After not having managed to fight for the title in the Premier League or other competitions, nor qualifying for the Champions League , Manchester United assure that there is no need to think about an immediate recovery. Richard Arnold knows this perfectly and reaffirms the long-term work.
The club’s general manager stressed the confidence in being able to carry through a season to be forgotten, which culminated in the interim role of Ralf Rangnick and the appointment of Erik ten Hag to the position. For that reason, he maintains that the frustration over the poor campaign is shared with the fans.
“Suffice it to say that we are convinced that United are successful in the long term. Suffice it to say that we are not happy with the situation we are in in terms of performance on the pitch. We understand that the fans are frustrated and want to see changes and improvements,” he assured in a fan forum.
In this regard, he added: “I can assure you that we share that frustration very intensely within the club. We also feel confident that change is coming due to the steps being taken to drive long-term success.” Precisely, in that aspect he highlighted the decision to hire the Dutchman.
“It was the most visible example of that action, and the most important. We’re glad we got it sooner and can’t wait for Erik to get to work. Success will not happen overnight, but we are determined to get there, and we will be relentless in our efforts to achieve it,” he said.
In addition, the CEO acknowledged: “Everyone in the club, from the owners, accepts that the results of this season have been far below what we expected. We are taking measures to improve things and there is a great commitment and passion for get back to where we think we should be: fighting for, and winning, titles.”
Following this, he put himself in the place of the fans. “We are very aware of how you feel and we understand your concern and frustration. Football is a game of passion and we fully respect your right to make your feelings known, as long as it is legal and peaceful,” he said.
“I hope that all Old Trafford fans will face the coming season with renewed optimism and confidence as we look forward to a fresh start with Erik ten Hag,” he added. And he emphasized: “We have the best fans in the world and when Old Trafford is at its highest point we have a significant advantage against our rivals.”
Finally, Arnold stressed that they work daily to change this situation and concluded: “As a club we are doing more than ever to engage with the fans and listen to their opinions. We need them to continue to engage with us to be able to do it.”