It's only 14 months since Manchester United were attempting to operate without any kind of football structure in place at Carrington, beyond an underqualified manager in Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and an executive vice-chairman who enjoyed the power a little too much.
The idea of appointing a football director was first mooted in August 2018, but John Murtough wasn't formally appointed until March 2021, with Darren Fletcher named technical director at the same time.
Now Andy O'Boyle has been installed as Murtough's deputy and United have a structure in place that is beginning to mirror the kind of set-up found at the elite clubs they are attempting to rejoin.
