He plays there for his national team.
I dont think he would have proposed that idea to Ruben or he wanted him to play there. Probably, when Amad was injured and Ruben was so adamant with his wing back role, he may have just floated that idea.
Club ownership | Senior management team talk
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He plays there for his national team.
I dont think he would have proposed that idea to Ruben or he wanted him to play there. Probably, when Amad was injured and Ruben was so adamant with his wing back role, he may have just floated that idea.
We need to go back to basics to an extent for the short term.
Bring in a manager until the end of next season and put the "head coach" stuff to one side until then. Allow someone more influence over the day to day running of the team. Similar to Tuchel with England to an extent. They have one job, make the team successful in the short to medium term, almost by any means necessary.
Give Wilcox remit of putting together a long term strategy. The future of our academy. Who are the "next big things" manager/head coach wise, which players from around Europe are coming to the end of their careers and would potentially be good coaches/managers. What's the next big innovation with tactics etc. Put this into play for 27/28 and bring in a head coach that can help implement the footballing side of that strategy. If it fails, make sure there's plan b and plan c before changing the entire strategy.
Give the CEO the remit of a)making sure everyone is "on task". Define clear short/medium/long term objectives and also define what success is.
Bring in a manager until the end of next season and put the "head coach" stuff to one side until then. Allow someone more influence over the day to day running of the team. Similar to Tuchel with England to an extent. They have one job, make the team successful in the short to medium term, almost by any means necessary.
Give Wilcox remit of putting together a long term strategy. The future of our academy. Who are the "next big things" manager/head coach wise, which players from around Europe are coming to the end of their careers and would potentially be good coaches/managers. What's the next big innovation with tactics etc. Put this into play for 27/28 and bring in a head coach that can help implement the footballing side of that strategy. If it fails, make sure there's plan b and plan c before changing the entire strategy.
Give the CEO the remit of a)making sure everyone is "on task". Define clear short/medium/long term objectives and also define what success is.
Don’t know what to think about Indy now
It’s an utter crap show. Look at Nice they’ve owned it for 6 or so years and never even finished 2nd. Only took psg 1 season to become top club in France after getting taken over. If INEOS in 6 or so years can’t turn Nice into a 2nd or even 3rd top club in France what hope is their for United. If Ratcliffe was anyone else this would be the point the media and pundits like Neville would be jumping all over.
Not defending their record at Nice, but I’m pretty sure PSG were bought when FFP wasn’t around and restrictions like that, which allowed them to invest lots of money into the team.
Amorim was the least of our problems. He was 'the face'
I watched a little bit of the Scholes and Butt podcast and I completely agree with you. They don't present any solutions or provide any tactical insights but go on about the United DNA etc. It doesn't seem like they're open to new ideas and are completely to sold on their ideas from their playing days. I had to stop watching after about 10 mins in, it was that bad.And then he cites Simeone as a manager he would wantHearing him, Scholes and Butt share their 'pearls of wisdom' is excruciating. Thing is, times like this they sound very convincing. We appoint someone with a niche, apparently more defensive system and all of a sudden it's "we need to get back to the United way". West Ham fans say the exact same thing, clambering to memories of the 50s. Funny how the "[insert club] way" is attacking, attractive football. Irony for the Hammers is that their biggest success in recent years was playing under Moyes who isn't exactly the paragon of free flowing, attacking footy.
I don't necessarily disagree with us going for a manager who wants his teams to attack, play with wingers and so on. But largely I just want us to be better and I don't think we need to be ideologically inflexible about that. The United the class of 92 played in is far different from the one we see out there in 2026. It feels like these guys just spout empty and lazy soundbites.
For sure. They even advocated for Keane as next manager at some point.
I was quite disappointed in Butt as he held an executive role at the club and was fairly highly praised. Yet his footballing knowledge seems agricultural.
On another note, I’m also fed up with the reactive sentiment when it comes to new managers -
Moyes: Too basic, too British, too direct, too many crosses, not managed a big club before…
So let’s get Van Gaal to bring possession and big club experience.
Van Gaal: Too indirect, too philosophical and principle based rather than results driven. Too dry.
So let’s get Mourinho who has dominated the PL, is all about the win, is very direct in football style and has more of a red blooded passion.
Mourinho: Fell out with everyone, doesn’t get the United DNA, too negative.
So let’s get Ole who is United through and through and will inject positivity.
Ole: Too counter attack based, too stuck in the past tactically, too close to the players.
So let’s get Ten Hag who played pretty triangles with Ajax, is stoic and detached.
Ten Hag: Delusional talk about ‘the plan’, evasive communicator, zero charisma, looked a bit weird, his football left us exposed to thrashings.
