It has felt like a season of change at Manchester United for the last two years, and that change has just seen another name added to the list.
Since Ineos came in, they have run various changes, some from a sporting perspective, others due to financial reasons.
It has led to losses of jobs in almost every department of the club as they have sought to modernise the club and bring it into the 21st century while cutting costs.
While there are no indications that the latest departure is a diktat from Sir Jim Ratcliffe and Co. the loss will nonetheless be felt hard as he was at the club for 14 years.
Cristiano Ronaldo, Bruno Fernandes, Diogo Dalot, Juan Mata, Coach Paolo Gaudino of Manchester United in action during a first team training session at Carrington, October 1, 2021
Photo by Matthew Peters/Manchester United via Getty Images
Paolo Gaudino confirms Man Utd departure
If a staff member has been at Old Trafford for 14 years, they instantly earn at least some fan credit because it means they were hired under Sir Alex Ferguson.
Furthermore, they were also a part of the last Premier League title win at Man Utd, and in Paolo Gaudino’s case, it came just one season after his arrival.
Gaudino joined United in 2011, officially taking up the role of a Sports Scientist for the 2012/13 season. He remained in that role for seven years.
In 2019, he became a fitness coach at the club, a role he has held since then until now. Gaudino posted on Instagram that he has now left the club after 14 years.
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He posted pictures of himself lifting the Premier League trophy with Sir Alex Ferguson, and silverware under other managers, as well as pictures with some of the biggest names who’ve played for the club in that time.
He simply wrote, “2011-2025, 14 beautiful years, Ciao [Man Utd]”, to which many Man Utd stars, past and present, responded positively.
Kobbie Mainoo wished him the best, writing, “All the best Paolo” with a heart emoji, while Juan Mata wrote, “Grandeeeee.”
Facundo Pellistri dropped a heart emoji in the comments while Eric Bailly, who would have spent a lot of time with the fitness coach at Old Trafford, said, “You’re the best Paolo, good luck in your new stage.”
Gaudino hasn’t said what’s next for him yet, but he will leave United with bittersweet memories, with an early high at the club followed by a rollercoaster decade.
Ineos will be judged at Man Utd in the long term
While it can’t be said that this change has definitively come as a result of Ineos’ decision, it is nonetheless another long-serving member leaving under their watch.
The start to the Ineos era has been bittersweet, with good intentions not always backed up by successful actions, but the reasoning is sound for most of their decisions.
The reality is that in the current era of knee-jerk reaction and instant gratification, Ineos have held their nerve and are playing a long game.
All these changes, in their belief, will lead to a positive change in bringing about the cultural reset that has long been needed at the club.
In isolation, they won’t seem like big decisions, but when added all together, they will combine to engineer the reset. Sir Dave Brailsford’s ‘marginal gains’ philosophy is in action.
Now, if only Bryan Mbeumo’s signing can be hurried up!