Dan Ashworth (on gardening leave)

[Dokko]

1 hour ago, duo said:

I would happily tell Man U to get lost and let Ashworth sit at home till 2026.

 

Best £3m we'd ever spend. 

[Ben]

15 minutes ago, et tu brute said:

It's great seeing all the Man U pricks getting riled because they feel everyone should just let them do what they want. We have to keep strong even if it means he serves all his gardening leave and then joins those cunts for free.

 

I can't say he's been a waste of time, as I don't know what work has went on in the background. The two areas we do know that he is involved with (recruitment and medical) have not been too impressive mind. Either we get the money we have put on him or he's left to sit on his arse. I hope for his sake he's renewed his Netflix account. 

 

 

 

One Twitter buffoon said we need to be careful because  top level staff will not come and work for us if they feel they won't be allowed to move on 

[Mattoon]

1 minute ago, Ben said:

One Twitter buffoon said we need to be careful because  top level staff will not come and work for us if they feel they won't be allowed to move on 

 

Thats like saying players won't come to us because we value someone at £20m but thr buying club only want to pay £10m

[80]

1 hour ago, Lush Vlad said:

I can’t say I’m arsed about him leaving. But really don’t agree with that middle paragraph. 
 

His first summer was gold. Pope, Botman and Isak. Targett made permanent was a no brainer (at the time). Been plagued by injuries/Howe wanting Burn for his system, since. 
 

Gordon in the January. Which took a while to come good. But fuck me, he’s been our best player by miles this season. 
 

Last summer was three great buys, IMO. Tino, Tonali and Barnes were all players we needed. With perhaps the former maybe being a ‘too good to turn down’ kind of deal. But either way, he has looked very impressive when given a chance and has age on his side. Hall is the only real head scratcher, IMO.
 

You can use hindsight to say the windows have been disappointing because players have been unavailable and perhaps we did neglect certain areas. But it wasn’t like we were gambling (Tonali, cough) massively on players with patchy fitness records with those that we got in. Just genuine hard luck or something within the club that has been set up incorrectly (Ashworth and Howe to take some blame here, if so). 
 

But then we have also seen that FFP is a genuine issue, by all accounts and not just for ourselves. So we must have been hamstrung by that and you’re never going to please everyone or get as many in as you’d have liked. 
 

I guess you could argue about how much input he has actually had with those signings. But then that works both ways. Whether you think they’re good or bad buys. 

As @Andy said, I'm not sure that's at all right.

 

I don't think there's anything he can take serious responsibility for in that first summer. Most of that business was lined up/completed before he started as I recall - some of it largely since the previous January. I think Isak was maybe the only bid sealed afterwards in fact.

 

Gordon in January, fair enough, although we also know Howe was gagging for him too. Last summer has been a mixed blessing to say the least meanwhile, though I can certainly see positives to it.

 

I think it can be argued that the quality of our transfer decision making (factoring in quantity) has gotten gradually worse with each successive window since the Trippier/Bruno winter. As you say, there are very serious other reasons for this like FFP, but all the same, Ashworth's influence was theoretically meant to grow over time and that growth has been associated with the period of decline. And apparently we're still finding out more now - that Mark Douglas claim I highlighted earlier about Ashworth moving us away from signing a #10 because we already had Elliot Anderson was a real eyebrow raiser for me.

[Lush Vlad]

A lot of this is pure guesswork and speculation, though? We don’t even know how heavily involved in recruitment he was. Like most have said in this thread. 

Botman we couldn’t get done in January. But did that summer. When did Ashworth get here, June? 
 

Pope was an early one, from memory. 

 

Isak was late in the window and we went back after Wilson was injured. I’m

sure plenty on here were praising Ashworth for getting it done quickly once we realise what needed to happen. 
 

I don’t agree it’s gotten worse. Hard to judge last season’s window and you’re not going to hit on every transfer, regardless. 
 

I genuinely couldn’t give a shit either way about him going. Find it weird there is so much noise around it all. 

I just think there is a lot of revisionism going on. People being smart after the event. And people conveniently focusing on negatives or complaining about no visible or noticeable changes. 
 

I get we don’t like Man U and I’m fully on board with that  just reading plenty of posts where it feels like bitterness is seeping through. All feels incredibly petty and small time, to me. 

