United's Executive Overhaul Explained! | Inside United With Laurie Whitwell

Summary

Highlights

• Jim Ratcliffe has made a noticeable impact with his executive team changes at Manchester United. 🌟
• The restructuring includes adding figures with diverse backgrounds, such as aerospace engineering and F1. 🛩️
• A mix of young talent recruitment and proven players like Seko Fofana is central to United's strategy. 🌱
• Key players like Bruno Fernandes remain crucial amidst transfer speculations. 🔑
• The new leadership aims to balance financial management with United’s footballing goals. ⚖️

Key Takeaways

• United's executive team has undergone a significant overhaul with Jim Ratcliffe's entry. 🏗️
• Jason Wilcox is the man with the "eyes" on recruitment and data. 👀
• Manchester United aims to bolster young talent, looking at players like Enzo Canaberk. ⚽
• Bruno Fernandes is staying put despite lucrative offers from Al-Hilal. 💰
• There’s a focus on enhancing commercial revenues under new leadership. 📈

Overview

Chapters

• 00:00 - 01:30: Introduction and Welcome The chapter introduces the context of a football club, likely Manchester United given the reference to Old Trafford. The focus is on the role of a new director responsible for boosting commercial revenues, a position made necessary by organizational changes following the Inos takeover. The chapter notes that significant changes have occurred in the club's commercial departments, leading to skepticism among fans who prioritize the club's footballing mission.
• 01:30 - 06:00: Manchester United's Structure Overhaul The chapter discusses the significant changes in the structure of Manchester United, focusing on the prioritization of raising commercial revenues, particularly during the Glazers' ownership. Lori Whitwell from The Athletic is a guest on Stretford Paddock's 'Inside United', where hosts discuss her insights into the structural overhauls. The chapter highlights the emphasis on financial growth and the strategies implemented to achieve such objectives. The dialogue between the hosts and Lori underscores the complexity of the management strategies akin to solving intricate problems, reflecting on both the challenges and the prospects for the club's future.
• 06:00 - 09:00: Ownership and Board Members The chapter focuses on the structural changes within Manchester United over the past two years, emphasizing the overhaul and transformation of its executive and operational teams. The Glazer family's involvement has seemingly diminished, and there has been significant turnover in the executive, data, scouting, and recruitment teams. The chapter promises to detail Manchester United's current organizational structure.
• 09:00 - 13:00: Key Executives: CEO and Financial Officers In this chapter, the focus is on the key executives at Manchester United, particularly the CEO and financial officers, who play crucial roles in enacting transfers and handling the sponsorship and financial aspects of the club. The chapter aims to detail their influence on the club's summer recruitment policy, emphasizing the significant roles these executives play in Manchester United's operations.
• 13:00 - 20:00: Inos Influence and Board Dynamics The chapter discusses the ownership and influence dynamics within a sports club's board. It highlights the significant roles of the Glazer family, particularly Joel and Ara. It covers the transaction involving Tin Rackcliffe, who initially purchased shares through his company "Trollwers" before transferring them to Inos, resulting in Inos now owning 28.9% of the shares. Despite holding less than 50% ownership, the Glazers maintain substantial voting rights.
• 20:00 - 31:00: Football Operations and Technical Directors The chapter delves into the structure of football operations, focusing primarily on the voting power dynamics within a football club. It highlights a situation where certain shares, despite representing less than 50% ownership, wield more than 50% of voting power (67%). This arrangement, although seemingly questionable, is legal. The text suggests a deeper dive into the roles and significance of various board members, with a particular emphasis on the Glazer family and associates like Kevin, Brian, Darcy, and Casawitz.
• 31:00 - 35:00: Significant Changes and Personnel Moves The chapter titled 'Significant Changes and Personnel Moves' discusses important personnel changes at Manchester United. It highlights the role of Edward Glazer and introduces Omar Brad as the significant figure, serving as the CEO (Chief Executive Officer). The chapter also introduces lesser-known figures such as Roger Bell, John Ree, and Rob Nevin. Specifically, Roger Bell is identified as the new chief financial officer, succeeding Cliff Batty who had been with the club for several years under the Glazer ownership.
• 35:00 - 41:00: Youth Recruitment and Data Analytics This chapter discusses the involvement of individuals with connections to the Ineos Group in the management team at a football club. It highlights the recruitment of experienced professionals with Ineos backgrounds, such as newly-retired members brought in for financial roles. Key figures mentioned include John Ree, a wealthy co-founder of Ineos, and Rob Nevin, chairman of Ineosport, indicating the integration of business and sports expertise into the club's operations.
• 41:00 - 46:00: Managerial Insights and Challenges This chapter explores the complexities and dynamics of high-level decision-making within organizations, focusing on the board of directors and executive committees. It highlights the diverse backgrounds and experiences of board members, drawing a parallel to notable collaborations in sports and business, like those seen at major clubs like Manchester United, and organizations like Inos and F1. The text underscores the value of varied professional experiences and networks in forming strategic insights and tackling organizational challenges.
• 46:00 - 53:00: Transfer Market and Key Players The chapter discusses the football transfer market and highlights the roles of key figures such as Jason Wilcox and Christopher Vivvel. It emphasizes the responsibilities of these individuals in overseeing football operations, with a specific mention of Wilcox as the technical director. His influence is notable as he's frequently associated with player acquisitions at United. Additionally, Jim Ratcliffe humorously credits Wilcox's observational skills in the absence of a formal data department.
• 53:00 - 58:00: Bruno Fernandez Transfer Speculation The chapter discusses the rise of Christopher Vvel, who has quickly moved up the ranks to become the Director of Recruitment at Manchester United. Previously relatively unknown outside of certain circles, Vvel's rapid ascent is noted, highlighting how in just twelve months, he has become a central figure at one of the world’s most prestigious football clubs. The chapter also touches on cultural references to the old computer 'Deep Blue', possibly drawing a metaphorical comparison to Vvel's analytical approach in his role at United.
• 58:00 - 61:00: Mason Mount's Impact The chapter discusses the changes in club management after Ratcliffe took control. Emphasis is placed on the necessity of reshaping the club's structure due to its lack of success. Christopher Vel is mentioned as a potential candidate during restructuring, having recently been on gardening leave from Chelsea.
• 61:00 - 59:00: Closing Remarks and Final Thoughts The chapter "Closing Remarks and Final Thoughts" discusses the turbulent situation at Chelsea, highlighting the conflicts between the two owners and the challenges faced by the technical director. It also mentions the transition of a key individual, who, after realizing the unsuitable environment, departed. This individual was then proposed as a potential candidate for a position at Manchester United, where he initially joined as an interim director.

