MANCHESTER UNITED has welcomed an enthusiastic Portuguese personality and a former player even before considering a reach out to Mauricio Pochettino. However, let’s steer clear of Ed Woodward for now.

The club, infamous for its repetitive cycles, has once again found itself back at the starting line. Sir Jim Ratcliffe claimed he “wouldn’t have tolerated” Woodward, yet he seems to be endorsing individuals who exhibit similar traits to the former executive vice-chairman.

While Woodward’s handling of dismissals was far from perfect, his methods were significantly less harsh compared to the current leadership at Ineos.

Having a CEO and a sporting director convening in Monaco to draft a succession plan with a non-resident co-owner while the individual at risk of being fired wanders around Carrington represents a new low.

Do not anticipate any reasonable justifications from the detached Omar Berrada or the silent Jason Wilcox.

Their lack of communication reveals a clear indifference towards fans facing ticket price hikes, hospitality seat relocations, an insensitive approach to ticket touting, and the team’s alarming drift toward the relegation zone.

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Last year, Ratcliffe mentioned that his team was “local,” while the Glazers were “the other side of the pond.” Now, Ratcliffe finds himself across the English Channel at a critical juncture.

The meeting in Monaco was pre-scheduled but could have easily been scrapped.

Instead, Berrada and Wilcox set themselves up for mockery. One could imagine them depicted as Michael Caine and Steve Martin from the classic film, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels.

A memorable quote from that comedic classic is “Nice guys finish last. Meet the winners.” Yet, there are no winners in how United has handled Carrick’s departure.

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Carrick, who is well-compensated, is expected to receive a significant severance package. He appears strong enough to weather the storm.

On a personal note, the treatment he has received is both disgraceful and shameful. Carrick was spotted leaving Carrington on Tuesday, with his son Jacey in the passenger seat.

Carrick’s wife, Lisa, was also at Carrington to drop off their son. The trio seemed to sense the coming news but maintained their composure throughout the routine.

Carrick’s willingness to acquiesce has made him a target. Had he confronted Wilcox as vigorously as Ruben Amorim did, he likely would have faced dismissal that very evening, just as Amorim did.

History has shown that many management teams at United often shield key decision-makers while the managerial scapegoat absorbs all the backlash.

During Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s turbulent tenure, a high-ranking individual within the club was more concerned about the implications for incoming CEO Richard Arnold than for Solskjaer himself.

Some nearby first-team staff staunchly defended Erik ten Hag, forming allegiances amidst the uncertainty from Ineos, but once Ten Hag was dismissed, that support quickly vanished.

Wilcox garnered strong backing during the aftermath of Amorim’s exit.

To United, Amorim was merely a scapegoat.

Wilcox now has to decide whether to appear in a brief video without flinching, much like Ferran Soriano, or stand next to Mauricio Pochettino at his introductory press conference.

There are far more pressing questions awaiting Wilcox than those related to Pochettino.

Reports from Carrington suggest that Wilcox has begun positioning himself as the “manager.”

Managers engage with the media. Wilcox cannot remain in the directors’ box for the next six months.

Individuals within the club have also become sensitive to any critiques of Berrada recently. Although Berrada has spoken publicly a few times—in September 2024 and March 2025—he has since opted for low-profile discussions.

Carrick will likely retain his composure while still on the payroll. He was among those summoned to Carrington by Woodward before David Moyes was formally dismissed in April 2014.

Moyes had to wait until the following morning for his firing, even after rumors had circulated the day prior, yet Woodward was unreachable.

Carrick was part of the coaching team when Jose Mourinho discovered his fate only after returning from a day off.

United had made their decision 36 hours earlier but misled reporters attempting to confirm the news.

Both Mourinho and Amorim, two passionate Portuguese figures, are currently excelling, sitting in the top four of their respective leagues with Real Madrid and AC Milan.