Revisiting the past: Which former coach should United rehire?

[Pintu]

I've been pondering a thought-provoking question: If Manchester United had to bring back one of our former managers, who should it be? We've had a mix of coaching philosophies in the past decade with Louis van Gaal, David Moyes, José Mourinho, Ralf Rangnick (interim), and Ole Gunnar Solskjær.

Would you choose to bring back Van Gaal, Moyes, Mourinho, Ole or Ralf Rangnick? Or, do you believe that sticking with Erik ten Hag is the best path forward (lesser evil) ?

I'd personally go for Moyes. I think he has evolved over the years with West Ham and is a better coach today than he was back then.

 

[Panther]

Ole.

 

[The Corinthian]

Sir Alex Ferguson

 

[Pintu]

Sir Alex Ferguson

Obvious choice... if he weren't retired.

 

[Plant0x84]

Never go back. You parted ways for a good reason, no good can come of trying to relive the past.

 

[Remember the geese]

If we had to bring one back - Van Gaal. The game today is all about control. He understood that.

 

[Oranges038]

Moyesaayyy.

He just needed more time.

 

[mu4c_20le]

Never go back. You parted ways for a good reason, no good can come of trying to relive the past.

- Jack Reacher

 

[Scandi Red]

Absolutely none of them.

If you force me to pick one then my "choice" is Ole. At least there will be a slight chance of fun.

 

[tomaldinho1]

Technically, Carrick was manager so probably him, purely because none of the others were good enough. Likely Carrick isn't either but at least he might have some new ideas.

 

[Rista]

I mean, Jose was our best manager post SAF. Wouldn't want him near the club now but if we're speaking hypothetically it has to be him.

 

[TheRedDevil'sAdvocate]

Moyes to lead us with his experience to a Conference League victory next season!

 

[MancunianAngels]

Carrick would be a great assistant manager with an experienced manager/head coach working with him especially with a view to him becoming manager long term.

 

[Red Royal]

Technically, Carrick was manager so probably him, purely because none of the others were good enough. Likely Carrick isn't either but at least he might have some new ideas.

In that case Giggs as he would then allow Greenwood to rejoin quitely (!!)

 

[UnrelatedPsuedo]

Meulensteen

 

[Rojofiam]

Ole would do the best job out of all of them

 

[Rojofiam]

I mean, Jose was our best manager post SAF. Wouldn't want him near the club now but if we're speaking hypothetically it has to be him.

So disappointing that this awful opinion is the general consensus on here. Even on Twitter people are aware that it's Ole by a country mile.

 

[Amir]

I'd go with LVG.

In theory, had he worked with the right structure and people who got him the right players, his football might have worked better.

It's not certain, of course, but at least I see a potential for an improvement there over what we ended up getting during his tenure. I don't see it with the other managers.

 

[elmo]

So disappointing that this awful opinion is the general consensus on here. Even on Twitter people are aware that it's Ole by a country mile.

That says more about you and twitter.

 

[lysglimt]

That says more about you and twitter.

Maybe - but he is right

 

[E-mal]

I'd go with LVG.

In theory, had he worked with the right structure and people who got him the right players, his football might have worked better.

It's not certain, of course, but at least I see a potential for an improvement there over what we ended up getting during his tenure. I don't see it with the other managers.

We won the Fa cup final a man down against palace while dominating the ball, we would have been dominated with this current team + he lost UCL to city on goal difference I believe.
Better manager than giving credit for. He could play our academy players and we won’t be shitting ourselves in possession.
The best we ever played in Anfield in my lifetime was with LVG

 

[Rista]

So disappointing that this awful opinion is the general consensus on here. Even on Twitter people are aware that it's Ole by a country mile.

Twitter also thinks Ten Hag has done nothing wrong.

I don't think any manager post SAF is the best "by a country mile". They were all a variation of poor and not good enough.

 

[RaddyRed]

I never wanted Moyes and sacking him was right, but if we had just kept him on until now, given him half the budget than we have spent in the years since, I'm convinced we would be in a better position as a club than we are now, with a few more trophies.

 

[Rojofiam]

Twitter also thinks Ten Hag has done nothing wrong.

Not true

 

[led_scholes]

For a final? Jose.

 

[SalfordRed18]

I never wanted Moyes and sacking him was right, but if we had just kept him on until now, given him half the budget than we have spent in the years since, I'm convinced we would be in a better position as a club than we are now, with a few more trophies.

Yeah don't see it. Why would we be in a better position? He's sure enough shown his level post-united...

 

[SalfordRed18]

Ole under the right structure. That's it.

Im firmly in the ten hag in camp

 

[Regulus Arcturus Black]

So disappointing that this awful opinion is the general consensus on here. Even on Twitter people are aware that it's Ole by a country mile.

