Who replaces Ten Hag?

[Judas]

Potter would absolutely drown here. How anyone can see how it went for him at Chelsea and still suggest him is scary ignorance.

I'm scared we might go for Southgate, at which point football for me would instantly become something I used to enjoy, but not anymore.

 

[Lay]

You need a strong manager in these circumstances, not just someone who plays pretty football. Potter would do feck all even if I do think he can become a very good manager.

De Zerbi is another who I think will be too ‘small’ (not physically ) for the job. The likes of Simeone would suit it with his personality but his tactics will piss everyone off.

Though personally I’d find it a hilarious playing as Atletico Madrid and shithousing to victory

 

[giggs-beckham]

We need to get the best possession based coach we possibly can. And build the structure around that for the long term.
But we won't

 

[justsomebloke]

Just thinking about this issue is a sure way to get even more depressed than you get from watching the team currently.

Anyone who comes in will suffer from the same weaknesses in the surrounding structure that has bedevilled every other manager we've had since SAF. He'll step into a limbo situation in that regard, as Ratcliffe and the Glazers negotiate to put something or other in place. Nobody knows when it's done, nobody knows if it happens at all, nobody knows what it'll look like or what it will mean for the operational side of the club.

He's going to have to make do with the same squad for the time being, and will get to decide on any transfers we can do. Another figure throwing resources at his own requirements, which, at this club, is always someone to plug an immediate hole and keep the ship afloat.

Some of the names floated are to my mind obviously disastrous. Potter? I can't imagine a setting less aligned with what he brings than the one we're currently in. Conte? Good God, how do people even think about that. He would be yet another sharp turn in style and formation, the squad isn't suited to what he wants, he'll want - and get - even more unhealthy control over transfers than other United managers have had and if he was unable to get along with the regimes at Chelsea and Spurs, how do you think he will find the situation at United? That is certain to end in tears within 2 years. As for Zidane, why would he (or any other blue chip name for that matter) choose to step into the chasm of chaos, uncertainty and dysfunction that is United at present.

To me it seems obvious that by far our best option to stick with ten Hag for as long as there is any possibility to do so. Which, unfortunately, may not be that long.

But maybe - just maybe - serious consideration should be given to backing him even if unacceptable results continue, and instead brutally move out one or two disaffected and underperforming first XI players. It may have happened once too many that managers got sacked after players downed tools. But then that has to be combined with adjusting the set-up around ten Hag. He should not figure as heavily in transfers as he is currently doing, he needs a much stronger and better structure around him. And this pragmatic drift in playing style has to end, it really has to.

 

[The-Mezzala]

Just seen that times article about United considering Zidane and Amorim.

I have maintained if it wasn't for ETH, I would go for Ruben Amorim. Broke the Benfica/Porto dominance, good communicator, adapts tactically to the opponent.

My only 2 drawbacks are:
- Experience - He's not managed a huge club so will the pressure of United eat him? Being a good communicator with the press can help (which he is).
- Style of play - Plays a 3421, could work well with us but equally so, this is the premier league and it can go horribly wrong. Some view him as a defensive manager. Again, will he get the same label as a say Jose Mourinho, who was labelled as a negative manager? Whilst his teams score goals, it's not a crazy amount for the Portugese league.

I think it's a gamble worth taking. The first manager to break the Benfica/Porto dominance is the main thing that attracts me, I won't lie to you.

What about

I would like Utd to go with a young up and coming manager who hasnt been at a big club or european giant.

Someone like De Zerbi.

Though i think we would end up with Potter once Ratcliffe purchase percentage has gone through.

I agree on De Zerbi. Potter would be an absolute disaster. Would be tempted to start supporting Salford if that happened

 

[next_number_seven]

Emery flopped at Arsenal and was unable to deal with a club in disarray post-Wenger. He'd completely lost the dressing room by the end. Arsenal's problems back then aren't much different to the ongoing problems at United now either. A squad full of overpaid prima donnas, aging stars and expensive flops, chaos in the boardroom and no direction above him on the footballing side of things. Yes, he's turned Villa around, but everybody knew they were criminally underperforming thanks to that useless chump Stevie Me, and he took over a relatively stable club with few expectations. I'm not saying he'd clearly be a disaster at United, but I don't see how he's clearly the man to turn it all around either.

