Dan Ashworth has today left his position as sporting director at Manchester United, and it’s starting to perhaps become clear why a change was needed.
Although Ashworth was highly regarded from his time at Newcastle and Brighton, gaining a reputation for his smart recruitment work in the transfer market, he didn’t do too well with his signings for Man Utd this summer.
The Red Devils have endured a nightmare start to the season, with new additions such as Joshua Zirkzee and Matthijs de Ligt looking really poor.
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According to ESPN, Ashworth had a key role in both deals, and the reasons the report gives for why he pursued them perhaps show why the club were right to get rid of him.
It seems Ashworth was unsure about the need to sign De Ligt, but went for it anyway as he wanted to show his backing to previous manager Erik ten Hag, who was keen on the deal.
With Zirkzee, it seems the former Bologna forward was identified by Ashworth’s scouting team based on data analytics, which clearly must be flawed after such a poor showing from the Dutchman so far.
Were Manchester United right to part ways with Dan Ashworth?
Ashworth may well be a good director at another club later in his career, but it seems he was not at all right for United and what they needed at this moment in time.
MUFC fans will surely be fuming to hear about his role in the poorly-thought-out Zirkzee and De Ligt deals, which look like being yet more money wasted on under-performing players in this team.
United now need to ensure they find the right director to replace Ashworth, with new manager Ruben Amorim surely likely to struggle unless he has a good setup around him at board level.
U razorenom sistemu Man.Una.-teda tesko je funkcionisati normlno.Glavni Trener stavljen je na strasne muke,jer fudbalska struktura fudbalera je na nivou,trece lige.To je “otpad”od fudbalera,klub je na rskrsnici,mora se odrzat u ligi,a mora se renovirat to nikako nije dobro ni lako..Zato glavno Menadzeru i njegovim pomocnicima zelim puno srece,strpljenja i novih mladih talentovanih i upotrebljivih fudbalera..
Any player who comes into a new club will need time to get settled and assimilate with the team. So to judge them after only 14 games is short-sighted and why was Dan Ashworth courted with such vigour.
Everything looks short-sighted and without enough proper reflection.
I have said it from on set that coach is never a man united problems but many felt I don’t know what I was saying, the rot in the boards need be corrected, else we keep on bringing in new managers. Even with Jesus at the United job, united will still struggle and get him sacked. But I think the boards has a lot of money to waste paying of those sacked managers, let them go on in doing so. United has had all the best managers in Europe but still non could bring back the glory days at OT, I can assure you all the this current manager Ruben Amorim will be sacked, it’s just a matter of time, you can see the handwriting on the wall already.
wow do not even give him a year? De Light is doing just fine , he supose to be this genius. Another waste of money by managment
De light to me his doing great. Utd have no defender of his quality currently. For zirk zee let’s give him 1 year. I see no reason for sacking sporting director. Unless we just want to keep wasting money.
I agree, there’s something broken at OT, to give ETH more funds & support after the squandering of money on Antony, Martinez (I’ve never seen a 5ft 9 centre half) it’s not his fault he’s that size but he can’t compete against a proper centre forward. Rashford needs to be sold quick is attitude for a privileged young lad is shocking get rid, another marshal, Maguire, shaw Erickson, Mount, casamero, Dallo Evan’s although the later are not to blame I’d keep Fernandes but take the captaincy off him he’s not even close to being a leader whinging at everyone. Basically we need hard working hungry players not lads looking for a retirement home
I still wonder what Manchester United was thinking when it signed de ligt a guy thrown away by Juve and Bayern and rejected us when he was 19.
tell me what delight done wrong.He is performing better than Martinez.
Who was it that signed off on the deal to extend the contract of Eric ten Hag? Maybe he should resign?
Wait, that is Radcliffe!
We all make mistakes, although I would have thought that the jury was still out on de Ligt and Zirkzee, like Ashworth, who have not had time to adjust.
Don’t player’s need time to settle in ffs. You can’t start saying player’s are crap wen they not even been given a chance? Different manager’s have there own style of play. So some players will play better for one manager but not as good for another? So people need to stop judging like they think they no everything about football. And i don’t think dan ashworth should of been sack with just 5 months under his belt. I’m starting to think Jim not the right man after all tbh? Just hope I’m wrong yeah
I understood the main function of a Sporting Director was to buy players suitable for United and it’s philosophy of playing – no matter who is the manager. So why then sign Amorim who plays a completely different formation than United have always played and have many players unsuited to 3 4 3. Why buy De Ligt, who is hardly faster than Maguire, or Zirkzee, who may find a position with the right set-up/a main striker. It does not seem to be joined-up thinking.
The blind leading the blind!
I am not impressed by Ratcliffe and his luitenants. Poor decision making all round. They are making decisions like referees in a match while their decisions will affect many coming months and years!
You do not hire at that level for 5 months. Period.
Yeah he’s not to his best but can be better, I would like Ruben Amorim to be playing Maguire, delight, and drop Martinez, onana if we the red devils want to harvest good results thnx
Delight isn’t a good defender. How he marks the ball isn’t professional. We were looking for some1 better than Maguire but now its vice versa
Rubbish !! Delight started badly but now he is playing well and an essential part of the team.
He is an excellent player, a fighter and plays intelligently. He is slowly but surely finding his true form. He contributes a lot in set pieces both in defense and attack. Yes it was worth the while.
As for Zirkzee he is not a centre forward but a false 9 and when utilized is much better although not one of the best of course !!
What a useless reporter saying that De Ligt is a bad player…He is one of the best players .
It seems to me that this reporter has no football knowledge. Crap.
Zirkzee poor signing would be better being loaned out, amorim has the potential to be a good manager but all depends on the backing of the higher up and players actually pulling their finger out and actually trying to play football instead of worrying about their immense paycheck that is totally unwarranted for most of the players
DeLigt is a quality player, anyone remember when we signed Evra and Vidic and the time it took them to adjust? Look how they turned out! Yes Zirkzee has looked out of sorts but against Everton he was excellent, playing off the front, which Amorim has clearly seen in him. He is clearly not a main striker but the lad has talent.