So let’s get good looking, charismatic and refreshingly honest Ruben who plays 3 at the back which should make us more contained.
Amorim: Too emotional, inexperienced, an ideologue, inflexible, a bit negative and difficult.
So what now? It feels like we’ve swung to different extremes on a reactive pendulum. There’s now a lot of talk about Amorim’s replacement having to be older, playing with 4 at the back, needing PL experience and having tactical flexibility.
Honestly, I don’t care about those things. I just want us to get the right guy. Appointing principally by rules or profiles is completely lacking in vision. Synergy with the executives and ‘Club DNA’ (whatever that is for us) is important but, beyond that, I really hope the next guy isn’t just the anti Amorim in the qualities he’s mostly been criticised for.
Anyone remember that documentary from Giggs's caretaker stint, with Giggs, Scholes, Butt, and Phil Neville having intense tactical discussions over the team selection? It was excruciatingly comical stuff, like "I like Valencia's pace".And then he cites Simeone as a manager he would want
I don't necessarily disagree with us going for a manager who wants his teams to attack, play with wingers and so on. But largely I just want us to be better and I don't think we need to be ideologically inflexible about that. The United the class of 92 played in is far different from the one we see out there in 2026. It feels like these guys just spout empty and lazy soundbites.
I completely agree with you.
Nicky Butt wants Carrick as the next head coach because he feels that Carrick knows the club inside out. Instead of attempting to understand our opponents and how they have gone about developing teams with clear and concise methods with the aim of dominating all phases of play. These guys are suggesting we need someone who knows the club.
INEOS try and just get one thing right by sacking Wilcox and appoint a PROPER Sporting Director like Campos or get Rangnick back to do his proper role
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This is why we wont catch up anytime soon.
What's stop INEOS from overruling the DOF and new manager
They appointed Dan Asworth but the CEO was the one who made the manager call
Whether Amorim was right or wrong they should never have meddled in the team setup
And we have reports the owner suggesting tactical changes
This is Woodward all over again
They take about a proper structure but don't actually follow it
They are already working on a list for new manager and supposedly thinking about DOF
The DOF should be one making coaching call in consultation with CEO
I all for replacing Wilcox. He should have been the 1st one sacked. But if they do, then they need to it now. Settle the DOF. Let the DOF hire manager and take it from there
But from what I am seeing this seems like a PR move. Omer and Ratcliffe will probably be ones making the manager choice. And I don't trust them from meddling in team setup
For football its insane to me to tell the manager what formation he should play.
I think a lot of this is out of context. This isn't a defence of Ineos or anyone in particular but the viewpoints seem to be so anti or pro Ineos that any nuance to the subject gets lost. As is almost always the case, the reality is significantly more complex and somewhere in the middle. A few salient points:
1. At most clubs with a DoF, the DoF oversees football operations and is a key part of developing and executing long term football strategy. For key decisions such as hiring a new head coach, this is usually done in concert with several key members, with the most important voices being the DoF and the Ceo/President. In almost all instances the CEO/President has final say on who gets hired as head coach. So there is nothing unusual about Berrada appointing Amorim.
2. Berrada didn't make a unilateral decision. He wanted Amorim, Ashworth didn't. Wilcox wasn't keen but came around to it, and the owner controlling football operations supported Berrada's call. Nothing untoward here at all. Ashworth felt so strongly about it he felt he had to leave, which is a bit of a "throwing toys out of the pram" moment. One could say he was proven right, but his list of alternatives really didn't inspire either as he primarily wanted Southgate. Fans in general were hugely excited by this "progressive and adventurous" appointment.
3. All available evidence suggests that at no point did Ratcliffe tell Amorim to change tactics. What actually happened (according to the information we have) is that in conversations with Wilcox, Ratcliffe expressed his preference for a back four. So essentially exactly the same thing every single fecking fan and pundit was saying. Wilcox, at various points discussed Amorim's tactical approach with him, which is his fecking job - to oversee Football operations. He didn't insist he change formations or approach, he didn't insist he play certain players, he just discussed the issue with him and gave him a point of view. Not to do so, when things are going so badly, would be negligent. Amorim apparently blew up at this questioning. Which seems entirely unreasonable.
4. One of the things which prompted Wilcox to have these conversations were concerns expressed and observed amongst players who were confused about what was wanted from them. Apparently Amorim would often spend the whole week training with a back four, only to name a back three on the day of the match. If you DoF doesn't pull you aside under those circumstances, then I don't know what the feck the DoF is for.
5. Multiple people, including the highly revered and respected David Gill, questioned Amorim's exile of players to a "bomb squad", suggesting it was bad for morale and had effectively wiped millions off the valuations of the players they wanted to sell. Amorim didn't take kindly to that, but the club still backed him and let him do it.
