An overwhelming majority of Manchester United fans support Lisandro Martinez's criticism of the club's director of football, Jason Wilcox, following the 2-0 defeat to Atletico Madrid. A Manchester Evening News poll found that 95 per cent of 9,178 voters agreed with the defender's comments, while just four per cent disagreed and one per cent were unsure.
Martinez's Criticism and Club Response
Martinez put his neck on the line on Tuesday night when he chose to criticise the United hierarchy following the defeat to Atletico. The Argentina defender admitted that while he needed to evaluate his own performance, some of the blame must fall on the likes of Wilcox for not backing Michael Carrick enough in the summer transfer window.
Martinez's comments came as a huge shock, with United actually producing an encouraging display against Atleti. Some pundits, including Wayne Rooney, were quick to question whether it was the right time to be calling out the owners. United sources have since insisted Wilcox's position at Old Trafford is safe.
Fan Reaction and Martinez's Statement
Following Martinez's claims, the Manchester Evening News asked readers: 'Do you agree with Lisandro Martinez's comments after Manchester United's defeat to Atletico?' At the time of writing, 9,178 people had voted, with an overwhelming majority of 95 per cent voting 'Yes'. It's clear to see that a lot of fans are not happy with the way their club is being run.
On Wednesday night, Martinez released a statement explaining his comments in Madrid. The defender fell short of apologising to the club for what he had said.
Disciplinary Questions Remain
While most fans clearly agree with Martinez, it could be argued that he was still wrong to criticise the board publicly given the attention it has garnered despite an encouraging showing from United in Madrid. The question of whether Martinez should be disciplined for calling out the board remains open to debate.
