Why is Ed Woodward held in such contempt?

[Irrational.]

He’s been at the club for eight years, and I’ve never quite understood the extreme revulsion and hatred for him, even before this latest ESL fiasco. I was equally bemused when supporters turned up and threatened him outside his house. I can’t remember him saying anything or doing anything to deserve this level of disdain, and I hear news of his resignation tonight met with ‘this is the best news since we won the treble in 1999’.

Surely the anger is best directed at the Glazers? Or is he thought of as part of them, and an attack on him is an attack on the Glazers? I haven’t even heard anywhere near the same level of abuse or loathing towards them as towards Ed.

From my perspective it seems he was a guy following orders and (trying) to work in the best interests of the club. Is the anger actually aimed at the Glazers and he’s the figure that’s easiest to target?

Please excuse my ignorance if I am missing something obvious.

 

[Sunny Jim]

He's a buffon and an idiot?

 

[Irrational.]

He's a buffon and an idiot?

In what way please?

Genuine question.

 

[Cina]

He's a buffon and an idiot?

He obviously isn't. You don't get to where he did if you're an idiot.

I'd say his biggest failing is thinking that because he was clearly so successful as a businessman that he was the right man to handle every other aspect of the club too, like Gill did. It also happened to coincide with the greatest manager in history leaving the club after years of underinvestment. Wrong man, wrong time.

His managerial appointments and the money spent on big transfers clearly indicate he wanted trophies for the club, and not just for monetary gains, but obviously trophies = monetary gains so, yeah, I don't know. I don't think he's the piece of shit many seem to think he is, but I'm sure glad he's going.

 

[RonaldoVII]

He resided over Moyes, Van Gaal and Jose. We spent over £900m in that time. What do we have to show for it?

 

[Suv666]

In what way please?

Genuine question.

Just Youtube his infamous interview man

 

[spiriticon]

I didn't actually dislike him that much...until 2 days ago.

 

[DarkXaero]

I agree with you OP, Woodward was just the easy scapegoat for the fans. He was the most visible figure in upper club management and fans for some reason think that he wasn't following orders from ownership. There's no real victory until the Glazers are gone and replaced by better ownership.

 

[r3idy]

He’s been at the club for eight years, and I’ve never quite understood the extreme revulsion and hatred for him, even before this latest ESL fiasco. I was equally bemused when supporters turned up and threatened him outside his house. I can’t remember him saying anything or doing anything to deserve this level of disdain, and I hear news of his resignation tonight met with ‘this is the best news since we won the treble in 1999’.

Surely the anger is best directed at the Glazers? Or is he thought of as part of them, and an attack on him is an attack on the Glazers? I haven’t even heard anywhere near the same level of abuse or loathing towards them as towards Ed.

From my perspective it seems he was a guy following orders and (trying) to work in the best interests of the club. Is the anger actually aimed at the Glazers and he’s the figure that’s easiest to target?

Please excuse my ignorance if I am missing something obvious.

He is the front face of a piss poor ownership who cashed in on what was built with blood sweat and tears. Moreover he could have actually made more money if his first investment was to get it right on the recruitment side, buy and spend wisely instead of fantasy football names. Just a few points to consider.

 

[CallyRed]

He’s been at the club for eight years, and I’ve never quite understood the extreme revulsion and hatred for him, even before this latest ESL fiasco. I was equally bemused when supporters turned up and threatened him outside his house. I can’t remember him saying anything or doing anything to deserve this level of disdain, and I hear news of his resignation tonight met with ‘this is the best news since we won the treble in 1999’.

Surely the anger is best directed at the Glazers? Or is he thought of as part of them, and an attack on him is an attack on the Glazers? I haven’t even heard anywhere near the same level of abuse or loathing towards them as towards Ed.

From my perspective it seems he was a guy following orders and (trying) to work in the best interests of the club. Is the anger actually aimed at the Glazers and he’s the figure that’s easiest to target?

Please excuse my ignorance if I am missing something obvious.

Where have i heard that before...

 

[izec]

He has no clue about football relative to the position he occupied. Out if his depth in that regard.

 

[Dr. Dwayne]

He obviously isn't. You don't get to where he did if you're an idiot.

I'd say his biggest failing is thinking that because he was clearly so successful as a businessman that he was the right man to handle every other aspect of the club too, like Gill did. It also happened to coincidence with the greatest manager in history leaving the club after years of underinvestment. Wrong man, wrong time.

I'd agree with this. Horribly out of his depth as a club chairman and too arrogant to admit it.

That said, incredible at commercial deals.

 

[Bastian]

In what way please?

Genuine question.

He is credited with masterminding the Glazer cnuts leveraged takeover. He is their mouthpiece. I don't think anyone hates him with the intensity they hate the Glazer scum. Him stepping down is good, but it's nowhere near enough. We need rid of these cnuts. And not rid like people are saying in that other thread - by getting some Bezos cnut in. We need structural changes to the game, not a slightly better billionaire twat looking for a plaything.

