Murtough’s in the hotseat after years of warming up
WHILST the substituted Bruno Fernandes was stewing in the home dressing room and United were preparing their damage limitation battle plan with Tottenham already 4-1 up at Old Trafford, John Murtough was driving Alex Telles into their Carrington training complex.
Murtough, who was yesterday named the club’s new football director, had accompanied Daley Blind and Marcos Rojo to Bridgewater Hospital for their medicals in 2014, greeted Alexis Sanchez at Manchester Airport and chaperoned the 16-year-old Hannibal Mejbri in Oslo during one of United’s pre-season friendlies.
Murtough, brought to Old Trafford by David Moyes, pressed the flesh of Jose Mourinho when he sauntered through the glass doors at Carrington for the first time and often conversed with Louis van Gaal. He has been warming up for the inaugural role of football director of United.
It is a role that more esteemed names were linked with. Edwin van der Sar was the most eminently qualified, Ralph Rangnick was relentlessly linked, Paul Mitchell, formerly of Southampton and Tottenham and now at Monaco, was touted, as was Stuart Webster, still at Norwich.
Yet two years after United felt they were ‘close’ to hiring a technical director, they have settled on someone on their own doorstep.
Sources have told M.E.N. Sport Murtough introduced himself as the club’s ‘director of football’ during meetings to recruit for the women’s team in 2018.
So why did the Reds plump for an in-house appointment? The feeling among the hierarchy was the external candidates were synonymous solely with recruitment, whereas Murtough had overseen the overhaul of the United academy and built the women’s team from scratch.
Sources concede bigger names were linked with the role but the club were uncomfortable with the prospect of appointing them on the basis of their recruitment record. Some candidates ironically discouraged the Reds from moving for them the more they championed their hit-rate of signings.
Murtough also presided over the recruitment reboot two years ago with Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and his work has seen Murtough gain a reputation as a ‘fixer’ at United.
Murtough’s ability to solve problems made him a leading candidate but United did seriously consider options from outside the club.
Ed Woodward took a step back from recruitment last season but
had to muck in again, mainly due to the coronavirus pandemic, and met with Jude Bellingham and his parents before the midfielder decided to join Borussia Dortmund ahead of the Reds.
The anticipation now is, should Wayne Rooney call again about taking a United player on loan at Derby, he would contact Murtough rather than Woodward. Murtough will report to Woodward.
The Reds are comfortable with not appointing a former footballer, such as Van der Sar, and believe they have sufficient football expertise with Solskjaer, Michael Carrick and Mike Phelan on the coaching staff to ‘communicate the football project.’
M.E.N. Sport revealed in May 2019 Darren Fletcher attended a high-profile meeting about United’s proposed restructure and was viewed as an advisory voice, rather than a candidate for the director of football position.
Fletcher was only appointed a first-team coach on January 4 and, rather than flank Solskjaer in the dugout, he has watched matches alongside the analysts in the makeshift press boxes at stadiums.
United figures recall the former Reds midfielder entering the directors’ box at Anfield in January prior to the goalless draw with Liverpool and how he held court for 15 minutes.
Fletcher is seen as the ideal complement for Murtough as the Reds wanted a former professional to provide expertise on the direction of the squad. He will monitor the development of academy graduates on the fringes of the first team, such as the 17-year-old Shola Shoretire, and advise on whether recruitment is tailored around them so they are given a pathway. Fletcher will attend recruitment meetings with Murtough.
Woodward, ultimately, decided on the two-pronged structure of a football director and a technical director following consultation.
Matt Judge, United’s deal-maker for the last five years, is now the ‘director of negotiations’ as his previous position of head of corporate development did not reflect his role. Judge will continue to negotiate players’ contracts and transfers.
Judge and Woodward met as students at the University of Bristol and the former’s new title, as well as the internal promotions, will draw scepticism from some supporters. Woodward has surrounded himself with compliant subordinates at the football level after being overwhelmed by Van Gaal and Mourinho.
A source who has met Murtough said his appearance is deceiving: “Some might see him as a yes man but, from speaking to him, I very much don’t get that impression.”
Solskjaer and the recruitment department retain the right to veto a target and United settled on their summer transfer shortlist in the winter. The Reds boss was aware of the club’s plans to appoint a football director when he agreed to take over as caretaker manager in December 2018 and enjoys a positive working relationship with Murtough.
PEP Guardiola had criticised the Video Assistant Referee for not giving City a penalty when Phil Foden looked to have been clearly fouled in the win over Southampton.
The Blues ran out 5-2 winners in an entertaining game, but the scores were level at 1-1 when Foden nicked the ball off Southampton keeper Alex McCarthy before what looked like clear contact from the Saints stopper.
Foden stumbled but remained on his feet to try and keep the move alive, and when the ball was eventually cleared, a VAR review looked at whether there was grounds for a penalty.
And despite the clear contact, the officials were looking for whether McCarthy got a touch on the ball as on-field official Jon Moss had felt that was the case with his initial ruling of no penalty.
It couldn’t be proven that the keeper didn’t touch it, VAR felt, so the review was over and no spot kick was awarded.
Guardiola described the VAR decision as ‘incredible,’ saying it was important as the game was level at the time.
“For a long time, I never complain about the referees but this action is in-cred-i-ble. In-cred-i-ble,” said the City boss.
“The VAR exists for the referees who don’t see the action to review.
“Maybe one day they will explain the rules. Okay we won 5-2 but it was 1-1 and if we weren’t able to win and we are only eight points clear. I am proud because what we have done this club we have won it for ourselves.
“There are things that are hard to understand. So maybe one day they can explain the rules about the VAR. Hopefully one day they can explain
what is going on. Jon, the referee, OK he cannot see it, the linesman cannot see it, (but if) the VAR cannot see it - Oh my God.
“You just want it to be more clear, and the right decisions. We won 5-2 but if we’d lost 5-2 I don’t make any comment. After you win you can do it, if not it looks like an excuse.”
Foden insists he never thought about going down when challenged by McCarthy and admits he expected a penalty to be awarded retrospectively.
“I’m an honest guy and never like to dive, I tried to stay on my feet,” he said.
“I thought it was going to be sent for a penalty, I don’t know what happened. It happens and we had to react after that.”
Reflecting on is contribution to the game, where he registered three assists, Foden added: “I’ve played in many positions this year, even today I played a slightly different role in the second half.
“I’m enjoying learning new roles and it can only help me be a better player.
“I’ve been scoring a lot this year, I want to add assists to my game.”
Foden also pinpointed the goals from Riyad Mahrez and Ilkay Gundogan before half-time as turning points in the game after being denied the penalty.
He said: “It was important [to get first goal], we weren’t playing well at the time, he unlocked the door for us and it was important to get back on track today.
“Once you get that second goal advantage it’s important, you can start settling down and playing your football. They played the same way, fair play to them, they gave it a good try.”