Ed Woodward 2019 - Until all Arctic ice melts edition

AshRK

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Why do you believe that Woodward is opposed to the idea of a director of football (or similar solution)
The fact that we have not appointed one is a good indication. We have been in need of a football director since Moyes got sacked and yet here we are after 5 years and still no DoF.
 

UncleBob

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The fact that we have not appointed one is a good indication. We have been in need of a football director since Moyes got sacked and yet here we are after 5 years and still no DoF.
Was Gill against one as well due to being <insert quote about Woodward>

Also a bit difficult to hire a DoF while Mourinho was around.
 

RooneyLegend

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Was Gill against one as well due to being <insert quote about Woodward>

Also a bit difficult to hire a DoF while Mourinho was around.
You can't hire a DOF while you have Sir Alex in charge, he is the DOF.

Mourinho is far from that. Hes worked under those conditions for pretty his whole career.
 

Johan07

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You're arguing against yourself here, funnily enough
Lot of funny stuff in this thread. Its probably safe to say that Woodward is one of the progressive elements at the club that does want to appoint a DoF. The appointment of Mourinho stalled that, because regardless what is being stated in this thread there is no way Mourinho would have agreed to work under a DoF. It was the all-powerful Sir Alex position he wanted to begin with and what attracted him to United. We will see a DoF/technical director before new year I am sure. Dont think it will make such a big difference that people seem to believe though.
 

Amir

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Why do you believe that Woodward is opposed to the idea of a director of football (or similar solution)
I don't actually think Woodward is opposed to having a DOF. I firmly believe we were going to appoint one after Mourinho - until Solskjaer's succeeded "too much" and Woodward, figuring we hit the jackpot, went for the easy solution which was to keep things as they were, more or less, with the manager being the head of the football department.
 

Johan07

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If Woodward had the option to meet a player's agent to bring a top player here and on the same day a company wants to meet him for a new shiny sponsorship deal, what would be choose? :smirk:
Neither, since Matt Judge would take the first meeting and Richard Arnold the second. What it is with you people? Woodward has had nothing do with the commercial side of things since he was promoted to CEO. Arnold got his old job and is handling that. And he is just not involved in day-to-day transfer negotiations either. Thats Judge´s area.
Do you even know what a CEO does?
 

Infra-red

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Lot of funny stuff in this thread. Its probably safe to say that Woodward is one of the progressive elements at the club that does want to appoint a DoF. The appointment of Mourinho stalled that, because regardless what is being stated in this thread there is no way Mourinho would have agreed to work under a DoF. It was the all-powerful Sir Alex position he wanted to begin with and what attracted him to United. We will see a DoF/technical director before new year I am sure. Dont think it will make such a big difference that people seem to believe though.
Mourinho reportedly suggested Luis Campos for the role, who he had previously worked with at Madrid. That was rejected by Woodward/the club. Campos is now being linked with Barcelona & Milan.
 

Johan07

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Mourinho reportedly suggested Luis Campos for the role, who he had previously worked with at Madrid. That was rejected by Woodward/the club. Campos is now being linked with Barcelona & Milan.
That is hearsay.
On the other hand, I would not completely disregard it. Campos is a Mendes chronie like Mourinho and if Mourinho did suggest that I applaud the club for rejecting it. It would only have had enforced Mourinhos and Mendes hold over the club.
Mourinho had no interest in working with the clubs own scouting network that was developed for quite a bit of cash since its non-existence when Moyes was employed.
We need a DoF/technical director that can integrate the clubs youth and scouting infrastructure to work with the manager/DoF, not what Mourinho was doing. So that its a viable long-term and not tied to one manager and one agent, which was essentially what Mourinho was up to.
 

UncleBob

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You start off arguing that Woodward is basically incompetent because he's been in charge for 6 years and still hasn't hired a DoF, then you argue that the need for a DoF depends on the manager...

It's hardly difficult to understand that we didn't go for a DoF right after Fergie and Gill departed, the main priority was identifying the right manager to take over from Fergie and someone to take over for Gill, considering Fergies involvement it's not unlikely that a DoF was never suggested by any of those involved. We also ended up with Moyes, who likes to spend a lot of time identifying the right players to sign, so it's unlikely that he would've suggested the need for such a role at the club. Van Gaal, not sure. Mourinho loathes them.

