Manchester United name John Murtough as Football Director and Darren Fletcher as Technical Director

[Fox outside the box]

What even is this guy?? Quick and efficient business so far and those signings are actually top players. It shows how awful we were when Ed took in charge.

But Ed wasn't in charge in that way? My understanding of the setup was that Matt Judge was (and still is) the guy who does the negotiating. So it's the same guy in place, Sancho should have been easier to do as we had the buy in from the player already from last year and Varane seems partly due to circumstance. Zidane leaving, last year of his contract etc.

People will tend to go with what they like or want to believe though. So that means villifying and making heroes of people when really, things tend to be somewhere in between.

 

[DJ_21]

This guy is showing Ed Woodward up! This is how it needs to be done and we can tell that this guy is good at his job! We’re actually signing the players we want and are doing it by reducing the price down. Can’t fault murtough and fletcher, the job there doing is brilliant! Keep it up lads

 

[UNITED ACADEMY]

But Ed wasn't in charge in that way? My understanding of the setup was that Matt Judge was (and still is) the guy who does the negotiating. So it's the same guy in place, Sancho should have been easier to do as we had the buy in from the player already from last year and Varane seems partly due to circumstance. Zidane leaving, last year of his contract etc.

People will tend to go with what they like or want to believe though. So that means villifying and making heroes of people when really, things tend to be somewhere in between.

It's transfer strategy mate not the transfer negotiation or even the value. We saw Varane situation and we went for him quick and not even trying to wait for last of the week of the window, we also already made quick and early contact with players/agents like Camavinga and Goretzka (doesn't mean we are signing them but it shows the club know what to do to spot good business). It seems it's been planned very well this summer while in the past I don't think we knew what we were doing and it was mess and end up as panic under Ed.

 

[Blood Mage]

Still early days but so far he seems much more efficient than Woodward. If he can land a top midfielder before the window shuts this is our best window since 2007.

 

[JPRouve]

@Idxomer Murtough is at the club and the only football executive since 2013. What triggers me is how people changed the narrative based on a title, you would think that it's not the same three none manager people(Woodward, Murtough and Judge) that we have had since 2013. The actual difference is that Ole isn't demanding silly players that are not available or don't suit the interests of the club.

 

[UNITED ACADEMY]

@Idxomer Murtough is at the club and the only football executive since 2013. What triggers me is how people changed the narrative based on a title, you would think that it's not the same three none manager people(Woodward, Murtough and Judge) that we have had since 2013. The actual difference is that Ole isn't demanding silly players that are not available or don't suit the interests of the club.

Murtough only dealt with the Youth and the woman's team. I had seen people posted question mark in the past why our Youth Academy seems to be well organised than the actual first team. Coincidence?

 

[Idxomer]

@Idxomer Murtough is at the club and the only football executive since 2013. What triggers me is how people changed the narrative based on a title, you would think that it's not the same three none manager people(Woodward, Murtough and Judge) that we have had since 2013. The actual difference is that Ole isn't demanding silly players that are not available or don't suit the interests of the club.

Understood and to add, this article indicates that Matt Judge is still the man negotiating the transfers.

 

[JPRouve]

Murtough only dealt with the Youth and the woman's team. I had seen people posted question mark in the past why our Youth Academy seems to be well organised than the actual first team. Coincidence?

Murtough wasn't just dealing with the Youth and Women team. According to Mitten and other previous reports he was working on all sides and was Woodward's main football advisor.

 

[Inigo Montoya]

This place does make me chuckle and not for all the right reasons.

When Murtough was promoted, it was seen as another ‘job for the boys’ appointment, we don’t know what we’re doing blah blah ..
Two signings later, it’s all on him and he’s shown Ed up

 

[UNITED ACADEMY]

Murtough wasn't just dealing with the Youth and Woman's team. According to Mitten and other previous reports he was working on all sides and was Woodward's main football advisor.

Even if it's true, being football advisor and football director is different anyway. Football advisor lacks of full control in making decision and in charged while DoF has more full control in them. The improvement is just not coincidence.

 

[el3mel]

Everything about our transfers business this window seems completely different than last several windows. Everything seems to be going smooth and in good time, no more spending the entire summer running behind one target and nothing else.

 

[JPRouve]

Even if it's true, being football advisor and football director is different anyway. Football advisor lacks of full control in making decision and in charged while DoF has more full control in them. The improvement is just not coincidence.

