Telegraph: Gary Neville calls for Ed Woodward to be sacked for Manchester United's 'unforgivable' recruitment

Lentwood

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That's because we didn't sign our contracts at the same time, this happens every single time and some people always freak out.
We were one of, if not THE most marketable clubs in the world when Ed took over. We are slowly but surely slipping down the list. I understand your point about signing deals at different times but I’m not sure that’s quite what’s happening here.
 

The Irish Connection

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About time he started criticizing the owners, Woodward and co. It’s shocking how recruitment has been managed. We actually need to spend another 2-300 million to get where we need to be, so I don’t care about the amount we’ve spent. Pogba cost 1/8th of the 800m and he’s one of the only proper world class players we’ve bought since Fergie left. The rest were average quality. If you want top players you have to pay the money or go for average bargain bin players.
The bare minimum required for January and the summer is 4 top players in. Right winger, striker, attacking midfielder and defensive midfielder.
But I doubt we will do enough.
 

The Irish Connection

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The lad Matt judge should be called out too. Our contract and transfer negotiations have be appalling for years as well.
 

Jim Beam

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The Bucs are in an historicall bad franchise and only had success with the Glazers. They also missed the playoff due to the strength of their division with records that would have seen them reach it in others divisions. Also Tampa season ticket prices are in the NFL bottom half.
First sentence is a bit weird. They've been shit before, so it is not their fault. Guess you can say Knicks fans should shut up about current ownership as they have been shit for so long.
Second and very important, they had success under Malcolm and hugely underwhelming since he passed which brought the narrative of his family being the one incapable to produce or have any understanding when it comes to actual success having what their father left them. They have been shit for Tampa Bay, they have been shit for us. Now, I couldn't care less about Tampa, but it is worrying at least. Glazers have spent money, a lot of it, but the manner in which they did reeks of just sheer incompetence. The fact they remain status quo in terms of Ed and running of the club also indicates they are more into annual reports and numbers then what is actually happening with the team.
 

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We were one of, if not THE most marketable clubs in the world when Ed took over. We are slowly but surely slipping down the list. I understand your point about signing deals at different times but I’m not sure that’s quite what’s happening here.

Just an example based on Deloitte in 2011 United commercial deals represented 99m€, Real Madrid's 150m€, Barcelona's 122m€ and Bayern 173m. We have never been the most marketable club in the world.
 

JPRouve

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First sentence is a bit weird. They've been shit before, so it is not their fault. Guess you can say Knicks fans should shut up about current ownership as they have been shit for so long.
Second and very important, they had success under Malcolm and hugely underwhelming since he passed which brought the narrative of his family being the one incapable to produce or have any understanding when it comes to actual success having what their father left them. They have been shit for Tampa Bay, they have been shit for us. Now, I couldn't care less about Tampa, but it is worrying at least. Glazers have spent money, a lot of it, but the manner in which they did reeks of just sheer incompetence. The fact they remain status quo in terms of Ed and running of the club also indicates they are more into annual reports and numbers then what is actually happening with the team.
The first sentence is to answer the idea that they destroyed Tampa which is often said and wrong. Regarding the rest of your post first the NFL is built to not allow teams to stay at the top, few teams did it. An other point Tampa aren't shit, they have actually been pretty close to very good teams, the issue is that they are in a division that has been particularly difficult this decade and they also have had some terrible luck with injuries to key player and some suspensions.

On the Dolan comparison, Tampa isn't New York, the NFL isn't the NBA and Tampa has been below average but not one of the worst over the last 15 years.
 

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I’ll be surprised if Neville is not saying this without an off the record discussion with Ole about Woodward and what it’s really like behind the scenes at United currently.
 

RedCoffee

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It's a perfectly valid argument that Neville has put forward but very badly timed.
It's a kick in the teeth to the current young players and Solskjaer who are finding their feet at the club and it's not of their making.
The comments will breed nothing but negativity right to the end of the season and probably become a self fulfilling prophecy.
This is exactly how Liverpool lost the plot all those years ago and Neville should have held back until May in my opinion.
 

Jim Beam

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The first sentence is to answer the idea that they destroyed Tampa which is often said and wrong. Regarding the rest of your post first the NFL is built to not allow teams to stay at the top, few teams did it. An other point Tampa aren't shit, they have actually been pretty close to very good teams, the issue is that they are in a division that has been particularly difficult this decade and they also have had some terrible luck with injuries to key player and some suspensions.

On the Dolan comparison, Tampa isn't New York, the NFL isn't the NBA and Tampa has been below average but not one of the worst over the last 15 years.
Fair enough about first sentence.

