Jason Wilcox - New technical director

[croadyman]

I knew United would still win at 2-1 down purely because Sheff Utd are so bad defensively. Wouldn't have thought it against any other team. I'd expect another win over Burnley, just. But then I think the final 4 PL games are probably going to remind us how bad we are.

Yeah Palace are on a good run, Arsenal obviously will be chasing the title. Newcastle and Brighton always seem to give us problems too

 

[Velvet Revolver]

he's been here a week and we haven't won the treble yet. Another flop signing

 

[MadDogg]

As someone described, a technical director deal with non-playing staff, so lots of powerpoint, excel, and reporting. There is no way a Microsoft Office director can dictate style of play. He can run reports, do comparison on players, and even club performance on home and away, but not tactics, unless Manager reports to this Technical Director.

Can someone update us on their job description? Including the other role of Director of Football?

Different Technical Directors and Director of Footballs can have quite significantly different roles at different clubs (including being the same thing at some).

Nobody on the outside can know for sure what their specific roles will be at Utd. But considering Wilcox's history, he will certainly be more involved in the direction of the team and the playing style than what you describe. He's certainly no 'Microsoft Office director' who's just handling the spreadsheets and whatnot. He's an ex-player who went into a successful coaching role for the youth teams at Man City, before being promoted to their Academy Director. Then he joined Southampton as their Director of Football, where from all accounts one of his main roles was implementing a consistent playing style throughout the club from the first team down through the youth teams (including hiring a new manager that suited that style).

Considering that previous experience, Wilcox seems well suited to being more hands-on in the discussions and decision making of the football style. That doesn't mean he'll be involved with the specific details and in-depth tactics of the team of course, that will obviously be the remit of the manager and his coaching team. But he and Ashworth will probably work together to set up the football structure, with the goal to ultimately play the style of football that INEOS, Berrada, Ashworth and perhaps Wilcox decide on between them. And until Ashworth does officially start, Wilcox will likely be the main man on the footballing side. What the exact split of duties between Ashworth and Wilcox will eventually be, nobody outside the club really knows yet (and perhaps never will).

 

[El Jefe]

I think the whole approach of having a defined game style is overrated. I think it helps to have an overarching philosophy but you should be able to allow yourself to flexibility within that.

Let’s say your defined game style is Pep positional football, does that mean we wouldn’t hire a manager like Klopp if he became available?

 

[Berbaclass]

You can't assess that in 6 games though. It's just ridiculous.

Maybe not but beginning the process as early as possible will be good in the long run.

 

[Lemoor]

Maybe not but beginning the process as early as possible will be good in the long run.

Pitch is the last place that any changes in the process would be visible though.

 

[Berbaclass]

Pitch is the last place that any changes in the process would be visible though.

The process of changing our playing style?

 

[JPRouve]

I think the whole approach of having a defined game style is overrated. I think it helps to have an overarching philosophy but you should be able to allow yourself to flexibility within that.

Let’s say your defined game style is Pep positional football, does that mean we wouldn’t hire a manager like Klopp if he became available?

Agreed. It makes sense to have some tenets like promoting young players, have one of the best attack/defense in the league or focus on possession. But it's not necessarily a good idea to have style that is so defined that you can't incorporate some of the best players/managers into it.

 

[Lemoor]

The process of changing our playing style?

Yes, players spend only a tiny fraction of their time for the club during the actual game. Team's style of play is always going to be a function of: individual instructions for opposition, what personel is available and how fit they are short and long term and what has been trained during the last days, weeks and months and probably a lot of other stuff. Even if there have been immidiate massive changes to training sessions (which I have no idea about), changes from this should imo be expected in weeks at the very least.

 

[Beachryan]

Wow, thank God he came in, we're going to make a decision on players out of contract, and currently on holiday in Germany. No way!

Seriously the media these days...

 

[Marcelinho87]

And we believe that having joined at he end of last week he's already told Ten Hag what he wants to see and the expectation is to start moving to that with 6 games left in the season?

I'm sure in the long term his job will be to ensure there's a clear playing style that flows from the academy to the first team and recruitment of players and staff will be built around that but the idea that he would come in and start telling the manager what to do when he probably doesn't even have his email set up yet is not realistic. People are reading way too much in to a home game against the worst team in the league that would have been somewhat conditioned in terms of team selection and the style of play by the fact we played 120 minutes 3 days earlier.

