A fresh report claims Sir Jim Ratcliffe thought Dan Ashworth ‘lacked conviction’ before his exit from Man Utd over the weekend, according to reports.
The Red Devils have had a nightmare season to date with Ruben Amorim’s side sitting 13th in the Premier League after the Portuguese head coach was appointed at the beginning of November.
Performances and results have not been much better than when Erik ten Hag was in charge with Amorim drawing one, winning one and losing two of his first four Premier League matches in charge.
Man Utd signed five players in the summer transfer window, in the form of Joshua Zirkzee, Matthijs de Ligt, Manuel Ugarte, Leny Yoro and Noussair Mazraoui, to help Ten Hag have a successful season.
However, things have not gone to plan with it costing millions to sack Ten Hag and hire Amorim, and now there are doubts they will have any money to spend in January.
After losing 3-2 to Nottingham Forest on Saturday, sporting director Ashworth lost his job the following day with numerous rumours about why he lost his job flying around.
And now the Daily Mail claim they can reveal the ‘full story’ of his departure from Old Trafford with ‘concerns from his bosses that he lacked a clear vision for the club’s head coach position’.
‘United have stayed silent in public on the reasons behind Ashworth’s sudden departure but sources with knowledge of the situation have told Mail Sport that what was viewed as Ashworth’s indecision, particularly with regards a definitive plan regarding previous manager Erik ten Hag’s future and the Dutchman’s potential successor, did not impress Ineos chief Sir Jim Ratcliffe.
‘It is claimed that Ashworth lacked conviction on who the club should target in the event of Ten Hag leaving, though he is understood to have tentatively recommended a move for former Chelsea boss Graham Potter and Newcastle boss Eddie Howe. Ruben Amorim was eventually recruited from Sporting Lisbon following Ten Hag’s sacking.
‘I have also been told that there was a feeling that Ashworth delegated too often, though others insist that was part of his plan to promote a culture of inclusivity, in a position in which he was expected to steer the strategic and operational and direction of the club.
‘Technical director Jason Wilcox and chief executive Omar Berrada will take on the bulk of Ashworth’s responsibilities as the club weigh up whether to replace Ashworth directly.’
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Former Man Utd winger Karel Poborsky is worried that Ashworth’s exit creates a worrying perception of the Premier League club from the outside.
Poborsky told Czech outlet SZ: “It’s a surprise, I didn’t expect this and it doesn’t make a good impression on anyone at all. Manchester is in a rebuilding phase and he started it. Or rather, he led it quite a bit from the position of sports director. The results or the games are what they are, but I didn’t expect him to leave.
“God knows what happened there and what prompted him to leave, but it doesn’t make a good impression on the outside.”
Scott McTominay was one of the Red Devils’ better performers last season and Poborsky couldn’t believe that Man Utd sold the “brawler” to Napoli in the summer.
Poborsky added: “[It’s] a word that has slowly faded away, but for me the last such player, clubman, brawler was Scott McTominay, who was sold to Napoli. Manchester lacks such types.”
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