Moyes was Sir Alex Ferguson's pick and who could argue with that? I never understood the call to give him more time. After all, why would you give a failing arsonist this luxury? Out of all competitions and no European football for the first time in two decades, time finally ran out for Moyes.
There are some striking parallels between Manchester United and Tesco - organisationally and managerially. Organisationally both have been at the top of their game for the past twenty years.
Both had leaders, peerless in their domestic arena who anointed their successors and both business models have been changing profoundly with the influx of massively funded competitors arriving seemingly from nowhere.
For United, the arrival of Abramovitch at Chelsea brought the
first high profile billionaire in to the public glare but it is Sheikh
Mansoor's arrival at Manchester City and his impending purchase of a new NYC
MLS franchise that changed the game. At the same time the Qatari's bought Paris
Saint Germain in France and spent $145m on new players last season. United, in
transition, have been caught flat-footed.
In mass retail, Tesco are being outplayed by international
competitors. Aldi and Lidl from continental Europe, Walmart in USA and UK. But
it's the new, next generation giants Amazon and Alibaba that threaten to
overwhelm mass retail globally. Tesco have plenty of ideas; possibly too many, without the bandwidth to deliver. Last week's announcement of the decision to
open seven F&F Franchise stores in Boston was dwarfed by Uniqlo's declared
intention for global fashion domination.
When Philip Clarke recently noted "bigger is no longer
better", he was hinting at a problem Manchester United are also facing.
Patchi prove how small focused retail businesses can deliver outstanding
concepts - way better than anything a mass provider can execute. This is fine
for niche, but neither Tesco or United are niche propositions. It's not “big
isn't better”; it's more "the new big is bigger" - and for both
soccer and mass retail, to play in the “new big world”, you need to have a deep
reservoir of international cash to compete.
Asda (Walmart), Boots (Alliance-Walgreens), Aldi (Albrecht
family), Lidl (Schwarz family), Sainsburys (25.99% owned by PSG's Qatari
Sovereign Wealth Fund) and Superdrug (AS Watsons) appear to have the ownership
structure to provide access to external capital.
Tesco, big in local terms, may need a stronger, internationalised financial backer to secure their long term competitive future. Of concern, Berkshire Hathaway, one of Tesco’s two main institutional shareholders have been reducing their exposure. Similarly, United need to find investment minded billionaire owners to underpin their future.
Tesco, big in local terms, may need a stronger, internationalised financial backer to secure their long term competitive future. Of concern, Berkshire Hathaway, one of Tesco’s two main institutional shareholders have been reducing their exposure. Similarly, United need to find investment minded billionaire owners to underpin their future.
In the ultimate paradox, United who have fallen furthest will turn
around fastest. United will hire a globally recognised football giant,
who in turn will be given $150m and eighteen months to rebuild. Tesco, by
contrast, retain their UK's #1 position, but their grip on share is slipping
with challenges across their business model. None of this disappears whoever is
in charge
Despite a torrid season and all the popular commentary calling for
Moyes' exit, once the narrative became front and back page news, his position was
untenable.
Tesco has similar problems. Last weekend's heavyweight papers were
filled with negative critique. Journalists are talking with fund managers: they
speak of leadership replacements. The narrative is who and when, not if.
Interestingly, former Tesco executive Tim Mason, fancied by some as
Clarke's replacement, broke his fifteen month twitter silence last week,
referencing two damning articles on Clarke's reign. The jockeying is well and
truly under way.
It was never going to be easy filling their respective predecessors' shoes. Both Moyes and Clarke inherited organisations that had over-traded their pasts whilst competitors were investing for new tomorrows. If Philip Clarke reads today's papers he might be forgiven for feeling he has been visited by the ghost of Christmas future. It's that David Moyes feeling...
Tesco has similar problems. Last weekend's heavyweight papers were
filled with negative critique. Journalists are talking with fund managers: they
speak of leadership replacements. The narrative is who and when, not if.
Interestingly, former Tesco executive Tim Mason, fancied by some as
Clarke's replacement, broke his fifteen month twitter silence last week,
referencing two damning articles on Clarke's reign. The jockeying is well and
truly under way.It was never going to be easy filling their respective predecessors' shoes. Both Moyes and Clarke inherited organisations that had over-traded their pasts whilst competitors were investing for new tomorrows. If Philip Clarke reads today's papers he might be forgiven for feeling he has been visited by the ghost of Christmas future. It's that David Moyes feeling...