United's Executive Overhaul Explained! | Inside United With Laurie Whitwell Transcription

• 00:00 - 00:30 But yeah, I've seen him at Old Trafford. Um, so he's in the director's box at games. His job will be to raise those commercial revenues, right? I mean, this is a whole department that's been absolutely gutted really by um the Inos takeover where you've got people at all levels of the club leaving um partnerships and sponsorships departments. So the these are the guys that I certainly think people fans would perhaps look at with a little bit of suspicion because it's like well the football club should be the primary purpose of of this company shall we say
• 00:30 - 01:00 but when the glazes came in raising commercial revenues was absolutely their priority and these people did then go and do that. Hello and welcome to Stretford Paddock. This is Inside United with Lori Whitwell of course from the Athletic. Lori, how you doing? I'm doing great thank you. How are you doing? I'm doing very well thank you. How are you Jay? Yeah I'm good man. You look like yourself though with your paper and your laptop and everything. Honestly, it's very stious, isn't it? Honestly, about there is genuinely so much to go through today. Looks like some sort of formula. It does. It's something from a beautiful mind, but in this case, it's a beautiful man United because we're going to be
• 01:00 - 01:30 looking at Manchester United's structure. Basically, in the last two years, everything has been ripped apart and put back together with different people, different pieces. Inos coming in, Glazes sort of taking a sideward step potentially or a little backward step even. So many of the executives, so many of the data team, so many of the scouting and recruitment team have come and gone in the last 18 months basically. And we're going to go through what United's structure uh and and team looks like roughly as of right now
• 01:30 - 02:00 because there's so many pieces obviously we know there's hundreds of people at Man United, but these are the people that we think are the real crucial ones that are going to be enacting the transfers this summer. the the the the sponsorship side of things, the the financial side of things. These are the big players at Manchester United, and I want Lori to take us through it. Does that sound good? Sounds fantastic. There's loads to get through. We're going to get to transfers as well, how this all links to United's recruitment policy over the summer. There's literally loads to get through. So, let's just start as we mean to go on. We're going to start from the top and work our way down. Okay. Yeah. So, the owners of Manchester United, that is the
• 02:00 - 02:30 Glazer family. Most notably, I think Joel and Ara, is that correct? And then obviously Inos Inoss is that that that's correct as it stands. Correct. Yeah. Yeah. So Tin Rackcliffe basically bought the shares, didn't he? Through his Trollwers company and then transferred those shares to Inos um last I think December it was. So yeah, they are now Inos owned. It's uh 28.9% I think and the Glazers have got some just under 50% in terms of the actual ownership of the club, but they've got more voting rights because
• 02:30 - 03:00 their shares carry more weight which still feels like some weird impossible thing. I don't know how it's allowed really, but yeah, we we own less than 50% of the club, but we have way more than 50% of the vote. 67%. Yeah. How is that? That doesn't seem legal, does it? I mean, obviously it is. Um, so let's go sort of to the step down from there. We've got kind of board members and there's a lot of board members and I think some of them are sort of more kind of worthwhile to talk about than others. Obviously, some of the people we've just mentioned, you got the Glazer family, Kevin, Brian, Darcy, Casawitz, now not
• 03:00 - 03:30 Glazer, but was Glazer on there. You got Edward Glazer as well. all sorts of people on there, but there's a few names that we haven't mentioned. So, Omar Brad obviously is the CEO. That's a big one. He's the the chief executive officer of Manchester United, but then we've got names that people won't be as familiar with. The likes of Roger Bell, John Ree, and Rob Nevin. What can you tell me about those guys? Yes, so Roger Bell is the chief financial officer. So, he replaced uh somebody called Cliff Batty who had been at the club for several years under the Glazers. And Roger I
• 03:30 - 04:00 think was actually retired when he got the call from Jim to come on board and and you know do the financial work at United. So he's somebody from the Inos camp that Sir Jim Ratcliffe has brought on. Um and then also John Ree co-founder of Inos um is a very rich man. He's on the board as well. And then um Rob Nevin is the other one as well. So he's director I think he's chairman of Inosport sorry. So yeah, again Inos sort of background um brought onto the board. I think they're involved in that kind of
• 04:00 - 04:30 higher level of decision- making, you know, maybe present at some exe executive committee meetings that we have sort of every month or so. Um so yeah, that's the kind of people that are on the board from an Inos perspective. Yeah, I mean there's so many people that have come in with Inos, isn't there? It is like we'll get through it and you mentioned it before we went live Jab. Like it's almost like a sort of Man City meets Inoss meets F1 kind of reunion at Manchester United, isn't it? It's like all the people they know and have learned about in their 20 year experience or 15 year experience in
• 04:30 - 05:00 sport has all kind of culminated in this. Let's go down to the sort of the next level where you've got the likes of Jason Wilcox. You've got Christopher Vivvel who I want to sort of stick on a little bit. He's a name that people are kind of more aware of. These are the people that are sort of overseeing some of the footballing side of things. Obviously Wilcox's the technical director. We hear his name mentioned anytime United are linked with anyone, anytime a new player comes in, it's I think Jim Ratcliffe said himself, we don't have a data department. We just have Jason Wilcox's eyes, which is one of the most romantic things I've ever
• 05:00 - 05:30 heard in my life. And if someone ever said that about me, most troubling things I've heard in my life. Make me think of Deep Blue. You know, obviously the old computer, his eyes deep and blue. Is that Maybe that's what it is. Deep Blue Will Cox. But I think Christopher Vvel is an interesting one because that's a name that's like 12 months ago no one had heard of him and he was kind of working away in the background and and slowly but surely he's sort of gone up and up and up like this to the point where now he's the director of recruitment permanently at Manchester United. So talk to me about what he does where he came from and how he's made this as center at United. So
• 05:30 - 06:00 obviously when uh Ratcliffe got control of the club, they were looking at reshaping the structure, which I think people understood, right? I mean, if you own something, you're going to want your own people in there. You're going to want to make changes because the club hadn't been successful to its usual standards for a long time. So what's gone wrong? We need to change things and, you know, let's explore who's out there, who's available. So Christopher Vel came up in that first part of conversation I believe where he was still I think on gardening leave from leaving Chelsea where he went in as I
• 06:00 - 06:30 think technical director but I mean Chelsea was in such a turbulent state as well where you have I mean still you got two sporting directors join I mean that's an interesting dynamic I certainly think um but underneath two owners as well who are kind of you know at odds with each other so VL went into that situation realized I think that it wasn't the most suitable and departed and that's when his name was kind of proposed I think to people at United to say okay what about this guy so he came in originally as interim uh director of
• 06:30 - 07:00 recruitment around the same time that Dan Ashworth was appointed a sporting director so some of those responsibilities are kind of overlapping a little bit so maybe there was something to be worked out there and that's why he was only into him at that point obviously Dan Ashworth then left and that provided I suppose some space for VL to be appointed permanently which he has been done which he has done been done. He's been done that he's been done. Yes, been there done that. I'm better at writing than I'm at speaking and so he yeah he's going to oversee I
• 07:00 - 07:30 think a lot of United's transfer abilities you know looking at which kind of players might suit United liazisoning with scouts making sure that the scouts go in the right places alongside Jason Wilcox who is the technical director who again you he himself has risen to this role um perhaps you know quicker than people would have expected given his previous role was at Southampton and and obviously to begin with Dan Ashworth was in as sporting director kind of overseeing everything So yeah, it's I think still being worked out. Um but
• 07:30 - 08:00 those are yeah two certainly influential people on United Summer market for sure. What have you made of the scale of all these changes, Lori? Because we expected some changes and you said it there about, you know, you know when any are going to come in, so Jim Rack is going to come in. There's going to be changes, but just from the outside looking, it just feels like everyone has changed like the whole coaching staff almost. I think Darren Fletcher aside, like you've got a new manager, new coaching staff, the board's changed, the people above the manager have changed. They've even been replacing people that they brought in now with Dan Ashford going in and there. There we go. That's when you really start to get into a turbulent
• 08:00 - 08:30 state of affairs, don't you? When the new people are getting replaced. Yeah. And it's been what since has it been like 16 months whatever it is since came in. It's been I'm just surprised the amount of change. What have you made of it all? Well, listen. Ratcliff's a man in a hurry, isn't he? I think that's clear. And he is somebody that won't tolerate what he sees as inactivity or lack of momentum. He's absolutely about going forwards with ideas at pace, which is what we've seen with the stadium announcement, for example, trying to force the issue there. So, that's certainly something to be said. I also
• 08:30 - 09:00 think that, you know, he is a very demanding individual and he's fingerprints are across a lot of United and some people won't like that and so they'll leave of their own accord and they'll think, listen, I'm going to go get a job somewhere else and we can maybe touch on some of those people as we come to it. But um yeah, I think that change was always going to be inevitable when you have a a takeover. I mean, like I say, look at Chelsea, look at how much change happened there. Um, but I do think that the rate of change is it leaves then the potential for gaps to
• 09:00 - 09:30 form in decision-m processes, little things that perhaps aren't the biggest issues, but then over time maybe add together to create a bit of uncertainty and and a lack of clarity about a certain direction because you're getting people that are trying to find their feet at the same time as you know there's a lot of pressure on the football team to perform. Clearly, they've been doing horrendously in the Premier League. So that is a really unique set of circumstances and yeah I you would quite like I think some stability for a good period now really
• 09:30 - 10:00 to to make sure that United can actually progress because wasn't the decision- making a bit of an issue in the past I remember you did a piece we did like a deep dive I'm sure it was like something like John Mer and around that time where it was like sometimes getting a decision yeah like when we were linked with players that we could have got relatively cheap that went on to do good things it was difficult getting someone to actually make that decision Do you think that's been made smoother or is that still an issue? Yeah, I mean that was, you know, in part I think having to go all the way back to Joel Glazer who was across the Atlantic and, you know,