I get you are more into NFL then me, but why is there so much annoyance with them there? I never said they are worst, but they are far from good either. What is the difference in NFL? Scouting system enables you to discover some hidden gems and you build a team uppon restrictions not known in football. If anything that points to ownership of the club being the most important part. Our stature and money we have is even more damning for them as they can beat most clubs. There are so many blunders in last 7 years and nothing changes. People are rightly asking whether they even care for a football success. Sacking Ed or putting him in a more reserved role would be done by any owner so far looking how he handles transfer business.

People pointing we just need to find a right manager are only partly right. We need an absolute best if he is to succeed here and mask what is in the background. We also need a manager who will take pretty much everything upon himself which limits our chances for success.
 

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But its Woodward who refuses to shield himself from this. He is the one refusing to get in DOF, who would pretty much get all the blame.

I will never understamd why he doesnt want a DOF.
To be fair, we don’t really know what the deal with that is. But yeah, he’s culpable for it either way.
 

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The lad Matt judge should be called out too. Our contract and transfer negotiations have be appalling for years as well.
Long-winded and pointless.
Matt Judge , just like Woodward, has little or no qualifications for the job at United, he was an investment banker for 13 years and now he is our chief negotiator.
He went to the same university as Woodward and perhaps that was good enough for Ed to hire him.
 

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Matt Judge , just like Woodward, has little or no qualifications for the job at United, he was an investment banker for 13 years and now he is our chief negotiator.
He went to the same university as Woodward and perhaps that was good enough for Ed to hire him.
Copied from the MEN but assuming it's legit. Just love the way he drops the line at the end. You would think he's a City banker.

This quote is from the biography on Judge's LinkedIn page:

"Managing Manchester United's equity and debt capital structure – three equity offerings incl the IPO, totalling over $450m; and three debt refinancings ($1bn+) – debt private placement, term-loan and RCF.

Also player negotiations (transfers and playing contracts)."
 

Eddy_JukeZ

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He'll never be sacked under the Glazers.

We need to get bought out by someone for Woodward and Judge to be sacked.
 

JPRouve

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Fair enough about first sentence.

I get you are more into NFL then me, but why is there so much annoyance with them there? I never said they are worst, but they are far from good either. What is the difference in NFL? Scouting system enables you to discover some hidden gems and you build a team uppon restrictions not known in football. If anything that points to ownership of the club being the most important part. Our stature and money we have is even more damning for them as they can beat most clubs. There are so many blunders in last 7 years and nothing changes. People are rightly asking whether they even care for a football success. Sacking Ed or putting him in a more reserved role would be done by any owner so far looking how he handles transfer business.

People pointing we just need to find a right manager are only partly right. We need an absolute best if he is to succeed here and mask what is in the background. We also need a manager who will take pretty much everything upon himself which limits our chances for success.
NFL fanbases have the habits of melting down (you should see Vikings fans in the last weeks) and in the case of Tampa, they watched the other teams in their division do very well in the last years, they themselves have been competitive against these teams with many one score losses while having a few key injuries and bad QBs. And you didn't say that Tampa were the on of the worst but you compared them to the Knicks who are one of the worst in a more attractive market and in a sport where you can actually build a super team because they have a soft cap. Also far from good is what most NFL franchises are, it's mainly down to who has a franchise QB.
.
And I'm all for sacking Woodward, we just don't have to go into weird territories to justify it
 

Jostein Hjorteset

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Just an example based on Deloitte in 2011 United commercial deals represented 99m€, Real Madrid's 150m€, Barcelona's 122m€ and Bayern 173m. We have never been the most marketable club in the world.
Well that just makes the point clearer. Woodward has been floating on the brand created by sir Ferguson's success and just been catching up on the marketing value of evenly rated clubs. He has not done anything special.
 

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I’ll be surprised if Neville is not saying this without an off the record discussion with Ole about Woodward and what it’s really like behind the scenes at United currently.
Yeah that's what I was thinking. He's reluctant to rock the boat for Ole and Ole is reluctant to go down the Mourinho public negativity route so might be the compromise.
 

