Manchester United fans are celebrating a tangible new era this summer after years of false dawns under the Glazers.
A big reason why it’s different this time is because of the presence of a new corporate structure where people with great footballing expertise and experience have been established.
With the likes of Omar Berrada, Christopher Vivell, Jason Wilcox, and Dan Ashworth, United’s structure is arguably one of the best in the world.
Dan Ashworth’s hire was the most difficult of all, putting into focus how highly he was rated by Newcastle as they fought tooth and nail to keep him.
Now, having begun the job at Old Trafford, he has outlined his exact job remit in an open message to United fans and he’s not holding back.
Dan Ashworth’s first message to Man Utd supporters
Ashworth wrote a column for United’s 2024/25 yearbook where he addressed the fans directly, laying out his vision for the club.
Among other things, the most notable one was his outlining what exactly his job asks him to do as the remit of “Sporting Director” is pretty much all-encompassing.
He said: “It’s my job, together with Jason, to create the right support structures and environment around Erik, the staff and players to make that possible.
“Already, I can feel a strong sense of energy and determination around the group, as the players and staff return fresh from their breaks, including some exciting new additions to the squad, and to the coaching team
“There are also changes to the physical environment at Carrington as work commences on our season-long £50 million redevelopment of the training ground – evidence of our commitment to improving the club’s infrastructure.
“Delivering a successful women’s team and a thriving, productive Academy are both key objectives of my job, and I have a strong background in both areas.
“Youth development has also been a huge part of my career and I see it as a crucial element of success for any football club – but especially for Manchester United where homegrown players have such a rich history.
“This remains one of the biggest football clubs in the world, but that is not our measure of success; the focus is on getting back to being among the best on the pitch. It won’t happen overnight, but, together with Omar and his new leadership team, we will not rest until we have achieved it.”
Unpacking Dan Ashworth’s message
Understandably, there’s a lot to unpack here, even more so since United fans are generally not used to the club actively communicating with them, a legacy of the Glazer rule.
Firstly, he stresses the point Sir Jim Ratcliffe has made previously about getting the structure right around the manager instead of chopping and changing the man in the dugout continuously.
Ten Hag has already said he feels much more “helped” in the new environment.
Secondly, he talks about the large-scale infrastructural projects signed off by Ineos, which include the redevelopment of Carrington, changes to Old Trafford, and much more.
This makes it clear that even though he is the “Sporting Director”, his job remit goes beyond football matters and stretches into club ops as well.
Thirdly, he has moved to soothe concerns fans might have about perceived apathy towards the Women’s team, who have had to adjust this season due to changes at Carrington.
In his message, he said Women’s football is “arguably the most exciting area of growth in the football game” and “we want to be part of that”.
Finally, he stressed the continued commitment of the club towards the youth teams, which have seen great success in the past. The benefits of that can already be seen with players breaking through and that looks set to continue.
One thing is for certain, Ashworth is not one to “manage expectations” or downplay the hype. He has made big and bold promises without holding anything back which bodes well for the new and ambitious era at Old Trafford.
Dan Ashworth’s message in full on the club website can be read here.
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