04 Apr 2024 00:03:57
Hey ed002,
Hope all is well and sorry to bother you as i know you are very busy. Just on the manager front, do united still have a chance in hiring Ruben Amorim or is he definetly off to liverpool? Who do you think would be a good fit at united? I feel if he goes to liverpool our options aren't good. It feels as though the structure is being set up for an english manager though whuch in my opinion is a bad idea. Thanks in advance.
{Ed002's Note - He is not definately off to Liverpool but Manchester United still have preferred options.}
04 Apr 2024 11:48:50
There are definitely options when you look around, I'd imagine they will be looking for a younger more progressive manager whose ideas match that of the clubs (whatever those are now) .
Managers like Ruben Amorim, Xabi Alonso, Thiago Motta, Roberto De Zerbi, Arne Slot, Simeone Inzaghi, and Julian Nagelsmann are probably the most obvious options.
Although if Amorim is a serious option for Liverpool then I'd imagine he'd choose to go there over coming to us this summer. While Alonso has ruled out leaving Leverkusen this summer (I actually think that is the best option for him right now) .
Motta seems to be the hipsters choice, while Nagelsmann is probably the best option available all things considered. That is if he is to leave the German national team, if they win the Euros this summer then he might want to stay. While he might also have other better options than us this summer.
You then have the outsiders like Tuchel who is available (although he is linked with Real Madrid) and some of the younger British managers like Potter (outsider in terms of who the fans would want, but seems well in the running with those who will actually make the decision), O'Neil and McKenna.
I've even heard whispers of Ole being potentially considered. Although I'd imagine that would be a challenging appointment to sell to the fans.
The problem is that while there are some potentially very good options available, there are a number of top jobs open this summer, Liverpool, Bayern, Real Madrid and possibly Chelsea as well. Three of which would definitely be more appealing to many of the potential candidates. Meaning we might have to take our 2nd, 3rd or even 4th choice option if the others choose to move elsewhere.
So it might not be a case of is our 1st choice option a better option than EtH, but is our 3rd choice option a better fit than EtH.
04 Apr 2024 13:17:42
OMG, the return of Solksjaer? That is mind blowing. Surely you're on the wind up Shappy?
I'd go for Arne Slot, just on the name alone.
04 Apr 2024 16:37:02
MancMan, that's the rumour, how accurate it is who knows. Personally I'd be very surprised if INEOS thought Ole was the right man. Although there is a small part of me that wants to see that just for Ken's reaction ???
Of those I've listed above my opinion is that Nagelsmann would be the best option. Great record everywhere he's been, tactically astute, good communicator, experience at a top club. The only things that count against him is that he apparently rubbed a few people up the wrong way at Bayern (particularly in relation to his new girlfriend), and he has never managed outside of Germany, so we don't know how he adapts to different leagues/ counties.
After that it'd probably be between Amorim and Inzaghi.
Slot I don't think has enough experience, Alonso won't move, I like De Zerbi, but there is something about him I can't quite put my finger on that makes me feel like he isn't ready for a top job. Thiago Motta is an interesting one, tactically he is out on his own, doing things no one else is doing. While it would be interesting to see if he could get his style to work in the EPL or at a top club, it very much is his style and if it didn't work then we would have started to rebuild the squad again to suit a manager who does things so differently that there isn't someone similar to step into his shoes if he left.
I think he'd be great at a club just outside the elite sides in Europe, somewhere with a little less pressure. Where he'd have more time and freedom to pursue his style without demands of immediate success.
He could be similar to Simeone at Atletco Madrid, someone who has success by bucking the trend and doing things differently to the top clubs, but doing it so well that he is successful with it. I'd like to see him at a club of that level.
I'm not as against Potter as most, I still think he's a very good manager who can be very successful. I don't think he had the support or was given the time at Chelsea to be successful. The problem is that failures like that hang around your neck and heal the pressure on to prove them wrong despite the context or reasons for why you failed.
Pochettino has a near identical record in terms of results this season to Potters at Chelsea. Despite having a more settled club than the one Potter was having to deal with.
I would back the club if they decided to go for Potter, but would appreciate that he would probably be given less leeway by the fans who will likely be skeptical of his appointment.
I really like O'Neil and McKenna and think they are doing great things, it might just be a little too soon in their careers for the step up to United, especially at a time where the club will be in a state of flux. Maybe in the future with a settled backroom team, and the club running as a well oiled machine, then we might be able to take a chance on those inexperienced up and coming managers who look to have great potential. I'm not against the idea of hiring a manager like O'Neil or McKenna and giving them the space to develop, while also helping to mould them into the ideal Manchester United manager. But to do so we would need much more support behind the scenes for that manager. Experienced people for them to lean on, and who can keep the pressure off when things aren't quite going to plan.
04 Apr 2024 18:22:24
Weirdly enough, I’d not be against OGS. Not sure why, it think he did a decent job. Also very much not against Erik being given a chance next season under the new structure. If he fails in year 3, time to go.
04 Apr 2024 18:40:44
Ed, if you don't mind me asking. Do you still expect ETH to be moved on in the summer?
Sly sports reported Ineos planned to keep him, but I'm not sure if that's just lazy journalism as 24 hours before they did a story on Southgate.
{Ed002's Note - I think that there is a strong chance that he will be replaced and the club options. Right now he is not the solution that the club need.}
04 Apr 2024 22:18:05
Shappy seems strange that Real are looking to offload Ancelotti a couple months after giving him an extension no? Are Barcelona not also looking for a manager after Xavi announced he’s leaving at the end of the season?
Out of the managers you listed, Amorim, Alonso and Motta are pretty much 100% not options for Utd. Think the list is Tuchel, De Zerbi, Potter and Nagelsmann. Some outside shouts of Zidane, Southgate and maybe OGS.
Think De Zerbi is top of the list for Deco at Barcelona also high up for Bayern I believe. Nagelsmann could end up staying with Germany. So realistically think it’s Potter and Tuchel as the front runners.
05 Apr 2024 10:48:03
Shappy’s whispers are as reliable as the game in primary school where you try get the kids to pass the same sentence the whole way round the circle ???.
05 Apr 2024 11:21:43
What's that song the cranberries had zombie.
It's in your head
It's in your head
Zombie zombie zombie hey hey hey.
05 Apr 2024 13:52:52
Who would be your choice to succeed him Ed2?
{Ed002's Note - Arne Slot would be a great option.}
05 Apr 2024 14:12:20
Thanks Ed. Let’s hope the club are considering this.
05 Apr 2024 15:19:11
To stand any chance of success the next Utd manager has to be a rare beast indeed. A good coach and a sound tactician, sufficient experience at the top level and with a strong personality without being a bit of an arse. Oh, and they need to have an attacking football philosophy and a commitment to developing youth.
That all sounds like Ange at Spurs.
06 Apr 2024 14:15:44
Mancman
Spurs have spend 385 million in 3 windows on 13 players and no loan deal and all proper buys. They have no european football this year and were out of both domestic cups early on. They had a bit of injury issue with Maddison and Van der ven but nothing major. Their fullbacks are really good imo and have made a big difference.
He knows how to charm the press and talks a big game but let's see how they do next year with european football a congested schedule which will bring injuries and how he deals with first signs of real adversity. They are The Newcastle of last year for me.
06 Apr 2024 22:56:02
You might be right Ahmad and when you put it like that perhaps I'm one of those who has been charmed.
Like you say, it's perhaps too early to say for sure
However, I do admire his approach to the game and he has brought in some excellent players which I think will gell into a really good team given another season.