A year ago John Murtough and Darren Fletcher earned promotions at Manchester United and slotted into a club that appeared to finally be on the right track. Murtough became the club's ever first football director and Fletcher was appointed technical director, roles that had needed filling for several years.
The appointment of Murtough, a figure who tends to operate under the radar compared to some of his contemporaries, and a former player in Fletcher, seemed to fit the ethos of United under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer. But if the duo were expecting time to get their feet under the table, they were to be quickly disabused of that notion.
Now, 12 months after their appointments, both have plenty on their plate as they look ahead to second years in their respective jobs that will fundamentally decide if they are to be successful or not. Last summer's successful transfer window had been set in motion before Murtough's appointment — although he played a role in presenting the club to new recruits — but as this season has unravelled, the real demands of a football director at Old Trafford started to hit home.
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Murtough and Fletcher were involved in the interview process to recruit an interim manager, a role eventually handed to Ralf Rangnick — someone who Murtough had a previous relationship with having spent time studying the Red Bull network of clubs. It might yet be that Rangnick's consultancy role will offer an ideal sounding board for Murtough, but on the pitch, the appointment of the German hasn't been a success.
When it comes to selecting a permanent manager this summer, it is an appointment Murtough simply can't afford to get wrong, while the transfer window will also present challenges given United need something of a rebuild and are likely to embark on it without the attraction of Champions League football.
The departures of Paul Pogba, Juan Mata, Jesse Lingard and Edinson Cavani this summer will present both an opportunity and a challenge. After a year in the job the jury is still out on Murtough and Fletcher, but it's clear that the scale of the task in front of them is about to rise considerably.
The news that Paul Mitchell is looking set to leave his role as sporting director at Monaco this summer again led to speculation linking him with United, a reminder that there are alternatives out there. Mitchell is from Manchester and is friends with Rangnick; in fact, the pair watched United's FA Youth Cup victory against Leicester City together last month.
The speculation linking Mitchell with a role at Old Trafford overlooks the fact it's a position Murtough already holds and while he might still need to convince some supporters of his suitability for that role, the power he holds has increased since Richard Arnold became chief executive.
Murtough was given responsibility for briefing on football matters on the latest earnings call, but his rise in prominence under Arnold also puts him in the firing line if United's struggles continue on the pitch. He will have a significant say in the appointment of a new manager and transfer strategy this summer.
In December Murtough also had to explain the exact role of Fletcher, who has found himself doing some firefighting over the past 12 months. The former United midfielder has become a regular presence on the bench since the departures of Michael Carrick and Kieran McKenna, as well as oversees team warm-ups.
It could be that the arrival of a new manager, with his own staff, will allow Fletcher greater clarity on his technical director role. It's certainly needed.
But the scrutiny they have both faced this season is a reminder how, at the moment, everyone starts on the back foot at United. By the time they mark their second anniversaries in their roles, the jury will have delivered its verdicts on Murtough and Fletcher. This is a decisive few months ahead for them.
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