Reds are in no rush to bring in ‘head of football’
UNITED are not putting a timescale on their ongoing search for a head of football.
Reds sources indicated six months ago they were close to identifying what was described as a ‘technical director’ and that the appointment would be announced before the start of the new season.
However, United are still devoid of a director of football and executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward addressed the issue in his opening statement in the investors’ call yesterday.
Woodward said: “Regarding the speculation around the Head of Football, we are continually reviewing and looking at the potential to evolve our structure on the football side. Much of the speculation around this type of role revolves around recruitment - an area that we’ve evolved in recent years.”
United sources have told M.E.N. Sport the club felt the summer recruitment process worked well but they are still open to reviewing and evolving the football structure and personnel.
United outlined their intention to appoint a ‘head of football’ upon the dismissal of Jose Mourinho in December and claimed the Portuguese did not want to work with one.
Mourinho said in May the ‘organisation’ at United was an existing problem and he wants to work with a sporting director at his next club.
Head of scouting Marcel Bout and head of development John Murtough have been touted as possible candidates to occupy the head of football post at United.
The club have held talks with a number of candidates and specifically want a cultural fit who shares their ‘holistic view’.
Former United midfielder Darren Fletcher attended a highprofile meeting at Old Trafford in May in anticipation of his likely appointment to the advisory panel.
Fletcher, 35, spent 12 years in the United first-team and was released by Stoke earlier this summer. LACK of desire, lack of leaders, lack of character, Roy Keane spat on Sunday. Axel Tuanzebe does not lack any of those characteristics and United are quietly developing a natural captain-in-waiting.
Tuanzebe has progressed from the Under-9s to the first-team, is still only 21 and speaks with a wisdom that belies his youth.
He has been around the United first-team set-up for upwards of four years and was whispered as a future first-teamer nearly five years ago.
He has had seals of approval from Louis van Gaal, Jose Mourinho and now Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.
Tuanzebe enters the Carrington press room, clutching a warm beverage and a stylish ‘man bag.’
He must be content with his personal campaign so far – thirdchoice centre-half, a Premier League cameo and a clean sheet on his maiden European start. Tuanzebe is a certain starter against Rochdale, his hometown, tonight in the Carabao Cup and AZ Alkmaar tomorrow week. The aim is to stay in the line-up for Arsenal and Newcastle in the Premier League.
“I probably would have liked to have been in the starting XI for Premier League games,” he stresses. “We’ve had a process with the manager, that process has been put in place.
“The game against Astana was again an opportunity to show people what I’m capable of, that I’m good enough to play for the club. And, hopefully, Rochdale will be another opportunity to demonstrate that.
“The manager tries to pick a side that he believes is best suited to win games. Pre-season, I tried to demonstrate what I was capable of.
“Harry [Maguire]’s a great player, an experienced player, he comes in and takes number one choice. But, for me, it doesn’t change my task, it doesn’t change my mission, where or what I want to be.
“And I know it’s a process, I know it can take a long time. I know in time my opportunities will come and when they come it’s really down to me to grasp it and take that first-team role.”
It is four years next month since a 17-yearold Tuanzebe tentatively strolled into Selhurst Park. He made the substitutes’ bench, though injury delayed his professional debut by another 15 months. The experience of the day is as memorable as Michael Carrick’s words of reassurance.
“I’ll tell you a little story about Carras,” he says with a smile. “Coming onto the pitch, I was nervous. I was shaking.”
Just for the warm-up?
“Just for the warm-up! I was running out next to Carras and he just said, ‘don’t be afraid. This is what you’ve worked for. This is what you want to be living for. Grasp the moment, enjoy it, embrace it. And trust me, you’ll get through it. You’ll be fine.’ And just those small words... five minutes later, a few touches of the ball, I was calm and thought it’s just another game.
“You’ve just got a lot more people watching this time, so little things can help and have a big effect.”
His current manager, as well as Carrick, had the distinction of leading United out of the tunnel at senior level and Tuanzebe has had the armband strapped to his bicep at every United age group, bar the firstteam. Solskjaer could bank credits if he were to give this measured academy graduate the distinction of captain against the town that was the making of him tonight. “I picked parts up from my father, just seeing how he was an example to the family, how he wanted us to be. He wanted the best for us, he was quite strict and hard onto it,” said Tuanzebe.
“But also a lot of my friends looked up to me and expected me to do well, so in that aspect I didn’t want to let them down. I wanted to be an example for them, to show them that if I’m doing it they should be able to do it as well. And kind of pull us all over together.
“A lot of teachers relied on me to put the message across to other students. I wouldn’t say I was the golden lad at school, but I knew what was right and wrong and I always had a bad feeling when I did something wrong so I wanted to do something right instead. I like to see other people do well for themselves and if I can be an example to help them get to that stage, then I’ll keep doing positive things.” Axel Tuanzebe