• 10:00 - 10:30 wanted to be meticulous about his decision- making process and wanted to drill down into the numbers and, you know, took his time on things. Um, and then also I think some of the people involved I think could have done better and certainly been more assertive. Um, I think that has changed. Yeah, certainly with Ratcliffe, I think he is available and uh you know, he's he does go to games, you know, you can see him much more visibly. Um and I think there is still though a little element of uh you there's only certain sign off that people have, right? So I think Barard's,
• 10:30 - 11:00 you know, got a a sign off of about £25,000 that he can actually just confirm himself and then be beyond that, I think it goes to Roger Bell who's the chief financial officer. Yeah, we have we have written this in the athletic so he can sort the sort of the subway sandwich platter for like the the the meeting. He don't need permission for that. He can he can approve that payment. So yeah. So then for I mean listen for for transfer I'm sure they can have a conversation at these XCO meetings where they know the parameters, you know, the many millions that they're able to commit and then when you get into the the nuts and bolts
• 11:00 - 11:30 of a of a deal, a negotiation, then you can, you know, perhaps be quicker with it. You know, you know the parameters. But I do think that, you know, Ratcliffe wants to drill down into every, you know, penny that's spent because he's obviously trying to cut costs and change the club, you know, dramatically. Um, and you can question whether that's absolutely the right thing or not. Certainly. Back to Christopher VL then, who seems to be kind of one of the sort of heads of the recruitment and scouting department. And you mentioned before about people coming in, people coming out, people trying to sort of find their
• 11:30 - 12:00 feet. We've in terms of notable departures in that area, you mentioned a couple of weeks ago on um in in an article, we spoke about it on here I think as well about Steve Brown leaving. He was the director of scouting at Manchester United. He's still there until is it the start of June? June the 30. Yes. Yeah. Sorry, the end of June. So he'll be there until the end of June, but he is someone that's leaving. He was the director of scouting. So that's a big change there that obviously VL presumably is going to sort of absorb some of some of his work. I think so. Yeah. because it was proposed to Steve Brown a new role under VL and Will Cox
• 12:00 - 12:30 that he at his point in his career didn't want to take. So yeah, I think VL will now basically oversee the scouting scouting operation. What that job was for Steve Brown was basically deciding where scouts go all across the world as we said you know they had a lot of them and you know making sure that the reports came in and then sort of you know then acting on those feeding those back to the people that would make the decisions. his role wasn't necessarily a decision-making opinionated role which I think some people questioned. They thought that someone in that position
• 12:30 - 13:00 should voice an opinion on players and I think he then ultimately did in certain transfer windows under Tenhog. I think Val already comes in with that background. He was at Red Bull Group before he was at Chelsea for example. So he's got that history that pedigree of making calls on players which I do think you need in a role like that if you're going to oversee a whole recruitment department. A few few more names and obviously you mentioned Dan Ashworth leaving. Jim Lawler is someone that left a little while ago as well. He was one of the was he the chief scout? Chief scout. Yeah, he was back in Fergie days.
• 13:00 - 13:30 So he was sort of around when he was very involved in the manuvic coming to the club to chito as well. So uh yeah and he would he would have a high standard for what he would pass as a United player. The next one I want to talk about um there's so much to get through here but Mark Armstrong seems to be a big name. um chief business officer brought in from PSG I believe. Yeah. Left PSG and so he could left PSG and came to United. Yeah. He's new. What's he doing? How does that look? And and why is he sort of trusted by this sort
• 13:30 - 14:00 of inner circle? Yeah. I mean he's obviously done I think good work at PSG. I know you can say well they're owned by you know the Qataris but I think ultimately they have raised commercial revenues there. So yeah, I think he I imagine would have known John Club Blanc who used to be at PSG as well before joining Inos and being involved at United on that sort of higher level. Um but yeah, I've seen him at Old Trafford. Um so he's in the director's box at games. His job will be to raise those commercial revenues, right? I mean, this is a whole department that's been absolutely gutted really by um the Inos
• 14:00 - 14:30 takeover where you've got people at all levels of the club leaving um partnerships and sponsorships departments. So the these are the guys that I certainly think people fans would perhaps look at with a little bit of suspicion because it's like well the football club should be the primary purpose of of this company shall we say but when the glazes came in raising commercial revenues was absolutely their priority and these people did then go and do that you know you had big deals being struck even now for Adidas um the
• 14:30 - 15:00 kit deal 90 million quid a year Snapdragon which is beyond I think what people expected at the time um and so these people that have actually made those deals have left. So, it's now up to Mark Armstrong to kind of continue that. For example, there's no training kit sponsor, I don't believe, for next year. So, that's like a big amount of money that could be coming in. Um, so yeah, you had like people like Victoria Timson who I think did the Snapdragon deal, she left. Um, James Hoid who was I think chief commercial development officer, he did the Adidas deal. He's
• 15:00 - 15:30 now become is going to become chief executive of Burnley Football Club. So, that's a big sort of role for him. So these are the kind of people that are leaving and then you're getting new people in that have been backed by Ratcliffe to go and do the job and and obviously it's a big job to do. So let's see how they go. I don't like I don't mind sort of change and new people coming in. And one of the criticisms I always had of the the Glazers was at times it felt like they were just getting in people they knew or that weren't qualified. That was a criticism. Promoting from within or always trickled down from Edward didn't Ed Woodward. Yeah. And it was like has he got the the
• 15:30 - 16:00 sort of the experience around football to be arguably the most important person at Manchester United ran the club for so many years. It's bizarre. We were just because obviously it's 20 years since the Glazers took over this week and we've done a few pieces on it and got some podcasts to come. But um yeah, he he was basically the banker that enabled them to get the loans, the risky loans from JP Morgan to then take over the club. So then he's rewarded by being given the executive vice chair role and then he then runs the club for the next decade. And so it all stems from that. Yeah, that was just ridiculous. We don't
• 16:00 - 16:30 want to sort of go off on a tangent. No, don't apologize because you know it needs to I'm glad you mentioned the fact it is 20 years since the Blazers took over and we're still suffering with the the sort of the disaster that their tenure has been so far or their ownership has been. You know, we're sat here talking about it now and talking about United sat in the bottom half of the table for a reason. I think it all stems from that. Um, but yeah, it just I do like the idea of bringing in people who've got experience in certain roles though. I get that and I think that's
• 16:30 - 17:00 what has been lacking and it it does certainly seem that that's what Inos are doing. It's just whether s certain roles are translatable like if they're coming from a F1 background or they're coming from a a sort of a I don't know petrochemicals background, does that translate into Manchester United into a footballing role? Yeah, absolutely. Um, another person I want to mention, um, who's who's a name that's been around for a long time and yet I never really hear people talk about what she does and you know, you know, why she's so important in Manchester now, but that's
• 17:00 - 17:30 Colette Roach, the COO, chief operating officer. Like I said, a name that you we we've seen loads, but I've never really, you know, shouldn't seem to get the attention of a Will Cox or a Bara or even in the past looking at a Mr. or I know maybe it's a slightly smaller role but it's very important role and maybe not worth mentioning but maybe worth mentioning I've got about 50 people no 30 40 names on this piece of paper here she's the only one that's a woman I don't I'm not saying that that's a a particular reason you know hiring policy obviously not but that does stand out as
• 17:30 - 18:00 a person in such a high sort of position in a in a sea of men running Manchester United what's she like and what does she do at Manchester United yeah I think there should be more more women to be honest um no she's She's very good. She came from Manchester airport to be chief operating officer at Manchester United. And I think you haven't really heard about her that much because it's not a football facing role that she's had for the for the most part. You know, I think people are interested in you know signings and and how the football side of things are doing rather than necessarily the business which was her
• 18:00 - 18:30 domain. Um and mainly she she kind of looked after the stadium Old Trafford you know the running of it and then also say for example probably the football facing role she did have was looking at you know preseason tours for example. So, you know, with the American tours, she'll be across that. She'll go out and do wreckies in the places they're going to visit, that kind of thing. And then talk with the manager and and ask him if it's okay that they're going to go and go to America and and and try and I mean, it's it's ultimately a club call, right? It's not a manager that makes that decision, but try and at least make
• 18:30 - 19:00 it so that it's not too strenuous on the players. And I think there's certainly been, you know, perhaps examples of that where it's not quite worked, hasn't it? you know that that first summer with Tenhog, sorry, the second summer with Tenhog when it was east coast, west coast, that kind of thing. Um, so but then more recently a role has changed. Um, there was an introduction of a guy called Gary Hemingway when you mentioned Inos figures. He's somebody that was big in operations at Inos. Um, so I think went to Grmouth and and sort of did you know that work there where they were closing down that plant which wasn't a
• 19:00 - 19:30 popular uh situation to be involved in. And again, similarly here at United, I think he's looking at sort of cost management as well. Um, and that brings with it its own friction. Uh, so he sort of took over the stadium management at Old Trafford, which was sort of Colette's roach's responsibility. Uh, and so then she I think adopted more of the football operations side of of um of Old Trafford and and well, Carrington, logistics, that kind of thing. But then they've recently announced United that she is going to be uh chief development
• 19:30 - 20:00 officer at the new stadium. the proposed new stadium uh coming into effect uh in June, July when the renovations are done on Carrington. So yeah, a lot of moving parts. Yeah. Um but she's actually the only person on the executive leadership team that is still at the club from the previous regime now. So all the other people at that level of management have now departed. That's pretty impressive, isn't it? And also it seems like I know obviously someone's got to oversee the stadium stuff, but that seems like a a massive task she's been given there.
