Man Utd chief was axed over manager pick as ANOTHER civil war breaks out in boardroom

· Mirror

Manchester United's boardroom is once again divided over the club's next steps as a decision looms over the future of struggling manager Michael Carrick

Michael Carrick's current predicament at Old Trafford has led to a case of deja vu for Manchester United. Reports of 'civil war' in the boardroom are all too familiar for a team that found itself in a very similar situation not long ago.

United's struggles for on-field results have recently bled into the media via both players and Carrick himself. However, that feeling of discontent is seemingly not limited to the dressing room as those in the upper echelons allegedly clash, too.

Lisandro Martinez took aim at the club's hierarchy for not doing enough in the transfer window following a recent Champions League loss to Atletico Madrid. Captain Bruno Fernandes then questioned Carrick's tactics following a 4-1 defeat at Como, leading to comments from the manager suggesting his players weren't working hard enough.

The Daily Mail has now reported on a growing rift between director of football Jason Wilcox and head of recruitment Christopher Vivell. This is said to be largely in relation to whom the club should appoint as Carrick's successor if he is fired, which is exactly the kind of disagreement that previously led to a massive change at board level.

Wilcox's predecessor, Dan Ashworth, also left the club under a cloud of controversy in December 2024. Ashworth arrived at Old Trafford to much excitement in the summer of that year, given his superb work in the same role at Newcastle.

However, United co-owners INEOS decided to part ways only five months into his tenure. The Athletic later reported this was at least partly down to indecision over whom should replace Erik ten Hag when he was sacked in October 2024.

Ashworth was reported to have played a prominent role in Ten Hag's contract extension that year but supposedly had limited involvement in Ruben Amorim being appointed as his replacement. Instead, chief executive officer Omar Berrada took the reins in negotiating that appointment as a clear divide emerged.

United paid £4.1million to terminate Ashworth's contract early, just one month after Amorim was appointed. It was viewed by fans as a terrible use of funds for a club that's grown too accustomed to waste in the post-Sir Alex Ferguson era.

Carrick will lead United out once again at home to Bournemouth on Sunday. However, there's no getting away from the sentiment it's a case of 'when' and not 'if' the club moves on, with the team failing to win any of its last seven games.

As things stand, a number of potential successors have been bandied about at United. Eddie Howe, Julian Nagelsmann and Antonio Conte are each reported as candidates, helped by the fact they're all currently free agents without a club.

A new manager won't rid United of that feeling of disharmony at boardroom level, however. And while Carrick's job is the main talking point up for discussion at Old Trafford, it may not be long before other changes are made among the hierarchy, too.

Read the original

People in this story

Related