May 25, 2013
In my office I'm currently sat with Luis Goncalves whom I had brought onboard before my purchase of the club as Director of Football from Shakter Donetsk to help steer the club towards a new direction. Our discussion focused on filling out other management roles
Luis pulled out a folder containing information on shortlisted candidates for the positions that need to be filled out " based on discussions we've had before, these are some of the people I feel should fill out the roles that we need in the team and they include: Steve Walsh for our Chief Scout, Head of Youth Development will be Jim Lawlor, also David Trezeguet and David Mills will fill out some scouting positions,Head of Medical Staff will be Dr, Mike Stone, Head Of Sports Science will be Dr. Steve McNally, Marketing Director will be Richard Arnold, Community Relations Director will be Paul Scholes, Head of Analytics will be Simon Kuper and Media relations manager will be Rachel Thompson. Some of this people have signed contracts with the club and some have been approached and it is expected that they all sign within the next week." He listed out names and roles that needed to be filled and brought out a different folder from his bag
" Alright with that out the way it is time we settle on a Head Coach. Amongst the coaches available to take over the team I have shortlisted 2 potential people to fill out the roles and they are Marco Bielsa and Carlo Ancelotti." He informed me
I thought about this two and realized they're two vastly different figures Bielsa known for his innovative tactics and his ability to work with and improve young players, and Ancelotti a seasoned winner with an unparalleled track record at the top level of European football
"We know Bielsa could help us integrate younger players and bring a more structured style of play" I began thoughtfully while glancing through the folder. "But when you look at his trophy haul compared to Ancelotti's, it's clear that Bielsa doesn't come with the same winning pedigree. We need a coach who has proven he can succeed at the highest level, especially with the expectations that come with being in charge of a team like United"
Luis who had initially been impressed by Bielsa's potential for long term growth, nodded in agreement "you're right, as much as I admire Bielsa's approach, we need someone who knows how to win and Ancelotti provides that for us" I nodded along with him
" it decided then. Set up a meeting with Ancelotti and his agent so we can discuss with him and start building our squad for the new season"
With that our meeting was over
May 28, 2013 - A Hotel in Paris
A couple days later Luis and I found ourselves sitting in the conference room of an
Upscale hotel in Paris, waiting for Ancelotti and his agent to arrive. The future of Manchester United was on the line and this meeting would decide if Ancelotti would lead us into the next chapter. After a short wait, the door opened and in walked Ancelotti and his agent right beside him.
Luis stood to break the ice. "Good Day, Mr. Ancelotti. My name is Luis Goncalves and this is Mr. King Adeshola the new owner of Manchester United. We've invited you here in hopes of getting you onboard as our new head coach." He handed over the prepared contract and I watched closely, ready for what came next.
Ancelotti and his agent took their time going through the contract details. It was a strong offer but I could sense the hesitation. After a moment, his agent spoke up. "This offer is certainly attractive, but we're still considering our options."
That was my cue to step in. I leaned forward taking control of the conversation "I understand that Napoli has made you an offer as well. But Manchester United is a much larger club with far greater global reach. Not only is our offer more lucrative, but we're also giving our full support from both management and ownership. You won't have complete control in player transfers but your opinions will be considered and taken seriously. We want you to have the resources capable of competing for the Premier League title. And we're giving you two years to put a foundation in place."
Ancelotti seemed to relax and I could see the wheels turn in his head "that sounds fair" he said finally. "Having the support from both ownership and management is important and I like the collaborative approach."
I smiled, sensing that we were close. "You'll have everything you need to succeed. We believe in your ability to make Manchester United a dominant force in European football"
Ancelotti glanced at his agent and they both nodded. "Alright let's move forward with this I'll leave my agent to discuss any changes that should be made with you, I hope we have a successful cooperation." He stood up and we both shook hands and he left the room
I felt a surge of relief flood me. We had done it Carlo Ancelotti was now the manager of Manchester United
A couple days later
The news broke, and the excitement spread like wildfire : Manchester United had hired Carlo Ancelotti as he new head coach on a five year deal. Fans were ecstatic, and I couldn't help but feel a surge of pride. Ancelotti wasn't going to have full control over transfers, but he would have our complete backing. We were ready to work with him to build a squad capable of challenging for the Premier League and competing in the Champions League.
As I reflected on the past few days, I knew that this was just the beginning. Ancelotti's appointment was the first step in what I hoped would be a successful new era for Manchester United. With him at the helm, and with the support of the management and ownership behind him, I believed we were on the path to greatness.