6. Amorim was angry with WIlcox and Vivell over recruitment decisions. He wanted to sign Ollie Wtakins over Benjamin Sesko, and time will tell what the right decision was there. No doubt Watkins would've been better this season, but these guys have to think over the next several years, and paying 50m+ and huge wages for 4 years for a player who is 30, is a questionable strategy. What really got his goat though was the club's decision to follow the recommendation of Tony Coton, the clubs goalkeeping scout, to sign Senne Lammens over Emi Martinez. Apparently that made him furious. Again, I would say the club made the right choice when you consider their respective performance levels, ages, fee, and wages.
To compare any of this to Woodward etc is just nonsense. The club is clearly operating from a much more sophisticated and intelligent playbook, and it is unreasonable to expect them to get every appointment right. The appointment of Amorim was a disaster, and that will go on the ledger of Berrada more than anyone. That puts enormous pressure on all of them, especially Berrada to get the next one right. That's exactly the appropriate response to this situation, rather than throwing the baby out with the bathwater and looking for ridiculous scapegoats. The only person to blame for Amorim's failure, is Amorim. The club tried to work with him, and be collaborative, and he refused. When questioned by Wilcox on his use of a back four on the training field, but then a back three in matches, and then being told we would hold off on major recruitment until the summer, he told WIlcox he wanted to leave the club and would be calling his agent. Ridiculous behaviour.
To try and reframe one comment Ratcliffe allegedly made to Wilcox about playing Mbeumo at wing back, to make it sound like he was dictating personnel and tactics to the coach is disingenuous, but very typical of a reactive and hyperbolic fan base.
Ineos has gotten a lot wrong, and I am far from sold on whether they are the right people to lead the club forwards, but this notion that it is all shit and everything they do is all bad, just doesn't hold up to any sort of scrutiny and is willfully ignoring the facts on the ground. If one is going to make a critique of their failures, you also have to acknowledge their successes, as well as be honest about the role Amorim himself played in his own downfall.
Excellent post
I can forgive a mistake in appointment, especially as Amorim excites most of us and potentially will still be a very good coach elsewhere. I personally think he lost the plot, was overawed by the PL and the cauldron that is United and ended up working himself in a tizz and making decisions based on emotionalised pride rather than humble logic. He acted on insecurity.
Where I’m less comfortable is that presumably one of Berrada/Wilcox/Vivell leaked what basically seemed a hit piece on Amorim last week (to Nathan Salt - the article about Vivell’s WhatsApp messages calling Amorim inflexible).
I really don’t know why this was done but it seemingly inflamed an already fractious situation. Maybe they were just sick of Amorim mouthing off negatively about the club so they used the media to throw a barb back to change the narrative and win the PR war.
But largely, I don’t think these executives are as bad as has been made out here and you’re right to provide a balanced viewpoint.
Anyone remember that documentary from Giggs's caretaker stint, with Giggs, Scholes, Butt, and Phil Neville having intense tactical discussions over the team selection? It was excruciatingly comical stuff, like "I like Valencia's pace".
Yeah madness. I would love to see these guys challenged on their lazy rhetoric so they can actually try to justify themselves coherently. I can see why Ruben got so antagonised by this lot. They aren’t the sharpest tools.
Jason surely just goes back to technical director
Anyone remember that documentary from Giggs's caretaker stint, with Giggs, Scholes, Butt, and Phil Neville having intense tactical discussions over the team selection? It was excruciatingly comical stuff, like "I like Valencia's pace".
This was the standout moment for me too.
Appreciate the response. I too am concerned over the potential leaking of information. I get the impression that Vivell is someone who is as highly intelligent and effective as he is ruthless. He seem very opinionated and not afraid to speak up. I think he would benefit from a little wisdom that comes with age (he is only 39 I believe). That said I think he has a sharp recruitment mind, and I am inclined to agree with many of the points he made, if not with the way he made them. For example, he red flagged the fact that Marco Silva pointed out that Amorim's United were very easy and predictable to play against. A massive red flag coming from the manager of Fulham. He was apparently a pretty big critic of Amorim and his methods, and it is easy to see why. Nevertheless, he will have to learn to be more collaborative in the future, because these sorts of things need to stay behind closed doors.
I think we have the best executive structure in place since the days of David Gill, and even that was inferior to this because it mainly leant on the genius of Fergie. This structure has to account for taking over a club that was in dire straits, both financial and sporting, and needing to make a major transition. It now has to deal with the flop of their first appointment. It is a real test. But what I see is that there is genuine intent to do things the right way, with conscientious long term thought, the fact it hasn't worked out immediately isn't my biggest concern. If we keep doing the right things consistently, then it will eventually all come together. Failing with the appointment of Amorim is an inconvenience, but if we learn from it and do better, then it need not be an all around disaster.
