John Murtough Sack Watch

[golden_blunder]

It was a very interesting discussion, and highlighted that while he wasn’t experienced or suited to the FD role, he actually did a lot of good for the club in previous roles and the youth system will be his defining legacy. It was also an interesting point that he built his network from scratch, where as established DoFs have years of contacts built up already.

You can understand why stuff took so long and why the club is rinsed time and time again. Not necessarily a poor operator, just someone out of his depth. That’s on the owners and CEO at the time.

All this ‘good riddance’ and ‘useless’ talk is harsh in the extreme and quite unnecessary. The bloke did his best, wasn’t good enough and can move on with our best wishes.

Spot on. Good luck to him

 

[Pscholes18]

What happened with him and Nicky Butt?

 

[justsomebloke]

It was a very interesting discussion, and highlighted that while he wasn’t experienced or suited to the FD role, he actually did a lot of good for the club in previous roles and the youth system will be his defining legacy. It was also an interesting point that he built his network from scratch, where as established DoFs have years of contacts built up already.

You can understand why stuff took so long and why the club is rinsed time and time again. Not necessarily a poor operator, just someone out of his depth. That’s on the owners and CEO at the time.

All this ‘good riddance’ and ‘useless’ talk is harsh in the extreme and quite unnecessary. The bloke did his best, wasn’t good enough and can move on with our best wishes.

Extraordinarily, you seem to consider the description you give of him as meriting a more favorable view of the job he's done as DoF. But if he was exactly as you describe him, then talk of "good riddance" is not "harsh in the extreme" at all. It's spot on. For a club like this to have a DoF that did his best but was ultimately out of his depth is a fecking scandal.

 

[devilish]

What happened with him and Nicky Butt?

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/f...s-left-Man-United-2021-Salford-Citys-CEO.html

 

[Plant0x84]

Extraordinarily, you seem to consider the description you give of him as meriting a more favorable view of the job he's done as DoF. But if he was exactly as you describe him, then talk of "good riddance" is not "harsh in the extreme" at all. It's spot on. For a club like this to have a DoF that did his best but was ultimately out of his depth is a fecking scandal.

Point being (as per my post) that it wasn’t his fault he was promoted to a potion he had no business being in by Woodward.

His appointment as FD was largely a distraction to placate fans who have been baying for years about modernising the structure. It’s the same reason Fletcher has his stupid misleading job title.

Woodward was never interested in a proper DoF because he wanted to maintain control and power over the club. Remember, Murtough was only given autonomy over football decisions when Arnold replaced Woodward.

You are also ignorant to the good Murtough did in his previous roles at the club. He was someone who worked tirelessly to improve and further the club, and he should be congratulated for that.

 

[justsomebloke]

Point being (as per my post) that it wasn’t his fault he was promoted to a potion he had no business being in by Woodward.

His appointment as FD was largely a distraction to placate fans who have been baying for years about modernising the structure. It’s the same reason Fletcher has his stupid misleading job title.

Woodward was never interested in a proper DoF because he wanted to maintain control and power over the club. Remember, Murtough was only given autonomy over football decisions when Arnold replaced Woodward.

You are also ignorant to the good Murtough did in his previous roles at the club. He was someone who worked tirelessly to improve and further the club, and he should be congratulated for that.

What, he was pushed into the DoF position against his will, and has no responsibility for his performance? In any case. None of that has any bearing on his being useless as a DoF, or on his departure being a case of good riddance. So that's really not much of a point.

 

[Tom Van Persie]

What happened with him and Nicky Butt?

https://theathletic.com/5151315/2023/12/22/manchester-united-fotball-news-transfers/

In July 2019 Nicky Butt switched from head of academy to a newly created position as head of first-team development, with Nick Cox taking over the running of the youth department. This happened after a blazing row between Butt and Murtough in the canteen at Carrington.

The pair had long had disagreements on various issues, but matters erupted when Butt discovered Murtough told a colleague he planned to move him out of his position by the end of the season. Butt was furious at what he saw as a secret plot.

Murtough declined to comment for this article. Those close to him dispute the severity of the argument but acknowledge that tensions arose from what they describe as a misunderstanding over a proposed reorganisation of academy administration in which Butt would still have had a role. Murtough has told colleagues of his respect for Butt and his sadness at the breakdown in relations.

Butt was adamant though. He had recognised Cox’s abilities suited the requirements of a head of academy more than his and was happy to vacate the job, but he regarded Murtough determining the move without his input as hugely disrespectful. Butt told Murtough this during a heated altercation, finishing by stating he wanted no further communication and walking off. Murtough followed in pursuit to give his arguments.

 

[McGrathsipan]

Time to change thread title

 

[AneRu]

Point being (as per my post) that it wasn’t his fault he was promoted to a potion he had no business being in by Woodward.

His appointment as FD was largely a distraction to placate fans who have been baying for years about modernising the structure. It’s the same reason Fletcher has his stupid misleading job title.

Woodward was never interested in a proper DoF because he wanted to maintain control and power over the club. Remember, Murtough was only given autonomy over football decisions when Arnold replaced Woodward.

You are also ignorant to the good Murtough did in his previous roles at the club. He was someone who worked tirelessly to improve and further the club, and he should be congratulated for that.

I think you misdiagnose the issues a bit, he could have been a success as he has led the club in identifying and signing some of the best young players who are making impressions at first team level. Even the thought process behind signing ETH was correct, under Woodward we would have gone for Pochettino and be as fecked as Chelsea are.

Where he went wrong, in my view, was in abdicating his responsibilities for first team recruitment to ETH and not trusted his scouts more. He should have been firmer with ETH and told him no on the Antony deal for example. ETH didn't run recruitment at Ajax, we took him up several levels from the Dutch League to the PL and then gave him more responsibility than he had at Ajax! Who does that? If he had avoided the Antony mistake most probably the Casemiro one doesn't look as bad because he'd have had funds to bolster the team in other areas.

This job is not as tough as its being made out to be if one exercises good judgement and is cautious. You have scouts working across the globe bringing you a variety of options, you immediately get many contacts on appointment and all you need to do is make the right calls to protect your club. It's a huge missed opportunity for him, he was over promoted beyond his track record but he can only blame himself for failing.

 

[vanderpants]

The funny thing is, all staff received an email asking for a contribution for him leaving, I'm sure he's not short of a few quid!