Jim Beam

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NFL fanbases have the habits of melting down (you should see Vikings fans in the last weeks) and in the case of Tampa, they watched the other teams in their division do very well in the last years, they themselves have been competitive against these teams with many one score losses while having a few key injuries and bad QBs. And you didn't say that Tampa were the on of the worst but you compared them to the Knicks who are one of the worst in a more attractive market and in a sport where you can actually build a super team because they have a soft cap. Also far from good is what most NFL franchises are, it's mainly down to who has a franchise QB.
.
And I'm all for sacking Woodward, we just don't have to go into weird territories to justify it
Nah, was more pointing at that line about being a historical bad franchise which has nothing to do with their work there which should be looked in a separate way. But, that is just semantics really. The fact is that Glazers after Malcolm don't have any great success and are average here and there. Yeah, managers are to blame, but you gave them so much power all in different directions and with that we end up with this team now. Am all for giving patience, but I very much doubt we are on some grand master plan to be back.

Every fan base has a habit of melting down if they are not successful. As much as I appreciated balanced views on the forum (as they are rare) this looks more like a shitshow, then the execution of that plan for now. Actually, considering we don't have Pogba and Ole is novice in a top job he even doesn't look so bad as it is pointed here. Would rather be with him, then go through that Jose phase of melting again. But ffs, put a proper DoF behind him to give him some help as you promised.

And I agree we don't need to go to Tampa issue to justify Ed sacking. That team put in front of Liverpool is a disgrace as Gary said considering how much is invested. I really hope fans get on his back as that could change things.

The worst thing in all this is that you have one of best DoF-s in modern football in Ralf Rangnick who apparently is interested in job. Tampa need a QB, we need a DoF, one of very best is available. Let's see if they even think about it.
 

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I’ll be surprised if Neville is not saying this without an off the record discussion with Ole about Woodward and what it’s really like behind the scenes at United currently.
Good point.

feck Ed Woodward. It's almost the end of January and we've not gotten any transfers over the line.

Rashford's probably out for the season, McTominay has been out for a long time and Paul Pogba's nowhere to be seen.

We started the season very light in terms of the squad and yet, we still are dithering on transfers.
 

JPRouve

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Nah, was more pointing at that line about being a historical bad franchise which has nothing to do with their work there which should be looked in a separate way. But, that is just semantics really. The fact is that Glazers after Malcolm don't have any great success and are average here and there. Yeah, managers are to blame, but you gave them so much power all in different directions and with that we end up with this team now. Am all for giving patience, but I very much doubt we are on some grand master plan to be back.

Every fan base has a habit of melting down if they are not successful. As much as I appreciated balanced views on the forum (as they are rare) this looks more like a shitshow, then the execution of that plan for now. Actually, considering we don't have Pogba and Ole is novice in a top job he even doesn't look so bad as it is pointed here. Would rather be with him, then go through that Jose phase of melting again. But ffs, put a proper DoF behind him to give him some help as you promised.

And I agree we don't need to go to Tampa issue to justify Ed sacking. That team put in front of Liverpool is a disgrace as Gary said considering how much is invested. I really hope fans get on his back as that could change things.

The worst thing in all this is that you have one of best DoF-s in modern football in Ralf Rangnick who apparently is interested in job. Tampa need a QB, we need a DoF, one of very best is available. Let's see if they even think about it.
I'm not really sure about what to say here. I have been critical of the Glazers and Woodward. I simply disagreed with the ridiculous mention of Tampa and I doubt that Tampa will fix their QB issues any time soon, there is no one in free agency and they pick to high in the draft.

But I have one thing to say about Rangnick, people keep mentioning him but it's important to remember that he has never operated at a club with United's ambition, there is no guarantee that he actually can do it because he would have to change his philosophy and target players that are more polished and more expensive, when he has mainly operated in the same area Campos does which relies a lot on quantity and excellent coaching of young players.
 

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Only wild protests will get him out, but our fans are't really willing or organised enough to put much together at OT.
 

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Would love David Gill back in charge. He’s had his fun with the FA and FIFA time to remove this Usurper.
 

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Would love David Gill back in charge. He’s had his fun with the FA and FIFA time to remove this Usurper.
So we can moan about not spending money again? No thanks. He just about sanctioned the De Gea transfer.
 

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Ed is a great CEO. United is a great business. He said it himself on that investor call: "performance on the pitch has little effect on financial performance" or words to that effect. Those words may come back to haunt him, but not enough to get him sacked. He's a rich investment banker playing real life fantasy football manager with our club. He needs to go and soon. But, he won't as long as the Glazers can keep pulling out multi million dollar "consultancy fees" for the sterling work they do advising the business that is Manchester United PLC on, well on nothing probably, then Ed will stick around. Sign Alexis Sanchez to the maddest contract in football history, appoint has beens Van Gaal and Mourinho, but do a great sponsorship deal with a company that makes mattresses - a great strategic fit that one. We are at the point now that Pogba seems to want out and I'll bet that the number who want in are dwindling, with the exception of anyone who wants a massive pay rise but probably doesn't really warrant it. Where will we be in 5 years if Ed sticks around? I dread to think, but somewhere deep down I hope it's in The Championship prompting the Glazers to finally sell out (at a massive profit regardless) and Ed to finally lose his job.
 