• 20:00 - 20:30 Obviously the preseason tours are very important but the the new potential 100year home of Manchester United in a investment looking sort of north of three billion quid that's a a massive thing that she's overseeing there isn't it? Yeah she was there with Omar Barada at the unveiling at Foster and Partners offices uh you know she answered some questions for journalists uh and yeah she's a she's a sharp woman and and what people say to me about her is that she gets things done. So yeah, um I'm sure she ruffles feathers at times, but equally I think that if you're trying to
• 20:30 - 21:00 pull off a project like this, I think she's a good person to have there. But um but yeah, I mean I think she got linked with the Newcastle United chief exec role not not long ago. So you know there's that sort of possibility I suppose at some point. But um yeah, it's a fascinating dynamic all of that, you know, how it's going to shape up because the stadium is such a big project. How are they going to get financing for it? And so that's going to be an essential part of her role. Yeah, I think I first saw her talking at the uh stadium meeting they had at Old Trafford where they were talking about whether it was
• 21:00 - 21:30 going to be a new stadium and whether it was going to be a regeneration of of Old Trafford and you could tell like she came across very well and obviously across it all understood what was going on in terms of like you know the sort of different dynamics to it all. Sorry Jay I think it's things like you know the safe standing that they've had at Old Trafford you know the taking out of the executive seats in the Stretford end. I think those, you know, are good, you know, aspects that of her role, you know, working with, um, Rick McGar who's who's uh, I've got to get this right, chief of fan engagement, I think. Um, so I mean, he was actually, uh, Richard
• 21:30 - 22:00 Arnold's first appointment as chief executive when he first came in. Obviously, he's departed now. So, it's stuff like that that then is there's a tangible effect of that. You can see the fans are getting, I think, the benefit of that. You know, we saw the atmosphere ahead of the Lyon game, the Athletic Bill, the Athletic Bill Ba game. Um, I think that that's a perhaps a course of that. All about the TFOS in it. All about the TOS. That's that's what did it? That's what did that. You know what I mean? Do you like the TOS? I'm You're on the fence, are you? Yeah. I don't like I don't like being on the fence on anything, but I'm I'm going to say about the TFOS. I get it. I don't think I'm
• 22:00 - 22:30 the audience for that. Okay. Yeah. But I know that like my kids get excited about things like that, so I get it. Do you know what I mean? It's not It's cool and it's cool and trendy. Yeah. And I'm neither of those things. I dislike them. I I but I'm I'm on similar with Joe. They kind of they don't give me that like go on you. I think if it was the fans that had put them together. That's that is the Well, I mean I think technically Tif is when it is the fans, isn't it? So maybe I'm slightly mis but that's what it's being called is but I think you know it looks a bit more like
• 22:30 - 23:00 um when you go to the theater and the sort of the curtain drops down and it's like I don't know it's got an element of like the the venue is putting this on rather than the fans are putting this on which I is still nice but it's not quite that same like you know someone unveiling it and maybe it was a secret that it was going to happen or maybe you know all that sort of thing but I I think it's still good. I don't I don't think it's at all. Champions League music, man. That's what you need. That's you need that bit. So, no disrespect to Europa because, you know, it's the best competition to be in and all that.
• 23:00 - 23:30 You know what I mean? You need that. Beautiful. Pitch perfect. Wasn't bad. Well, I go back to, you know, was that Believe Mosaic, wasn't it? Ahead of the Barcelona semi-final, which But that must have been the club organizing that surely. That was iconic. That was one. Yeah, that that was that's fair fair point. But yeah, the T4 thing I'm like, you're all right. Yeah, it's cool. I know what you mean. So, weirdly that's the thing. So, obviously I post some stuff on my Instagram occasionally like celebrations and things, but those two TFOs being raised before the game are the things that went the most wild, you
• 23:30 - 24:00 know, had the most and I think that's sort of to your point, isn't it? Maybe your or I'm not the I get I see the reaction from certainly like younger fans, but the play the players were involved, weren't they in terms of picking this wording or having the right they would think Bruno Fernandez was given a kind of Bruno Fernandez gets involved in a few things. thing from what I've heard old music before the game. Yeah, he's he's invested in all that. Fair play. I hear that. Yeah, he's got a lot of things to think about. He's Why not, man? Giving his time to that. He's probably going to get a little threeletter initialism at some point,
• 24:00 - 24:30 isn't he? Captain Fantastic organizer. Perfect. Nailed that. Thank you. Wow. Um, again, there's so many names here, but I we we said before we sort of focus on on two or three key ones. Obviously, VL, we've spoke about Mark Armstrong, the new business officer. We spoke about Klette Roach. There's a few others in there as well. Um Sam Erith is is a performance director that's come in. Just briefly we're touching him because I want to get to the data stuff a little bit as well. He was into him as well. Um and he's going to be made permanent. That's been recently confirmed. Um so yeah, he kind
• 24:30 - 25:00 of oversees, you know, what it takes to make a player perform uh on the pitch. So yeah, I guess everything from nutrition to sort of uh training patterns to maybe medical a little bit, but you know that is sort of doctor's department. Although Gary Odriscoll who's the the chief doctor at United, he he is departing actually. Um of course. Yeah. Cuz who isn't at this point? Yeah. When when did he come in? He only came in Arsenal lad. Yeah. Came from Arsenal. Yeah. So he he came in with Tanag's
• 25:00 - 25:30 second season, but he came in in September. Uh and I think Tanag wanted him in for the start of preseason, but that was another one where decision didn't happen quick enough or the negotiations didn't happen sharp enough. Arsenal kind of wanted to keep him and didn't want to lose him just at that moment. And I think Tennard would have preferred it to be done promptly and then it came in in September and that was the season that then United had all their injuries. I was about to say it was like people were like pointing a finger. He's come from Arsenal has brought their injuries in. It was crazy, wasn't it? Yeah, a bit harsh. I think he
