Omar Berrada: New Manchester United chief executive says structure key to on-pitch success

According to Omar Berrada, the recently appointed CEO of Manchester United, the proper establishment of the club's structure is crucial for the team to achieve success.

Berrada has cautioned that excessive spending by clubs, players, and agents during the transfer season can cause teams to slide down a treacherous path.

Earlier this month, United hired Berrada, who previously held the position of chief of football operations officer at Manchester City. However, the reigning champions of Europe and England have decided to put him on gardening leave before he transitions to his new role at Old Trafford.

According to United, Berrada's coming is a significant step towards becoming a championship-winning team once again. They also stated that their goal is to prioritize football and performance on the field above all else.

The decision was made shortly after Sir Jim Ratcliffe's acquisition of a quarter of the club from the Glazer family. This agreement has put Sir Jim Ratcliffe in charge of all football-related choices.

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Berrada, who worked for City for over ten years, recently talked to the Financial Times. He expressed his belief that the club's achievements were not simply a result of luck. Rather, they were carefully planned and executed. According to Berrada, having a solid organization in place off the field is key to achieving success on the field.

Berrada spoke about his plans before confirming his transfer to United. He stated that their main objective is to establish a solid structure and ecosystem around their current projects. This will help maintain consistency and reduce the length of any potential downturns.

Berrada played an important role in helping City reach an annual revenue of £712m in the year 2022/23, surpassing the £648m revenue of United. He attributed the success to the accomplishments of Pep Guardiola's team.

He stated that the success of the clubs on the commercial aspect relies highly on their performance during matches. However, combining this with an effective business strategy can drastically boost their growth outside of the game.

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Berrada's statements are completely different from what Ed Woodward, the previous executive VP of United, stated while he was still working at Old Trafford. Woodward declared that the team's performance doesn't have any significant effect on the commercial aspect of the company.

Woodward played a crucial part in the process of selecting new players for United, a category in which the club has faced a considerable amount of negative feedback. Since Sir Alex Ferguson retired in 2013, United hasn't been able to win the Premier League. However, during that period, they have spent over £1.13bn on players, which is the most in England, according to Transfermarkt.

When it comes to negotiating transfers, Berrada sent a caution to his new club. He advised that having a strong justification for the offered fee, salary, and commission can lead to acceptance by the other party, even if they do not necessarily agree with it.

When you pay extra, you give up your persuasive power and it becomes harder to say to the next person, "I can only give you this much."

United On Track With Berrada Appointment - Neville

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According to Gary Neville, Ratcliffe is already causing chaos at United and he thinks that Berrada's appointment is a step in the right direction for his old club.

On the Gary Neville Podcast, he expressed that becoming the CEO of Man Utd is a huge responsibility due to the numerous tasks that come with the position. However, he also mentioned that there are some simple victories that can be achieved right off the bat.

Effective communication plays a crucial role in bringing forth ideas and opinions that the club has been missing out on for the past decade. The new management structure can work towards establishing a relationship of mutual understanding and confidence between the supporters, the team, and everyone else associated with the club.

It's been a while since they've had someone with experience in football, which is crucial. However, it's a massive responsibility and all attention will be on him.

It's clear that he received top-notch training and education from Man City and Barcelona, both renowned for their success in the past decade and a half.

It appears that Man Utd is making wise choices lately and heading towards the right path, which is definitely a good sign. It was expected that the arrival of Ratcliffe would cause some change and things are already being shaken up.

It was clear to see that there was a gap in the leadership team at the organization. This was due to Richard Arnold's resignation, which left the CEO position open. Additionally, there was no one holding the position of sporting director, and the organization also lacked a well-known head of recruitment.

"Owners are most vulnerable in three areas including player expenses, revenue generation, and exposure to financial risks."

"It's one piece of a three-part schedule that I anticipate will happen in the upcoming months."

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"Meet Omar Berrada: Who Is He?"

On LinkedIn, Berrada portrays himself as an individual with a extensive background of 20 years managing football at a higher level. He is knowledgeable about handling club affairs as well as football operations such as signing players, sponsorship, and media coverage.

Berrada has resided in six different nations, and he claims that he is fluent in four languages. As per his LinkedIn profile, he oversees and enhances group football activities for almost 100 teams located in 11 clubs scattered in five continents.

He has additionally acted as a representative for both Manchester City and the collective in various leadership positions, such as within the European Clubs Association and the board of the FA Women's Super League.

He held the position of top football operations executive at City Football Group, supervising various areas such as managing talent, providing performance-related services and leading football intelligence.

Before taking on his current role, which began in September 2016, Berrada's previous position was that of commercial director at City Football Marketing.

Berrada became a part of City after his stint in Barcelona, where he served the Spanish team for nearly eight years. He was in charge of the media business development department and was at the helm of sponsorship deals during the club's prosperous period.

Berrada boasts a wealth of expertise in the sports field spanning more than 18 years, as well as five years of involvement in telecommunications.