I just answered what he will be expected to do, never said he’d already started.

 

[Remember the geese]

They should all go.

 

[JezChan]

Wow, thank God he came in, we're going to make a decision on players out of contract, and currently on holiday in Germany. No way!

Seriously the media these days...

To include a player we have in on loan on the list (Amrabat) is such poor journalism.

 

[RORY65]

I just answered what he will be expected to do, never said he’d already started.

I wasn't really being sarcastic to you specifically but I can see it comes across that way, I was replying more to the plenty of posters who seem to believe that it has already started.

 

[didz]

As someone described, a technical director deal with non-playing staff, so lots of powerpoint, excel, and reporting. There is no way a Microsoft Office director can dictate style of play. He can run reports, do comparison on players, and even club performance on home and away, but not tactics, unless Manager reports to this Technical Director.

Can someone update us on their job description? Including the other role of Director of Football?

Was it not yourself I quoted a job ad to a few pages back? Helping to set an overarching style or 'game model' is a pretty big part of the remit for a technical director in most cases. Except on football manager, where for some reason they do indeed just deal with non-playing staff.

 

[Marcelinho87]

I wasn't really being sarcastic to you specifically but I can see it comes across that way, I was replying more to the plenty of posters who seem to believe that it has already started.

No worries, and yeah whilst he’s in the door he will barely be in office yet… he may have had a briefing but his work is just beginning.

 

[DJ_21]

So is this the guy that decides the style of play? I imagine he has a say on a new manager appointment aswell? I thought Ashworth was gonna be the one to be in charge of that.

 

[Cerberus]

So is this the guy that decides the style of play? I imagine he has a say on a new manager appointment aswell? I thought Ashworth was gonna be the one to be in charge of that.

He's doing both roles until Ashworth starts I think. So for now I'm guessing it's Barreda + Wilcox organizing the summer window, and then when Ashworth starts Barreda will be more hands-off and it'll be Ashworth + Wilcox running the football side.

 

[didz]

So is this the guy that decides the style of play? I imagine he has a say on a new manager appointment aswell? I thought Ashworth was gonna be the one to be in charge of that.

He's doing both roles until Ashworth starts I think. So for now I'm guessing it's Barreda + Wilcox organizing the summer window, and then when Ashworth starts Barreda will be more hands-off and it'll be Ashworth + Wilcox running the football side.

There's no saviour anymore. It's a crack teams of top dofs working together to win it all. Think less Pink Banker, more Omar's Eleven.

 

[pocco]

Maybe not but beginning the process as early as possible will be good in the long run.

Yeah I've no problem with implementing a style now, but it having any bearing on ETHs future is daft. If we want that type of football then go out and get a coach with the experience of delivering it. All that will happen is we'll out possess teams in the next two games, as we probably would have anyway due to how they play, then we'll get out possessed by Arsenal, City, Newcastle and maybe even Brighton. What's it going to prove? You'll argue it's not enough time for him to implement it when that does happen, I'm sure?

 

[cyril C]

Different Technical Directors and Director of Footballs can have quite significantly different roles at different clubs (including being the same thing at some).

Nobody on the outside can know for sure what their specific roles will be at Utd. But considering Wilcox's history, he will certainly be more involved in the direction of the team and the playing style than what you describe. He's certainly no 'Microsoft Office director' who's just handling the spreadsheets and whatnot. He's an ex-player who went into a successful coaching role for the youth teams at Man City, before being promoted to their Academy Director. Then he joined Southampton as their Director of Football, where from all accounts one of his main roles was implementing a consistent playing style throughout the club from the first team down through the youth teams (including hiring a new manager that suited that style).

Considering that previous experience, Wilcox seems well suited to being more hands-on in the discussions and decision making of the football style. That doesn't mean he'll be involved with the specific details and in-depth tactics of the team of course, that will obviously be the remit of the manager and his coaching team. But he and Ashworth will probably work together to set up the football structure, with the goal to ultimately play the style of football that INEOS, Berrada, Ashworth and perhaps Wilcox decide on between them. And until Ashworth does officially start, Wilcox will likely be the main man on the footballing side. What the exact split of duties between Ashworth and Wilcox will eventually be, nobody outside the club really knows yet (and perhaps never will).