 

 

Edited February 19 by Lush Vlad

[The College Dropout]

1 hour ago, Whitley mag said:

Impeccable source and suggests more change if true.

 

 

Some interesting tweets. Says Nickson might be off and that it was planned. I give Nickson a lot of credit for the likes of Bruno and Botman. 
 

Also suggests PIF are calling a lot of shots. So Eales and co. can say what they like (to some degree). PIF are dictating fairly low level appointments. 

[SUPERTOON]

Just now, The College Dropout said:

Some interesting tweets. Says Nickson might be off and that it was planned. I give Nickson a lot of credit for the likes of Bruno and Botman. 
 

Also suggests PIF are calling a lot of shots. So Eales and co. can say what they like (to some degree). PIF are dictating fairly low level appointments. 

It’s definitely not a good source though.

[80]

3 minutes ago, Lush Vlad said:

A lot of this is pure guesswork and speculation, though? We don’t even know how heavily involved in recruitment he was. Like most have said in this thread. 

Botman we couldn’t get done in January. But did that summer. When did Ashworth get here, June? 
 

Pope was an early one, from memory. 

 

Isak was late in the window and we went back after Wilson was injured. I’m

sure plenty on here were praising Ashworth for getting it done quickly once we realise what needed to happen. 
 

I don’t agree it’s gotten worse. Hard to judge last season’s window and you’re not going to hit on every transfer, regardless. 
 

I genuinely couldn’t give a shit either way about him going. Find it weird there is so much noise around it all. 

I just think there is a lot of revisionism going on. People being smart after the event. And people conveniently focusing on negatives or complaining about no visible or noticeable changes. 
 

I get we don’t like Man U and I’m fully on board with that  just reading plenty of posts where it feels like bitterness is seeping through. All feels incredibly petty and small time, to me. 

 

 

 

1. Yeah, June, but the main obstacle in January was Lille refusing to sell mid-season, which Botman himself has come out and spoken about.

 

2. Isak, yes fine, although it was as much a product of the João Pedro deal breaking down, putting Fabrizio Romano in the mud, and then Wilson getting injured. So there were a lot of circumstantials underlying it.

 

3. I should be clear, when I say it's getting worse, I'm judging from an exceptionally great start. The first January was stardust, and the following summer was, overall, magnificent too. It's unrealistic to demand that kind of hit rate really. But still, a decline is a decline. The transfers, rightly or wrongly, have begun to feel more formulaic and are less demonstrably beneficial.

 

4. I do agree with you about about bitterness seeping out and the story getting slanted against him from some quarters. But I guess it does provide a counter balance to the picture that's getting painted in the newspapers of him being the architect of our revolution and the brains behind signings like Botman, which is patently false.

 

As I've said before, the chances are he's very good at what he does and to me the main benefit has been in things like hiring various high profile figures in youth scouting etc. But I'm also not going to be told his departure will upend everything we've got going on because there's very little evidence of him making that much impact over the past 18 months, positive or negative, really.

[Cheshire Mag]

17 minutes ago, The College Dropout said:

Some interesting tweets. Says Nickson might be off and that it was planned. I give Nickson a lot of credit for the likes of Bruno and Botman. 
 

Also suggests PIF are calling a lot of shots. So Eales and co. can say what they like (to some degree). PIF are dictating fairly low level appointments. 

In that case Emenalo will be our next DoF/Sporting Director.

[80]

5 minutes ago, Cheshire Mag said:

In that case Emenalo will be our next DoF/Sporting Director.

I don't get good vibes off that at all.

[Chris_R]

56 minutes ago, Ben said:

One Twitter buffoon said we need to be careful because  top level staff will not come and work for us if they feel they won't be allowed to move on 

 

Good. If they're thinking about moving on before they even get the job, we're right to dissuade them from even applying.

 

We don't want those people anywhere near us.

[KaKa]

5 hours ago, The College Dropout said:

@KaKa here seems to suggest we could have made better decisions in certain areas in the transfer market and have a better balance in the squad. 
 

Not pointing the finger at you, but a few of us said the window left us short of quality, depth and balance. Many refuted that and were extremely happy with the window. Sounds like you’re playing both sides. 

 

We consistently sign players that have come in and looked very good in the team, and so as far as I'm concerned I am not unhappy about anything. There are clubs in this league spending £90 million on players that can't get on the pitch.

