What Gary O’Driscoll is actually doing at Manchester United including who he fired

Many fans have questioned what Gary O’Driscoll is actually doing at Manchester United following the club’s torrid injury crisis this season.

This campaign saw Manchester United suffer 65 separate cases of absence through injury, with Erik ten Hag‘s squad having been severely hampered by consistent issues on the treatment table.

Key players such as Lisandro Martínez, Luke Shaw, and Harry Maguire have all spent sustained periods on the sidelines, while other rotation players such as Victor Lindelöf, Tyrell Malacia, and Anthony Martial have also had their fair share of issues.

Read More: Man United staff’s “angry” reaction to IShowSpeed’s FA Cup party invite is unnecessary

In September 2023, United announced that the former Arsenal head of sports medicine had taken up an identical role at Old Trafford, overseeing all medical activity across the men’s, women’s and Academy teams.

However, since O’Driscoll joined the club, the injuries have persisted, leading many fans to question if the boyhood United fan has actually made any positive impact within Carrington in relation to injury and recovery of players.

However, a new report from The Guardian has revealed the exact nature of O’Driscoll’s work during the first eight months in his new role.

According to the information, O’Driscoll is “leading the drive to improve the medical department’s performance” alongside Sir Dave Brailsford, who holds the role of director of sport at INEOS.

It is said that O’Driscoll is assessing the department he now heads and is understood to have “initiated enhancements” where he deems they are necessary. This includes Robin Sadler, United’s former head physio, who was relieved of his duties at the club earlier this year as part of O’Driscoll’s revamp of the department.

The Guardian report further stipulates that the club has confidence that the real benefits of O’Driscoll’s work will be felt next season, which has included extensive research into the reasons behind the injuries that have caused so many problems so far.

The rehabilitation that Martínez and Raphaël Varane underwent ahead of the FA Cup final is seen as a direct result of O’Driscoll’s work at the club so far.