'Chief of staff' for Glazers
Malcolm Glazer's new 'chief of staff' will play no role in negotiating Manchester United's new shirt sponsorship deal.
The Glazer camp have confirmed 34-year-old former merchant banker Ed Woodward has been appointed to look after the family's business interests in the UK.
Through his previous company JP Morgan, Woodward played an extensive role in Glazer's controversial £790million takeover of the Red Devils last summer and after initially being approached last May, finally took up his post in November.
However, while Woodward will liaise extensively with the Glazer family and United chief executive David Gill, he will not be involved in negotiating staff contracts or discussions over a new sponsor to replace Vodafone, whose £9million-a-year deal is being terminated early at the end of the season.
"Bryan Glazer and Manchester United's commercial director Andy Anson are handling the sponsorship situation and that is not going to change," said a source close to the Glazer camp, who added the club were still confident of securing a replacement deal by the end of the season.
The news of Woodward's appointment has come as Sir Alex Ferguson has publicly backed Glazer's ownership of the club.
Twenty-four hours after claiming the Tampa Bay Buccaneers owner was doing an "excellent" job, Ferguson offered more forceful praise for the American business tycoon, whose involvement with the Old Trafford outfit has led to mass protests and the launch of breakaway club FC United.
While Ferguson's jokey "why should I worry" dismissal of the £540million debt Glazer took on to complete his £790million purchase in the summer should not be taken literally, the Scot did enough to whip up yet more fury among the section of supporters so implacably opposed to the club being back in private hands.
"I look at it from my perspective," said Ferguson, when asked to clarify his previous day's comments.
"They (the Glazers) have supported me 100%. They have never caused me one bit of a problem and they have given me the money I wanted (to sign players). What do I do? Tell lies?
"They have been great. It is much better than a PLC I can tell you that.
"We don't have to go through all the procedures of a PLC board meeting and football club board meetings. We don't have to inform the Stock Exchange.
"The whole thing is far more straightforward now and it is much quicker. You can get an answer - yes or no - without going through the whole procedure."
http://www.teamtalk.com/teamtalk/News/Story_Page/0,7760,1778_945441,00.html
also we might have simao next year, if not now:
Simao future on hold
By Francisco Acedo - Created on 13 Jan 2006
Benfica star Simao Sabrosa's proposed move to The Premiership has stalled.
The Portuguese midfielder has been linked with English heavyweights Manchester United and Liverpool, but Benfica have dismissed all the offers to date as being too low.
The European champions were keen on Simao in the summer and, with The Red Devils joining the race recently and winger Laurent Robert transferring to Portugal, a move to The Premiership was expected in January.
However, talks between club president Luis Filipe Vieira and representatives from Liverpool and United came to nothing.
"The offers were insufficient for a player like Simao," said Vieira.
Benfica have slapped a €20 million (£13.6 million) price tag on the talented 26-year-old, believed to be nearly twice the amount Liverpool and Manchester United are willing to pay.
With the player himself refusing to be drawn on the matter, it now looks as if discussions will be put on hold until the summer.
http://home.skysports.com/list.asp?hlid=353116&CPID=8&clid=&lid=&title=Simao+future+on+hold