It's essential to understand that there's not really a right or wrong here, we can hire a DoF and it can still go tits up. I assume that there weren't many in here that hailed Liverpools transfer committee when Brendan Rodgers was there, given how well they worked together, now it's suddenly the best thing since porn on the internet. We went from a solution that worked very well under Ferguson for an extremely long time, it takes time to change how things are done at a club where the traditions were that the manager was the man.

Finding the right solution for the club takes time, personally i don't think the committee solution is such a bad idea for United, but as with everything you have to make sure that you identify the right persons for the role. People act as if we don't hire a DoF tomorrow then we're fecking doomed, as if we can't identify quality players without one, it's absurd. People need to calm down. Even when the committee/DoF position is in place, which i'm certain will happen, it'll still take time until we see the results.

It looks like Butt is getting a bigger role at United as well
 

UncleBob

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I don't actually think Woodward is opposed to having a DOF. I firmly believe we were going to appoint one after Mourinho - until Solskjaer's succeeded "too much" and Woodward, figuring we hit the jackpot, went for the easy solution which was to keep things as they were, more or less, with the manager being the head of the football department.
That makes no sense whatsoever.
 

diarm

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How in gods name does changing managers have an impact on the recruitment of a DoF?

The whole point of a DoF is to remove the upheaval caused by a change in manager. They are there to set the template by which the club is run and the recruitment and appointment of a manager is only one piece of that puzzle.
 

UncleBob

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How in gods name does changing managers have an impact on the recruitment of a DoF?

The whole point of a DoF is to remove the upheaval caused by a change in manager. They are there to set the template by which the club is run and the recruitment and appointment of a manager is only one piece of that puzzle.
The need for a DoF/committee at United has more or less presented itself due to the,eh, lack of progress since Fergie retired. It takes time to realize it, and 2 of our last 3 managers likes to identify the players the club should sign, hardly a big shock.
 

Fluctuation0161

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That is hearsay.
Yet the following is not? Come on...

Neither, since Matt Judge would take the first meeting and Richard Arnold the second. What it is with you people? Woodward has had nothing do with the commercial side of things since he was promoted to CEO. Arnold got his old job and is handling that. And he is just not involved in day-to-day transfer negotiations either. Thats Judge´s area.
Do you even know what a CEO does?
The level of delegation varies from CEO to CEO. You have no way of knowing what level of influence Woodward has over those two areas. Either way, as CEO the buck stops with him. Beyond that the owners.
 

diarm

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The need for a DoF/committee at United has more or less presented itself due to the,eh, lack of progress since Fergie retired. It takes time to realize it, and 2 of our last 3 managers likes to identify the players the club should sign, hardly a big shock.
I've been calling for it since halfway through Moyes shitshow of a reign. We should never again be left in the position where a charlatan like that gowl can have so much sway in this club. No matter how successful the manager who advocated for him was beforehand.

I love Fergie to bits, but a legend retiring of old age at the end of a long and distinguished career, is no longer the same decision maker he was at his peak. There's no shame in that - its the reason he's retiring. But the club has to be bigger and stronger and better directed than to pick a new manager that way. There have to be systems in place to prevent what's happened from happening ever again.
 

Fluctuation0161

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You start off arguing that Woodward is basically incompetent because he's been in charge for 6 years and still hasn't hired a DoF, then you argue that the need for a DoF depends on the manager...

It's hardly difficult to understand that we didn't go for a DoF right after Fergie and Gill departed, the main priority was identifying the right manager to take over from Fergie and someone to take over for Gill, considering Fergies involvement it's not unlikely that a DoF was never suggested by any of those involved. We also ended up with Moyes, who likes to spend a lot of time identifying the right players to sign, so it's unlikely that he would've suggested the need for such a role at the club. Van Gaal, not sure. Mourinho loathes them.

It's essential to understand that there's not really a right or wrong here, we can hire a DoF and it can still go tits up. I assume that there weren't many in here that hailed Liverpools transfer committee when Brendan Rodgers was there, given how well they worked together, now it's suddenly the best thing since porn on the internet. We went from a solution that worked very well under Ferguson for an extremely long time, it takes time to change how things are done at a club where the traditions were that the manager was the man.

Finding the right solution for the club takes time, personally i don't think the committee solution is such a bad idea for United, but as with everything you have to make sure that you identify the right persons for the role. People act as if we don't hire a DoF tomorrow then we're fecking doomed, as if we can't identify quality players without one, it's absurd. People need to calm down. Even when the committee/DoF position is in place, which i'm certain will happen, it'll still take time until we see the results.

