Southgate or Potter - who would you prefer as our next manager?

Chairman Steve

Full Member
Joined
May 9, 2018
Messages
7,116
Potter all the time between those two. At least Potter can play exciting football but remains whether he’s that good to handle a big club setting. Chelsea wasn’t a great showing but they’re not the slickest operation back when he was there (and still not now arguably) with god knows who splurging millions on players.
 

Reiver

Full Member
Joined
Sep 27, 2016
Messages
2,549
Location
Near Glasgow
Take a shit on a stick, put a waistcoat on it, and you'd essentially have something with the same charisma and tactical nous as Southgate.
Just in case there's any doubt, Potter.
 

wolvored

Full Member
Joined
Jul 6, 2016
Messages
9,949
Potter and before his Chelsea stint he was a popular choice on here as a future manager. Whether that has affected him, or he can come back using Chelsea as a learning process, who knows?
 

C'est Moi Cantona

Full Member
Joined
Feb 15, 2014
Messages
8,787
Name me any recent top manager with the sort of placid personality these two have?

Maybe Ancellotti, but he gives off vibes players respect that Potter and Southgate never could.
 

SER19

Full Member
Joined
Apr 15, 2008
Messages
12,701
None but in this scenario where I have to pick, potter by a million miles
 

E-mal

Full Member
Joined
Jan 14, 2017
Messages
3,682
Such threads should not be aallowed on the cafe, haven't we suffered enough?
 

Steve Bruce

Full Member
Joined
Aug 19, 2008
Messages
1,362
If we bring in any of these two I'll lose all faith in the INEOS project.

If we're going to waste our time with this type of manager we might as well pack it in
 

Kingofwinners

New Member
Newbie
Joined
Jan 15, 2022
Messages
158
Foden, Bellingham and Kane are world class. Solid to very good players and back ups in every position. With a semi competent manager the euros and world cup would be a borefest as England hammer everyone. But with Southgate it’s a real competition. Terrible terrible manager.
 

SirBillNic

New Member
Newbie
Joined
Apr 16, 2011
Messages
45
Supports
Spurs
Hard to choose. On the one hand, Potter has proven he can coach, while Southgate hasn't. On the other hand, Potter was a massive failure at a big club, which Southgate hasn't been (obviously he hasn't had the chance to be).

I guess I'd say Potter is better in my opinion. I really doubt either of these guys will get appointed at Man United so I don't see what the fuss is about. When there's actually good options out there no one would be dumb enough to give one of these guys a job unless as a last resort.
 

kaku06

Full Member
Joined
Jul 26, 2022
Messages
2,398
Potter obviously.

I don't think anyone would pick Southgate?
Never underestimate caf. There’s always one. :lol:
Southgate. What he's proven adept at - creating a cohesive and motivated unit out of star players - is a much better fit than what Potter has proven adept as (developing young players and shaping then to the requirements of his system).
 

izak

Full Member
Joined
Mar 17, 2016
Messages
1,430
Supports
Glory Glory Red Devils
If None of the above was an option I'll definitely pick it, but since it's not there I'm going with None of the above.
 

FootballAI

New Member
Newbie
Joined
Mar 31, 2024
Messages
187
Location
Vietnam
If these two are really the only 2 choices we have then I would prefer we keep Ten Hag honestly, at least for the remaining one year in his contract before seeing better options.
 

Eddy_JukeZ

Full Member
Joined
Aug 21, 2012
Messages
17,124
Potter between the 2.

If either was to be hired, we're not a serious club.
 

Malons

New Member
Newbie
Joined
Feb 29, 2024
Messages
106
After a decade of fans welcoming every permanent managerial appointment as the next saviour (excluding, but special mention to "the chosen one") - maybe someone who we're not very excited about might be the perfect candidate?
 

BigRon1985

New Member
Newbie
Joined
Oct 4, 2018
Messages
552
Would you rather be punched in the face or kicked in the balls?

Hmmmmmmmmm..............:confused:
 

J2J

Full Member
Joined
Jan 19, 2013
Messages
263
My concern with Potter is that even at Brighton where he was highly rated, he still only had like a 30% win rate?

Still would prefer him over Southgate.
 

ROFLUTION

Full Member
Joined
Jan 22, 2009
Messages
7,634
Location
Denmark
One has what the other has, the other has what the other lacks.

Southgate knows how to deals with pressure, but is that enough for a manager who mostly knows how to play in pragmatical ways? Does he have enough ideology and can he play attacking? The fanbase will always want entertainment at United. It's been the core of what fans want ever since the Busby babes. You can't go boring again with a manager.

Potter crumbled at Chelsea, couldn't deal with the drama, which there will be plenty of + pressure from fans and media at a bigger club like United. He does seem to have a more clearly defined style of playing however.

I'd choose none if I can, as none of them will have success.

If held at gunpoint I'd either flip a coin or choose Potter as his playing style will suit the fanbase more. If Southgate plays too boring, he'll have the fans and media against him from the get go like Mourinho and to a large extent Van Gaal.
 

