Manchester United FC | 2024/25 Season

[FearlessRoar]

Ex-Man Utd sporting director Ashworth in Warwickshire role​

Former Manchester United sporting director Dan Ashworth is working with Warwickshire County Cricket Club, advising on performance strategy.

However, sources have told BBC Sport this is a continuation of a voluntary role he took up with the club in 2021, and that it remains unpaid.

Ashworth left United in December just five months after joining from Newcastle United. The club revealed last week the episode had cost £4.1m.

The 53-year-old has worked in cricket before, as part of an England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) high performance review in 2022.

On Monday United announced the club will make up to 200 jobs redundant to "return the club to profitability". That followed around 250 members of staff being made redundant last year.

Last week the club revealed a loss of £27.7m in their second quarter financial results and the Red Devils have lost more than £300m over the past three years.

Warwickshire finished seventh out of 10 in the County Championship last season, winning just once in 14 games, to stay up with 25 points to spare.

They lost in the T20 Blast quarter-finals for the fifth straight year - and also in the semi-finals of the One Day Cup.

Dan Ashworth: Former Man Utd sporting director working with Warwickshire

Ex-Manchester United sporting director Dan Ashworth is working with Warwickshire on performance strategy.

www.bbc.com

 

[FearlessRoar]

Ruben Amorim claims Manchester United players to blame for latest job losses​

Ruben Amorim said Manchester United’s players must take the blame for Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s decision to axe a further 200 jobs because their failings on the pitch have created the crisis at Old Trafford.

United, who sacked 250 people last year, announced a further redundancy programme on Monday as they seek to cut costs after making losses of £373m over the last five years.

And head coach Amorim, whose side are only 15th in the Premier League, believes the team is the “engine” of the club as he said they need to work out how they got into such a dire situation.

United have underachieved on the pitch in recent seasons, only coming eighth in the league under Erik ten Hag last season, and are at risk of not qualifying for Europe from the current campaign.

And Amorim said: “We as a club have to understand what we did wrong to get to this situation so we need to think in solutions at this moment.

“We have to address all the problems in the club but one important piece of this moment is to understand how we got to this situation and it has a lot to do with the lack of success of the football team because we are the engine of any football club.”

Amorim, who has only taken 15 points from his 15 league games in charge, admitted it is difficult for players and staff who see their colleagues at risk of unemployment as he urged his players to concentrate on get results.

He added: “It is always hard for everybody. They see the friends and the teammates losing their jobs but we have to focus on what I can do to help the club in the moment. I just want to help the club in my department which is to improve the team and improve the players to have success.

“We know this year was really hard for everybody. We did as a club a lot of changes and then when you are doing the changes if you have a football team who are playing well and are winning games, it is easier for the fans and everyone to feel that changes [are working]. But in this moment we are in a difficult period inside of the club and inside of the pitch so we have to fight against this feeling and we have do our job and we try our best to help the team to perform better.”

Ruben Amorim claims Manchester United players to blame for latest job losses

The Old Trafford club announced a further 200 redundancies this week after significant job cuts last year

www.independent.co.uk

 

[Cricket Warrior]

Onana v De Gea verdict after Man Utd keeper's latest error

Manchester United goalkeeper Andre Onana is in the spotlight again after his error led to Ipswich Town taking an early lead in their Premier League game on Wednesday evening.

United rallied and eventually won the game 3-2 despite being down to 10 men, but the mistake has reignited the debate about the Cameroon international.

The 28-year-old endured a tough start to life at Old Trafford but appeared to have turned a corner earlier this season when he had the most clean sheets in England's top flight with six.

However, four minutes in to the game against the Tractor Boys, he illustrated why United fans and pundits have persistent doubts about him.

He dashed to the edge of his penalty area as Patrick Dorgu ran towards him and, as the left wing-back nudged the ball towards where he expected Onana to be, it gifted Jaden Philogene with a tap-in.

The former Aston Villa winger later scored his second of the night from a deep cross that deceived Onana because of Liam Delap's run across him.

Speaking on TNT Sports, former Blackburn and Wales midfielder Robbie Savage said: "I've got no idea why Onana is running out to that position [for the first goal].

"Dorgu has got it under control, no problem at all. He shouldn't come there.

"You should be talking, lay it back to him on his right foot and then he can clear it. I don't know why he's come."

Former United defender Rio Ferdinand added: "It was a terrible start. Onana doesn't need to come. The full-back is in complete control and he can just hold his ground and let him play it back to him."

On BBC Radio 5 Live, former Celtic boss Neil Lennon added: "I don't know where Andre Onana is going. It is a shambles."