Won feck all, league points total and trophy total beaten by both ETH & Mourinho.
How shit a manager do you have to be to have your best points season beaten by Eric ten Hag? All whilst he won a trophy too, something only you and Moyes failed to do.

It’s the general consensus because Mourinho managed 81 points, the most of any manager since Fergie, and in his other full season won the league cup & the Europa league.

But he was shite mind, just less shite than Ole.

If we had to have one manager though, I wouldn’t pick the one who did best, I’d pick LVG. We might have been boring as feck but no-one embarrassed us into looking like a small club like they’ve done with all the others. I’d back him above the rest if we have better recruitment behind him.

 

[Rojofiam]

Won feck all, league points total and trophy total beaten by both ETH & Mourinho.
How shit a manager do you have to be to have your best points season beaten by Eric ten Hag? All whilst he won a trophy too, something only you and Moyes failed to do.

It’s the general consensus because Mourinho managed 81 points, the most of any manager since Fergie, and in his other full season won the league cup & the Europa league.

But he was shite mind, just less shite than Ole.

If we had to have one manager though, I wouldn’t pick the one who did best, I’d pick LVG. We might have been boring as feck but no-one embarrassed us into looking like a small club like they’ve done with all the others. I’d back him above the rest if we have better recruitment behind him.

Bringing up the points tally when we had the CL secured by matchday 34 and played B teams and academy players for the last 4 games. We got 74 points because there was nothing to play for in the PL, but we were playing the EL final after the league concluded...but I'm pretty sure you knew this too. We were a better team under Ole than Mourinho.

 

[devilish]

McKenna

 

[Regulus Arcturus Black]

Bringing up the points tally when we had the CL secured by matchday 34 and played B teams and academy players for the last 4 games. We got 74 points because there was nothing to play for in the PL, but we were playing the EL final after the league concluded...but I'm pretty sure you knew this too. We were a better team under Ole than Mourinho.

Like feck we were. The entire time under we were never more than a few months away from a sustained period of horrendous performances and results, happened every season. And I’d have 100% backed the Zlatan- Mourinho double cup winning team to have twatted any team we had under Ole’s spell. That team only lost 5 games all season.

Funny blaming CL being secured when our form continued the following season and got him fired whilst the team continued it’s freefall in a worse points per game than even ten Hag has managed this season.

Also, in game 36 we went full strength versus Liverpool and got thumped. In game 37 we went full strength and drew v. Fulham.
Game 38 we won.

So one loss vs Leicester it was in game 35, as that was the single B team game you’re remembering.

 

[Yakuza_devils]

Ralf Rangnick. He speaks his minds and have the experience to transform a club. Under the right structure he will be very useful and his tactic is also the "most modern" compared to all our negative football managers.

 

[Back To Madeira]

*Ole giving thumbs-up to Fred gif*

 

[lex talionis]

Would you choose to bring back Van Gaal, Moyes, Mourinho, Ole or Ralf Rangnick? Or, do you believe that sticking with Erik ten Hag is the best path forward (lesser evil) ?

Sad that Michael Carrick doesn't get a mention here, but among those who once held the reins -- even briefly -- surely it would have to be Carrick.

 

[tomaldinho1]

I never wanted Moyes and sacking him was right, but if we had just kept him on until now, given him half the budget than we have spent in the years since, I'm convinced we would be in a better position as a club than we are now, with a few more trophies.

I genuinely think you could say that about all of them. If the club gave them £100m a year on average, completely backed them in every player vs manager situation, we'd be better than we are now.

 

[Amir]

Sad that Michael Carrick doesn't get a mention here, but among those who once held the reins -- even briefly -- surely it would have to be Carrick.

Why, really?

 

[Sandikan]

Stopped reading at Moyes.

A guy who not only got us our lowest finish post Fergie, but did it with a team who'd cruised the league title.
Imagine where he'd have this mob finishing! 10-12th?

 

[Grande]

1. Erik ten Hag
2. Ole Gunnar Solskjær
3. Louis van Gaal
4. Michael Carrick
5. David Moyes
6. Ralf Rangnik
7. Ryan Giggs
8. Jose Mourinho

 

[Rojofiam]

Stopped reading at Moyes.

A guy who not only got us our lowest finish post Fergie, but did it with a team who'd cruised the league title.
Imagine where he'd have this mob finishing! 10-12th?

How does he get West Ham to 8th with a weaker squad, if he had us at 10th or 12th then?

 

[lex talionis]

Why, really?

I know it was only a couple of games, but (unless I'm completely out of my mind remembering it this way) had us playing some very decent football. But beyond that it appears to be widely accepted that he's done a great job with boro (yes, never to be confused with Barcelona) and he is of course a United legend.

This is only in response to the question in the OP, and not to suggest we should refuse Pep for Carrick should Pep want to take on a new challenge and knock City off its perch.