 

[Kag]

There’s a nuanced discussion to be had surrounding Woodward, the Glazers, Gill and (yes) Ferguson and the role they have each played in the semi-demise of United’s post Ferguson era but you’re not going to get it in here tonight.

Woodward leaves us a villain, and I have no sympathy for him at all, but there’s a lot more to this than him being an idiot.

We need better, ultimately. I fear we’ll only bring in worse. Potentially the world’s evil.

 

[groovyalbert]

He's a bank manager overseeing the operations of the biggest football club in the world?

 

[Valencia Shin Crosses]

He’s been at the club for eight years, and I’ve never quite understood the extreme revulsion and hatred for him, even before this latest ESL fiasco. I was equally bemused when supporters turned up and threatened him outside his house. I can’t remember him saying anything or doing anything to deserve this level of disdain, and I hear news of his resignation tonight met with ‘this is the best news since we won the treble in 1999’.

Surely the anger is best directed at the Glazers? Or is he thought of as part of them, and an attack on him is an attack on the Glazers? I haven’t even heard anywhere near the same level of abuse or loathing towards them as towards Ed.

From my perspective it seems he was a guy following orders and (trying) to work in the best interests of the club. Is the anger actually aimed at the Glazers and he’s the figure that’s easiest to target?

Please excuse my ignorance if I am missing something obvious.

Obviously people don’t hate him as much as the owners employing him, but there’s no denying he struggled mightily in footballing matters for years and presided over a number of decisions that ultimately hurt the club after SAF left. No one denies he’s excellent commercially, but on the side of football that the fans actually see he was a failure.

 

[anant]

For focusing on commercial side of the club more than the football side.

Not hiring more football men who would take decisions around hiring and firing of managers, signing of players , etc.

 

[el3mel]

Because we have been mostly shit during these 8 years ?

It's hardly a secret.

 

[Mr Pigeon]

Wasn't he the main architect of the Glazer's leveraged takeover? He was given a job here as a reward for it.

feck him. And feck the Glazer's.

 

[DWelbz19]

The easiest figurehead for everything wrong with the club for the past 8 years or so, I’d guess.

 

[mu4c_20le]

He doesn't understand football and is too proud to hire those that do without compromising his iron grip on the clubs operations

 

[C3Pique]

I can't understand why everyone hates the investment banker who masterminded the leveraged buyout that landed the club a billion pounds in debt before going on to oversee the most disastrous decade in the club's recent on-field history, whilst bragging about being able to do things other clubs could only dream of.

Yep, can't quite put my finger on it.

 

[Irwin99]

He’s been at the club for eight years, and I’ve never quite understood the extreme revulsion and hatred for him, even before this latest ESL fiasco. I was equally bemused when supporters turned up and threatened him outside his house. I can’t remember him saying anything or doing anything to deserve this level of disdain, and I hear news of his resignation tonight met with ‘this is the best news since we won the treble in 1999’.

Surely the anger is best directed at the Glazers? Or is he thought of as part of them, and an attack on him is an attack on the Glazers? I haven’t even heard anywhere near the same level of abuse or loathing towards them as towards Ed.

From my perspective it seems he was a guy following orders and (trying) to work in the best interests of the club. Is the anger actually aimed at the Glazers and he’s the figure that’s easiest to target?

Please excuse my ignorance if I am missing something obvious.

His conduct in the last week or so should be ample proof. Giving the champions league revamp his approval and a few dates later announcing the super league. A corporate liar through and through.

Always remember that joint bid for Fellaini and Baines at 22 million that Everton called insulting

 

[VP89]

He’s been at the club for eight years, and I’ve never quite understood the extreme revulsion and hatred for him, even before this latest ESL fiasco. I was equally bemused when supporters turned up and threatened him outside his house. I can’t remember him saying anything or doing anything to deserve this level of disdain, and I hear news of his resignation tonight met with ‘this is the best news since we won the treble in 1999’.

Surely the anger is best directed at the Glazers? Or is he thought of as part of them, and an attack on him is an attack on the Glazers? I haven’t even heard anywhere near the same level of abuse or loathing towards them as towards Ed.

From my perspective it seems he was a guy following orders and (trying) to work in the best interests of the club. Is the anger actually aimed at the Glazers and he’s the figure that’s easiest to target?

Please excuse my ignorance if I am missing something obvious.

Lets see:

1) He's inept in the transfer market, as shown by him saying "watch this space, we can do what other clubs dream of doing" before having his pants pulled down in subsequent transfers.
2) The personal touch of the club evaporated and it no longer felt like a family. Ed Woodward is a very cold person - as shown by Rio's interview, where Ed came to his dressing room and just said "we're not renewing your contract" at the nth moment and walked away. He didn't give Rio the chance to say goodbye to the fans properly on the last day of the season, he didn't get any options to stay on with the club in any other capacity and lord knows how other players were treated if that's how a legend like Rio was.
3) He has feck all idea about the club itself, as shown in 2) but also on the pitch. He ignored our academy for years before the recent rebuild, and he jumped from one abstract philosophy to another, none of which actually suited us. Until he stumbled across Ole by blind luck.