Manchester United: Andre Onana analysis after Ipswich error

Manchester United's Andre Onana is in the spotlight as a result of his error against Ipswich - but how does he stack up against the man he replaced, David de Gea?

www.bbc.com

 

[FearlessRoar]

'My opinion is more important': Man Utd's Amorim backs Fernandes after Keane criticism​

Bruno Fernandes is a key player for Manchester United, manager Ruben Amorim stressed on Friday as he defended the Portugal international following criticism from the Premier League club's former captain Roy Keane.

Fernandes, who was named man of the match for his performance in a 3-2 victory over Ipswich Town on Wednesday, has often been criticised for his on-field demeanour and has admitted in the past that his gesticulating and complaining can rile up both teammates and opponents.

In an appearance on the Stick to Football podcast alongside former Arsenal player Ian Wright, Keane criticised Fernandes' work rate, adding: "Talent is not enough! You keep going back to talent - Bruno's a talented player, but it's not enough."

Amorim said he did not agree with Keane's remarks on Fernandes.

"I heard about that. I have a different opinion. Bruno is really important for us and the club. He is playing well in a difficult context," the Portuguese manager told reporters ahead of an FA Cup meeting with Fulham on Sunday.

"He wants always the responsibility. I know sometimes as a captain he does things with his arms but most of all it is a lot of frustration for this year and the last year. He wants to win and sometimes it is hard to deal with that frustration.

"Everyone has an opinion. Roy Keane has big standards from his time at the club and it is normal to have an opinion. I have an opposite opinion and I think my opinion is more important than Roy Keane's because I am the coach."

Asked if players needed to be able to handle criticism better in the age of social media, Amorim said: "I think it is really hard for them.

"You can call it soft but they have access to criticism that is hard to deal with. They need help to deal with that. It's modern football and they have to be prepared for that."

Amorim also said he had spoken with Argentine forward Alejandro Garnacho, who was substituted following Patrick Dorgu's red card in the win over Ipswich and headed straight down the tunnel rather than joining his teammates on the bench.

"He came to me, to my office," he added.

"I did some investigation. He (Garnacho) went to dressing room, watched the game, then went home. It is not an issue but I told him that at Manchester United everything is an issue. At this club, perception is important.

"He will pay for dinner for all the team. That is it."

https://www.reuters.com/sports/soccer/my-opinion-is-more-important-man-utds-amorim-backs-fernandes-after-keane-2025-02-28/?taid=67c1d300eba5c40001b5af76&utm_campaign=trueAnthem:+Trending+Content&utm_medium=trueAnthem&utm_source=twitter

 

[Cricket Warrior]

Man Utd on right path on and off pitch - Amorim

Manchester United manager Ruben Amorim is convinced the club are on a clear path to a better future, on and off the pitch.

It has been another testing week at Old Trafford. After escaping with a draw despite a woeful first 70 minutes at Everton last Saturday, 48 hours later chief executive Omar Berrada was telling staff up to 200 jobs could go in a second round of redundancies.

It took a backs-to-the-wall second-half display against relegation-threatened Ipswich on Wednesday to claim a vital Premier League win after more defensive mistakes and Patrick Dorgu's red card threatened a sixth home defeat of Amorim's short reign.

The Portuguese says life is "hard" just now - but remains convinced better times lie ahead.

"I see a clear path, and I see that from the board also," he said in the build-up to Sunday's home FA Cup fifth-round tie against Fulham. "They are also doing difficult changes.

"They are not popular but they are doing it because they have a vision. In the future we need to show some results. You can do a lot of changes but if you don't have results, people don't feel confident and happy.

"The good thing is we have a clear path. Now [it] is hard but we are doing things to achieve success in the future."

United's inconsistency puts even more focus on the two cup competitions they remain in - they face Real Sociedad in the first leg of their Europa League last-16 tie on Thursday - as it appears increasingly likely winning one of them is the only way they will qualify for European football next season.

The issues he is facing are so extensive, Amorim could be forgiven for wishing he had stuck to his initial demand not to leave Sporting until the end of the season.

However, he does think dealing with so many problems has made him a more rounded coach.

"Better [coach] is hard to say, because I am not winning games," he said. "But in three months here, I live certain things that I think make me a more complete manager.

"Sometimes you need to lose and be in a poor situation to grow. I am not going to die if I lose three games in a row. I learned that here. I can cope and maintain my energy. I am learning a lot about myself and the players - but I prefer to win games."

Manchester United boss Ruben Amorim says club on clear path to better future

Manchester United manager Ruben Amorim says he and the club's board have a "vision" showing a "clear path" to a better future, on and off the pitch.

www.bbc.com