Nearly ten months have passed since Jason Wilcox came under fire after Ruben Amorim’s explosive post‑match press conference at Leeds.
Amorim erupted, claiming Manchester United’s director of football had subtly urged him to tweak tactics for the prior Wolves game.
“I’ll do my job, and every department – scouting, the sporting director – must do theirs,” Amorim asserted.
Within a day of that reprimand, Amorim was dismissed, and attention turned to Wilcox’s role in the saga.
Now Wilcox finds himself back in the spotlight.
This round, defender Lisandro Martínez delivered the criticism, targeting a specific individual.
He may have misspoken the title, but after the 2‑0 defeat to Atlético Madrid he made it clear: “I expect more from our technical director.”
There’s no doubt Martínez knew exactly what he was saying.
While working as a post‑match interviewer for CBS, former United great Peter Schmeichel tried four times to steer Martínez away from United’s summer transfer talk, but the Argentine ignored each attempt.
“Our squad isn’t the strongest compared with other elite clubs,” Martínez admitted.
“I won’t stay silent. We need greater ambition. If we don’t speak truth, nothing will change,” he added.
A well‑connected source described the current atmosphere at Old Trafford as “a mess.”
United defender Martínez launches scathing board attack
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What triggered Martínez’s outburst?
Martínez said his bluntness was necessary. Many fans cheer his stance, seeing it as a spotlight on leadership flaws.
Nevertheless, a couple of basic realities remain.
First, Martínez’s contract runs out at season’s end, though United can extend it by a year.
By challenging senior staff, is he trying to block that extension, potentially freeing himself for a cheap summer exit or a reduced January fee?
Martínez is close friends with Atlético’s Cristian Romero, who also voiced strong opinions against Tottenham’s hierarchy last season.
While most United supporters may back Martínez, his remarks stir internal complications.
Head coach Michael Carrick, who dodged questions about the outburst right after the game, will now face tougher media scrutiny before Sunday’s trip to Leeds.
Any player speaking before the Elland Road visit will be grilled. When Tielemans was asked by Amazon Prime on Tuesday, he gave a “no comment”. He could easily be asked, “Did you mean me?”
Carrick must juggle a fragile dressing‑room mood while pushing the squad to win enough to secure his job.
Sources close to the manager swear no one handles the turmoil better; his natural calm is a real asset. In my view, United’s chaos is self‑inflicted.
Yet after five winless games, that calm is being tested.
Is Wilcox in trouble?
First, note that Wilcox isn’t going anywhere.
United insiders say the 55‑year‑old faces no immediate threat to his position.
The recruitment team is scouting January targets after admitting the strategy of ignoring left‑back competition for Luke Shaw and over‑relying on Benjamin Šeško was flawed.
Both have missed games this term; Šeško is out indefinitely after a recurrence of the shin problem that sidelined him since May, keeping him out of pre‑season.
Unlike many continental clubs, sporting or technical directors here aren’t expected to speak publicly.
Former director Dan Ashworth broke that norm once during his five‑month stint, sitting alongside chief executive Omar Berrada.
Wilcox’s only extensive interview since his April 2024 appointment was with United’s in‑house media, producing a few memorable answers.
“I’m a coach at heart,” said the ex‑Blackburn and Leeds winger, who spent years coaching in Manchester City’s academy.
“I’m still a coach inside, even though my role has changed. That’s a strength but also a problem, because I constantly want to influence managers,” he explained.
On handling stress, Wilcox noted: “My wife knows when I’m frustrated. I recharge alone – me and the dog, walking.”
He’s spoken briefly after matches twice: after the 2‑1 win at Crystal Palace in November, urging journalists to “trust the process”, and later in Gothenburg after the pre‑season PSG game, praising a potential Tielemans‑Fernandes partnership.
Recruitment earned plaudits in summer 2025 when Senne Lammens arrived ahead of Emi Martínez, Amorim’s favourite, and Matheus Cunha, Bryan Mbeumo and Šeško revived United’s attack.
Yet the verdict on this year’s £155 m summer spend is mixed: Baleba missed the opening six weeks with injury; Santos has been an unused sub in the last three league games; Tielemans’ form remains inconsistent.
Critics question the overall plan, asking why Tielemans – a profile similar to England’s Kobbie Mainoo – cost £35 m, and whether the £50 m spent on Santos would have been better allocated to a guaranteed starter.
What about Ineos in all this?
Fans’ trust is eroding over the minority ownership deal sealed on Christmas Eve 2023.
They may compare United to other clubs under Ineos influence.
Nice sit ninth in Ligue 1 and Lausanne‑Sport sit bottom in Switzerland – neither reflects a broader footballing vision delivering results.
At Old Trafford, third‑year‑running questions target managers backed by the hierarchy: Erik ten Hag was sacked after nine league games in 2024, and Amorim left after 20 matches last season.
Minority owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe also faces fan ire for raising ticket prices and launching a ticket‑touting probe that supporters view as an attempt to push out season‑ticket holders for ‘tourist’ fans.
United’s latest accounts show total debt of £1.1 bn, with critics balking at the £63.5 m spent on land for a 100,000‑seat stadium – a project costing over £2 bn – instead of reinforcing Carrick’s squad.
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