Dan Ashworth is reportedly in discussions regarding a surprising new position following his departure as Manchester United’s sporting director last year. The 54-year-old officially parted ways with the club by mutual agreement in December, although sources suggest that minority co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe had a significant role in his dismissal.
One of the primary factors contributing to Ashworth’s exit was his involvement in the decision to extend Erik ten Hag’s contract last summer and his efforts in identifying potential signings for the manager.
Recent financial disclosures from United indicated that the club incurred a total of £4.1 million in compensation to secure Ashworth from Newcastle during the summer, which included a severance payment.
Since leaving the club, Ashworth has been engaged in a consultancy position with Warwickshire County Cricket Club. According to club sources, he has held this voluntary and unpaid role since 2021.
Currently, The Telegraph reports that Ashworth is in negotiations for a surprising return to the FA, where he previously played a significant role before moving to Brighton in 2018. He is well-regarded within the FA, and the report suggests he is being considered for a new senior-level position.
This role would involve overseeing the ‘St George’s Park 2.0 project,’ which aims to radically refurbish England’s elite training facility. Ashworth would be responsible for the development of both the men’s and women’s senior and junior teams, as well as focusing on the advancement of British coaching.
In discussing Ashworth’s appointment and the decision to retain Ten Hag, Ratcliffe remarked to The Telegraph: “They were just mistakes.”
“The Erik thing is slightly mitigating. There was quite a lot of debate about that time. He had just won a Cup final. The fans were clearly of the view that we’d like to stick with him, and all that sort of stuff.
“They were both mistakes. I don’t think we can say much more than that … we’re talking about our old industry [with Ineos]. I think we just have to say [on Ashworth], chemistry. Really, I don’t want to go down that. It is what it is, and it was our fault.”
Leave a Reply