He was only at Arsenal a year so it's hard to judge. He might've turned it around.

He's definitely on a shortlist if ETH is sacked.

Maybe Emery's a bit of a David Moyes type where he's good at lifting small to medium size clubs up to a higher level rather than being a trophy winning manager. The EL is obviously his speciality also.

 

[ToToMarshall]

What are the actual serious options here? Anyone worth considering currently in work almost certainly wouldn't jump ship midway through a season to manage us.

The managers currently out of work who have at least one of A) pedigree/good CV, B) a big name/profile, C) are known for playing progressive football and/or D) links to Manchester United:

Frank Lampard
Next!

Graham Potter
We could do worse, we could do better. Really rate him as a coach but his best work came in the bubble of Brighton and their seemingly perfect operation. His stint at Chelsea wouldn't bode well, and I have my doubt on how well he'd work with our players even if they didn't instantly throw him under the bus.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer
Not again. No thank you. Not even as an interim (and really an interim this time).

Hansi Flick
Wouldn't be the worst shout, but again I'm not sure he'd be the perfect fit and his stint at Germany and the back end of his time Bayern was quite poor.

Joachim Low
Ball sniffer. No thank you.

Antonio Conte
Probably the guy on this list who'd suit out current squad best, and that might be the biggest reason not to hire him. Gets results (to a point) but falls out with everyone and isn't a guy I could ever see myself getting behind with any passion.

Julen Lopetgui
I actually really rate Lopetegui as a coach, think he's got quite unlucky with his career and job choices. Don't think he's the kind of name we'd hire anyway so not much point discussing it.

Ruud van Nistelrooy
Could see this happening, 2019-Ole redux. Feel good factor for a goal-scoring true fan favourite who seems something of a promising young coach with little experience, who we hire as an interim with the secret hope of him being good enough to take the job full-time. As an actual interim to be moved on I wouldn't HATE it, but please not again.

Laurent Blanc
No thanks.

Roy Keane
If we want to fully commit to the comedy of this season then yes he's the ideal choice. Fairly sure he'd end the season in prison working with this lot.

Marcelo Gallardo
I'll be honest, I don't know anything about him, but everyone who's spent any time watching his teams have raved about him. We won't hire him, but he might end up at Brighton and then Chelsea will spend £15m appointing him in 2 years.

Zinedine Zidane
Does anyone else feel like if he actually ever wanted to manage us he would have already? I'm certain we'd have sounded him out about it multiple times in the last 4 years. Despite the immense success he's had as a coach I'm actually not totally convinced by him - his greatest strength at Madrid seemed to be keeping all his best players with the huge egos happy and commanding their respect, and bringing put the best in them. Not sure that would translate very well to United's current side.

None of them are an obvious answer. I'm not convinced Ten Hag is the guy, or maybe he was 15 months ago but now he's been tainted by the shiteshow we are and now he isn't anymore. Who knows? I'd still rather him than any of them, for now at least.

 

[Abraxas]

I would stick with ETH for a while longer.

But if push came to shove I see 2 possible routes.

If you want the best upcomer, potentially the next special manager, you wouldn't look further than De Zerbi. He has done great work but Man United is a completely different question. Particularly before new ownership as arrived. It's a mess.

Or you could go for an experienced hand. Maybe someone like Lopetgui or Unai Emery. They should have the background to handle a difficult period and stabilise us. I think this is a better option than someone like Conte who is just completely self absorbed and a hand grenade ready to go off. I don't think that works with our current situation as a club. We actually need steady, calm decision making.

 

[tenpoless]

Id take Zidane over any other. Sometimes you need luck on top of skills and he seem to have both.

 

[Cantonagotmehere]

Potter would absolutely drown here. How anyone can see how it went for him at Chelsea and still suggest him is scary ignorance.

I'm scared we might go for Southgate, at which point football for me would instantly become something I used to enjoy, but not anymore.

Agree mate, worst case scenario.

 

[astracrazy]

Most of the manages being listed here are with teams on a better trajectory than us, which is doing wonders for their careers. It would be a tough ask to convince them to come here.

