Manchester United Director of Football Jason Wilcox took a swipe at the so-called ‘bomb squad’ at Manchester United, saying that the work on the exits this summer was just as important as the players brought in.
United made four senior signings this summer, spending in excess of £200m, but many were curious to see how ruthless the club would be with their outgoings, with it made clear very early on that a group of players including Marcus Rashford, Alejandro Garnacho and Jadon Sancho were surplus to requirements and could find a new club. In the end, finding new destinations for those players proved a challenge, with Garnacho and Sancho only making their exits in the final days of the window, but Wilcox feels the effort put in to moving those players on could prove important to the club’s short term direction.
The former Blackburn Rovers winger was speaking at last night’s Association of Former Manchester United Players dinner, held to honour the 1970s legend Willie Morgan.
“I didn’t realise how big this club was, even though I’ve competed against this club as a player and as a coach,” Wilcox admitted to Alan Keegan. “I’m extremely privileged and I just pray that we get the opportunity to turn it around. I really feel it’s not if we win again but when we win again and it’s going to take time, it’s not a quick fix, especially now with the regulations.”
“We needed to change the playing squad. We’ve made some really good additions this summer. Sometimes taking players out of the squad is just as important as the players you bring in and we’ve got to try and bring the culture and respect back to Man Utd. I’m extremely frustrated because we can’t fix it quick enough.”
Wilcox went on to state he didn’t believe that United deserved to be beaten so heavily last week against his former employers, Manchester City.
Meanwhile, United’s strategy predictably came under fire when Marcus Rashford scored twice for Barcelona at Newcastle. Just last week, there were baseless rumours that the Spanish club wanted to send Rashford back early. Now it’s Ruben Amorim and Wilcox who made a mistake in letting him go. A week is a long time in football, and it can be even longer at Old Trafford – as Wilcox is finding out.
