Focus | Does Greenwood, who is legally resurrected, still have a chance for social resurrection?

Greenwood's social resurrection has been delayed, does that mean he may lose this chance of resurrection?

In January 2022, 20-year-old Greenwood's life changed dramatically, an audio and picture of his alleged sexual assault was widely circulated on social media, and then the Red Devils "Prince", who was in the ascending stage of his career, was charged with attempted rape, control and coercion, and assault that caused actual harm, and Greenwood suffered a complete social death: he was removed from the first team, his shirt was taken off the shelf, abandoned by sponsors including Nike, and Electronic Arts erased all his personal image from the game. Greenwood quickly became a ghost in the Carrington base, and soon, he was no longer even a ghost.

One year is enough time for the world to forget anyone, let alone the football world that is urged by capital to renew. Greenwood, in addition to providing more chatter after tea, was remembered by his own fans at most when Manchester United's forward line was blocked and injured, and it was difficult to push into the goal. Fans will never forget the right flank swept by the Aoki Ball King, and imagine what beautiful landscape he and healthy Rashford can create.

You can't forget that Greenwood is more than just fans. In February, Greenwood's multiple charges were dropped by the Crown Prosecution Service because "the withdrawal of key witnesses and the emergence of new material meant that conviction was not realistically promising." Since then, rumours have been circulating that Manchester United paved the way for the return of the former prince.

In the first week of August, Red Devils CEO Richard Arnold informed his senior team that he wanted to bring Mason Greenwood back. One of the plans included Arnold personally recording a video telling internal employees and outside fans to explain why he brought Aoki back to the team. The release date was set for August 4.

In addition, even if Greenwood returns to the team, he will not appear in the public welfare activities organized by the Manchester United Charitable Foundation, and he only needs to clock in for training, clock-in work, and clock-in for a short time. However, 12 days have passed since the planned date and Manchester United have not taken any action. Instead, a statement was issued confirming that the internal investigation into Greenwood had been completed, but that the player's future was still in question.

Judging from the wording of the statement, Manchester United still cherishes Mason Greenwood, who entered his own youth academy in 2007 and has achieved a legal resurrection, and does not see any intention of cutting the table, "After all allegations against Mason Greenwood were dropped in February 2023, Manchester United conducted a thorough investigation into the allegations against him." Using extensive evidence and background in the non-public domain, we heard from many people directly involved or with knowledge of the case. Throughout this process, the victim's well-being and perspectives have been at the heart of the club's investigation and we respect her right to lifelong anonymity. As an employee, a young man who has been with the club since the age of seven, and as a new father with a partner, we are equally responsible for Mason. ”

"The investigative phase of the investigation has been completed and we are in the final stages of making a decision on Mason's future. Contrary to media speculation, the decision has not yet been made and is currently undergoing in-depth internal discussions. Ultimate responsibility rests with the CEO. Once a decision is made, it will be communicated and explained to internal and external stakeholders of the Club. This is a tricky case for everyone involved with Manchester United and we understand the strong outcry that comes with giving part of the evidence in the public sphere. We ask for patience before completing this deliberated final stage. ”

Greenwood's social resurrection has been delayed, does that mean he may lose this chance of resurrection? Most likely, no, Manchester United are now going to change Mason Greenwood's comeback plan. Athletics revealed that Greenwood's repechage plan is led by Alexander-Arnold, with the participation of an elite team of Manchester United legal adviser Patrick Stewart, public relations director Ellie Norman, football director Murtaugh and chief operating officer Colette Roach.

In February, the first month of the internal investigation, United and Aoki met in Carrington, and the owner Glazer family gave Alexander-Arnold the matter, meaning he had absolute say over Aoki's departure. Manchester United's summer tour to the United States ended, and Alexander-Arnold informed the team of his decision to stay.

As for the reasons for the delay, a reasonable explanation based on the available information is that Manchester United wanted to notify the main stakeholders of this decision before it was made public, and to put it bluntly, it was sponsors and fans, both of whom decided their jobs, as well as celebrities and women's football players, several of the women's team owners also participated in the World Cup in Australia and New Zealand, and the England women's team reached the final.

Note that this is talking about notifications. There were rumours that Manchester United employees and female footballers resisted Aoki's return, and the men's team was just as resistant. There are voices suggesting that women's football could create an obstacle to Aoki's comeback because Manchester United want to ask their views (The Guardian). England women's football team won 2-1 against Colombia, Manchester United women's official social media took the opportunity to rejoice, fans ran to the comment area to petition Thun, begging them to raise their hands and let Aoki return. What's more, swearing or escalating into physical threats has led brokers to consider seeking cybersecurity support for their clients.

Arnold has no intention of consulting female footballers about Aoki's resurrection plan, and they are now waiting for the opportunity for the club to inform the female footballers in person or even in person, and then you can give feedback or vent your emotions. Dissatisfaction is over? Yes, then I will tell the world the news of Aoki's return.

Back now, Athletic departments including Murtaugh and Ten Hach are backing Greenwood's return. Ten Hach certainly wouldn't say that, but he has his own opinion, either dictated by the top, that Manchester United have a responsibility to look after Mason Greenwood, who was born in Swamps. There is also a view that Aoki's weekly salary of 75,000 pounds, with two years left on his contract, and he has a first-team resume of 129 games with 35 goals, and the ready-made cheap Manchester United are reluctant to throw.

Many employees within Manchester United are uneasy, not because Greenwood is a dangerous element, but because those in power are difficult to shake and even more impossible to overturn, arguing that United has not created an environment in which they can freely question major management decisions, something that the clubs that speak of democracy have adamantly denied.

Text|Holden

Edit|DBSQ

The pre-sale of the 2023-2024 new season "European Guide" is open, and it will be shipped around mid-September!

Every year, the European War Guide is a treasure in the hearts of regular readers of Sports Weekly. We've also heard a lot of fans say that they may not read the newspaper as often as a regular ruler, but the European Guide is still a must-buy. With the unveiling of Europe's top five leagues in 2023-24, Sports Weekly has begun preparations for a special issue of the European Guide, which will be produced as soon as the summer transfer window closes, and will be available nationwide in mid-September.