Power
The big and loaded question: can the manager actually wield enough influence over the beast that is Manchester United to do it his way? This is a chicken-egg conundrum because winning games and trophies convinces players and the executive but conviction is required from players and the executive for the manager to have his decisions backed and to be a winning No 1. Then there is the club’s particular byzantine brew of politics and peccadilloes. At United Richard Arnold is the chief executive but the real power lies across the Atlantic – the six Glazer siblings who own United and reside in Florida. Joel Glazer may be the day-to-day, hands-on chief of the owners but any major decision has to be signed off by Avram, Darcie, Kevin, Bryan and Edward, who are also directors. This vote-by-committee via a five-hour, stateside time lag is hardly slick and streamlined, particularly when the depth of the owners’ collective football knowledge is unclear. Then there is Erik ten Hag’s main point of contact: John Murtough, the football director, who is a year into his role. Can Murtough be the Txiki Begiristain (Manchester City’s seriously astute sporting director) to the Dutchman’s (hopeful) Pep Guardiola?
