The John Murtough Era

[Yakuza_devils]

Look at the history, whenever there is a change of a failed regime, all the top people need to go if you want real change to happen.

For us, Arnold and Murtough are still here. Why are we surprised that it feels like Ed is still here? Are we really expecting suddenly Arnold become top CEO and Murtough become top DOF in football world?

 

[Nickelodeon]

It's like playing Fifa Career Mode and signing players without scouting them. Only post signing will we see what their overall stats are.

 

[Sparky Rhiwabon]

Damning

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[pascell]

At what point of the Arnautovic transfer was he going to go "lads, I've checked on Google at this guy and he has a chequered past with racism, he shouldn't be signed"?

I hope an evaluation and assessment is taken out the day the transfer window shuts and this fecker is sacked. Absolutely useless

 

[Vapor trail]

Damning

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Agree with the points very valid arguments

 

[mu4c_20le]

Don't think I've ever heard anything positive from him. May as well follow MikeLUGH.

 

[Van Piorsing]

Not only he's stepping on thin ice that's starting to crack. Now he proceeds to jump on it to check how patient supporters are. Trying to be patient for sure, but the whole situation looks like Titanic clumsily maneuvering between icebergs and Arnautović being just one of many ahead.

Since Rangnick arrived there were whole months to come up with anything resembling transfer strategy, including estimated spending net to not be surprised at the end.

With Memphis & Dybala ignored while being available for half free, we're suddenly jumping into Arnautović territory like it's substantially better alternative ? Quite expermental thinking from the whole football department.

This transfer window suddenly became bipolar, only ETH and Murtough can stop this and get back on the right track. Three full weeks to the end of the window and deadline day looking slowly to become more insane with each passing week.

 

[littlepeasoup]

Him and Arnold seem completely clueless.

 

[Telsim]

About as useful as Anne Frank's drum kit. The job should have been given to an outside professional completely unrelated to the club. Instead it was given to Everton's fitness coach and Woodward's protege.

 

[Andycoleno9]

This guy is a complete disaster. I hope that for once, only fecking once, we will be proactive and not wait couple of years to do what is right; sack this clown (with Fletcher) or depromote him on his previous job and hire true and proven DoF.
How days go it is more obvious that guy has no plan at all.

 

[ScholesyTheWise]

About as useful as Anne Frank's drum kit. The job should have been given to an outside professional completely unrelated to the club. Instead, it was given to Everton's fitness coach and Woodward's protege.

As a Jew I shouldn't really laugh, but that had me giggling

There's not much to say really. That we pulled out of a deal because of fans' backlash is fecking embarrassing (if the uproar was solely due to racism, fair enough, I've no idea what the player said)... our coaching staff, scouts etc are paid millions to be trusted with deciding who's good enough for United and who isn't.

Again, talking solely about footballing considerations here-
How on earth do they let what fans on the internet think to affect their hiring process? Are they mad?

 

[Keane's Prawn Sandwich]

About as useful as Anne Frank's drum kit. The job should have been given to an outside professional completely unrelated to the club. Instead it was given to Everton's fitness coach and Woodward's protege.

Hey, that's a bit unfair, he was also Performance Manager at the mighty Coventry...

 

[Nikelesh Reddy]

nothings changed at all…We May have a new CEO but it’s same old same old as far as I”m concerned.Same old scattergun approach…same old lack of decisiveness and focus in getting transfers over the line….we are a complete mess from top to bottom…

 

[Keane's Prawn Sandwich]

As a Jew I shouldn't really laugh, but that had me giggling

There's not much to say really. That we pulled out of a deal because of fans' backlash is fecking embarrassing (if the uproar was solely due to racism, fair enough, I've no idea what the player said)... our coaching staff, scouts etc are paid millions to be trusted with deciding who's good enough for United and who isn't.

Again, talking solely about footballing considerations here-
How on earth do they let what fans on the internet think to affect their hiring process? Are they mad?

I doubt they did a proper background check on him. Which is crazy since Steve McClaren was the manager at the time when his racism accusations came about at Twente. The fans and media had to point it out to them now they are desperate not to destroy, their already toxic brand, any further

 

[Son]

It was pretty obvious from the start the people leading our club are small time compared to some of our competitors.

City for example have a scary powerful owner in not just football plus some of the greatest thinkers of the past 30 years of the sport they just took from that great Barcelona side etc.

We can’t compete with that by just bringing in Ex players and shuffling some bankers which hold no sway in the game around. The Glazers don’t have the cash either to make big things happen for us they seem rather broke as far as liquid assets go.

This is a huge problem because as we’ve seen this transfer window when the market is down so are we.

 

[Judge Red]

The game was probably up when it was announced that Sir Alex and David Gill would be returning. It was an admission that we ain’t getting anything useful out of Murtough and Arnold.

 

[Yakuza_devils]

We have been talking more than 1 year that McFred in midfield is a suicide mission. We are also in serious need of reinforcement in attacking department with Greenwood and Cavani gone and Ronaldo is 38. We urge the club to plan ahead and support ETH so that he can have a good start after our disaster season last year. We need a big window this year.