LawCharltonBest

Enjoys watching fox porn
Joined
May 17, 2012
Messages
15,320
Location
Salford
ETH over both of them
Absolutely. If I own United, I probably get a new manager next month. But I’d cuddle and kiss ten Hag and beg him to stay if Potter or Southgate are my only options

Also like most, neither, but it’s not even close - Potter way ahead of Southgate. At least Potter still has potential to become a good manager. Southgate is shite
 

Zed 101

Full Member
Joined
Jun 27, 2014
Messages
1,455
Neither would be my first choice but if it came down to it, Potter all day long, the Chelsea situation was unique and I don't think should be used to define him as a manager, ignoring this I do not think he has demonstrated previously that he has what it takes to manage a top level club, however I do not think he would be a disaster, I think he would probably make us more consistent and improve on the basics (not hard given the current state)...

That said do not really want Southgate, he has not demonstrated any capacity to manage at club level let alone a big club (previous club management was poor), it is much easier to transition from club to country than vice versa IMO, but I am not knocking what he has done for England, I fondly remember Robson and Venables, but he is the best manager we have had and he really has done great (could probably have done even better), but I dread him as our manager

Either way would give both a fair crack of the whip if they were appointed, I was pro ETH before he came and have only recently become disillusioned with him, I try not to be a negative Nancy too early in proceedings
 

el_loco_bielsa

Full Member
Joined
Nov 6, 2020
Messages
268
Location
Yorkshire, UK
Supports
liverpool
If you do end up with either of these two you guys need to be getting the green and gold scarves out again.

It would truly signal a return to the days of moyes. Or remind me of the time we decided hodgson was a suitable choice as Liverpool manager.
 

Rojofiam

Full Member
Joined
May 11, 2017
Messages
3,422
Potter - whilst not someone I would be looking at if it was up to me - would be far more likely to become a success, compared to Southgate.

If Ineos brought in the former, I wouldn't agree with binning ETH for him, but I'd be willing to give him a chance. With Southgate, I don't see any hope and any reason to give him a chance, other than the fact that I couldn't do anything about it :lol:
 

Brophs

The One and Only
Joined
Nov 28, 2006
Messages
50,452
Potter. He seems to have quite a high ceiling as a manager, albeit the Chelsea job wasn’t good.

Southgate, on the other hand, seems to be at his ceiling already. He’s a decent man and he organises teams well but you need more than that.
 

justsomebloke

Full Member
Joined
Oct 25, 2020
Messages
5,945
Never underestimate caf. There’s always one. :lol:
I'm standing by that, though like most I'm not very enthused by either option. It's rather short-sighted in my view to answer the OP question on the basis of which of those two managers you like better in general, which most people seem to do.

I would argue that there's a compelling case against Potters suitability, though I like him as a manager - his success has consistently been with underdog clubs, where the basis of progress is molding young adaptable players into an efficient system. This is not how you can work at a big club, where many of your key players are already established stars with a strong identity of who and what they are as players, and won't respond well to such an approach. Succeeding at a big club requires a different skillset, chiefly the ability to form a motivated and cohesive squad out of star players, based largely on the skillset they already have. Authority plays a big part. To me, Potter seems an obvious no-go on that basis. He's simply not a fit.

Southgate on the other hand - if he's got anything, it's exactly that. He may also lack quite a few of the qualities you'd want in a manager, but what he does bring is a much better fit for a big club like United than what Potter brings. That doesn't mean I like either option much, it's basically a questionn of the lesser evil.
 

Hughes35

Full Member
Joined
Sep 16, 2014
Messages
2,597
I really really don't want either.

However, if it's between the two then I'd be absolutely delighted with Potter.
 

tomaldinho1

Full Member
Joined
Nov 26, 2015
Messages
17,820
I'm standing by that, though like most I'm not very enthused by either option. It's rather short-sighted in my view to answer the OP question on the basis of which of those two managers you like better in general, which most people seem to do.

I would argue that there's a compelling case against Potters suitability, though I like him as a manager - his success has consistently been with underdog clubs, where the basis of progress is molding young adaptable players into an efficient system. This is not how you can work at a big club, where many of your key players are already established stars with a strong identity of who and what they are as players, and won't respond well to such an approach. Succeeding at a big club requires a different skillset, chiefly the ability to form a motivated and cohesive squad out of star players, based largely on the skillset they already have. Authority plays a big part. To me, Potter seems an obvious no-go on that basis. He's simply not a fit.

Southgate on the other hand - if he's got anything, it's exactly that. He may also lack quite a few of the qualities you'd want in a manager, but what he does bring is a much better fit for a big club like United than what Potter brings. That doesn't mean I like either option much, it's basically a questionn of the lesser evil.
Which is why he's the better option for United!
 

Loon

:lol:
Joined
Aug 17, 2011
Messages
9,215
Location
No-Mark
Ten Hag has broken me. I wouldn't even consider suggesting or championing a candidate now, but neither of these two indicate to me an end to our current malaise.
 

Himannv

Full Member
Joined
Dec 11, 2017
Messages
5,811
Location
Somewhere in the draft forum
I think this is a pointless thread, because no decision will be made on the manager until the new upper management comes in, looks at the situation, and makes a decision on the way forward. Right now all those people are on gardening leave so any managers linked to the job are just tenuous links made up by the media.
 

Someone

Something
Joined
Oct 21, 2007
Messages
7,959
Location
Somewhere
Appointing Southgate would be such a kick in the balls and a massive indication that the new regime are just as clueless as the old one. Potter is obviously the better manager, but he failed at another top club, and doesn't have a great CV outside Brighton. You can't say you want the best in class and look at these two and feel that they're the best of anything.