Manchester United has recently experienced a major development: Sir Bruce Ferguson, who has played an important role within the club, has decided to step down from his daily management duties. He will return to Ineos to take up the role of Sports Director. This change marks a significant restructuring of the club’s management team by Manchester United owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe.
Meanwhile, Jason Wilcox has been appointed as the new Football Director. This role carries greater authority and importance than the Technical Director position he held when he first joined Manchester United last year. This marks a significant step in Manchester United’s efforts to establish a new management structure to drive the club’s future development.
Who is Sir Alex Ferguson? What did he do at Manchester United?
Bresford is a highly influential figure in the sports industry. Since late 2023, he has frequently appeared at Manchester United matches, such as the Boxing Day game against Aston Villa. He not only attended matches but also actively participated in the club’s operational activities.
Before Ineos officially invested in Manchester United, Bressford was fully involved in the due diligence process. He later joined the Manchester United board, alongside former manager Sir Alex Ferguson and former CEO David Gill, becoming one of the club’s key decision-makers.
At the Carrington training ground, Braceford oversaw facility upgrades, participated in coaching staff decisions—particularly regarding whether Ten Hag should remain as manager—and was involved in key personnel appointments, including the hiring of new CEO Omar Berrada and new head coach Ruben Amorim.
In addition, he led two projects called “Mission 21” and “Mission 1.” “Mission 21” aims to help Manchester United win its 21st Premier League title, while “Mission 1” hopes to see the women’s team win its first Women’s Super League title. Both goals are part of the “150 Plan,” which aims to celebrate Manchester United’s 150th anniversary.
Why leave now?
Although Bresford has been very active over the past year, his appearances have become less frequent recently. On the one hand, he has become a father and needs to spend more time with his family; on the other hand, he has also devoted some of his energy to his life in Monaco.
Today, Manchester United’s new management team is largely in place. Led by Omar Berrada, with Jason Wilcox as football director, the management team has already established itself within the club.Under these circumstances, Bresford has chosen to step back and give newcomers more space to showcase their talents.
However, he will not be leaving Manchester United entirely. He will remain on the board of directors and continue to provide advice and support for the team’s performance strategy. It can be said that he has completed more than half of his mission, and the rest of the work will be handed over to the new team.
Bresford to return to other projects under Ineos
As Ratcliffe’s plan to acquire a minority stake in Manchester United gradually takes shape, Bresford will also focus more of his energy on other sports projects under Ineos.
He was previously the team leader of the Ineos cycling team, which mainly participates in the Tour de France. Now, he may increase his support for the team, especially with the addition of new partners.
In addition, Ratcliffe also hopes that Braceford will assist retired racing legend Grant Thomas in joining the INEOS team management in a key role after he retires from his athletic career.
In addition, Braceford may also return to the French club Nice. He once had a lot of influence there.Since Manchester United failed to qualify for the Champions League next season, the French club is no longer subject to UEFA’s “cross-ownership” rules, allowing Braceford to participate more freely in Nice’s affairs.
How did Braceford perform at Manchester United?
Looking back, Braceford’s time at Manchester United was not long, only about 11 months. However, his role during this period cannot be ignored.
He was one of the key figures during the early days of Ratcliffe’s takeover of Manchester United. In January 2024, he appeared alongside Ratcliffe at the Carrington training ground to meet with players and staff. Towards the end of the season, he was also directly involved in discussions regarding Ten Hag’s future.
During the summer, he also traveled with the team to Los Angeles for a pre-season tour and had multiple discussions with Ten Hag, Wilcox, and others.
However, Manchester United’s performance last season was far from ideal. It was the worst season in the club’s Premier League history. Ultimately, they lost to Tottenham in the Europa League final, and head coach Amolin admitted it was a “disastrous” season.
Following that high-level meeting, Ten Hag was sacked, and Braceford and Ratcliffe left the scene together. Later, sports director Dan Ashworth also resigned in December. Now, Braceford has also stepped down from his day-to-day management role.
In fact, such changes had been planned long ago. This is because Braceford’s professional background is in cycling, not football. He himself admitted that he is not an expert in football. Therefore, once the new management team was in place, his role was naturally completed.
Who will lead the new era?
Now, Manchester United’s football department is run by two key figures: Omar Berrada and Jason Wilcox. They are considered the core forces behind the Red Devils’ future development.
As the new CEO, Berrada will be responsible for the overall operation of the club, while Wilcox, as football director, will focus on the competitive development of the team. Their goal is clear: to lead Manchester United out of its current slump and into a new phase of development.
For fans, this is undoubtedly an exciting change. Manchester United’s performance in recent times has been disappointing, but now with a new management structure in place, there may be new hope.
Summary: Manchester United is moving towards a more professional future
Bresford’s departure symbolizes the end of an era for Manchester United. He brought a new management model and performance philosophy to the club, particularly in terms of infrastructure and organizational structure.
However, just as any team needs to refresh its leadership, Manchester United now requires individuals who truly understand football and are familiar with modern football management systems to lead the way.
The road ahead is long, and whether Manchester United can return to its former glory will depend on the performance of the new management team. However, at least for now, the club has taken an important step forward—saying goodbye to the past chaos and beginning to build a clearer, more professional management system.
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