Utterly bizarre time to announce the departure of Dan Ashworth, on the weekend the club was celebrating the life of a wonderful club servant, Kath Phipps. May she rest in peace.
I’m not sure marginal gains are up and running here. Perhaps margarine gains would be more appropriate.
Whether the ousting of Ashworth is justified or not, I don’t know, but the optics for the club aren’t flattering. The club continues to lurch from issue to issue.
One of the justifications cited in the press was Ratcliffe’s apparent fury over Ashworth voicing his support for Ten Hag in the media. What was he supposed to do?
For years we have been told the footballing structure at MUFC isn’t right, so yes, it may have been slightly top heavy with the appointment of Ashworth & Wilcox*, however, considering the club’s lack of maturity in this regard, more credible football people is better than less.
*My own opinion on this is the new minority owners didn’t understand the background of each man, and what they were supposed to be doing. Ashworth more strategic and operational than hands on recruitment than is commonly (mis) understood.
Not sure Sir Jim cares about understanding each individual. Years ago I worked for a guy who'd take over companies, appoint new execs with the intention of sacking at least one of them within a year. The Admiral Byng gambit.
As a Blue, one is delighted with the way things are going presently - but it isn't all own to Maresca's management and Cole Palmer's brilliance, not by a long chalk. Other factors are involved, often unseen by many.
On Sunday I watched until Curlilocks fell over for the first time. I sighed wearily, took stock, then turned over and watched the cricket. And we won both games. People simply do not realise that it’s the likes of me that are responsible for CFC’s upturn in fortunes. Subtle but decisive use of the remote is all.
Re Blowing up. Two answers to this - (i) play until the 90 minutes (plus extras) are up and then blow the whistle immediately, regardless. Leads to standard whingeing by those considering themselves hard-done-by (did Liverpool complain...?).
Or, as with so many other problems (VAR, &c) ask yourself what do Rugby do? When the official time is up, play continues until the next break in play (ball goes out, free kick/penalty to defending side, &c.).
This leads to incredibly exciting closing seconds/minutes when the side in possession - needing to score to win/draw - have to keep the ball in play and in their possession (and, of course, score.) England lost to Australia a week or three back because of this. We were up by two points as 'the clock went red' but Australia were in possession. And scored. And won.
Quality post on a Monday Henry. So good you can all areas of the game.
Totally agree about Chelsea. Mares a doing great but keeper is not good enough and questions about centre backs. Need to buy a real top quality one. Colwell is excellent and so is Fofana but he is never fit. Played two games and gets injured. Been a disappointing buy. Palmer quality.
How Caicedo was not sent off was a disgrace to. Scandalous VAR did not help. You think Stephens at Southampton gets a ban for a slight hair pull but Caicedo doesn’t. Joke. Second yellow situation is a joke to. Never understood this.
Man Utd in another mess. Nothing new. But for me to many chefs in the kitchen. Do they need all these executives in these rolls? To many opinions. Wilcox is excellent though. Not much sympathy for Ashworth though. He gets out of clubs quickly when he can.
What does Brailsford do? Now that is a question the whole of football wants to know. No one knows.
Vardy was class for Leicester at the end. Lovely finish and then cool touch pass for equaliser. Brighton should have comfortably won this though.
Some great points again Henry, Maresca is doing great job, I fancy Chelsea this year, interesting comment from Chilwell though about champions doubt usually find themselves 2-0 down after 10 mins, wholly avoidable though, Cucarelja is an accident waiting to happen, he’s thinking 5 mins ahead of his body. Sir Jim I think you could argue is an example of poor judgement in appointing Ashworth and then praising to the highest. Maybe as you intimate there are already enough cooks in that kitchen. Great to see Vardy on song again, started his career at my old club Stocky, Ruud will get the best out of him, Leicester will survive.
Hope Leicester survive, Macca, my local club and a joy to work with. Cucurella had a good Euros, he's a good player, but that was bizarre yesterday, as if (as Deeney suggested on MOTD) he was looking for an excuse for his slips. Either way he doesn't come out of it well. A title race between Liverpool and Chelsea was certainly not predicted in August! AFC will be in there but I'm bored saying they still need a striker but they still need a striker. Regards Henry
Utterly bizarre time to announce the departure of Dan Ashworth, on the weekend the club was celebrating the life of a wonderful club servant, Kath Phipps. May she rest in peace.