• 25:30 - 26:00 is well regarded but um yeah and there's other people. There's James James Morton who uh isn't actually employed by United. He's an Inos uh sort of person who's um massively uh knowledgeable on nutrition. So he's been seen at Carrington um head of snacking, not the official title. Well, there is obviously no snacking allowed at Carrington, you know, because well that costs money. So Oh, that's true. Yeah, good point. You can bring your own snacks like Okay, fine. Um let's move on to the data department. I mean, obviously there's we're we're sort of glancing over the
• 26:00 - 26:30 footballing department, but I think we're much more well versed on that. Obviously, we know Amaran's the head coach. He's got his sort of uh team underneath him. The only one maybe worth mentioning is is Darren Fletcher because he was technical director, then technical coach. which I saw online. I don't know if that's true. Is he just now just a coach or does he still have a is he still a link or leers between the the the technical team and the footballing team? What's going on there? Yeah, I mean, yeah, the technical director role was was I don't know. It was always a an interesting one because it came at the same time as John Mur was made football director. And there was
• 26:30 - 27:00 some suggestion to me that that was an understanding from Ed Woodward that you couldn't really after all this long-term search for a football director. You couldn't just promote from within with John Mr. You had to also combine it with somebody with that football pedigree in Darren Fletcher. And obviously that then led to Nikki But's departure because I think he perhaps felt that he'd done his time at United and perhaps deserved that kind of level of responsibility alongside you having a fallout with John Ma. But the uh role then obviously developed as we went along and and and
• 27:00 - 27:30 Darren Fletcher's role became more perhaps a link with the academy. So you had his expertise coming through the academy himself also you know being a coach and and having that kind of inbuilt knowledge of of being a footballer to sort of you know just pick out who was doing well and maybe where they could go on loan um and then obviously since uh the Inos takeover then you've got Jason Wilcox doing that role who who had done you know the academy director at Man City and done sporting director at Southampton so kind of had done that kind of level of of of
• 27:30 - 28:00 job albeit not at the scale of United before so that that made sense and and Darren Fletcher, but I think the club absolutely value what he brings. And I can totally see when you see him at games, when you when you hear him, the passion that he's got for the game and the knowledge that he's got. I think it's I think it's good that he's at the club. Obviously, he's got his two uh lads in the academy as well. And so I think he's a coach, but I think also it's more than that in terms of bringing that I don't know that that that fabric of United uh you know in in person form to that that job and being able to speak
• 28:00 - 28:30 to players just about the history and and and the knowledge of what it takes to succeed at United and and the pressure that comes with it for example. So yeah, it's it's a softer thing than perhaps being able to sort of give a title to but that's how I see. brings a lot that others don't really have like you mentioned about the you know other than Klet Roach everyone basically they've just mentioned has come in the last 12 months or 18 months he's one that again not just has he been there in this role or a similar role for pushing two or three years now he's been involved at Man United in one form or another for probably close to 30 years
• 28:30 - 29:00 at this point which I do think is important can I just ask one thing just before we move on from all that how tongue and cheek was the whole Jason Wilcox's eyes thing do you think from Sir Jim Ratcliffe because it was like I don't I know it's a bit of an odd thing to say. Was he just joking or was it like is is Jason Wilcox really not not completely in control of everything? But is he being heavily relied on for a lot of this stuff? I think he's really well regarded by the powers that be at United um for his sort of Yeah. technical knowledge. You know, he was a player. He
• 29:00 - 29:30 won the title, didn't he, with the Black Rovers? Sorry. I'm still not over it. That was one of the first matches I remember as a kid actually watching that West Ham game. Yeah. my aunt and uncle had sky and we had to go around to theirs and watch it. a big thing that you could actually watch it and I just remember being like waiting to to celebrate and never coming but um yeah so um so yeah but I think he is somebody that is absolutely at the training ground watching the sessions with Amarin got a strong relationship I believe with Amarin where you know they discuss a lot of things then he you know
• 29:30 - 30:00 takes that back to you know Omar Barada other people in the executive sim Ratcliffe you know who you know clearly wants to be informed about what's going on at the club so yeah I think He's somebody that is has got a big status at United. He's a serious guy, man. I was sat near him at the FA Cup final. You couldn't tell United won even not giving anything away. Unscrew inscrutable because the beaten city, was it? Yeah, that might be a good point. Was that crying actually now you mention it? I just I just um let's move on to the data
• 30:00 - 30:30 department. You mentioned there about Jason Wilcox's eyes being our current data department. Well, that isn't technically true, is it? This is one of Jim Ratcliff's sort of I don't want to say Donald Trumpisms, but there are some that kind of like I'll say it for effect as much as for truth. And wasn't there a report as well that potentially the Glazers weren't too keen on the um the old statement about being bust by Christmas? I don't know how there was a report. There was a report about that, wasn't there? Athletic. Yes, exactly. So is it, you know, so is is this, you
• 30:30 - 31:00 know, his I don't want to say way with words, but kind of he likes to kind of paint a picture as as well as telling the truth, doesn't he? Jim Ragnoff, did did the the his eyes thing did that affect people in the data department that basically you your [ __ ] and Will Cox is amazing. Was that that surely must ruffle a few feathers? I think it's got I don't know for certain but you know picking up a few little bits you sort of feel like that was something that you know was a bit unnecessary
• 31:00 - 31:30 perhaps shall we say probably bruised a few people and maybe he thinks you know it doesn't matter I'm here to bruise people it's been bad for years so I'm entitled to have this opinion I've I've bought the shares in the club I've got the control of the club so therefore I'm going to say what I think is the problem and you know as we've seen with Donald Trump that gets you perhaps elected to be president, you that kind of absolute conviction in your own personality and your own um state of mind. So, yeah, he's a billionaire for a reason, right?
