One normal day at Manchester United is all anyone ever asks for. Yet, it appears that Sir Jim Ratcliffe, Ineos and Dan Ashworth had other ideas.
Because, less than 24 hours after the first massive setback of the Ruben Amorim era – Manchester United were stunned 3-2 by Nottingham Forest on Saturday night – came the news that Dan Ashworth was on his way out of Old Trafford.
Ashworth spent just five months working as Manchester United’s sporting director.
Less time, remarkably, than the Red Devils spent chasing him in the first place, his arrival delayed until the summer as Ineos haggled over a compensation package with Newcastle.
With Ashworth now out, the man expected to modernise and transform Man United unceremoniously dumped barely almost as soon as he got his foot in the door, questions are starting to rack up for Ratcliffe and co.
A statement provided by Man United’s official website claims that this parting of the ways was a ‘mutual’ decision. Does anyone really believe that, though?
All the reports which have emerged in the aftermath suggest that this was very much a Ratcliffe-driven move. TBR Football reports that Ratcliffe was infuriated by Ashworth’s decision to stick with Erik ten Hag over the summer.
A decision which has aged like spilled milk on a Persian rug, that disastrous start to 2024/25 leaving Man United playing catch up and giving Ruben Amorim even more work to do than the former Sporting boss may have anticipated.
Dan Ashworth leaves Manchester United in shock Sir Jim Ratcliffe call
TBR adds that Ratcliffe’s decision to move on from Ashworth was made in conjunction with CEO Omar Berrada and right-hand man Sir Dave Brailsford.
And, while some have wondered if Man United will look to bring in a replacement, it is understood that technical director Jason Wilcox and Christopher Vivell may get promotions, the latter joining with a focus on recruitment earlier in 2024.
The Ten Hag saga is not, however, the only reason for Ashworth’s departure. TalkSPORT claim that the former Brighton and FA boss felt sidelined from major decisions at Old Trafford. Ashworth and Berrada allegedly had their differences too.
And, perhaps tellingly, it was Berrada who flew to Lisbon for talks with Ruben Amorim before the 39-year-old took over from Ten Hag back in November.
Dan Ashworth had doubts over Ruben Amorim
The Guardian, meanwhile, indicate that Ashworth was not nearly as set on Amorim as Berrada. Ashworth reportedly had ‘reservations’ about a switch in formation that Amorim’s arrival would necessitate.
Amorim, of course, won two Primeira Liga titles at Sporting with his favoured wing-back system.
He has used that same approach in every one of his five matches in charge of Man United, meanwhile. Though there are concerns over how many of the current Red Devils squad can really thrive as part of that 3-4-2-1 blueprint, Rio Ferdinand worried about Alejandro Garnacho, Rasmus Hojlund and co going forward.
“I worry about can the players that we have fit into what Amorim wants,” Rio Ferdinand said in midweek, between the loss at Arsenal and that Nottingham Forest collapse.
“You look at [Alejandro] Garnacho and you look at [Marcus] Rashford. Can they fit into that inside forward position, where the wingers come inside and almost become number tens at times?
“Is that really the position where they are going to excel? I hope they can grow that type of ability to play in there.
“Rasmus Hojlund. Is he going to be our [Viktor] Gyokeres? Is he going to be the guy that we can play through and play up to and play in behind for? I think that remains to be seen.
“Antony hasn’t shown that yet. [Joshua] Zirkzee as well, where’s he going to fit into all this? I think there’s more work to be done and more urgently in the forward areas because we don’t seem to have the cohesiveness up there.
“I can see where the defenders are going to fit in, and the midfielders. But there is more work to be done, and more urgently, in the forward areas because we don’t seem to have the cohesiveness in there.”
Receive a digest of our best United content each week direct to your mailbox
