Manchester United appoint Sam Erith as temporary performance director

Manchester United have appointed Sam Erith as performance director on an interim basis until the end of the season.

Erith, who specialises in player performance and sports science, joins from his most recent role at Madison Square Garden Sports in New York, who work closely with basketball and ice hockey teams, the New York Knicks and New York Rangers.

He begins his new position on Monday and moves to Old Trafford having previously worked with England, Manchester City, and Tottenham Hotspur.

Erith will report into sporting director Dan Ashworth, who is working to create a supportive environment for manager Erik ten Hag and his squad as they look to improve on a challenging start to the season. United have won just one of their opening three Premier League matches, with defeats against Brighton & Hove Albion and Liverpool.

Educated at Loughborough University, Erith has held multiple senior roles in sports science and performance. He spent six years as head of sports science at Tottenham and 11 years in a similar role at City before moving to the United States in 2022. He also worked for the Football Association across two spells, most recently as a consultant performance coach for the men’s senior team between 2016 and 2017.

Erith will report to Ashworth, who himself joined United as part of the changes made by INEOS and Sir Jim Ratcliffe following their minority stake in the club. Chief executive Omar Berrada, technical director Jason Wilcox and director of global talent Christopher Vivell have also been recruited in recent months.

Earlier this week, The Athletic reported that deputy football director Andy O’Boyle is to leave United after two years in his post.

O’Boyle joined United from his role as head of elite performance at the Premier League in May 2022, recruited to support then football director John Murtough in an effort to improve the men’s, women’s and academy operations.

Another significant appointment for United

Since Ratcliffe secured his 29 per cent minority stake at Old Trafford in February, his INEOS counterparts have set about restructuring United’s football operations.

Erith’s appointment is the latest in a long line of changes behind the scenes at United, but is significant given the importance which INEOS attach to performance and sports science.

‘Performance director’ was Sir Dave Brailsford’s title during his influential 11 years at British Cycling, where he popularised the concept of marginal gains.

Erith will report into Ashworth and, despite currently only being an interim appointment until the end of the season, he will join United’s football leadership team.

United hope the appointment of a performance director will help maximise resources and put the club at the cutting edge of European football.

After more than 11 years working at City, Erith becomes the latest INEOS appointment with experience on the other side of Manchester, following the hires of Wilcox and Berrada.

(Daniel Hambury/PA Images via Getty Images)