• 31:30 - 32:00 Like, you know, he's obviously had this kind of positive approach, should we say, to his business and can do attitude. Um, clearly that might create a few, you know, bruised egos, but he, you know, will want to change things. And so, yeah, they've made some changes on that level. Um, I do, you know, I do think that the people that United hired have are pretty competent. I've said that before. Um, I understand that, you know, getting to a level where they're actually influencing which signings are
• 32:00 - 32:30 made is then another step and that, you know, maybe they're still not there yet, but yeah, there's a couple of people that have come in um under this new regime. Well, let's start with one of them, Michael Sansone, who I believe came in from Mercedes F1 team. Again, obviously closely linked with Inos, big sponsor there. Yeah. Um what do we know about him and what will his role be in that kind of that new data setup or I say new revamped data setup whatever wants to call it. Yeah let's say revamped because it has been around for a few years you know this was something that you know Mr was trying to introduce
• 32:30 - 33:00 at United um and Dominick Jordan was the director of data science I believe he he left you know under since the Inos takeover. So uh yeah Michael Santon I think will head up that that team of of data analysts. Um I think it's only a few handful um and he he was basically I think the guy at Mercedes that would leaz with Lewis Hamilton for example and um you know clearly his background is in data analytics. So let me have a look. Um graduated University of Southampton
• 33:00 - 33:30 with a first class degree in aerospace engineering in 2015. So yeah it's I mean and now obviously the question is can you translate that to football? We've seen this. Well a question about Dominic Jordan. his background was fashion for example and then he came in and you know so obviously numbers are numbers right it's then knowing what numbers mean something significant and translating that into definitive action by the people that ultimately make the calls no I mean that's that's the sort of
• 33:30 - 34:00 weird conundrum I think with some of this is that we've always wanted people with expertise to come into United and it's been a sort of criticism we've always had but how well does that expertise translate if it's not football-based But I'll get your point of like numbers and numbers and you'd like to think not to sound naive but you likes to think that within the success within the amount of money that Sim was putting in that you know he's not just going to do this on a wing and a prayer that he's going to have people that know what they're doing because that was part of the problem with the Glazes like you said with the Woodward is just rewarding
• 34:00 - 34:30 someone that had helped them buy the club rather than getting in the right people to turn this around as as especially as like you mentioned with time being of the essence. It felt like that throughout and the stadium was a good example of that, wasn't it? It's like we want the stadium and we want it quickly because you know the clock's ticking. Speaking of wing and a prayer that was the name of your failed lowcost budget airline, wasn't it? I think it was we ran out of an air drum and we had a few issues with the first flight. It just, you know, if you still had it
• 34:30 - 35:00 though, you'd be able to charter some flights to Bilba, wouldn't you? I would make a killing. You probably could. Yeah, but you might. Wing a prayer might also lead to it might we put it on hold for the time being. We are looking for investment if anyone's interested. Indefinitely postponed that one isn't it? Um I think that sort of sums up nicely where we're up to with a lot of this stuff. I think there was one person I forgot there's only one thing. Um Dan Nickel who's also on your Yeah. Where look at the state. This is like Goodwill Hunting. Has
• 35:00 - 35:30 anyone ever seen the film Goodwill Hunting? Do you know what I was going to say? They leave it on the wall for someone to solve. Yeah, I was going to say a different film, Momento. They're like all the tattoos you need to draw on yourself. You get that tattooed onto your chest and your hands so you know everything about United. Yeah, I should. If I'd have tattooed Dan Nichols name onto my fist, I could have remembered that before having to come back to it after I've got to have his name written down somewhere. He is I'll tell you anyway. He is uh he's been hired as a consultant on the data. I've got him Dan Nickel data. Yeah, new hit me with him. So he uh
• 35:30 - 36:00 nickel for your thoughts. He he completed a master's degree in mathematics and computer science from the University of Oxford in 2013. D fill in computer science in 2017. Used to work at 777 partners, the football organization or the investment organization that tried to buy Everton and has got a few other clubs around the world that you know they didn't ultimately buy Everton for different reasons. He's he left then anyway he's been hired as a consultant by United on the data side. Oxford number one ranked university on the planet just to confirm
• 36:00 - 36:30 by the way. So we go. Yeah. According to Times Higher Education, not in the world. That's yeah. Okay. Number two, Sulford MIT. All right. M Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Sulford is false. Um, so, so that kind of wraps it. I mean on the data front at the moment the players we're being linked with and we'll get to players now cuz I mean I'll tell you one thing actually I know people like to diss podcast and everyone's got a podcast and podcast pocket but there's no other medium on
• 36:30 - 37:00 the planet where you can sit and talk for 35 minutes about the entire sort of upper management team and inner workings of Manchester United. I do value a podcast for that. We just spoke for 35 minutes about this laying out everything like that. You can't, you can maybe do it in an article, but it's, you know, not always. You can't do that on the radio. You can't do that on telly. I like that we've just done that. So, thank you for all of that. Well, hopefully people continue to listen. I mean, no one's still watching. So, now we can do we can bring the tins of sardines back. Time stamp this bit where
• 37:00 - 37:30 we start to talk about transfers. So, now we're talking about transfers. Um, just before we get to the bigger names, I want to talk about Cooney. Obviously, the latest on that, maybe a few strikers. Speaking of Sansson and Nickel, the two new sort of data guys. It does seem as though we're seeing a bit of a sort of youngsters first kind of policy. We've seen Aiden Heaven come in. I know he's not a child, but obviously Patrick Dor is 20 years old from Leche, a club that in my memory we've never bought a player from. So there's not some, you know, we'll do you
• 37:30 - 38:00 a favor like Van Dw thing, Royal or otherwise. Um, but it seems as though that this is something that we're doing more of. Uh, Enzo Canabak is another name that is being linked with United. I think very close to being done, if not done. Are they going to be kind of spearheading this new wave of of of youngsters and transfers? Is that going to be their focus? Because maybe there's a limit of Moyes Kyados and and Mahrezes
• 38:00 - 38:30 that you can bring into the Premier League without risking your league position. Maybe United have to buy 50 60 million pound players because otherwise we'll get relegated. But these youngsters is do you think that's maybe where the data stuff is going to really show itself? That's the hope, right? And and certainly that's something that I think taps into Will Cox's wheelhouse given his academy days at Man City. also VL you know I think um for example the seco conade deal you know he had been scouted previously you know under Steve Brown's uh you know directing but uh
• 38:30 - 39:00 ultimately it was when the new guys came in that that deal was then complete and I think there's there's certainly a bit more aggression in the youth market than there was previously where there perhaps be caution over certain deals that probably were difficult to do I think United are now trying to be creative with how they can go about sealing them obviously you know they've got to be 18 haven't they to come and join United. Um, that's the rules of Brexit that have been impacted, you know, clubs for a few years now. But, uh, I do feel like this is something that they're going to try and do. You know, it's also financial,
• 39:00 - 39:30 right? Like if they've only got a certain amount of money to spend, can they go and get a player ahead of the curve? Okay, they're taking more of a gamble, but ultimately might pay off and the value will rise as they come to United. And then if it doesn't ultimately work out, they can still sell them for a profit. You know, that's ultimately what United want to get to, right? I mean, Liverpool have been doing it for years. Chelsea, City clearly have been doing it for years. That being said, United need to succeed on the pitch now. And so, how much time, resource, money you put into that
• 39:30 - 40:00 compared to first team level where clearly you've got a manager who is feeling it after his, you know, statements after West Ham again bringing up, you know, his future. So, um, and that's why I think they then also looking at, you know, Matase K, for example, as a as a kind of senior pro to come in straight away and deliver. I'm sorry. I've just got to ask you quickly about that. Just on the Amir and his comments after, what did you make of that being in that room and seeing that? Yeah. Yeah. And and him I wasn't in the room sorry but someone who's covered obviously so many presses. I've been in
• 40:00 - 40:30 a room where he said something similar before. What's what's your take on that? Sorry to distract from Yeah, you have mentioned and point it. He said something like that previously. He said bits like that. I mean he probably in double figures as to the amount of times he's brought it up. I remember being in San Sebastian before the Rail Sausidad first leg and that was basically the overarching theme of the the press conference where he'd said a few bits in different interviews and and people sort of criticize him for giving interviews but he has to do it. It's part of
• 40:30 - 41:00 United's contract with broadcasters. So for example because he has to do so many because we spoke about this in my news this morning. Yeah because I was looking at a list. He's done a lot of sitdown interviews with Sky and is that it's because every time Sky have a game they get to interview the manager. So this is their pre Chelsea uh interview that they've done that then goes out on the Monday straight away because obviously you know timings of things during the week make it less possible to do it. So they've got to fit it all in. It's part of the contract. It's just that we