I mean there is 100 more but these 3 are top reasons.

EDIT:

Video source for point 2):

 

[S3T]

He’s been at the club for eight years, and I’ve never quite understood the extreme revulsion and hatred for him, even before this latest ESL fiasco. I was equally bemused when supporters turned up and threatened him outside his house. I can’t remember him saying anything or doing anything to deserve this level of disdain, and I hear news of his resignation tonight met with ‘this is the best news since we won the treble in 1999’.

Surely the anger is best directed at the Glazers? Or is he thought of as part of them, and an attack on him is an attack on the Glazers? I haven’t even heard anywhere near the same level of abuse or loathing towards them as towards Ed.

From my perspective it seems he was a guy following orders and (trying) to work in the best interests of the club. Is the anger actually aimed at the Glazers and he’s the figure that’s easiest to target?

Please excuse my ignorance if I am missing something obvious.

Go home Ed.

 

[RedTiger]

Like making a field marshal the admiral of a ship

 

[JJ12]

In what way please?

Genuine question.

He wasn’t fit to run a football club and it has showed over his tenure.

 

[KirkDuyt]

Isn't he the dude who did your transfers since Fergie left? Doesn't seem like he did the best job in history, though I guess Fergie left a bit of a hole.

Also, football fans need a scapegoat when results are shit. Guys in suits make great ones.

 

[Lynty]

I didn't actually dislike him that much...until 2 days ago.

Agreed.

Unfortunately, there's plenty of Ed Woodwards for the Glazers to fill his spot

 

[sullydnl]

First because his reign coincided with the club's worst period in generations, with multiple reports over multiple years pointing the finger of blame at him for many of those failings, suggesting he was severely out of his depth in this role.

Second because he is by multiple accounts across multiple years (and most recently as expressed by the president of UEFA) an absolute snake of a person.

Third because he's the representative of the Glazers who (again as this recent series of events has highlighted) are terrible owners with malign intentions for the game of football.

A better question is why on earth any self-respecting Manchester United fan (or indeed just football fan) wouldn't hold him in contempt?

 

[MoskvaRed]

He was the banker who advised on the Glazer takeover and was then brought in as CEO to supervise our descent into mediocrity while making crass statements which, among other things, allegedly dissuaded Klopp from managing us. He had been doing slightly better since summer 2018 but has trashed any nascent goodwill over the last few days by dragging the club’s name through the mud. Not villain no.1 (that’s obviously his vampiric bosses) but still worthy of contempt

 

[12OunceEpilogue]

He's a twat and him running United for eight years is eight years too many.

 

[Chairman Steve]

Oof a contrarian thread!

Most of the reasons have already been cited, but basically he is a soulless corporate hack who represents everything wrong with modern football. He also is the man who assisted with the hostile takeover of us, so he wasn’t some guy who necessarily got the job of being the head honcho on merit, and goes to show with all the weird transfer strategies during the Moyes, LVG and Jose times. It looked like he learned his lesson in these OGS times though.

 

[Rozay]

I’ve always wondered the same, but my opinion is that the media have told football fans not to like him. Up until now, I get the impression that the majority of people don’t have an actual understanding of what his job is/was.

 

[RedSky]

Manchester United tried to lure Jurgen Klopp away from Borussia Dortmund in 2014 by describing themselves as “an adult version of Disneyland.”

“an adult version of Disneyland.”

 

[Roboc7]

He wasn’t competent to do his job but the real villains are, were and will continue to be the Glazers.

 

[SER19]

Hes overseen an enormous decline of the club, botched window after window, then tried to sell the club and its history to a made up competition, behaving it an embarrassing way in the process. If you don't have contempt for this soulless creep in a football sense then sell the club to Saudi Arabia and be done

 

[Sparky_Hughes]

He is credited with masterminding the Glazer cnuts leveraged takeover. He is their mouthpiece. I don't think anyone hates him with the intensity they hate the Glazer scum. Him stepping down is good, but it's nowhere near enough. We need rid of these cnuts. And not rid like people are saying in that other thread - by getting some Bezos cnut in. We need structural changes to the game, not a slightly better billionaire twat looking for a plaything.

Spot on in every regard

 

[Witchking]

Why are all assuming that Ed ran with the Super League? This was the Glazers. Ed Woodward works for them just like Ole. So Ole gets a pass because he is the manager but Ed doesn't? He was already going to resign this year which has now come out. So maybe it was not all good between the Glazers and Ed. He may have decided that the League was not worth his time and given his resignation and due to the super league, the news has now come out where he is a scapegoat.

Him being bad at transfers is one thing, but holding him responsible for the super league is weird.

 

[joso157]

Ironic that he chooses to resign at a time when the club has arguably been at its most stable during his tenure (Super League farce excluded). Let’s just hope whoever replaces him is an improvement, who knows, certainly no guarantees with the glaziers involved. Better the devil you know sometimes!