It looks like Butt is getting a bigger role at United as well
To be fair, there are not many managers in the Ferguson mould any more. If us choosing not to hire a DOF relies on hiring a Fergie mk 2 then we'd better get a DOF. Things have changed and we need a degree of continuity.
 

Amir

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That makes no sense whatsoever.
I don't think so. Hiring a DOF is a big change. If Solskjaer comes in and does aswell as he did for the first couple of months, the easiest thing is to not fix something that appears to be working.
 

UncleBob

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I've been calling for it since halfway through Moyes shitshow of a reign. We should never again be left in the position where a charlatan like that gowl can have so much sway in this club. No matter how successful the manager who advocated for him was beforehand.

I love Fergie to bits, but a legend retiring of old age at the end of a long and distinguished career, is no longer the same decision maker he was at his peak. There's no shame in that - its the reason he's retiring. But the club has to be bigger and stronger and better directed than to pick a new manager that way. There have to be systems in place to prevent what's happened from happening ever again.
You generally learn how to avoid accidents by learning from something that's already happened, not foreseeing them. It's not like the intentions were for the club to fail miserably.
 

diarm

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You generally learn how to avoid accidents by learning from something that's already happened, not foreseeing them. It's not like the intentions were for the club to fail miserably.
True but didn't we have a similar period of disarray after Sir Matt stepped down?
 

elmo

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I can't believe he's supposed to be a great investment banker with how he's fecking up the clubs by saddling us with terrible contracts and actively making us worse at the same time.
 

crossy1686

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I can't believe he's supposed to be a great investment banker with how he's fecking up the clubs by saddling us with terrible contracts and actively making us worse at the same time.
I'm no Woody apologist but he's not doing that. Sanchez isn't his fault, we all were fecking lapping that up at the time. Sanchez has only himself to blame for that mess. All the contracts we're negotiating now are what we can afford to pay thanks to him reaping massive sponsorship deals for the club. I don't trust his ability to sign the players we need but when it comes to the money stuff, he's bang on.
 

elmo

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I'm no Woody apologist but he's not doing that. Sanchez isn't his fault, we all were fecking lapping that up at the time. Sanchez has only himself to blame for that mess. All the contracts we're negotiating now are what we can afford to pay thanks to him reaping massive sponsorship deals for the club. I don't trust his ability to sign the players we need but when it comes to the money stuff, he's bang on.
The massive commercial deals we're gotten because we're Manchester United, one of the biggest club in the world.

If you compare our deals with the other clubs around Europe, it's clear as hell that Woodward isn't doing anything special. The massive jump in the commercial deals coincide with the influx of money in football, Woodward's just lucky to be in charge of us while that happened and people are claiming it as his credit is just ridiculous.
 

crossy1686

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The massive commercial deals we're gotten because we're Manchester United, one of the biggest club in the world.

If you compare our deals with the other clubs around Europe, it's clear as hell that Woodward isn't doing anything special. The massive jump in the commercial deals coincide with the influx of money in football, Woodward's just lucky to be in charge of us while that happened and people are claiming it as his credit is just ridiculous.
Fancy having a go at it yourself then seeing as anyone can do it?

He wouldn't be where he is today if he wasn't good at something. It's okay to admit that while still thinking he's a cock.
 

elmo

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Fancy having a go at it yourself then seeing as anyone can do it?

He wouldn't be where he is today if he wasn't good at something. It's okay to admit that while still thinking he's a cock.
Enlighten us on what's he good at with regards to running a football club than.

He's the wrong man at the job, giving him credit for something beyond his control is just stupid. He literally hasn't done a single thing that any qualified person would do and it's bonkers that people like you are still giving him the benefit of the doubt that he'll eventually come good.
 

The Uncle of All Uncles

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I'm no Woody apologist but he's not doing that. Sanchez isn't his fault, we all were fecking lapping that up at the time. Sanchez has only himself to blame for that mess. All the contracts we're negotiating now are what we can afford to pay thanks to him reaping massive sponsorship deals for the club. I don't trust his ability to sign the players we need but when it comes to the money stuff, he's bang on.
Is there a breakdown somewhere that shows the sources of Man Utd's revenue? I'd be very interested to know how much of the ~£590m or whatever it is every year comes from sponsorship deals vs. say, TV money or match-day revenue or shirt sales, etc. Aside from Adidas or Chevrolet, I can't imagine that the pillows and noodles and tractors and all that amount to too much. I'm happy to be proven wrong though, if that's the case.
 

crossy1686

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Enlighten us on what's he good at with regards to running a football club than.