• 41:00 - 41:30 notice it more because I think Ruben Amarin is very charismatic guy says a lot of things. They get posted more frequently than they perhaps would have done under it 10 hard. Um, but it it feels like a lot, doesn't it? Honestly, it's it's a standard procedure if you're in a a Sky game. And they will obviously it's up to them. And TNT, for example, same thing. Any any broadcaster, but they will then choose to put that on their channels, whereas they might not choose to put other interviews on their channels because they know it won't get as many hits. So, that makes sense. Yeah, I kind of I have sympathy for him
• 41:30 - 42:00 there because he must I didn't blame him. I didn't think he was going, "Oh, can I have another interview? Please let me sit down with Sky again." Something I didn't mention yesterday. But that makes cuz I was looking at the frequency of some of them and it was like I think there's been like three sit down interviews in the last two weeks or whatever. You think cuz how many times can I watch this man tell you how embarrassed he is and how things have got to get better and it's like and and that's it. That's going to be an interesting thing to observe with the squad. You know, we already had it, didn't we, where he said it was the worst team in in in Premier League
• 42:00 - 42:30 history or history and he sort of changed it a little bit and said it was actually I meant me as well as you know as much as anybody. Um he even got brought up before the second leg against Athletic club where you know a German reporter I think it was sort of reminding him of that and then asked Alejandro Ganache how he felt about that. It was quite quite good stuff to be fair but Ganacho correctly sidestepped it and just sort of talked about yeah we need to improve etc. Um but Amarin again sort of did address it like well we are you know technically the worst team in Premier League history you know we will finish the bottom position for United you know that's ever
• 42:30 - 43:00 happened in this competition. So yeah he doesn't shy away from brutal honesty. the stuff about his future is an interesting one just because where's his head at sort of saying that I think he's just trying to be honest but clearly the you know it's a it's an interesting tactic to take because you kind of want to convey and portray absolute confidence in your own abilities that's certainly the tactic that Eric Tenhog took he he really doubled down on his belief in himself because I think he felt that he was getting attacked from
• 43:00 - 43:30 all quarters so he had to kind of stick up for himself whereas Ruben Amarin it seems to me is okay with being honest and and therefore that then can help you as a communicator with your players. When you're being honest about yourself, you can kind of tell the players what you really feel and and say, "I'm doing this for the betterment of the team." Um, but yeah, it'd be from from what I can tell, you know, the people that have put him there are absolutely having faith in his abilities to do this. I don't think there's any uh sort of
• 43:30 - 44:00 doubts there, but clearly, you know, but is he doubting it? Well, that's it. You kind of I suppose you must do, right? If you come into a season where, you know, they've lost uh two out, sorry, they've had two draws and five defeats, right, in the last seven. And I think if they go on and they could easily lose to Chelsea and Aston Villa, they could finish the season, that's it, with two points from the final 27 available. Um, which would be horrendous, wouldn't it? So that's Southampton. He just I keep saying this, but you can see on the
• 44:00 - 44:30 touch line how frustrated he is with it. You can see you can just tell he's fed up. I think as well it's not on him, is it? Or some of responsibility. I can't just wash your hands of responsibility when United are in 16th or whatever. So you have to look at the manager somewhat, but and I know people hate XG whatever, but if you're creating chances, if you're setting up a team, they're creating the chances. I always feel like that it's not your fault if those chances aren't creat. And I know that, you know, I've never been one who's a massive fan of XC, but it does show you that part of what he's trying to do is working. But
• 44:30 - 45:00 what what's he meant to do, especially with the team that he inherited, he only brought in two. This is the big thing, right? He's had one player, Patrick Dog. Okay. Aiden Heaven as well, maybe you could say. But that's why this summer is going to be so huge. I worry that it's too big because normally a manager comes in and gets a a grace period and a load of signings at the same time. So then that first season, let's say he finishes, obviously 17th wouldn't be acceptable. Let's say he finished eighth or ninth in the first season, you probably go, you know what, I'm seeing some changes. We've got to a cup final. Let's say it's the exact same, but we finished higher up. Let's give him another season. Then you get another
• 45:00 - 45:30 load of transfers and another season having coached the team. With this, he's getting he's lost his grace period without having any of his own players. So these players who come in this summer now have to settle in immediately to put him where he would be in his second proper season if he'd come in in, you know, preseason. So I feel like he's he's kind of a transfer window behind. Like I I'm worried that he's so much has got to happen in his favor this summer for it to be smooth sailing next year. It's like you said as well, it felt like Rude had his new manager bounce. Yeah,
• 45:30 - 46:00 it felt like Rude got stolen different voice the change the uplift and the fans sort of going okay it's not worked out in the 10 you know obviously Rude's a legend so it's slightly different but then first game it switch away you take lead after four minutes and you draw and then there's Ed Sheeran gate and it just feels like yeah rubbish remember that just feels like oh right he said he said he said then didn't he I don't want to do any more interviews exactly that was that was the straw that broke the camel's back Um let's move on to some some transfers
• 46:00 - 46:30 then obviously because that is a big thing that's coming up. United in full sort of transfer swing. We've spoke about Matt Kuna a lot. Is that is has there been any change on that front? Is it any more or less likely than it was a couple of weeks ago? Um I think it's still the same as as what it was a couple of weeks ago in terms of it feeling positive and obviously it just gets to a certain point when United would then be able to trigger the the uh clause in his contract. clearly that you know the fact that they could be in the Champions League after all this is a
• 46:30 - 47:00 very pertinent point. I mean on that obviously I'm glad that that is you know there's not been any backward steps which is why we've not heard anything. It's kind of a that's locked in and we're waiting a little bit almost. That's that's my feeling like I wouldn't wouldn't want to say it's absolutely going to happen but it feels like that's on the right path. Great. You mentioned the Champions League thing. Victor Gawkarez is is a player that United have been linked with. There was loads of talk in the in January about United potentially wanting him, whether that be for January or the summer. Then since January, it seemed like it's it's cooled
• 47:00 - 47:30 off a little bit. Then there was a conversation with Amarin before one of the Europa League games. I can't remember which one it was. It was the last it was a semi-final, wasn't it? Great. Yeah, before the semi-final talking about um Victor Gawkarez and the potential for him to come to Manchester United. And he answered it in a way that confused me and I want to ask you about it. So he says Gawkarez deal, I didn't talk to him. He also went on to say, "But if a player only wants to come to Man United to play Champions League, then he won't come. We want players who want to represent United, not players
• 47:30 - 48:00 who want to play certain competitions." That almost sounds to me like he's talking to Victor Gawkarez there. He's not saying, "I'm not going to talk about him." He could have brushed it under the carpet and said a lot less than that. Yeah. By saying like almost laying out the parameters of a potential deal here, we're not going to do it to to further your career in the Champions League. We'll sign you if you want to join. Do you think he's almost sort of hinting that he he would like to sign Victor Garez? Do you think Amaran would be keen on that? And is that a deal that is remotely possible or is it kind of dilap
• 48:00 - 48:30 at this point? Yeah, it's a funny one because I reported a few months ago that it it looks unlikely. I don't know how much of that was linked to Champions League where it looked like obviously there was no chance United getting into the Champions League through the Premier League. So, and Europa League was still unlikely you'd probably say at that point. So, that's why it was sort of twinned in that way. Um, but I don't know did I wonder if the question I can't remember if the question to him included the bit about he only wants Champions that now. I think it did to be honest. I think maybe he's referring to that but equally I
• 48:30 - 49:00 accept your point Joe that actually he didn't need to say it either. Um, so is he kind of just make yeah putting that message out there. The thing is if United aren't in the Champions League I just don't see how they can afford him anyway. So it's kind of like a moot point and he wouldn't join anyway. But if they are in the Champions League and he joined, they can still say, "Well, he wanted to join United because it's United, not necessarily just because of the Champions League." But yeah, I mean, I think given what they achieved together at Sporting, you it' make sense for Amarin to quite fancy having a
• 49:00 - 49:30 player like that to come in because striker has been such an issue. And you do you do certainly wonder, you know, for all of Dilap's qualities that we've spoken about, um, you know, that that sort of level of seniority that Yarez brings, albeit he hasn't played in the Premier League before. obviously he's done it at Coventry in the Championship and now in the Portuguese league. So whether Amarin would even want two strikers, you sort of do wonder at that at this point. You know, let's let's say even if even if Holyland stays, obviously if he leaves then you definitely need two strikers. But if