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So we can moan about not spending money again? No thanks. He just about sanctioned the De Gea transfer.
A big part of me always thought it was Fergie being stubborn with the whole “no value in the market“ thing and not Gill.
 

Dans

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Oh, and stop buying merchandise, subscribing to MUTV and, sorry to say it, renewing season tickets.
 

Jim Beam

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I'm not really sure about what to say here. I have been critical of the Glazers and Woodward. I simply disagreed with the ridiculous mention of Tampa and I doubt that Tampa will fix their QB issues any time soon, there is no one in free agency and they pick to high in the draft.

But I have one thing to say about Rangnick, people keep mentioning him but it's important to remember that he has never operated at a club with United's ambition, there is no guarantee that he actually can do it because he would have to change his philosophy and target players that are more polished and more expensive, when he has mainly operated in the same area Campos does which relies a lot on quantity and excellent coaching of young players.
...Because some of the issues I mentioned is me having enough with this board and venting, so don't mind.

There are no guarantees in anything. Klopp had question marks all over after his 2nd season. Rangnick built a progressive RB side and then Leipzig which is impressive as you can get. What is United ambition btw? Put an identity and stop going all over the place in terms of playing style would be my answer. Rangnick will do that. We targeted all expensive players we could, Rangnick will put an emphasis on playing style and only after that on players wheater they cost 10 or 60 million. There is no one with such credentials out there. And atm, we are not a club with a clear ambition and set goals, we need an expert on football side of things and he is the absolute best you can get.

We can of course hire Fletcher and get him 5 years to grow into the role.

I could be wrong of course, but Ed continuing in this role is pretty much unsustainable (that is if Ole doesn't succeed, happy to eat my words if they pull us back together)
 

Mainoldo

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A big part of me always thought it was Fergie being stubborn with the whole “no value in the market“ thing and not Gill.
Both protecting the books. But hardly anything knew. Woodward has just had the opportunity to be responsible for a war chest and wasted it.
 

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Both protecting the books. But hardly anything knew. Woodward has just had the opportunity to be responsible for a war chest and wasted it.
Any idea who it is that negotiates the deals? was Under the impression that Woodward just sanctioned the deals now and Matt Judge is negotiating but could be complete bs.
 

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Working for Utd must be great, huge salaries that have little relation to your competence or ability, pay rises even if you are rubbish and no accountability.
 

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I think the biggest criticism of Woodward is the recruitment of managers, when they sign a manager they support him financially but signings like sanchez etc on huge money have fecked the culture at the club, think they realise the mistake in that and went with Ole but there will still be huge portions of the fan base that want quick big signings while I think Ole will not do and be patient, we were sniffing eriksen and dybala in the Summer, typical signing from previous years we would have thrown stupid money at but I think Ole pulled the plug because there was no real motivation from the players to be here bar the money.
 

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I've said it before and I'll say it again; there's nothing impressive about getting money rich companies who have little sense to give you cash based on an already existing football "brand". The only thing he's done is increase the point where we say "maybe we're whoring ourselves out now".
 

Bebestation

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He will just use pochettino as a way of staying at the club longer.
 

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Is it the biggest case of incompetence in recent footballing memory? I know some clubs go under due to idiots in charge but when you think about how this club, the most famous and supported football club in the world with all the resources with it, have spent £850m and our squad is as shite as it is...mental what a bad job he’s done. Almost impressive.
 

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He's not wrong about the wage bill but it's interesting he's lobbying for Woodward to be sacked when he's usually so strong in his stance that he doesn't want to talk anyone out of a job on TV.
 

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Although I highly duspect Neville is coming out with this to shine a bit of the blame/light away from his mate in the managers chair,it's about high time thatvsome influential voices around the club went public with what fans and anyone with half a brain have been saying for years.

Woodward should never have any say in any non-financial related matter at the club, ever
 

The Irish Connection

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Matt Judge , just like Woodward, has little or no qualifications for the job at United, he was an investment banker for 13 years and now he is our chief negotiator.
He went to the same university as Woodward and perhaps that was good enough for Ed to hire him.
Shocking. The fact that there are good directors of football/heads of recruitment like Campos out there who have great CVs and are at relatively small clubs and we haven’t hired them is mind boggling.
And that story posted about the Celtic physio isn’t surprising.