Glazers make job decision of key figure post Jose Mourinho misery at Manchester United

The club’s owners have reportedly come to a decision regarding Ed Woodward’s employment after sacking the under-performing Portuguese manager

Manchester United chief Woodward had enough of Mourinho and handed him his papers last week after holding talks regarding the decision with the Glazer family. The Red Devils felt this was the best time to part ways with the former Chelsea manager, thanks to various off-field incidents that gained unnecessary traction, with the 55-year-old butting heads with the likes of Paul Pogba, Anthony Martial, Luke Shaw and Alexis Sanchez during his time in charge.

But United fans are not just happy with the departure of Mourinho, with many also calling for Woodward’s head to roll next. And this has been coming for a while, considering that earlier this season, some supporters paid for a banner to fly over a match against Burnley, calling for Woodward to be sacked. Under the former investment banker, there have been three managers who have failed to live up to expectations, with Mourinho the third in the line of shame after the failures of Louis van Gaal and David Moyes.

But ESPN reports that United’s owners do not have any plans to sack Woodward despite his failings. The agency added that Woodward remains the safest man at Old Trafford. The 47-year-old had, after all, helped the Glazers in their takeover of the club in 2005 when he was involved in finances. ESPN even quoted a source as revealing that he would be ‘the last man standing at United if they [Glazers] had to make everybody redundant apart from the guy who stayed to keep the lights on.’

But fans and pundits alike continue to question Woodward’s nous at Old Trafford, with professor Chris Brady, sport expert at the University of Salford Business School, the newest member of this club, after he criticised the United chief. “If Mourinho could have been smart enough to accept a director of football/ sporting director or whatever name you call it, it would have been good for the club and it could have saved his career at Manchester United,” Brady said.

If Ed Woodward hadn’t facilitated the takeover working for the Glazers there is no way he’d still be here running the football operations side of the club. Out of his depth when it comes to football business.

— Barney @Red News (@barneyrednews) December 16, 2018

“The problem is the need of some coaches/ managers to ‘do it all’ and it’s just not possible in the size of businesses into which the big clubs have evolved. Mourinho, and all head coaches, need a boss to help with their worst excesses. Woodward wasn’t that person. Woodward should be receiving a good proportion of the blame for this situation. As an FD/commercial director he is without peer — as a CEO (which is what he is) he is ineffective at best.”

Authors Take

It is pretty obvious by now that Woodward has so far revealed himself to be far out of depth when it comes to team, selection and transfer issues, despite his spotless record in commercial matters. A director of football would go a long way in helping sort the mess out at Old Trafford, but it remains to be seen if the Glazers do grant such a wish when and if it comes to that.