He's the wrong man at the job, giving him credit for something beyond his control is just stupid. He literally hasn't done a single thing that any qualified person would do and it's bonkers that people like you are still giving him the benefit of the doubt that he'll eventually come good.
You've assumed a hell of a lot here and dismissed the fact that someone at the head of one of the most successful commercial sports 'franchise' is there by sheer luck alone.

I never said any of those things and I also said he isn't fit to run the footballing aspect of the club. I said that he has brought in a hell of a lot of commercial deals that have seen our revenue rise over the years. If you want to ignore that, that's completely up to you.
 

crossy1686

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Is there a breakdown somewhere that shows the sources of Man Utd's revenue? I'd be very interested to know how much of the ~£590m or whatever it is every year comes from sponsorship deals vs. say, TV money or match-day revenue or shirt sales, etc. Aside from Adidas or Chevrolet, I can't imagine that the pillows and noodles and tractors and all that amount to too much. I'm happy to be proven wrong though, if that's the case.
United: €269 million-a-year (US$308.7 million) from 68 commercial deals.

Spanish champions Barcelona were close behind, with a yearly income of €261 million (US$291.5 million) – the only other club to generate more than €200 million (US$229.5 million).
 

elmo

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You've assumed a hell of a lot here and dismissed the fact that someone at the head of one of the most successful commercial sports 'franchise' is there by sheer luck alone.

I never said any of those things and I also said he isn't fit to run the footballing aspect of the club. I said that he has brought in a hell of a lot of commercial deals that have seen our revenue rise over the years. If you want to ignore that, that's completely up to you.
I'm not ignoring that. I'm just pointing out that the rise in our revenue coincided with the influx of money in football, which is why every major club in Europe has gotten loads of revenue in compared to 10 years before.

Why should Woodward get the credit for something he's not responsible for at all.
 

crossy1686

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I'm not ignoring that. I'm just pointing out that the rise in our revenue coincided with the influx of money in football, which is why every major club in Europe has gotten loads of revenue in compared to 10 years before.

Why should Woodward get the credit for something he's not responsible for at all.
No it didn't. United made €269 million-a-year (US$308.7 million) from 68 commercial deals last year. Barcelona are the only other team in the world to break the €200m mark. Our sponsorship money is more than our TV revenue. European clubs are talking about starting a super league because they get feck all from the Champions League and they haven't got the money to compete with the English teams.
 

Johan07

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No it didn't. United made €269 million-a-year (US$308.7 million) from 68 commercial deals last year. Barcelona are the only other team in the world to break the €200m mark. Our sponsorship money is more than our TV revenue. European clubs are talking about starting a super league because they get feck all from the Champions League and they haven't got the money to compete with the English teams.
Yep, and most of those deals, especially the later and more lucrative ones were struck by Richard Arnold and his team. Arnold, who now occupies the position as commercial director which once was Woodwards. Back before then Woodward had started the commercialisation of Uniteds brand and he should get credit for setting that in motion.
After Woodward was promoted to CEO in 2013 he has not been involved in that anymore. That has been all Arnold and his team.
Still this label of him still today sitting and negotiatiating noodle-sponsorships just sticks with him for some weird reason.
Woodward is the only CEO in the game that somehow manages (from certain parts of the fanbase), not getting credit for Uniteds most successful side of business development, being mocked for it at the same time; even if he doesnt even carry out the work anymore, as well as being told by the fans to concentrate on a job that he does not have anymore.
Not easy being Ed.
 

SambaBoy

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The remit of DOF's change from club to club. There is a greater responsibility for some, who will basically decide which players are signed and go out and get them with no/little input from managers.

At United, I'd imagine that OGS will have the finally say on players which is the way it should be. He will work alongside the DOF/Scouting team to discuss targets etc and they will be able to advise OGS on players and let him choose from a number of options.

Woodward should stick to the commercial side of United, he only cares about making money for United and knows little about football.
 

Fluctuation0161

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I'm no Woody apologist but he's not doing that. Sanchez isn't his fault, we all were fecking lapping that up at the time. Sanchez has only himself to blame for that mess. All the contracts we're negotiating now are what we can afford to pay thanks to him reaping massive sponsorship deals for the club. I don't trust his ability to sign the players we need but when it comes to the money stuff, he's bang on.
He's really not. Other clubs have grown more commercially than United during his reign.