If reports are to be believed, Manchester United have found their new ‘king-maker’.
The man who could play a vital role in Erik ten Hag‘s future at Old Trafford, and may help make up Ineos’ mind about whether the Dutchman is worth persisting with for at least a further 12 months.
According to The Telegraph, Ten Hag is – for all intents and purposes – ‘on trial’ between now and the end of the season. Jason Wilcox, Manchester United‘s newly-appointed technical director, has been tasked with conducting an ‘audit’ into Ten Hag’s ‘dressing room credentials’ and his work behind the scenes at Carrington.
Wilcox, though he was understandably reluctant to give too much away on Sunday, will certainly not have been particularly impressed by the way Man United capitulated – for the umpteenth time in 2023/24 alone – to almost gift second-tier Coventry City a place in the FA Cup final at their expense.
Wilcox, watching on from the stands at Wembley, rather jokingly described his maiden outing as a Man United employee as a ‘fun first day at work‘.
Jason Wilcox has big part to play at Manchester United
‘Fun’ is probably not the word Ten Hag used. According to the Daily Mail, the already under-fire manager was furious about the way his ever-brittle United side threw away a 3-0 goal lead in the space of around 20 minutes, only Haji Wright’s toe denied Coventry an extra-time winner for the ages.
Ten Hag will know, deep down, that the next few weeks could be decisive in whether he is kept on or replaced.
Speaking ahead of Wednesday’s home clash with bottom-of-the-table Sheffield United – a game the Red Devils must win and surely must win pretty convincingly – it seems that Wilcox has made a good early impression on Ten Hag, though it remains to be seen if the feeling is mutual.
Ten Hag ‘very impressed’ by new Ineos hire
“We have to form a partnership. (I am) very impressed,” Ten Hag says of the former Southampton chief, who worked alongside United’s new CEO Omar Berrada at Man City.
“We are a little behind in the process so we will go and speed up the process. I met him yesterday for the first time. This week, we will not have so much time.
“I know his profile. (Wilcox has) a lot of experience in youth and one year at Southampton. I am looking forward to our partnership.”
Wilcox is likely to also play a key role in recruitment going forward. The one-time England international was renowned at City for his understanding of the youth market, bringing in the likes of Romeo Lavia and Oscar Bobb while helping to push along the development of up-and-coming talents such as a certain Jadon Sancho.
According to The Mirror, United hope that Wilcox will help pave the way for Jarrad Branthwaite to join from Everton. Wilcox, who may also be central to a deal for Rosenborg wonderkid Sverre Nypan, reportedly has a close relationship with Branthwaite’s agent.