01 May 2024 14:16:37
Do we want Dortmund to win the ECL, possibly allowing them to purchase Sancho, who is clearly happier there than he will ever be at OT?
Despite his improvement and his participation in the semis, this comment rang true:
"He lacks the ease and confidence of his first spell at BVB, " says Gebhardt. "He doesn't dribble as often and he also lacks pace and loses the ball too often. " These attributes make him unsuitable for top flight football in the EPL.
What did we pay for him? £73m? which will now be written down to around £30m. Along with his salary, he'll be costing us c. £30m a year for 2 years if he comes back (assuming ETH is gone) . If I were Sancho I'd be prepared to reduce my salary somewhat in order to play football where I'm wanted and can contribute. It would put this unpleasant saga behind us all. Hopefully the new management group will be inclined to just cut their losses as best they can on this one.
01 May 2024 14:40:54
Shaw this is one of the things I’m most intrigued about with SJR coming in. He’s a minority shareholder, what will his views be on moving players on and how much weight will he hold on any decisions? Clearly we’ve held onto very average players for far too long, likely because we’re not able to find a buyer at anywhere near what we initially paid. Lessons need to be learned from that.
My thoughts on Sancho is that he should be told to find a new club. He disrespected the badge and clearly is a very poor example to youngsters given his attitude stinks.
01 May 2024 15:03:37
Couldn't care less who wins the cl and it will have no bearing on the purchase of sancho if BD win it imo.
Agree with wazza he should be sold.
But it's not that simple.
Let's hope we can find a creative way of doing a deal even if it means paying him for another couple of years.
Sancho and casimero are the 2 most costly in terms of losses that we will incur most others we should be able to turn a profit.
It might be another loan but either way I don't see him returning to play.
But if a new manager comes in and wants him he'll get a clean slate and support from me. As that will be a club decision.
01 May 2024 15:22:35
To be honest Wazza, he maybe a minority holder but he's seems to be clearing the executives out and getting his own guys in with Bell coming in as CFO and Blanc sitting in as CEO until Berrada comes in. Sure an Ed can offer more insight but seems like he has more control to do things than his actual shares suggest.
{Ed002's Note - It is not the case of the person with the most shares gets to control everything. What is happening is Jim Ratcliffe putting a new structure in place. With one exception it seems to be the right people to take the club forward. But there is going to be a significant streamlining of staff with a lot of redundancies and fans won't be happy about that.}
01 May 2024 15:59:56
Ed002 I think the business has required some streamlining and cost focus for some time.
I think redundancies are inevitable and necessary I'd like to think the fans can see that and the long term benefits. Reigning in and getting costs under control will lead to greater efficiency and investment where its required within the business.
Tough calls to be made all over the business but I'm sure they are designed to make the business more sustainable. Hopefully the fans realise that.
{Ed002's Note - I think 200 people will go.}
01 May 2024 16:46:21
Hi Ed, you say that the club is getting the right people in place with one exception. Is that someone who is already at the club or someone they’re looking at?
{Ed002's Note - Someone who has joined.}
01 May 2024 16:54:33
One exception Ed ? do tell.
{Ed002's Note - It is unimportant.}
01 May 2024 17:15:44
Big number but if that's what's required then so be it.
01 May 2024 17:36:35
I was surprised to look on the internet and see the club had around 1,100 employees. What on earth are they all doing?
If the club can be run with 200 people less than one wonders just how incompetent the outgoing administration must have been. Thank goodness the Glazers have finally ceded the running of the club to Ratcliffe's team --- not that there's any guarantee it will do any better.
01 May 2024 18:18:25
Have you seen how many people are behind each counter? 9 people to serve beers. Crazy! Streamlining that alone would save silly money.
01 May 2024 18:33:54
Ed002, do utd have significantly more employees than other major clubs - Chelsea, Liverpool, Madrid, Barca, City, Arsenal?
1100 seems an incredible number of employees for a football club. Are they all "working from home?! "
{Ed002's Note - it is not a matter of comparison but I understand that the ongoing review has identified that perhaps a reduction of ~200 staff is appropriate.}
01 May 2024 21:25:52
We have far more staff than any of the top six clubs, a reduction is probably overdue.
SJR has also stopped all chauffeur driven private cars which were being hired by all and sundry. All business and operational costs are being reviewed closely as surprise, surprise, there is deemed to be quite a bit of wastage!
I may be being presumptuous but I suspect the person ED02 feels is the one exception, is hiring Dan Ashworth over Paul Mitchell.
{Ed002's Note - No.}
01 May 2024 21:55:08
That is a huge layoff. It will hurt a lot of people. Even more hurtful when you look at what the players earn.
01 May 2024 22:20:02
O. K. ED02, sorry about that then.