JASON WILCOX has likened his role to the manager behind the scenes at Manchester United.
Director of football Wilcox’s description of his position at the club infuriated former coach Ruben Amorim.
Training ground sources say Wilcox billed himself as “like a manager” and stressed that Amorim was the coach.
It is unclear whether Wilcox told Amorim this directly in last Friday’s infamous meeting when Amorim “blew up”.
But Amorim was made aware of Wilcox’s comments and that led to his extraordinary outburst after United drew 1-1 at Leeds, where he demanded to be referred to as the club’s “manager” and not the “head coach”.
Amorim mentioned the word ‘manager’ four times in response to three different questions at Elland Road.
SunSport revealed on Tuesday that Wilcox questioned Amorim’s tactics and told him he did not have the same pedigree as other named coaches.
Amorim effectively publicised the damning feedback at his final press conference as United head coach.
A well-placed source said the meeting was “horrendous” and that Wilcox was “out of order”.
United sources said Wilcox was Amorim’s boss and well within his rights to provide feedback.
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He said: “I came here to be the manager of Manchester United, not to be the coach of Manchester United. And that is clear.
“I know that my name is not [Thomas] Tuchel, it’s not [Antonio] Conte, it’s not [Jose] Mourinho but I’m the manager of Manchester United.
“And it’s going to be like this for 18 months or when the board decides to change. That was my point.
“I want to finish with that. I’m not going to quit. I will do my job until another guy is coming here to replace me.
“I just want to say that I’m going to be the manager of this team, not just the coach.
“I was really clear on that and that is going to finish in 18 months and then everyone is going to move on.
“That was the deal. That is my job. Not to be a coach. If people cannot handle the Gary Nevilles and the criticisms of everything we need to change the club.
“I just want to say I came here to be the manager, not to be the coach.
“In every department – the scouting department, the sporting director needs to do their job, I will do mine for 18 months and then we move on.”
Wilcox, who joined United initially as technical director in April 2024, was promoted to director of football last year.
But the 54-year-old has come under fire over the manner of Amorim’s dismissal and his credentials to occupy such a prominent position at United.
Wilcox was previously the Southampton director of football for nine months, having spent five years as an academy coach at Manchester City before running the academy for six years.
United supporters’ group The 1958 expressed a vote of no confidence in Wilcox and chief executive Omar Berrada on Thursday.
A timeline of Amorim’s Christmas fallout
BY KATHERINE WALSH
SIR JIM RATCLIFFE’S perceived “heated chat” with Wilcox and CEO Omar Berrada after the 4-1 win at Molineux on December 8 largely went under the radar.
The trio were pictured in an animated discussion immediately after Wolves scored their equalising goal just after half-time.
United then lost Amad, Bryan Mbeumo and Noussair Mazraoui to Afcon after the 4-4 draw with Bournemouth and skipper Bruno Fernandes limped off in the defeat at Villa Park.
Amorim then laid down his first marker by admitting he may not get the money necessary to perfect his 3-4-3 in his Christmas eve pre-match conference ahead of the Toon’s visit.
Speaking after the 1-0 win over Newcastle, Amorim then made an interesting comment on failing to reach common ground with transfer boss Wilcox.
He said: “I have one idea, Jason and board have another idea – every decision that we make, we need to reach a common ground, that is really important.
“Because you don’t need to make everything for the manager because the manager can change and you need to change everything but the manager understands the way of playing.”
Amorim then walked in with a huge frown on his face on Friday January 2 at Carrington.
It was the grouchiest this reporter has ever seen Amorim, who before that walked into pre-match conferences with a smile on his face and regular jovial quips for the room.
He then uncharacteristically point-blank refused to answer a question and gave short, pointed replies to others.
Amorim was asked to explain why he did not know the position around recruitment when he joined United from Sporting in November 2024.
“I don’t want to talk about that,” he said. “I just focus on the Leeds game.”
Amorim then said he did not regret his comments prior to the Newcastle match before being asked again, by the same journalist, if something had changed in relation to the transfer budget. Once more, he replied: “I don’t want to talk about that.”
Then, after a brief pause, and after the United media official sitting next to Amorim at the press conference had begun to say who would ask the next question, the Portuguese added: “But you are very smart, so…”
Then came the extraordinary rant at Leeds two days later.
A recent report claimed Christopher Vivell, United’s head of recruitment, called on Amorim to adapt his system after a particularly detailed explanation by Fulham boss Marco Silva of his plan to counter it following the 1-1 draw at Craven Cottage in August.
While United officials have tried to create a picture of harmony, their words are being tested by Amorim.
He clearly thinks the parameters of the job he was sold have changed.
