Former Manchester United sporting director Dan Ashworth is set to make a return to football as the Football Association’s head of elite men’s and women’s development, according to the BBC.
The report states the 54-year-old will be “unveiled” in the role which mirrors the position he previously held in at the FA between 2012 and 2018 where he was “in charge of England’s elite men’s and women’s teams as well as FA education and coaching.”
However, Ashworth’s remit will now include “oversee[ing] the development of homegrown coaches” with concern that only two of the 20 Premier League managers are English – Eddie Howe (Newcastle) and Graham Potter (West Ham).
Mark Bullingham – the FA chief executive – had previously “confirmed” that a plan was in place to address this issue with changes coming.
Ashworth will also “oversee” the next stage of the refurbishment of St George’s Park which functions as the home for all of England’s teams.
Ashworth left Old Trafford in December in unceremonious terms after the executive was head hunted from Newcastle where he was the sporting director.
At the time of his eventual appointment, requiring five months of gardening leave, Sir Jim Ratcliffe – United’s co-owner who has full control of the football operation – praised the 54-year-old as one of the “top sporting directors in the world”.
However, five months on, the British billionaire described hiring Ashworth as “an error on our part” – one which cost 4.1 million in total – as the club’s sporting director was dismissed.
A lack of chemistry had quickly become apparent between Ratcliffe and Ashworth; by contrast, the INEOS owner has a great working relationship with chief executive Omar Berrada and technical director Jason Wilcox.
The scope of Wilcox’s influence appears to have increased in Ashworth’s stead while the club have now permanently hired Christopher Vivell as the head of recruitment.
But the decision to spend a protracted time pursuing Ashworth, only to waste millions in reversing that decision five months later, encapsulates the chaotic approach INEOS have demonstrated in their first year at the helm at Old Trafford.
If fans of the Red Devils had hoped for a smooth transition from the abysmal leadership of the Glazer family to the effective stewardship of Ratcliffe – a lifelong fan – then it really is the hope that kills.
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Darragh Fox Darragh is a writer for The Peoples Person who spent three years as a history graduate slowly realising football was by far the most interesting thing to write about.