Lo and behold, we started the first game of our season with McFred and without a striker. And we played fecking Eriksen as false 9. Needless to say, it backfired big time.

What the point of having DoF if he can't plan ahead? To make matter worse we are now looking at Rabiot and Arnautovic, really?

 

[hobbers]

A DOF is suppose to be the one in charge of overall strategy and philosophy. From the head coach, his coaching team, and the squad and the signings.

Murtough has proven in the space of 2 months he is fully dictated to by Erik and by social media. Nothing is his own decision, he doesn't have the capability. Goes for Arnautovich because ETH tells him to, and stops because social media and journos tell him to.

Just like Woodward. The man is a dunce.

 

[MrSingh2002]

Theyre all Glazer puppets.

 

[Nytram Shakes]

Him and Arnold seem completely clueless.

In fairness to Arnold he has admitted he doesn’t know how to run the football side of things and is relaxing on Murtough. Problem is Murtough is so clearly so out of his depth it’s terrifying

This summer has felt like the first summer Moyes came in again, when it was clear Woodward didn’t know what he was doing and it was clear the job was to big for Moyes, months chasing Fabregas then panicking at the end.

 

[Nytram Shakes]

Theyre all Glazer puppets.

Disagree, the Glazers own the club, they are not gonna be happy with Woodward and now Murtough just throwing away millions of pounds because the don’t know what there doing.

We all know the Glazers want to use the club as a case cow, it’s in there interest for us not to waste money, yes we have had the higest net spend in the premier league over the past decade and we have a mid table squad.

For me Woodward took the Glazers for a ride, rather then the other way around.

 

[clarkydaz]

Disagree, the Glazers own the club, they are not gonna be happy with Woodward and now Murtough just throwing away millions of pounds because the don’t know what there doing.

We all know the Glazers want to use the club as a case cow, it’s in there interest for us not to waste money, yes we have had the higest net spend in the premier league over the past decade and we have a mid table squad.

For me Woodward took the Glazers for a ride, rather then the other way around.

If they were unhappy with Woodward they would have sacked him. simple. If he didnt walk away on his own accord he would still be running the club

 

[Teja]

If they were unhappy with Woodward they would have sacked him. simple. If he didnt walk away on his own accord he would still be running the club

They wanted to keep him when he offered a resignation after the super league fiasco

 

[MrSingh2002]

Disagree, the Glazers own the club, they are not gonna be happy with Woodward and now Murtough just throwing away millions of pounds because the don’t know what there doing.

We all know the Glazers want to use the club as a case cow, it’s in there interest for us not to waste money, yes we have had the higest net spend in the premier league over the past decade and we have a mid table squad.

For me Woodward took the Glazers for a ride, rather then the other way around.

Woodward fecked it for his tenure but now the Glazers have resorted to the get mercenaries in for lowish transfer fees or free. Ighalo, Cavani, Ronaldo, Arnautovic, Ibrahimovic, Eriksen (harsh on him but no fee involved).

Rangnick knew we needed 10 good young players and the Glazers quickly pulled the plug on him with some media leaks that the fans lapped up.

The truth is Rangnick would have forced them to spend. Hence Ole and Ten Hag have been the two appointments. Two guys that will never go public with their actual expectations of the club.

 

[Nytram Shakes]

If they were unhappy with Woodward they would have sacked him. simple. If he didnt walk away on his own accord he would still be running the club

Maybe, but maybe the Glazers believed his crap. Some people are very good a selling them selves and making it look like everything is someone else’s fault.

I can’t see any owner been happy with how the football side of the business has been run. It just doesn’t make sense for them out spending has been crazy. As Arnold himself said we’ve burned through a billion and you look at the squad and you can’t see that. No owner no matter what there motives are going to be happy with that amount of expenditure for no reward.

 

[Nytram Shakes]

Woodward fecked it for his tenure but now the Glazers have resorted to the get mercenaries in for lowish transfer fees or free. Ighalo, Cavani, Ronaldo, Arnautovic, Ibrahimovic, Eriksen (harsh on him but no fee involved).

Rangnick knew we needed 10 good young players and the Glazers quickly pulled the plug on him with some media leaks that the fans lapped up.

The truth is Rangnick would have forced them to spend. Hence Ole and Ten Hag have been the two appointments. Two guys that will never go public with their actual expectations of the club.

But it’s not money, we have spent, under the Glazers we have the higest net spend in the premier league over the past decade.

We just spent 50 million on a centre back, we’ve clearly bid for de jong. It’s not like we haven’t been trying to spend. We just don’t have people at the club who know how to recruit well. Ten Hag was more of a coach at Ajax and didn’t do the recruitment by most accounts, Murtough has no experience in the role he is in and has been a member of staff at club that doesn’t know what he’s doing.

We were not gonna buy 10 first team players this summer because your looking at around a 250-300 million pound outlay. The club doesn’t make that kind of money and couldn’t be afforded even if the Glazers took no dividends.

Yeah I think Rangnick was got rid of because he basically told the club, it’s in a mess and they didn’t want to hear that. Also going from Ten Hags comments and by all accounts refusal to meet him, Ten Hag didn’t want him at the club, he seems to clearly want to do the recruitment himself.