I think Amorim completely lost the plot and was out of his depth, but in the interests of balance, I will also say that I think he did several things right, especially off the field. Unfortunately they were overshadowed by the ever growing list of things he got wrong.
Hilarious thing is that there’s a video of G Neville flying around where he was saying ETH should play 3 cbs and 2 wb.
I just feel to ever have a chance of getting an Enrique or Nagelsmann to this club we would need a proper Sporting Director in place. Any chance that Wilcox could have a blow up at Berrada to get himself sacked
INEOS have pulled a blinder by sacking Amorim, now everyone is looking at who’s going to be the next manager, whilst the glaring issues with the squad are going to be ignored for another January window.
I think the jury is out on Wilcox as a sporting director. He is clearly a smart guy who has a lot to contribute, but putting him into a technical director role focusing on bringing in younger players and knitting operations together, seems best. With a more experienced hand at DoF.
I like the Ole idea personally but I no longer have faith in the board and senior management at the club and it comes across as a bit of a PR appointment, I don't at all trust them to get the permanent hire correct.
Yeah it needs someone more experienced in senior level recruitment whereas he specialises in academy
The club needs change of ownership before it needs a change of manager. Ineos is just another glazer and things will never get better unless these owners feck off. It’s the same old same old chiche again and again
Bingo!
Fair play to INEOS they must have taken notes from the Glazers
City 24/25 Jan Spend £175M
City 25/26 Jan Spend £65M (so far)
United 24/25 Jan Spend £35M
United 25/26 Jan Spend £0M (so far)
Take a bow INEO, managed to bypass another window without spending any money, but no one will notice as United’s problems are always down to the manager.
Believe me I have noticed
Unfortunately no sign of any full sale offers imminent
Fantastic post, thank you for this insight.
Not sure who it was on SkySports News this evening but he made a very good point. Having the traditional Manager / Chairman relationship was actually a good model. And having the right chemistry between these two people was a hell of a lot easier than the imported idea of the Director of Football and the various other senior exec roles being over the heads of the football people.
It can be a recipie for disaster.
The DoF is a version of the US General Manager role preferred by the multiple US owners of Prem teams.
It's very much an external concept.
Hard enough to get the relationships and personalities right with 2/3 people of equal standing than the multi layered approach of this DoF model.
Putting a winning team together is some sort of alchemy having the right balance of experience, youth, quality, comradery, respect etc etc......
Having that vision and implementing it via a team of 5/6 people working at different "levels" is very difficult. It can work obviously but it's almost luck if it does.
At the end of the day The Manager (or whatever you want to call him) of the football team is the one who carries the can and has to handle the press, the fans, the players etc.....He has 90% of the pressure.
This has to carry more weight around the club and this higher level Exec needs to essentially serve the manager. Not the other way around.
Keep the commercial business/money side separate from the team side of course but....... this DoF system is too heavily weighted on one side.
It can be a recipie for disaster.
The DoF is a version of the US General Manager role preferred by the multiple US owners of Prem teams.
It's very much an external concept.
Hard enough to get the relationships and personalities right with 2/3 people of equal standing than the multi layered approach of this DoF model.
Putting a winning team together is some sort of alchemy having the right balance of experience, youth, quality, comradery, respect etc etc......
Having that vision and implementing it via a team of 5/6 people working at different "levels" is very difficult. It can work obviously but it's almost luck if it does.
At the end of the day The Manager (or whatever you want to call him) of the football team is the one who carries the can and has to handle the press, the fans, the players etc.....He has 90% of the pressure.
This has to carry more weight around the club and this higher level Exec needs to essentially serve the manager. Not the other way around.
Keep the commercial business/money side separate from the team side of course but....... this DoF system is too heavily weighted on one side.
Pep playing real life Football Manager with cheatengine running.
The Navi are on course to buying another title.
Superb post.
I have zero faith in the senior management.
The part about the revered David Gill is missing the point that he act worked in tandem with the revered Alex Ferguson, who understood football management more than any other before or since. David Gill was a yes man who accepted his role in facilitating Fergusons requirements and soon made himself scarce the minute Ferguson retired.
Why this sudden fashion to go continental with the “Director if Football “ ffs. All it really amounts to is a committee. Perfect breeding ground for indecision and confusion. They sure achieved that… and who the feck is Jason Wilcox and how did he get here?
https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/jan/06/ruben-amorim-manchester-united-jason-wilcox
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Wouldn't say getting a proper DOF is exactly continental
R
Really? They’ve done it for years - we haven’t, yet competed well