His actual title was head of Football development, he was an executive, he was the only full time member of the football board. And the improvements predate his nomination as a DOF we have improved our recruitment since 2019. So if you link it to Murtough being a DOF, it's not just a coincidence it's fictitious. The club started to make sense because the manager makes sense, that I believe isn't a coincidence whatever people think about Ole, he is sensible.

 

[choccy77]

It annoys me that this guy is getting credit for the Sancho deal, when it's been 18 months in the making and anyone could have finalised this at this point.

I will hold my breath on his capabilities after a year or two

 

[saivet]

It annoys me that this guy is getting credit for the Sancho deal, when it's been 18 months in the making and anyone could have finalised this at this point.

I will hold my breath on his capabilities after a year or two

It was said at the time of appointment that his impact wouldn't be seen this summer as our targets had already been identified. Woodward was said to have been instrumental in the Sancho deal and it wouldn't be a surprise if he played a big role in the Varane one too.

The new structure may be brilliant but like you say way too soon to be heaping praise on them.

 

[hungrywing]

All of the wow-he's-doing-so-well posts. (And he is, to be fair)

It'll sadly always be almost funny how people don't (and won't ever) realize just how bad Woodward was for the club. Mere competence looks like sheer brilliance in comparison.

Almost as almost-funny as the people hearing 'Woodward was the point of contact' and thinking that means 'instrumental' or 'heavily involved'.

 

[JPRouve]

All of the wow-he's-doing-so-well posts. (And he is, to be fair)

It'll sadly always be almost funny how people don't (and won't ever) realize just how bad Woodward was for the club. Mere competence looks like sheer brilliance in comparison.

Almost as almost-funny as the people hearing 'Woodward was the point of contact' and thinking that means 'instrumental' or 'heavily involved'.

By all account Murtough is supposed to be competent and respected, it was the case before he joined United and has seemingly been the case since 2013 but there is nothing in this transfer window that could be described as new. It's not better or different to summer 2016 or 2017.

 

[peridigm]

Needs a nickname. How about a the Butcher.

 

[Pexbo]

Bet we end up signing Haaland and Bellingham in a joint deal worth £70m next summer.

 

[Inigo Montoya]

It annoys me that this guy is getting credit for the Sancho deal, when it's been 18 months in the making and anyone could have finalised this at this point.

I will hold my breath on his capabilities after a year or two

Read @JPRouve above and below then hopefully it shouldn’t annoy you as he’s been working behind the scenes for years. He didn’t suddenly turn up and hack the transfers

 

[Inigo Montoya]

Needs a nickname. How about a the Butcher.

Thiago A will sue for copyright

 

[Inigo Montoya]

Bet we end up signing Haaland and Bellingham in a joint deal worth £70m next summer.

Keep taking the hallucinogenics

 

[choccy77]

Read @JPRouve above and below then hopefully it shouldn’t annoy you as he’s been working behind the scenes for years. He didn’t suddenly turn up and hack the transfers

Yes, I know he has been at United, but not involved in the way his new position is meant to be played out.

Otherwise, he is just as bad as Woodward for all of our past mistakes and failures.

 

[Inigo Montoya]

Yes, I know he has been at United, but not involved in the way his new position is meant to be played out.

Otherwise, he is just as bad as Woodward for all of our past mistakes and failures.

Yes of course these transfers have happened with little or no input from him. That’s how it works in corporations

 

[JJ12]

Murtough wasn't just dealing with the Youth and Women team. According to Mitten and other previous reports he was working on all sides and was Woodward's main football advisor.

So what has changed in his role then?

 

[hungrywing]

By all account Murtough is supposed to be competent and respected, it was the case before he joined United and has seemingly been the case since 2013 but there is nothing in this transfer window that could be described as new. It's not better or different to summer 2016 or 2017.

You don't feel there's a bit more structure behind the transfers?

I think all the people who are ebullient do have a leg to stand on in comparison to those years.

 

[Poborsky's hair]

Crazy amount of nonsesnse spread over this thread. We all should be positive but the immense financial power and covid times helped us in this transfer window massively.

 

[tomaldinho1]

@Idxomer Murtough is at the club and the only football executive since 2013. What triggers me is how people changed the narrative based on a title, you would think that it's not the same three none manager people(Woodward, Murtough and Judge) that we have had since 2013. The actual difference is that Ole isn't demanding silly players that are not available or don't suit the interests of the club.

Pretty sure it's more that Dortmund and Real have been ravaged financially by covid. We went for Sancho last season and offered them £90m.