• 49:30 - 50:00 Holand stays and you know, you bring in a Dilap who again is a risk. He's a young player who's Premier League proven but not to the tune of 25 goals a season. what is it 13 he's got so far which is good for the team he's playing for but I wouldn't say he's Premier League proven I'd say he's Premier League experienced if he gets injured or doesn't start well then you're back to your three Premier League goal a season striker Raasmas Oilen playing for you every week like I think we need a bit more of a buffer than that personally it feels like a lot of pressure on Cheeto
• 50:00 - 50:30 as well don't it like if we don't because he's still only going to be a kid next season it's not it's not like he's you know he's going to be all of a sudden after the summer he's get old or he's he's more experienced. He's still a player that's finding his feet and by right shouldn't be starting that many games for Manchester United. I know he's a great talent or whatever. But yeah, I agree with you. I think it's worrying that we barely have enough money for one striker and we probably need two. And then even then if you you know the sort of squad is thread better in it and Joshua Xerxi was a player we thought was
• 50:30 - 51:00 a striker and it isn't. Marcus Rashford is someone who can play down the middle. I'd be amazed if I saw him play for United again. M. So it feels like we're in a worse position even if we bought a strike than we were at the beginning of last season. It's mad, isn't it? Really? Yeah. It's sad. I mean, at least we might get a bit of money for Anthony. The way things are going, he's having tear, isn't he? Yeah. I mean, that that what a final that is. Uh Jaden Sancho versus Anthony. The the battle of the lost toys. What? Forgotten toys. What is it? The island of forgotten toys on Toy Story. Be loads of people. It's a little bit have loads of people tweeting we
• 51:00 - 51:30 shouldn't have let them go. You know what I mean? You're like, "Yeah." What is that? 56 million quid worth of wing United wingers. Is it more than that? 85 million plus 70. Oh yeah. 15500 he said. Yeah. 160 million quid worth of United. That is a great shot. They are two of the most expensive players United bought in history. Two of our top five most expensive players. Wow. Amazing, isn't it? Good piece of that. Should need to get on to editor on that one. Um we've we've spoke about Dilap before again
• 51:30 - 52:00 just quickly but I've got want to talk about a few other things as well. Is Dilap still obviously in the conversation? Definitely in the conversation. Anything any movement on that front? Not not I've not properly checked in on that to be fair for a little bit. But I just you kind of getting to a point like end of the season that's when the picture is clearer for everybody. So then you can make more considered decisions. Absolutely. One player that has been mentioned since you last came on is this Bruno Fernandez Al-Hilal offer. M it was talks of around 56 million quid a year
• 52:00 - 52:30 uh which obviously is at more than a million pounds a week to go and play for them. Firstly, is that do you believe the offer to be genuine and do you believe that there's any chance that either United or Bruno accept that offer? Um yeah, I haven't got sort of prime resourced on it, but I've certainly spoken to people that have got what I believe to be a good idea and I'm told that that offer from Alhali is genuine. Um there've been talks and you know it's a very lucrative deal. I'm not I'm not sure what numbers have been put out there. It's I think I was it was a
• 52:30 - 53:00 lot of money basically sort of you know maybe tripling your wage from United and he's already on a good contract to United plus a transfer fee for for United you know um I was told sort of 80 million so okay I don't know if that's corresponding with what other people have put out there but um I just cannot see that happening. I just don't see Bruno Fernandez that kind of player that would go and do that now at this stage of his career. as we touched on earlier, he's very engaged with a lot of things at United. Um, and United accepting that
• 53:00 - 53:30 kind of money, he's been the best player. And I know that if United were in an absolute position of, you know, strength and, you know, could afford to sell somebody like him and then reinvest it and get, you know, younger model like like Real Madrid did when Casemiro left, you know, Tisha, Kamovinga, Bellingham. So, you know, that is it's a different landscape though. If you took Bruno Fernandez out of this team, you know, it's decimated. So, and would you
• 53:30 - 54:00 absolutely have the conviction for United to reinvest that in the way that would then get the team to a level that, you know, would equal or surpass Bruno Fernandez? I would be skeptical at this point in time. So, yeah, I think all things considered, I think it's an interesting story for sure. I think it's one that you kind of can keep an eye on. But um everybody that I've spoken to that I would sort of trust on it at the moment is saying it's not likely to happen. Thanks God for that. That would be I mean Mayu rumors are bad enough but
• 54:00 - 54:30 this has surpassed that. I mean that losing Bruno Fernandez would be an absolute [ __ ] disaster. You think two points of our last possible 21's bad? Could have been one without him. Do you know what I mean? Could be none. Yeah. 100% reduction. Yeah. Unthinkable stuff. And also your point about would we you know could we use that money I know he's 30 could we use that money to to to improve the squad I mean you mentioned there Anthony and Jadden Sancho 150 odd million yes that wasn't Inos but you know there's even questions about
• 54:30 - 55:00 recently about how well does Manueli fit into this I'm not knocking a guy but I'm saying even under Inos you've had signings that were still to get him so no I don't think we would get a player like Bruno Fernandez who's just he plays every week as well like it's not like is, you know, like a Kevin De Bruyne where he's had a few injuries. He's coming back. He's still clearly got it, but that level maybe not so much. He's committed every game, isn't he? Plays every week. Do you know he doesn't play every week, but you said he was going to have a big game. Ah, and he did. Thank you. Yeah, you smashed it. I
• 55:00 - 55:30 can't believe you've left it. How long are we here? 53 minutes into the pot. This should I just I could see you were looking at me waiting for me and Joe like when I actually didn't know what you were going Well, I was waiting for the right segue. Yeah, cuz you said he's got a moment coming up, didn't you? He's got a big moment in him. And then lo and behold, the Europa moment, doesn't it? Yeah, the Europa League scores two bangers in the Were getting a little bit jangling there at Old Trafford and Mason Mal went, "Don't worry, boys. I've got this." They were class, weren't those guys? Yeah, they were, weren't they? And
• 55:30 - 56:00 to be fair, it was a rare moment of of it seemed like real joy from Amarim as well. Oh yeah, when they cut to him on the bench, he's gone from gnoring at his knuckles and fidgeting and crouching and head in hands to genuinely smiling and loving it. That feels like it could be a real bond, Mount and Amarim. He's spoken about it so much, Amarim, to say how little Mount's actually played. Do you think that that could be a real push for the end of the season and next season? I hope so, just because he's obviously experienced a lot of injury problems and
• 56:00 - 56:30 he clearly is a guy that is dedicated to his game and to his job and he's got that quality. Like I mean those two goals, you know, one off your right, one off your left and 50 yards away. That second one, ridiculous. Like the composure and everything. I mean, they're both good goals, but the Were you shouting shoot? Cuz the crowd was like, "Shoot," but then I was like, "Oh, actually no, that's Oh, no, he's done it. Surely not. He's done it." Yeah, it was. It was like, "Shoot, what are you doing?" Oh, yeah. It's a great golf. and we were right behind it in the press box and you could tell as soon as he hit it you're like, "Oh, that's going in." And
• 56:30 - 57:00 Rasmus Hil turns he's he's celebrating before it's actually hit the net. That's great. And so, yeah, it was a fantastic moment for him. For me, obviously, uh, you know, I think you were the real winner there, Laur. I think he knows that. I did. He did he look over to your show? Yeah. Was that what he was doing? Yeah, I think he might have looked towards your directions. Give you that little Thank you. Yeah. Do you do you start him in the final? Oh, as it stands, I'm think 5050. Yeah, I I wouldn't be
• 57:00 - 57:30 angered or upset if he did start, but I wouldn't be I think if it would became a choice of say I am a for example, I'm so what Gonacho and Amad is with Well, I don't know whether because I I don't know what's happening with maybe Yay and Casemiro and Bruno. What's that midfield look like? Um Ganacho seems to start again. I know he's not been set in the world alike, but he does like him, does he? So, I don't know how it how it would work, how it would look, but I wouldn't be that if he didn't start you. What would you do? Yeah, it's hard to even
• 57:30 - 58:00 say use the Chelsea game as the barometer because who's going to be playing? What's the emphasis going to be like? It feels like stay fit rather than win. I think you make a lot of changes for Chelsea. Yeah, me too. But I think any any combination of Ahmad, Mount, Ganacho, Bruno in those 10, I'm relatively happy, which is a position something I couldn't say a month ago when people were coming back from fitness. a great position to be in. Right, Lori, thank you very much as always for coming on Inside United. Thank you very much for tuning at home as well. If you have any questions for Lori, get them in the comments and we
• 58:00 - 58:30 can ask them next time. Obviously, we'll be back on very shortly. Yeah, and don't forget check out Lor's work in the athletic. There's a link in the description. You working on anything? Give us a little tickle what you can tell us about. Uh, well, listen, it's been a turbulent season, hasn't it? So, we're coming towards the end of the season. Is it Lor's big piece? Oh, is it? Might be. Yeah. One of my favorite times of the year is Lori whips out his monster piece at the end of the season and I cannot wait to gobble it out. Thank you very much for joining us. This has been Inside United. We have been
• 58:30 - 59:00 straight for paddock. We'll see you in a bit. Is that too much? So,