First of all I have no doubt on Wilcox's knowledge on football, definitely better than good old Woodward. But knowledge is 1 thing, responsibility is another. Let's take the other Football Operation Director as example, who's job is to look after the Stadium and pitch. All the shit inside the stadium is his (or her?) responsibility, but not the shit on the pitch. If someone step out of his JD and start pointing fingers at everybody's performance (except his own of course), you are asking for trouble.

During the summer recruitment planning meeting (or more likely in May), all senior staff can raise question on playing style, which lead to requirement of type of players, hence recruitment strategy and Academy training plan. But this is long term planning, and if the manager has the support of the Board, you have to support his style. You certainly have no right to leak to the press and try to influence tactics ( I am not saying Wilcox did that, but someone did)

BTW, we do have plenty of directors, but none is responsible for football performance.

 

[bringbackbebe]

Wow, thank God he came in, we're going to make a decision on players out of contract, and currently on holiday in Germany. No way!

Seriously the media these days...

It's the new toy syndrome. Media basically writes what an average clueless United fan, who constitute 90% of our fanbase globally, want to hear. A couple of years down the line when things aren't going so well, they'll write another bunch of articles, this time on the negative side, pandering to the masses.

 

[MadDogg]

First of all I have no doubt on Wilcox's knowledge on football, definitely better than good old Woodward. But knowledge is 1 thing, responsibility is another. Let's take the other Football Operation Director as example, who's job is to look after the Stadium and pitch. All the shit inside the stadium is his (or her?) responsibility, but not the shit on the pitch. If someone step out of his JD and start pointing fingers at everybody's performance (except his own of course), you are asking for trouble.

During the summer recruitment planning meeting (or more likely in May), all senior staff can raise question on playing style, which lead to requirement of type of players, hence recruitment strategy and Academy training plan. But this is long term planning, and if the manager has the support of the Board, you have to support his style. You certainly have no right to leak to the press and try to influence tactics ( I am not saying Wilcox did that, but someone did)

BTW, we do have plenty of directors, but none is responsible for football performance.

It's most likely media rubbish, not somebody leaking anything.

In saying that, it will be part of Wilcox's responsibilities (not by himself, but part of it) to decide on and create the structure to have a consistent playing style, and those discussions will have already been had to some extent. They aren't just going to wait until the end of the season before having those discussions. Like I said I don't believe the leaks having any inside information, but it wouldn't exactly be surprising if Wilcox then passed on those expectations to Ten Hag. It just wouldn't have been in a "implement this right now or you're getting fired" sense like some are making out (although it wouldn't hurt his position if he made some changes towards it).

 

[Laurencio]

Wilcox is known for efficency in implementing an overarching style of play from senior level and down. It is why he is famous as a director. It makes perfect sense for him to be in charge of that here, and for Ashworth to delegate that responsibility to him.

 

[The Red Thinker]

It's the new toy syndrome. Media basically writes what an average clueless United fan, who constitute 90% of our fanbase globally, want to hear. A couple of years down the line when things aren't going so well, they'll write another bunch of articles, this time on the negative side, pandering to the masses.

Bang on. I work in the media and can confirm that it’s all for the clicks. Especially with aggregator skewing sites/handles.

 

[Glorio]

Cockballs.

No you're wrong - Wil-ly-Cox-Balls

 

[Glorio]

To me, it looked like they went more direct when they went behind. Seems to me like they do not trust in the style enough to play it when losing.

It seemed that way to me as well. To be fair, it did open up a good few chances

 

[Glorio]

What we don't know is if Ten Hag was under any instructions from the previous regime on how to play. The obsession with "transition" football always seemed strange and at odds with Ten Hags background.
Maybe that's changed?

Interesting viewpoint! I don't know that I believe it, but it's definitely interesting nonetheless.

I can imagine the previous management adopting the lazy "our DNA is quick counter attacking football", but don't see EtH trying to abide by that against his own principles. That said, his sudden thing about being the best transition team (which in itself is not wrong as City, Arsenal, Liverpool are all very good on the transition), and the extremely porous vertical, kamikaze football this season has been a head scratcher, so who knows?