I’m not sure marginal gains are up and running here. Perhaps margarine gains would be more appropriate.
Whether the ousting of Ashworth is justified or not, I don’t know, but the optics for the club aren’t flattering. The club continues to lurch from issue to issue.
One of the justifications cited in the press was Ratcliffe’s apparent fury over Ashworth voicing his support for Ten Hag in the media. What was he supposed to do?
For years we have been told the footballing structure at MUFC isn’t right, so yes, it may have been slightly top heavy with the appointment of Ashworth & Wilcox*, however, considering the club’s lack of maturity in this regard, more credible football people is better than less.
*My own opinion on this is the new minority owners didn’t understand the background of each man, and what they were supposed to be doing. Ashworth more strategic and operational than hands on recruitment than is commonly (mis) understood.
Not sure Sir Jim cares about understanding each individual. Years ago I worked for a guy who'd take over companies, appoint new execs with the intention of sacking at least one of them within a year. The Admiral Byng gambit.
As a Blue, one is delighted with the way things are going presently - but it isn't all own to Maresca's management and Cole Palmer's brilliance, not by a long chalk. Other factors are involved, often unseen by many.
On Sunday I watched until Curlilocks fell over for the first time. I sighed wearily, took stock, then turned over and watched the cricket. And we won both games. People simply do not realise that it’s the likes of me that are responsible for CFC’s upturn in fortunes. Subtle but decisive use of the remote is all.
Re Blowing up. Two answers to this - (i) play until the 90 minutes (plus extras) are up and then blow the whistle immediately, regardless. Leads to standard whingeing by those considering themselves hard-done-by (did Liverpool complain...?).
Or, as with so many other problems (VAR, &c) ask yourself what do Rugby do? When the official time is up, play continues until the next break in play (ball goes out, free kick/penalty to defending side, &c.).
This leads to incredibly exciting closing seconds/minutes when the side in possession - needing to score to win/draw - have to keep the ball in play and in their possession (and, of course, score.) England lost to Australia a week or three back because of this. We were up by two points as 'the clock went red' but Australia were in possession. And scored. And won.
Misery for us, but it was very, very exciting.
Quality post on a Monday Henry. So good you can all areas of the game.
Totally agree about Chelsea. Mares a doing great but keeper is not good enough and questions about centre backs. Need to buy a real top quality one. Colwell is excellent and so is Fofana but he is never fit. Played two games and gets injured. Been a disappointing buy. Palmer quality.
How Caicedo was not sent off was a disgrace to. Scandalous VAR did not help. You think Stephens at Southampton gets a ban for a slight hair pull but Caicedo doesn’t. Joke. Second yellow situation is a joke to. Never understood this.
Man Utd in another mess. Nothing new. But for me to many chefs in the kitchen. Do they need all these executives in these rolls? To many opinions. Wilcox is excellent though. Not much sympathy for Ashworth though. He gets out of clubs quickly when he can.
What does Brailsford do? Now that is a question the whole of football wants to know. No one knows.
Vardy was class for Leicester at the end. Lovely finish and then cool touch pass for equaliser. Brighton should have comfortably won this though.
Have a good week.
Some great points again Henry, Maresca is doing great job, I fancy Chelsea this year, interesting comment from Chilwell though about champions doubt usually find themselves 2-0 down after 10 mins, wholly avoidable though, Cucarelja is an accident waiting to happen, he’s thinking 5 mins ahead of his body. Sir Jim I think you could argue is an example of poor judgement in appointing Ashworth and then praising to the highest. Maybe as you intimate there are already enough cooks in that kitchen. Great to see Vardy on song again, started his career at my old club Stocky, Ruud will get the best out of him, Leicester will survive.
Hope Leicester survive, Macca, my local club and a joy to work with. Cucurella had a good Euros, he's a good player, but that was bizarre yesterday, as if (as Deeney suggested on MOTD) he was looking for an excuse for his slips. Either way he doesn't come out of it well. A title race between Liverpool and Chelsea was certainly not predicted in August! AFC will be in there but I'm bored saying they still need a striker but they still need a striker. Regards Henry