Is it a vote of confidence, or was it “the DREADED vote of confidence?” Only time will tell, but for now it certainly seems like Jose Mourinho has a lot of security in his current post as Manchester United manager.
That’s because Executive Vice President Ed Woodward backed his embattled manager today on a conference call, despite the club’s very blah start to the season.
“Everyone at the club is working tirelessly to add to Manchester United’s 66 and Jose’s 25 trophies,” Woodward said during the call with investors, in which he announced United’s registering a profit of £44.1 million this pas fiscal year on the strength of record revenues (£590 million).
“That is what our passionate fans and our history demands. It’s easy to get caught up in the game-by-game fluctuations of our season but I would like to take this opportunity to take a step back and look at the bigger picture.”
“We are the biggest sports team in the world as measured by number of fans. We know that position is one that requires continued investment to maintain. Our board, our investors and everyone at the club are aligned with the fans about what we need to do on the pitch, and that is to win trophies.”
“It is one of the reasons we hired Jose Mourinho and we have already won three with him.”
The call was, for the most part, what you would have expected- lots of corporatespeak euphemisms and an extensive discussion of how the club is making money hand over fist despite a lack of inspiring results on the pitch. It was Ed Woodward being the Ed Woodward brand, and he is a man in which the word “brand” is gospel.
Woodward, who has been a tour de force in the board room, taking the club to new heights in regards to marketing and finance, has been a total disaster in the transfer window. This past summer transfer window, Woodward restrained the club from spending further, and this came on the heels of windows in which United has spent big, but spent very foolishly.
Ed Woodward himself has been the subject of fans’ ire, which included an airplane banner protest in the road match at Burnley.
As for Mourinho, he entered the season as the book maker’s favorites to be the first Premier League manager sacked. Right now that doesn’t seem like a bet worth taking.
Paul M. Banks runs The Sports Bank.net and TheBank.News, which is partnered with News Now. Banks, a former writer for NBC Chicago.com and Chicago Tribune.com, is currently a regular contributor to SB Nation, WGN CLTV and Chicago Now.
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