One thing no one could accuse Ineos of at Manchester United is a lack of effort.
A lack of ambition, or a lack of desire to improve each and every department.
It is not only in the boardroom where Manchester United look set to benefit from fresh faces and some invaluable expertise – Jason Wilcox, Dan Ashworth and Omar Berrada among the statement arrivals – but in the dressing room too.
Ruud van Nistelrooy may have hogged most of the headlines – he is a bonafide Man United legend after all – but the appointment of fellow Dutchman Rene Hake could prove equally beneficial.
Hake, a long-time friend of Erik ten Hag, walked away from his head coach role at Eredivisie overachievers Go Ahead Eagles to take on an assistant coach role in England.
Andreas Georgson made a similar call when United came calling for him too.
Read more: Who is Andreas Georgson? Man Utd looking to hire set piece specialist currently working as manager
Manchester United hire Andreas Georgson
Formerly of Arsenal, Brentford and Southampton, Georgson was only six months into his managerial role at Lillestrom SK but jumped at the chance when offered the chance to revolutionise Man United’s set-piece planning.
Sporting director Wilcox knows Georgson well from their time together at St Mary’s.
Wilcox described the 42-year-old as a coach who ‘eats, breaths and sleeps set-pieces‘, and his arrival should only benefit a Man United team who scored only nine goals from dead-ball situations in the 2023/24 Premier League season.
A tally better than only five others.
Georgson’s sudden nature of his departure from Lillestrom, meanwhile, has left the Norwegian outfit in an unwelcome state of limbo.
The Canaries find themselves without a head coach ahead of Sunday’s clash with Sarpsborg, Georgson opting to fly the nest after only half a year in the post.
“It’s always tough and difficult,” Sporting director Simon Mesfin tells VG. “But it’s especially very sad when you have a head coach that both the players and the support staff have become very fond of.
“He was well liked at the club and worked well with those he was supposed to work with. We saw a good future with him and then it is very annoying that this is happening.
“There is no crisis atmosphere in the club now, but we take it very seriously that we have to find out the way forward. We want to put a permanent solution in place as soon as possible. But putting a time perspective on it is difficult.”
Lillestrom frustrated by Georgson exit
Mesfin can take some pride, however, in the fact that Lillestrom found themselves a coach so well-respected that he would be earmarked to play a major – if behind-the-scenes – role in one of Europe’s A-list institutions.
“That coaches go to a bigger club is a small pat on the back for Lillestrom as well,” says club captain Gjermund Asen. “(Georgson’s move to Man United proves) that people are attractive here.
“You become quite good at adjusting as a footballer (to departures).”
Man United appear to be intent on adding extra height and physicality to a team that was often bullied by more imposing outfits last term. Their two summer signings – Leny Yoro and Joshua Zirkzee – are both comfortably over 6ft, with Georgson’s expertise in both penalty areas another step in the right direction.
“Andreas Georgson will focus on individual development, fostering a winning culture, and set pieces,” Ten Hag says of the latest addition to his coaching staff.
“That’s his role. We’re pleased to have him and look forward to his contributions.”
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