Gary Neville claims Ruben Amorim struggles show Dan Ashworth may have been RIGHT about Man United’s rebuild – as sacked sporting director lands new role

Gary Neville has claimed Dan Ashworth’s plans to rebuild Manchester United may have been correct, despite the Red Devils brutally sacking the sporting director after just 159 days.

Ashworth, 54, was ruthlessly sacked by Sir Jim Ratcliffe and Ineos back in December.

Manchester United poached Ashworth from Newcastle last February but were forced to wait for the sporting director to finish his gardening leave before joining the team at Old Trafford.

But months later, he was dismissed from his post and Ratcliffe later admitted it was a mistake to hire him, paying £4.1million for the five months at the club including his severance package.

Mail Sport revealed Ratcliffe had become frustrated at what was viewed as Ashworth’s indecision, particularly with regards a definitive plan regarding previous manager Erik ten Hag’s future and the Dutchman’s potential successor.

Reports claimed Ashworth had suggested Gareth Southgate, Eddie Howe, Thomas Frank and Graham Potter as potential successors after Ten Hag was sacked in October.

The sporting director was brutally sacked by Manchester United after just 159 days in the post, having been poached initially from Newcastle (Pictured: Red Devils co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe)

Gareth Southgate and Eddie Howe were reportedly candidates Ashworth had put forward to replace Erik ten Hag as manager

Man United instead appointed Ruben Amorim, but the former Sporting Lisbon boss has overseen just six wins in 25 Premier League matches to leave the Red Devils in 16th place.

Neville said Amorim’s struggles to turn around Man United’s domestic fortunes may show Ashworth’s approach was correct, suggesting his candidates may have provided a foundation which the club would be able to build upon.

‘Knowing him as I do and how reliable Dan Ashworth is and trustworthy, he went with a plan that looked pretty unspectacular at the time,’ Neville said on The Overlap Fan Debate, brought to you by Sky Bet.

‘He gave them two or three managers that didn’t get their juices flowing and said “I think these are the people that need to be the first step on the rebuild of this football club”

‘Them type of people [Southgate and Howe], Graham Potter. These people will correct the culture in the club, you will get the dressing room solid, good characters and a good work ethic. It is the bridge that is needed to get to where we need to get to.

‘You are not going to get from where we are to basically there [top]. Looking back now, maybe he was right and the club needed a period of two or three years of finishing fourth, getting a good culture and getting the staff happy.

‘Maybe he was right that there needs to be a stepping stone before we get back to. 

‘I didn’t support [Southgate] at the time because I didn’t think it was the right mix, but now I see what is going on it is really worrying.’

Man United instead appointed Ruben Amorim, who has won just six Premier League matches

Neville suggested Ashworth’s plan may have given Man United a stepping stone to progress

Man United can still rescue their season by winning the Europa League next week in Bilbao

Ashworth has returned to the FA and will oversee their new ‘St George’s Park 2.0 project’

The former Man United defender turned pundit expressed his concerns for Amorim’s ability to reshape his squad should the club lose the Europa League final to Tottenham and miss out on a place in the Champions League.

Neville’s comments come as Ashworth was confirmed to have returned to the game having been appointed as the Football Association’s first chief football officer.

The FA said Ashworth, who was previously their director of elite development and then technical director, will lead the high-performance strategy and new-look St. George’s Park.

The role will include Ashworth having strategic oversight across England men’s and women’s teams.

‘Dan is a hugely influential and respected figure in the game, who has a long-standing commitment to England Football,’ said Mark Bullingham, FA chief executive.

‘We are very happy to welcome him back in this new role.’