 

We could have gone about the recruitment in a slightly different way, but ultimately, that's the manager's call, and I can accept that. I think a more recruitment based DOF probably better advises and assists the manager in this regard though, and things can always be done even better.

 

I had no expectations of this squad being completely fixed this past summer, and ultimately the number of injuries and the nature of them would have caused us major problems regardless.

 

 

[KaKa]

46 minutes ago, Cheshire Mag said:

In that case Emenalo will be our next DoF/Sporting Director.

 

Got a role overseeing the restructuring of the entire Saudi League. Can't see it.

[Jaqen]

1 hour ago, Mattoon said:

 

Thats like saying players won't come to us because we value someone at £20m but thr buying club only want to pay £10m

 

Man U themselves just flat out refused to allow Lingard to come here on loan then didn't bother playing him at all 

 

They were happy to fuck over one of their own to try and relegate us, all we're doing is asking for a fairly reasonable fee. 

[McDog]

Just now, Jaqen said:

 

Man U themselves just flat out refused to allow Lingard to come here on loan then didn't bother playing him at all 

 

They were happy to fuck over one of their own to try and relegate us, all we're doing is asking for a fairly reasonable fee. 

 

 

Yup. I'd bring it up in the discussions. 

 

NUFC: So you feel you've been reasonable in your dealings with us? Well, just as you felt it was fair value so to do we feel 20M is fair value. He's under contract.

[duo]

I will be intrigued to see how Man U get on with Ashworth there because I feel people (me included) have given him way too much credit for the transfers at Brighton. I am not saying he's not good at creating a structure that creates good decision making but people have him as to the reason Brighton have been so successful in the transfer market.  He was not there long enough, I would also question what influence he has had at Newcastle. 

[Exiled in Texas]

I’d establish the level of the fee using “Lingards”.

 

6 months loan, £2m plus survival bonus of £12m 

 

So to get Dan earlier than his 2 1/2 years remaining… that’s 5x£2m plus 2 1/2 times the bonus $30m. 

 

[vidooq]

18 minutes ago, duo said:

I will be intrigued to see how Man U get on with Ashworth there because I feel people (me included) have given him way too much credit for the transfers at Brighton. I am not saying he's not good at creating a structure that creates good decision making but people have him as to the reason Brighton have been so successful in the transfer market.  He was not there long enough, I would also question what influence he has had at Newcastle. 

 

Based on reports, he wont be doing the player targeting for them. They are trying to get him to set up a structure, because most likely, there isnt one over there.

 

 

Edited February 19 by vidooq

[Danh1]

Who are people wanting to replace Ashworth? 

[Playmaker]

Michael Edwards Liverpool‘s old sporting director would be my choice, but it’s probably just a pipe dream as I think he said recently, he doesn’t want to be a sporting Director anymore.

[Danh1]

Just now, Playmaker said:

Michael Edwards Liverpool‘s old sporting director would be my choice, but it’s probably just a pipe dream as I think he said recently, he doesn’t want to be a sporting Director anymore.

Aye I’m sure he runs his own business now.

 

Admittedly havent read too much but from the little I have, I’d like to see Paul Mitchell.  

[Playmaker]

3 minutes ago, Danh1 said:

Aye I’m sure he runs his own business now.

 

Admittedly havent read too much but from the little I have, I’d like to see Paul Mitchell.  

There is a slim chance we could tempt him as Eddie Howe is supposedly really good friends with him, and if rumours were to be believed he was our first choice before Ashworth but he turned us down.

 

 

Edited February 19 by Playmaker

[Danh1]

Just now, Playmaker said:

There is a slim chance we could tempt him as Eddie Howe is supposedly really good friends with him, and if rumours were to be believed he was our first choice before Ashworth turned us down.

Read on Twitter (I kna) that he was at Spurs the same time as Eales too. We shall see.

[Skeletor]

I genuinely love this. No attachment to him at all. Either he stays in the end coming to some agreement, or he goes for a lot of money and is replaceable.

 

I'd be reaching for the razor blades if it was Bruno or Isak.

[elbee909]

Thought this was interesting.

https://www.footballtransfers.com/en/transfer-news/uk-premier-league/2024/01/man-utd-transfer-news-ineos-michael-edwards-jacque-talbot