 

[Blood Mage]

Him and Arnold seem completely clueless.

They don't seem it, they are.

 

[clarkydaz]

Maybe, but maybe the Glazers believed his crap. Some people are very good a selling them selves and making it look like everything is someone else’s fault.

I can’t see any owner been happy with how the football side of the business has been run. It just doesn’t make sense for them out spending has been crazy. As Arnold himself said we’ve burned through a billion and you look at the squad and you can’t see that. No owner no matter what there motives are going to be happy with that amount of expenditure for no reward.

i think Malcom Glazer would have held Woodward more accountable, he was the business rottweiller. the family just inherited his wealth and live comfortably

 

[Castia]

They need to spend proper money on our scouting network because it’s absolutely non existent.

Linked with random, want-away players that should be nowhere near the club. Agents on the phone to United all day trying to sell any old shite.

 

[fezzerUTD]

10 years after Moyes, United bring you the Moyes of DoFs

Hired by Moyes as well .

 

[Nytram Shakes]

i think Malcom Glazer would have held Woodward more accountable, he was the business rottweiller. the family just inherited his wealth and live comfortably

Yeah possibly

 

[Greck]

We pulled out of the Arnautovic deal because of fan backlash? This is Woodward's summer through and through, down to the Fellaini panic buy. I'm sorry but anyone still having a go at fans for being concerned is a pure imbecile. Spin this one to be part of some elaborate masterplan. Keep the accountability coming lads. Beats blaming players who can't help it that they aren't good enough. Mctominay isn't the one who didn't improve the midfield.

 

[ilrm]

I'm looking at all the Free Signings going into summer and thinking who would have improved United and actually joined:
CB: Ginter (28) ... was it really that urgent to spend 50m on a CB?
DM: Kamara (22) ... If McFred get injured then who plays in DM?
AM: Eriksen (29, assuming health issues are behind him) ... Good backup who can play across the 3 behind ST
ST: Belotti (28) ... workhorse CF in his prime who has scored 62 goals in 162 Serie A games (0.38 g/g) for a very pedestrian Torino in the last 5 years. By contrast Martial has scored 41 goals in 153 PL/Liga games in the last 5 seasons (0.27 g/g playing in better teams). Also Belotti is an ex-captain and works really hard.

Murtough has really botched a season where he had an opportunity to make a statement.

 

[Jazz]

This guy is useless at the job. At least get someone in to come up with a transfer strategy and do negotiations for us. I don't know, take some responsibilities away from him and get someone who knows what the feck they are doing. It's astonishing that the hierarchy doesn't realise that more incompetence means throwing away money and still not achieving a single fecking thing.

Reminds me of the corporate world, where directors seem to have their little clique however incompetent as long as their arses are kissed. Unfortunately for people in these elevated positions at United, you cannot hide. They really need to get competent well connected people in. It's bizarre.

 

[Foxbatt]

We pulled out of the Arnautovic deal because of fan backlash? This is Woodward's summer through and through, down to the Fellaini panic buy. I'm sorry but anyone still having a go at fans for being concerned is a pure imbecile. Spin this one to be part of some elaborate masterplan. Keep the accountability coming lads. Beats blaming players who can't help it that they aren't good enough. Mctominay isn't the one who didn't improve the midfield.

This is worse. When do fans run the club? I mean I agree that Arnautovic should not have been the choice but to pull out because of fans backlash shows he is utterly incompetent to be a DFO.

 

[Forevergiggs1]

Maybe, but maybe the Glazers believed his crap. Some people are very good a selling them selves and making it look like everything is someone else’s fault.

I can’t see any owner been happy with how the football side of the business has been run. It just doesn’t make sense for them out spending has been crazy. As Arnold himself said we’ve burned through a billion and you look at the squad and you can’t see that. No owner no matter what there motives are going to be happy with that amount of expenditure for no reward.

The Glazers could not give a flying feck on how the footballing side of the business is run. Why should they care that we've spent over a billion in transfers when they haven't paid a penny out of their own pocket? We haven't won the league in nearly a decade or CL in 14 years yet the money juggernaut keeps rolling on. They're still getting their dividends, taking out loans against the club etc etc and just to rub salt into the wounds, if they ever decide to sell up they'll be making billions in profits. To call them parasitic leeches would be a personal insult to leeches.

 

[Frank Grimes]

Guy has at been a the club since 2013. Maybe he is a plant?

United fans should do something useful and chant for his head next game.

 

[flappyjay]

Guy has at been a the club since 2013. Maybe he is a plant?

United fans should do something useful and chant for his head next game.

Thats what I keep saying. Running the glazers out of town is near impossible we should be chasing their minions until they get in the right people.

 

[Loon]

Is it really that difficult to look at the well run clubs and use them as a template? Isn't this what he was supposed to be doing? Right people for the right positions?

 

[dwd]

This is worse. When do fans run the club? I mean I agree that Arnautovic should not have been the choice but to pull out because of fans backlash shows he is utterly incompetent to be a DFO.

What would you do then carry on signing him despite the backlash about signing a racist? Can tell you’re old.