 

[Real Name]

He's been in his position how long? And nothing has changed. Where are the transfers!?

 

[Escobar]

He's been in his position how long? And nothing has changed. Where are the transfers!?

Not true. We won a game with a 2 goal difference! Instant impact

 

[Real Name]

Not true. We won a game with a 2 goal difference! Instant impact

That's not good enough!

 

[JJ12]

To include a player we have in on loan on the list (Amrabat) is such poor journalism.

We have an option to buy, so a decision will be made. They are all just obvious.

 

[Laurencio]

Interesting viewpoint! I don't know that I believe it, but it's definitely interesting nonetheless.

I can imagine the previous management adopting the lazy "our DNA is quick counter attacking football", but don't see EtH trying to abide by that against his own principles. That said, his sudden thing about being the best transition team (which in itself is not wrong as City, Arsenal, Liverpool are all very good on the transition), and the extremely porous vertical, kamikaze football this season has been a head scratcher, so who knows?

Yeah, it never made much sense that a Dutch Ajax man who implemented a style that can be described as a mix between total football and German machine grinding football, would suddenly play long ball counter attacking football without following any of the principles that makes that style functional. I really hope he was told to play "the United way", and that is what fecked us, but I kind of doubt it.

 

[JPRouve]

Yeah, it never made much sense that a Dutch Ajax man who implemented a style that can be described as a mix between total football and German machine grinding football, would suddenly play long ball counter attacking football without following any of the principles that makes that style functional. I really hope he was told to play "the United way", and that is what fecked us, but I kind of doubt it.

The longish ball and counter attacking style was what he was doing before Ajax. So it makes perfect sense because he has never been a Dutch Ajax man.

 

[Insanity]

Yeah, it never made much sense that a Dutch Ajax man who implemented a style that can be described as a mix between total football and German machine grinding football, would suddenly play long ball counter attacking football without following any of the principles that makes that style functional. I really hope he was told to play "the United way", and that is what fecked us, but I kind of doubt it.

It's fecking bullshit made up by ETH fans who are distraught at the sight of daddy failing and are coming up with stupid excuses. No way a guy who was given the keys of the kingdom to waste 400m on players he was familiar with was told by the idiots Arnold & Murtogh to implement this "mythical United way". As others have mentioned, his style of play is not much different from what he played at Ajax.

 

[Laurencio]

The longish ball and counter attacking style was what he was doing before Ajax. So it makes perfect sense because he has never been a Dutch Ajax man.

So this is what he wants to play, and Ajax forced him into a better compromise?

It's fecking bullshit made up by ETH fans who are distraught at the sight of daddy failing and are coming up with stupid excuses. No way a guy who was given the keys of the kingdom to waste 400m on players he was familiar with was told by the idiots Arnold & Murtogh to implement this "mythical United way". As others have mentioned, his style of play is not much different from what he played at Ajax.

It would boggle the mind, but then again a lot of the things we have done over the years boggle the mind. I don't think even we would be that inept though.

 

[captain666]

Maybe he can get the first team to play like the U18's?

 

[JPRouve]

So this is what he wants to play, and Ajax forced him into a better compromise?

Ajax is the odd approach and what he did with Ajax largely matches with their ideals. So yes, you can bet that Ajax gave him a mandate when he signed for them. His previous teams were counter attacking teams while his Ajax team was a heavy possession team.

My guess is that his ideal is a mix of what he did before Ajax and things that he learned with Ajax, the issue being that he doesn't know how to amalgamate them.

 

[Seven Seas Sardines]

Ajax is the odd approach and what he did with Ajax largely matches with their ideals. So yes, you can bet that Ajax gave him a mandate when he signed for them. His previous teams were counter attacking teams while his Ajax team was a heavy possession team.

My guess is that his ideal is a mix of what he did before Ajax and things that he learned with Ajax, the issue being that he doesn't know how to amalgamate them.

He's also said that the squad dictates the playing style. Doubt he'd think he'd be winning leagues with Go Ahead Eagles and Utrecht playing total football against Ajax, PSV and Feyenoord.

Also not inconceivable that he's been told that he has to accommodate a playing style suiting our PR starboy.

 

[SAF is the GOAT]