Woodward was a bit of a meme with all his weird noodle deals but there's a reason we have a lot of money to spend and Real, an absolute giant in world football, are screwed. United are a well run business.

 

[Hal9000]

I'll wait till next season to judge...

We're coming off a pandemic and clubs are struggling for cash. Dortmund almost couldn't afford to not sell Sancho this year, they would of got even less next year with one year left.. and Real couldn't afford to not sell Verane as they need a rebuild and he's obviously not wanting to resign. They are great signings but we're taking advantage of other clubs positions after the pandemic (something ole and ed both said we would do). The camavinga links are the same... But I guess that's the market now...

The club is also still trying to buy some good will after the super league fiasco.

It'll be interesting next year when Cavani inevitable leaves and we need a striker or someone to replace Pogba..

 

[ROFLUTION]

I'll wait till next season to judge...

We're coming off a pandemic and clubs are struggling for cash. Dortmund almost couldn't afford to not sell Sancho this year, they would of got even less next year with one year left.. and Real couldn't afford to not sell Verane as they need a rebuild and he's obviously not wanting to resign. They are great signings but we're taking advantage of other clubs positions after the pandemic (something ole and ed both said we would do). The camavinga links are the same... But I guess that's the market now...

The club is also still trying to buy some good will after the super league fiasco.

It'll be interesting next year when Cavani inevitable leaves and we need a striker or someone to replace Pogba..

It also takes leadership to target the right big players that can be attained in these situations, so that should be judged too.

 

[KM]

There's undoubtedly a clear strategy in this window which seemed to be lacking last season in the window.

And given this is Murtough's transfer window in the position of power, I think it's fair that he's been given some credit.

Also let's not Evra infamous interview where he said that a player said to him that United sent banker to convince him to play for United, that's where Flercher comes in.

 

[JPRouve]

You don't feel there's a bit more structure behind the transfers?

I think all the people who are ebullient do have a leg to stand on in comparison to those years.

No. What kind of structure are you seeing? We have signed a player that we wanted last summer for the price that we were allegedlinh willing to pay last summer and we are signing a player that we wanted in the past when he is on his way out due to his own wishes.

I see positive results(which isn't a first) but I don't see a particular structure behind the transfers. I don't even know what it is suppposed to mean.

 

[JPRouve]

Pretty sure it's more that Dortmund and Real have been ravaged financially by covid. We went for Sancho last season and offered them £90m.

Woodward was a bit of a meme with all his weird noodle deals but there's a reason we have a lot of money to spend and Real, an absolute giant in world football, are screwed. United are a well run business.

Real aren't screwed, they are making a tone of money themselves and more than United. They simply decided to invest in their infrastructure in the last years. Don't listen too much to Perez lame excuse for his greed.

 

[UnitedSofa]

Understood and to add, this article indicates that Matt Judge is still the man negotiating the transfers.

"Matt Judge still the point of contact to discuss a prospective target's terms."

Judge is the guy who deals with player contracts

Murtough is the main POC between clubs and agents, so the personal terms etc etc is negotiated by Judge and the fee is negotiated by Murtough

 

[JPRouve]

So what has changed in his role then?

For the moment the title and the fact that he isn't doing his job in the back office anymore. Realistically we will only see the fruits of his work over time, according to the club he isn't supposed to be a traditional DOF but a watered down version.

 

[Idxomer]

"Matt Judge still the point of contact to discuss a prospective target's terms."

Judge is the guy who deals with player contracts

Murtough is the main POC between clubs and agents, so the personal terms etc etc is negotiated by Judge and the fee is negotiated by Murtough

Tweet

— Twitter API (@user) date

 

[Escobar]

Whoever is in charge or not, it is obvious that we improved and doing smart business. Long may it continue

 

[Adnan]

He's done a superb job thus far and I'm not even talking about the signings of Sancho and potentially Varane. He's completely revamped the academy, scouting and created from scratch a data analysis department, which has given the club the foundations to be more thorough in identifying talent.

I know many on here can't look past the first team. But if one looks at it holistically, then he's done a brilliant job in putting in place mechanisms which have culminated in us now having several recruitment divisions covering the entire globe when it comes to identifying talent and also a analytics department which Murtough created from scratch which created roles for several individuals which is headed by Mick Court.

 

[wolvored]

Hes not just tough...hes Murtough!

 

[dove]

Murtough getting all the credit although apparently it's not even him who is negotiating the transfers at least for Sancho and Varane

 

[horsechoker]

Murtough right now