Manchester United's elimination from the Carabao Cup in midweek drew a familiar chorus of frustration from supporters, with boos ringing around the ground alongside stretches of weary silence. Head coach Michael Carrick stood visibly downcast on the touchline, absorbing the brunt of fans' discontent, while director of football Jason Wilcox departed the directors' box wearing an expression of clear displeasure.
Yet those close to the situation argue that Carrick should not shoulder the criticism alone. The head coach, having only returned to the club in January, operates within a structure shaped by longer-term decisions made above him. While he is the public face who fronts press conferences and sponsor commitments, the broader strategic direction of the club falls under Wilcox's remit.
United supporters, well accustomed to ownership disputes involving the Glazer family and Sir Jim Ratcliffe, appear to understand this distinction. Their frustration with individual performances is distinct from their exasperation with the club's overall trajectory — a trajectory shaped by years of financial mismanagement that has left United, despite their return to the Champions League, being outspent by newly promoted clubs.
The warning signs were evident recently when United raced into a two-goal lead against Brighton inside ten minutes, only to be thoroughly outplayed for the remainder of the match and ultimately lose. Brighton, fielding a heavily rotated squad, still boasted a roster built through shrewd recruitment spanning seven different countries over the summer. United, by contrast, made four signings solely from within the Premier League — a pattern that critics see as symptomatic of a lack of ambition and imagination in the transfer market.
Interestingly, the club's most cost-effective and consistent addition last summer was goalkeeper Senne Lammens, signed from Royal Antwerp, rather than any of the higher-profile Premier League arrivals. This summer, United committed roughly £155million to three central midfielders, including a reported £50million for Andrey Santos, despite glaring needs elsewhere — most notably at left-back, where Luke Shaw's anticipated injury absence has left the squad short, and up front, where Joshua Zirkzee has struggled to convince.
The full impact of the club's recruitment strategy may not become clear until Carlos Baleba, the most expensive of the three midfield signings, is fit and available, given his physical profile is seen as a potential solution to United's lack of mobility in midfield.
Wilcox, who joined from Southampton in 2024 initially as technical director, was influential in United's choice to retain Erik ten Hag following an eighth-place finish — a decision later reversed when Ten Hag was dismissed early the following season. He was also involved in appointing Ruben Amorim from Sporting, a move that struggled from the outset due to tactical mismatches and insufficient funding for a proper squad rebuild. That reign ended with United finishing 15th and suffering defeat to Tottenham in the Europa League final. Amorim was sacked after 14 months, again leaving Wilcox in position to help correct course.
Despite this history, Wilcox has largely avoided public scrutiny, engaging with internal club media on occasion — including comments made on 30 October 2025 about long-term planning, just before Amorim's dismissal — but rarely addressing the media during difficult periods, unlike sporting directors in other European leagues who more commonly face press questioning.
Carrick, for his part, is not entirely free from blame. United currently sit 13th in the Premier League, having conceded seven goals in four league matches, with the central defensive partnership of Leny Yoro and Ayden Heaven struggling for cohesion. Wins over Ipswich and Azerbaijani side Sabah have done little to offset the wider concerns about the team's identity and structure.
Those who worked with Wilcox during his time overseeing Manchester City's academy have spoken highly of his abilities, and he is credited internally for persuading young talent JJ Gabriel to remain at the club despite external interest. Nonetheless, as pressure mounts ahead of United's trip to Fulham, it remains Carrick who faces the immediate consequences should results fail to improve — a pattern observed previously with both Ten Hag and Amorim, while those overseeing recruitment and strategy have continued largely unaffected.
Based on reporting from Guardian Football.