 

[Kinky Melinky]

Roy Keane
If we want to fully commit to the comedy of this season then yes he's the ideal choice. Fairly sure he'd end the season in prison working with this lot.

I laughed, a lot. Thanks. Needed that.

 

[pocco]

Potter would absolutely drown here. How anyone can see how it went for him at Chelsea and still suggest him is scary ignorance.

I'm scared we might go for Southgate, at which point football for me would instantly become something I used to enjoy, but not anymore.

That's how most of us feel now. We may well end up with Southgate and you'll just have to suck it up.

 

[ToToMarshall]

I laughed, a lot. Thanks. Needed that.

You're welcome. Got to find the positives somehow somewhere.

 

[gaffs]

Ruben Amorim. Done a fantastic job at Sporting. Apparently, a great communicator, motivator and tactician.

With the Portuguese connection, would like to think he can get more out of Bruno, Case, Antony, Delot etc. Progressive manager than I could see working well with Ineos sport. Would hopefully bring in Palhinha, who he had at Sporting.

 

[ThierryHenry14]

We need to get the best possession based coach we possibly can. And build the structure around that for the long term.
But we won't

I can't see who is qualified for the job when even LVG failed badly already. You probably can't find anyone has more experience and as big reputation for implementing possession based football as LVG.

 

[AndySmith1990]

I'd quite like us to go for Sam Allerdyce, Neil Warnock or Mick McCarthy. Bad and boring is the worst thing in the world. The best movies are the ones that are so bad they're hilarious, like the room. That's what we should be aiming for

 

[Reyoji-Utd]

Two years ago, EtH was the one of best upcoming managers. He played good football with Ajax, almost everyone thinking we going to change and play to certain type.

Two years later, we are thinking about best upcming managers that going to change ua and play better football. Have it occurs to us that maybe its not the managers, rather its the players themselves that we got here that cant play or care to change to fit the football we fans want to see. We still have on our hand players that last almost ten years and still be here. Players that last after several managers, players that downtools and put the manager under the bus and dont care much because they know the top and fans will just go for easy option and sack the manager.

If we want change then it have to be the wholesale change from top to bottom and we have to go for the best manager possible. Someone like Zidane, has the pedigree, allure, power to get ride off old players that we have. Rashford, Bruno to name a few cant still be here. Their best football is not the football fans want. They work best in counter. The top and fans have to back the manager, change and stomach the pain during the difficult period. We might have to buy like what Ragnik said. And start from scratch otherwise ita still going to be the same story two yeara later.

 

[IrishMcD]

That's how most of us feel now. We may well end up with Southgate and you'll just have to suck it up.

If anyone in power suggests Southgate they should be immediately fired. Unfortunately, at our club it’s the dumb leading the dumb

 

[Cathy Ferguson]

Why what would they offer that Ten Hag can’t?

What do you expect them to do in our current set up significantly better that won’t get better by just having our first XI fit and available?

They will not do stupid things like ETH does on a regular basis. Of course the damage is mostly done, signing mediocre players. Pep wouldn't transform Mount and Antony into top players but ETH is so clueless that my brain hurts.

We might be in a very very difficult spot in January, do you trust ETH to make 1 or 2 signings to rectify that? I don't.

Losing our next two games would not be a major surprise.

 

[Cathy Ferguson]

Are we forgetting that he ended our trophy drought last season and came 3rd? That’s better than what Klopp and Guardiola did in their first season. Yes he overachieved last season that’s why everyone’s gunning for him this year. If we beat Fulham on Saturday then he becomes the quickest manager in history for us to get 50 wins. We are gonna be inconsistent when we keep getting injuries left right and centre. Martinez is a vital part to how Ten Hag wants to play out from the back. Shaw hasn’t played for a very long time, Varanes forever injured. We’ve got a new young ST upfront. He deserves time to turn it around… fans need to be patient. Can’t keep changing managers through bad times.

Do you think we gave Ole too little or too much time?

We are now in a situation where we have a squad bloated with very expensive poor players from not only one manager but two. And this time we cannot buy ourselves out of this mediocrity. Many dire years ahead but hopefully without ETH.

 

[DJ_21]

Do you think we gave Ole too little or too much time?

We are now in a situation where we have a squad bloated with very expensive poor players from not only one manager but two. And this time we cannot buy ourselves out of this mediocrity. Many dire years ahead but hopefully without ETH.

