21 Oct 2026 20:32:36
You would wonder why Giggs was at the game, next interim manager???
21 Oct 2026 22:40:04
Unlikely, ex-players go to lots of games if they can.
22 Oct 2026 09:09:06
Shappy, you can talk all you like about Vivell and Wilcox and their influence etc., but let's face it big Sir Jim's inability to stay out of the way and let them do their jobs is a big part of the problem. The kind of lad who probably reckons he knows more about football than everyone else.
22 Oct 2026 12:27:24
Bilko, I don't think Sir Jim is that big of an issue. Yeah, sometimes I wish he would talk a little less, but he is the face of the new ownership model, so he will of course be asked his opinion by the press. Which can place him in a damned if you do, damned if you don't situation. If he refuses to comment then he'll be seen as difficult, uncaring, or aloof. While if he does speak he can accidentally misspeak, or his comments can be taken out of context. This is why clubs have media managers who brief staff before they speak to the press. I do wonder if that includes Sir Jim at United as often the times he's said something that could be considered controversial it hasn't been at a football related press event, but at ones for business.
Either way I think the biggest issue we have behind the scenes could be having too many cooks. Obviously when INEOS took charge of the day to day running they realised that the management structure was a mess and they needed to bring in more football experts, but in doing so, and with the speed in which they did it, I wonder whether they brought in too many people. Dan Ashworth, Jason Wilcox, and Christian Vivell all brought in, and it seemed that their was a lot of overlap with their job roles. So much so that it wasn't long before Ashworth left without a direct replacement. Now it's the job of Wilcox to manage the football "vision" of the team, to take charge of rebuilding the squad to suit that vision. Yet Vivell's job centres around recruitment both into the first team and the academy to bring in players to suit the clubs long term vision.
There have been rumours of disagreements between Wilcox and Vivell, which in itself isn't a major issue, there should be some level of disagreement and challenge in upper management inorder for due diligence and to offer alternative views or options. However, if those disagreements aren't managed correctly then it can create tensions within the management structure. Which can obviously be detrimental to the club. It probably does it help that Wilcox and Barrada have a previous working relationship from their time at City. Which even if Barrada doesn't give Wilcox preferential treatment when managing these disagreements, it could easily be perceived that he is if the reasoning isn't communicated adequately.
Ultimately the removal of Ashworth worked in Wilcox's benefit, it was Wilcox who pushed for Amorim, and who choose to make Carrick's appointment permanent. There have also been rumours of him maybe overstepping his role with managers/head coaches when it comes to the tactical decisions for specific matches (his coaching background can be both a benefit and potentially as challenge).
It's all starting to paint a picture of a man who doesn't seem to play well with others and seems to need to have greater control than his role should probably dictate. He doesn't like having a recruitment expert challenge his views when it comes to hiring players, he didn't get along well with Ashworth. He hires managers and then tries to dictate to them how to do their job. You could even question whether the ability to influence a manager is something that comes into his thinking when hiring a manager. Did he hire Carrick as he was the best manager for the job, or because he was a manager who he felt he could assert his control over.
If the two managers he has directly chosen have both lasted less than 12 months, then you have to start questioning him more so than the managers. Maybe we will see Wilcox follow Carrick out the door, it's starting to look like that might be what is best for the club. Which probably leaves the door open for Vivell to take charge as DoF, unless they want a clean slate and move him on as well and bring in a single replacement for both guys.