The Ineos revolution at Manchester United might have seen some bumps on the road, mostly to do with their cost-cutting decisions, but the ambition can’t be questioned.
The new ownership arguably started their tenure with a mistake, extending Erik ten Hag’s contract in a move that ultimately cost them north of £20 million when the cost of firing him and hiring Ruben Amorim is combined.
However, since then, and even in the transfer window, their backing of Amorim can’t be questioned.
- READ: Confirmed Manchester United transfer deals for January 2025, ins, outs, loan moves, deadline date
That backing is about to get its strongest endorsement yet as Manchester United have made a statement addition to the staff to satisfy a key Amorim demand.
Man Utd bring in Harry Marra as consultant
If there was ever a single word to describe Ruben Amorim’s short time so far at Old Trafford, it would be “intensity”.
Intensity in training, in games, while attacking, while defending, and Amorim’s insistence on running “like mad dogs” has been a huge culture shock to the Man Utd squad.
It is why the results have been up and down and why rotation has been the name of the game under him since he demands so much from each player.
To satisfy that Amorim demand, United have gone out and got the best in the world at that exact facet of the game- running and running hard.
The Athletic report that United have invited Harry Marra to the club as a consultant to “offer his insights on athletics, including the mechanics of running.”
Marra has been at Carrington and in the director’s box for recent games, his appointment driven by the new executive team which will last for a few weeks.
Marra comes as the cream of the crop in biomechanics, having won the World Athletics Coach of the Year Award in 2016 for his work with Ashton Eaton and Brianne Theisen, both Olympic medal-winning athletes.
Ineos installing elite performance setup at Man Utd
Sir Dave Brailsford’s “Marginal gains” philosophy has been spoken about to death and appointments like these are a step towards it.
There used to be a time when appointments like that of a sports scientist or a recruitment data analyst were written off as a fad but they are essential staff members now.
“Running” is the most basic part of excelling in football and as top-level football gets more and more intense, the place for passengers in a team will shrink.
Harry Marra’s teachings, even if only for a few weeks, add to the elite performance setup at the club that United had been reluctant, or unbothered to dip their toes into.
It’s long overdue but better late than never.
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