Even by Manchester United’s tumultuous standards, it’s been quite a week.
First came the failed attempt to “mug” the rich new owners of Newcastle.
Then the real and shocking rape allegations about a player seen as the future of the club.
There were no new arrivals on the last day of the transfer window but the gloom was lifted by a significant departure among the non-playing staff.
And I don’t mean Donny van de Beek.
Much-maligned head honcho Ed Woodward finally quit, and joy at his going was heightened by the news that the man long viewed by many as the club’s saviour may soon be available.
After a shock loss to Nice in the French Cup, Mauricio Pochettino has been put on notice by PSG that only a Champions League triumph can save him.
And if he doesn’t see off Real Madrid in the Round of 16, he may be sacked as early as March.
Of course, whoever takes over wouldn’t replace Woodward, but the executive vice-president was so hands-on with transfers he seemed to think he was also managing the club at times.
So, a week that began in turmoil – no one knew how to handle the arrest of Mason Greenwood – ended in a different sort of turmoil: with the club said to be “on red alert” for the PSG boss but the fans divided.
Poch’s admirers feel he is the perfect fit for the job that he should have been given three years ago.
According to the Daily Mail, though, quite a number prefer Ajax boss, Erik Ten Hag.
It’s all more than enough to almost forget there’s a Friday night home tie against Middlesbrough in the FA Cup.
They certainly shouldn’t forget it as, realistically, it’s the only trophy they can win.
It was fitting that Woodward’s final act was to try to extract a bonus loan fee for Jesse Lingard – if he helped keep the Geordies up.
And it was fitting that it failed.
Most of his dealings on the pitch have and this was a classic from his textbook of prioritising finance over football.
In nine wheeler-dealer years, he has tripled the value of the club off the field from £800 million to a mind-numbing £2.4 billion.
Besides, merchandising went from £130 million in 2013 to £280 million in 2020 (the last year before the pandemic).
But the loss of stature on the field has been commensurate.
And that’s pretty mind-numbing too: reducing Alex Ferguson’s all-conquering champions to second-raters for whom fourth place is a successful season.
Titles? Nah, not even a sniff if you’re talking about the major ones. United have been nowhere near either the EPL or Champions League since Fergie left.
Yet Woodward had the gall to say: “I am proud of regenerating the culture of the club and of winning the FA Cup, EFL Cup and Europa League.”
Second-class silverware, Ed, of which only second-raters are proud.
But they have been a wow on Wall Street and swapped places with Real Madrid at the top of the Forbes table.
Which is all that matters to the vulture capitalist Glazers.
Besides periodically helping themselves to the till and letting Old Trafford rust, they have coughed up for players – on Woodward’s watch, mostly the wrong ones.
Look at Paul Pogba for £89m. Editing his fleeting cameos, you’d be lucky to get 89 minutes when he actually broke sweat.
Harry Maguire for £80m? There are statues with more moves.
Romelu Lukaku (£76m) and Angel di Maria (£59) can play but for other teams. As can Memphis Depay. So, too, Radamel Falcao before his injury.
And what about the Freds, the Morgan Schneiderlins, Bastien Schweinsteigers and Marouane Fellainis of this world?
And worst of all, Alexis Sanchez – three goals in 18 months and on £350,000 a week.
What a legacy!
Yes, different managers had a say, but we know that name and Instagram presence was a clinching factor with Woodward.
To be fair, Bruno Fernandes carried them for a season and a half. Luke Shaw has improved and Edinson Cavani was worth a punt.
But even Ronaldo hasn’t really worked.
Now that Woodward has gone, the need to start competing seriously on the field becomes more urgent.
We can’t expect United to sell itself to noodle-makers in Malaysia and inner-tube specialists in Thailand with quite the same zeal any more.
Pochettino hasn’t won anything but ticks most of the boxes for what United need once Ralf Rangnick’s interim term is over.
He’s struggled at PSG, where he never really had a fully fit Messi, but has a track record of encouraging youth and attacking football, while most of his ex-players speak highly of him.
And he did wonders at Spurs to take them as far as he did.
He’s also Fergie’s favourite which will surely count more now that Woodward has gone.
The former banker’s biggest mistake was giving Ole Gunnar Solskjaer a permanent contract when Poch could have been prised from Spurs.
Wasted years.
Before the Nice game, the bookies had Ten Hag as favourite for the Old Trafford job.
But for all his great work in Amsterdam, the Dutchman didn’t impress Spurs who thought he was “weird” in his interview before opting for Nuno Espiritu Santo.
United have recently had one weird Dutch manager, so to have two might be considered carelessness.
For reasons best known to himself, Woodward didn’t want Antonio Conte either, but the Italian remains a possibility if he gets fed up with Daniel Levy at Spurs.
Poch would go – having openly said as much while in Paris. His family prefers England and still live in London.
It’s strange how history gets written: who would have thought that heroics by a Nice goalkeeper in a penalty shoot-out – saving two – would offer the chance for Manchester United to begin a new era?
It’s one they shouldn’t pass up a second time.
The views expressed are those of the writer and do not necessarily reflect those of FMT.