Manchester United Spends £69 Million on Managerial Sackings Over 10 Years: A Deep Dive Into the Club's Turmoil
Here are my thoughts on some issues at Manchester United.
It sounds like a joke, but United has spent £69 million in severance payments for the eight managers they’ve sacked between 2014 and 2024.
There are numerous reasons why United has underperformed in the last 10 years. The issues include a lack of vision when scouting players, paying over-market valuation for talent, and a lack of investment in the club.
The club’s new investors, Ineos, who took control over the footballing operations of the team last year, have caused a ruckus at the club. More than 100 staff members were sacked to help pay off huge debts, and a management restructure has caused the club to be visionless.
Issues on and off the pitch
Despite the issues off the pitch, the main squad’s performance hasn’t been stellar. When Erik ten Hag was sacked it was sad. Despite winning two trophies during his tenure, Ten Hag’s dismissal was inevitable after a poor run of results left United languishing in 14th. United’s management had to make a change and dismissed Ten Hag. So here we are now; with the club hiring Portuguese prodigy Ruben Amorim as the club’s new first-team manager.
Amorim has earned acclaim for his tactical acumen, guiding Sporting CP to notable victories, including a famous win over Manchester City in the Champions League. This success has made him one of the most sought-after managerial talents in Europe.
Am I confident he will take United back to its glory days? The answer is no, I believe there are so many issues at the club that make his job incredibly difficult.
His appointment reminds me of how Ten Hag was hired at United. The Dutch manager had a stellar 2018/19 season with Ajax in the Champions League beating Real Madrid in the round of 16. United hired him and he only lasted three years in the job, furthermore, he was unable to deal with a squad that gave inconsistent performances.
Yet, I feel a similar story is unfolding at United. Purple-patch players such as Marcus Rashford, and a side that struggles to deal with the intensity of the Premier League are just a list of issues Amorim has to manage. Furthermore, the club’s hierarchy sacking sporting director Dan Ashworth has made the upcoming transfer window hard for United’s new man in charge.
A club’s sporting director is vital in giving direction to a team. They scout players who suit a manager’s style of play and finalise transfer deals. Ashworth’s departure from United happened mainly due to backing Ten Hag last year and a philosophy that “didn’t align” with the club’s senior leaders.
Reports suggest he was focused on signing British talent. In the Premier League, you’re going to have to pay a premium price for an English player compared to non-British players. I believe the club thought his plan was too costly and decided to part ways with him.
United now are completely lost and the club lacks any direction. The club needs to have a plan and stick with it. Premier League sides such as Arsenal struggled over the past five years to maintain a good position in the league. However, they stuck with a plan of finding players who suited a system and they have been able to see the fruit of their labour. Chopping and changing constantly only causes doubt the management knows what they are doing.
Manchester United’s future
Ultimately, United’s fate will not rest solely on Amorim’s shoulders. There needs to be pressure on Ineos to deliver.
The problems at the club run much deeper than managerial appointments. With a fractured hierarchy, inconsistent squad performances, and a stadium in dire need of repair, United is in desperate need of a complete overhaul.
United’s future depends not only on finding the right manager but on a full reset of its leadership, philosophy, and approach to the game.
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Yeah I think that's all fair. Still early days with Amorim so I think we can make a better judgement of him around March next season personally. The Ashworth appointment was a funny one. Clearly Ratcliffe didn't particularly agree with his managerial suggestions, seemingly all very Premier League focused, and I guess it's fair to go your separate ways. Although it's a bad look when you've already paid Newcastle to get him and he's barely been there six months.
Completely understand your point in saying it's similar to when Ten Hag was appointed. But with Amorim I'm happy we can exactly what he's trying to do with the squad. Under Ten Hag after two and a half years there was still no refined style of play. And Ashworth, the situation is a mess, but I suppose you could argue it makes more sense to dispense of him now if you simply don't think it's working