Ashes to Ashworth: inside the Man U power struggle

Departure of sporting director after five months shows the soap opera at Old Trafford has just got itself a new storyline

- MIGUEL DELANEY CHIEF FOOTBALL WRITER

Dan Ashworth has left Manchester United because Sir Jim Ratcliffe wanted to act on something he felt wasn't working rather than wait in the hope that it would work. The stance of the club’s principal decision-maker is that there is no time to waste. It has led to shock at Carrington.

The big question at Old Trafford is whether that same seriousness will now extend to United’s leadership structure, given that things look increasingly farcical. Personality clashes have contributed to Ashworth’s departure. He wasn’t really fitting into the structure either, although that was partly due to a case of “too many cooks”. Alongside these reasons was also doubt about some of Ashworth’s judgement.

Word quickly spread after Sunday’s announcement – in the way that often happens in football – that the 53-year-old was not one of the voices who pushed for Ruben Amorim.

Ashworth’s admiration for Gareth Southgate and Graham Potter is well known, and it has now frequently been pointed out that he did not lead the talks to bring the Portuguese manager in last month. It has since become apparent he was not influential in selecting the manager, despite his position as the sporting director.

Worse, that role had less of a remit than expected, especially under a chief executive as strong and involved as Omar Berrada.