of players - pushing out content and hollow apologies, etc. The author Ken Early notes that this is symptomatic in the case of Manchester United of an organisation for which 'content' plays a central role. It's a business that explicitly tells the financial markets that it's a media business, rather than a sporting franchise. In fact, Woodward and the Glazers see Netflix as a more direct competitor than Real Madrid or Chelsea.
Once you adopt that mindset, you create a set of organisational priorities in which it's not incongruous to see world-class social media operations alongside amateurism in sporting operations. It's also a clear no-brainer to sign a player with more Instagram followers than the club itself, even if this goes against sporting strategy. Of course, the Super League was also fully consistent with this view.
As a supporter, this is anathema to me. But setting that aside, it's increasingly clear that this is a misguided business strategy. United might have succeeded in papering over the cracks by continuing to generate vast revenues that facilitate vast spending that keep us running along within sight of the European elite, despite the wastefulness and terrible return on investment. However, it's clear that on a business level, better sporting management would deliver much better returns, eventually resulting in greater sporting success with less investment. The lack of sporting success is hurting the brand, with European super-clubs overtaking us in revenues and domestic rivals drastically cutting the formidable advantage United held at the start of the Glazers' ownership.
I hope we replace Solskjaer in the coming days. I'd love it if the departure of Ed Woodward saw a shift to a new structure with a sporting director wielding much more substantial power than John Murtough currently does. But above all, I don't think anything fundamentally changes unless the owners of the club shift how they see their asset. I'm not naive enough to believe that wonderful football would ever be more than a means to an end for the Glazers. But it would help if they at least came to understand that sporting excellence is the first prerequisite to profitability. At least then our interests as supporters could become indirectly and accidentally aligned with those of the people running the club.
What are we?
posted on 8/11/21
comment by manutd1982 (U6633)
posted 6 minutes ago
If Woodward is indeed leaving at the end of the year (lets hope) then could it be possible that any change won't be happening until after he's gone as Ed possibly doesn't want to be making such a big call which also undermines his decision to hire Ole in the first place.
Also depending on how Murtough chooses to run things maybe he can see sacking Ole as a big moment that will be seen as positive action by the fans?
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I'd love to know how much actual power / informal influence Murtough and Fletcher have at this juncture.
There's a danger that products of a particular organisational structure aren't incentivised to change it. E.g. Murtough might want to have more power, but if there was a more continental structure with a DoF who has real clout, there could be many figures out there with vastly greater experience and track records than him. Similarly, even if Darren Fletcher is incredibly talented in his role, would be brave to push for a clear-out of staff appointed through the old boys network. As you say, something similar goes at the top of the structure: it's always hard to admit you've been a massive failure.
posted on 8/11/21
A very good and thoughtful article RR.
Whilst agreeing with your hypothesis, it's sad to know that it's completely out of our hands, and that there seems to be no straightforward solution.
But, swallowing hard, getting a better manager than Ole is a start.
posted on 8/11/21
A new manager will almost certainly want to bring his own backroom team in, but then you read rumours today about them considering contract extensions for Carrick & McKenna. If there's any truth in that it's astonishingly strange timing.
posted on 8/11/21
Surely not? Them getting extentions in general would be worrying but right now is madness?
I'm sure there are plenty of rumours flying around at the moment and as well as reading that Woodward might actually stay (and never even planned to leave as it was just a smockscreen for the ESL and why would he choose to leave mid season anyway) but that if he does leave that he'll still be part of the club in an advisory role?!
posted on 8/11/21
Woodward staying on wouldn't be the most popular decision they've ever made.
They seem to have a quite simplistic view of fanbase relations. I wonder if they're thinking that they need to keep a cadre of ex-United players in coaching roles to keep us happy. Nothing wrong with that of course, but only if they're the right calibre. All the stuff about Ole resetting our values to where they should be was absolutely correct in the context of Jose taking a blowtorch to them. The trick now is finding a coaching team sympathetic to United's values while being a notch or two in ability above what we've seen recently.
posted on 8/11/21
comment by The Post Nearly Man. Regular Human Bartender. (U1270)
posted 24 minutes ago
A new manager will almost certainly want to bring his own backroom team in, but then you read rumours today about them considering contract extensions for Carrick & McKenna. If there's any truth in that it's astonishingly strange timing.
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I can only think it's a vote of confidence to Ole, who is in a minority of one in thinking they're up to the standard required.
posted on 8/11/21
Absolutely. A coaching team that actually possess their full UEFA licences, too. And have impressive post-qualification success.
We have none of these.
Surely, a week of Fletcher’s time considering head-hunting such a team wouldn’t go amiss right now. Scout for the best coaches. Let the media decide who are the best players.
posted on 8/11/21
To answer the question posed by RR in the article title, do you think we qualify as a sleeping giant yet?
posted on 8/11/21
comment by The Post Nearly Man. Regular Human Bartender. (U1270)
posted 13 minutes ago
To answer the question posed by RR in the article title, do you think we qualify as a sleeping giant yet?
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Sleeping? We're bloody hibernating!
posted on 8/11/21
Nailed to the bleedin' perch