Wilcox pushed Russell Martin to replace Ten Hag

When Manchester United supporters believed the club’s decision‑making could not be more chaotic, a revelation about Old Trafford’s hierarchy emerged, showing director of football Jason Wilcox had championed Russell Martin as a serious candidate to replace Erik ten Hag before the 2024 FA Cup final against Manchester City.

The Athletic reported that Wilcox had pushed Martin as a serious replacement for the embattled manager. At the time, United required a proven manager to halt a slump that had deepened during the late‑stage Ten Hag era. Wilcox’s proposal was considered too parochial, and the club instead appointed Ruben Amorim, whose tenure proved short‑lived.

Martin’s rise and fall

Russell Martin is now the manager of League One side Leicester City. The INEOS‑backed hierarchy carried out an exhaustive review of Ten Hag’s stewardship in the summer of 2024, vetting prospective managers. Among the names examined, Wilcox championed Martin, drawing on their close professional relationship.

Wilcox had previously hired Martin at Southampton in the summer of 2023 while serving as the Saints’ director of football. Martin guided Southampton back to the Premier League via the Championship play‑offs in May 2024. In the Premier League, Martin’s dogmatic slow‑tempo possession style unraveled, and his side became notorious for defensive errors and conceding goals at an alarming rate. This inflexibility earned him a reputation as an obstinate idealist unsuited for top‑flight survival, let alone the Old Trafford hot seat.

United’s managerial crossroads

United ultimately chose Amorim to succeed Ten Hag in November 2024, a reign that proved turbulent. Analysts argue that installing Martin would likely have seen United dismantled by superior opposition due to his deep‑playing philosophy and a fragile defence.

The timing of the revelation harms Wilcox’s credibility, as he was recruited from Manchester City by Sir Jim Ratcliffe to implement a modern, data‑driven structure at Carrington. Pushing his former Southampton colleague forward for one of the most demanding managerial posts in world football does not align with the best‑in‑class mentality United seek. Critics now accuse him of being out of his depth and lacking imagination for a club aiming to return to European supremacy.

Current leadership and outlook

Michael Carrick was appointed permanent first‑team boss at Old Trafford in May 2026, but currently remains on a temporary stay‑of‑execution. Recruitment chief Christopher Vivell is being courted by Bayern Munich, while the dressing room stays fractured despite a spirited Tuesday night fightback against AS Roma in the Champions League. United are still not out of the woods, and a fresh managerial appointment is expected in the coming weeks, potentially the most crucial decision of Wilcox’s tenure.