The Erik ten Hag experiment at Manchester United is over, and, once again, the club is on the lookout for its next manager. Under the Dutchman, United did not have a clear identity, and that showed both offensively and defensively. United is amid its worst start to a Premier League campaign in its history. The recent loss to West Ham United put the Ten Hag’s Red Devils at three wins, two draws and an astounding four losses for 11 points and 14th in the table. Despite winning the FA Cup and the EFL Cup, Manchester United executives could not bear more of these struggles.
For now, Ruud Van Nistelrooy will take over in an interim role. The former United icon as a striker and manager of PSV Eindhoven has decent experience as a coach considering he only retired 12 years ago. He was the manager at PSV Eindhoven for one season in 2022/23. There, he won the Johan Cruyff Shield, which is the equivalent of the Community Shield, and the KNVB Cup, the Dutch version of the FA Cup. He resigned from the role just before the end of the season, then he joined the Manchester United coaching staff under Ten Hag before the current campaign.
Barring a miraculous turnaround under Van Nistelrooy, he is likely not the permanent successor. Given the present opportunity, Van Nistelrooy has a chance to impress. Manchester United still has the Europa League league phase and the early going in the Premier League.
However, United is turning its attention to other managers that would fit the club. Here are five that Manchester United will be in the market for over the coming weeks as it needs its next permanent manager.
Some of these rumored names are more concrete than others. Yet, over the next several weeks, further reports regarding the future of Manchester United will escalate.
Potter has been out of the soccer world since an abbreviated stint with Chelsea in the 2022/23 season. That project failed mightily, and many clubs turned their back on Potter who, at the time of his appointment, was one of the top English coaches available. Manchester United may be willing to take a chance on Potter, but it would require patience.
The current crop of players may not suit the eye of Potter’s preference for possession. However, the influx of young talents at Chelsea undoubtedly played a role in his struggles at Stamford Bridge. If United can introduce the right players with Potter, he could work as well as he did at Brighton.
Frank, like Graham Potter, would be a project. Currently at Brentford, Thomas Frank has relied on the use of analytics to get the most out of otherwise undervalued players. A clear goal of Frank is the press, and it leads to excitement. Brentford has scored 18 goals in Premier League play this season, more than Liverpool, Aston Villa, Arsenal and more than double that of Manchester United. That leads to defensive inefficacies, as Brentford has conceded 18 goals as well, which is the fourth-most in the league.
Frank understands his role. At Brentford, that requires him to be smart. Brentford will not out-possess top teams in the Premier League, nor do they have the most skillful players. Frank would have more of an opportunity to be expansive at Manchester United, but he can always revert to the mentality and principles that have yielded early success with the Bees. Part of Frank’s success with Brentford would likely require the analytical and savvy approach to the transfer market that Manchester United seems to turn a blind eye to.
If Manchester United wants a quick turnaround this season, Xavi is a potential solution. The Spaniard arrived at Barcelona on Nov. 8, 2021. At the time, the Catalan club sat ninth in LaLiga, and Xavi guided the side to second in the league. He picked up convincing wins over Real Madrid, Atletico Madrid, Real Betis and Sevilla in the back half of the season to show his quick growth.
The challenge Xavi would face at Manchester United is the lack of impact he would bring. At Barcelona, Xavi is a legend, and the young players at Barcelona such as Pedri and Gavi wanted to play for him. Xavi does not carry the same influence in England. His no-nonsense and forward mind of coaching would be paramount to any success in England.
Hiring Gareth Southgate as the next Manchester United manager would be the most pragmatic option for the Red Devils. With England, Southgate showed that he can get results. It will not be flashy, and it will often not be pretty. However, making it to two European Championship Finals, a World Cup semifinal and a quarterfinal is impressive. It is the best run of form for any team in international soccer without winning a trophy.
Of course, Manchester United would be a success-oriented position. Failing to win trophies like he did with England would not be tolerated. That said, Southgate often managed to get the best out of England players who currently represent Manchester United. Marcus Rashford, when selected, would be lethal for the Three Lions. Kobbie Mainoo was a mainstay in the Euro 2024 run to the final. Even players like Luke Shaw or Harry Maguire were massively important to Southgate. Appointing him to the dugout at Old Trafford can return those players to some level of form. United would simply need to convince Southgate to end his sabbatical from the sport.
Should Manchester United look outside of England and the Premier League for its next manager, Simone Inzaghi would be another proven option. The three-time Coppa Italia champion as a coach added his first Serie A triumph last season with a dominant performance at Inter Milan. Inzaghi has brought Inter Milan back to the top of Europe, as seen with the club reaching the UEFA Champions League Final in 2023. Inter pushed treble-winning Manchester City to the brink in that game, too.
However, Inzaghi has never played or coached outside of Italy. Despite having his teams contend with European opposition that plays in the Premier League. Weekly battles in England are a different sort of challenge that is not as pressing in Serie A. That said, Inzaghi has finished in the top three in each of his three seasons at Inter, and it looks likely that the club is on track for a fourth. Manchester United could introduce his solid shape that would lead to more confident performances from a struggling United squad.
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