Probably too much time. Ole should have never gotten it in the first place.. that’s another mistake this clubs as made. Interim managers should stay interim, just because he did good. That was because he made the squad happier. Do you think Solskjær is a better manager than ETH? The simple answer is no… would Ole win the league with Ajax? Probably not. We CANNOT keep changing managers every time something goes wrong. When we get Martinez, Shaw, and the rest of the players back and fit then we may go on a winning run and people like you will be like ‘I knew it was the right choice to keep ETH’ even though you want him out. This fan base is all over the place… the people wanting him in are now wanting him out. show some Faith. if we are still shocking next season then we start looking for alternatives.

 

[Maticmaker]

I think we will have to wait for ETH himself to say, "I give up", write me a cheque and I'm off!

We have seen the 'rinse and repeat' format each time with the different managers, where clearly there is something wrong and when as its often stated in the press "the manager has lost the dressing room". I suspect most fans probably believe that different managers have lost perhaps half the dressing room, or there are too many 'prima-donnas' being allowed to 'strut their stuff'; too many long term injuries occurring, (flagged up by Rangnick) almost on a regular basis, that has still not been explained, despite many changes in the backroom staff.

Moyes is a much better manager now than he was then (perhaps thanks to the experience at OT?), Ole filled a great role as Temporary manager but did not have the skill set for permanent management, certainly not at OT.
LvG won the FA Cup, Jose the Europe Cup and finished second (something he claims as his best management achievement) in PL, ETH has won the Caraboa Cup and finished 3rd in PL. These were/are not bad managers, style and approach was different, some believed LvG was a 'yesterdays man' but both he and Jose knew they could succeed anywhere, had that confidence and in my opinion, both eventually 'worked their respective tickets'.
ETH is on his way up, he wants to do things differently and we are just going to have to allow him that time, after all with the ownership model we currently have, we don't have much choice.

 

[BenitoSTARR]

They will not do stupid things like ETH does on a regular basis. Of course the damage is mostly done, signing mediocre players. Pep wouldn't transform Mount and Antony into top players but ETH is so clueless that my brain hurts.

We might be in a very very difficult spot in January, do you trust ETH to make 1 or 2 signings to rectify that? I don't.

Losing our next two games would not be a major surprise.

@Cathy Ferguson What stupid things has ETH done?

 

[The-Mezzala]

Potter would absolutely drown here. How anyone can see how it went for him at Chelsea and still suggest him is scary ignorance.

I'm scared we might go for Southgate, at which point football for me would instantly become something I used to enjoy, but not anymore.

If Southgate or Potter get hired. We definitely are cursed

 

[giggs-beckham]

I can't see who is qualified for the job when even LVG failed badly already. You probably can't find anyone has more experience and as big reputation for implementing possession based football as LVG.

A modern possession manager. LVG was happy with the backline only having the ball, few goals and boring everyone to death. He was on the decline

 

[Cathy Ferguson]

@Cathy Ferguson What stupid things has ETH done?

Playing Casemiro as your only defensive midfielder while having Rashford cheating defensively on one wing and Antony doing nothing offensively on the other. It is Sunday league stuff.

Playing an inexperienced 20 year old as your main striker.

 

[gaffs]

@Cathy Ferguson What stupid things has ETH done?

Signings - Antony, Casemiro (short term buy on a long term expensive contract), Mount.
Ditching your strategies after a couple of poor games. 2 x numbers 8's Where does that leave Mount now?
Losing Ronaldo only to replace with a player not good enough for Burnley. Would have been smarter to keep Ronaldo on side.
Freezing out Sancho. Has proven to be a self-own that could have been managed internally to maintain squad harmony and not to devalue an asset.
Playing McTominay as a 10. We are not Scotland.
Subs Amrabat at HT v City and replacing with McTominay.
Making a pigs ear of the DDG contract by offering it to him and retracting it.
Signing Onana before your team were comfortable enough on the ball to maximize his key strength.

 

[frostbite]

Signings - Antony, Casemiro (short term buy on a long term expensive contract), Mount.
Ditching your strategies after a couple of poor games. 2 x numbers 8's Where does that leave Mount now?
Losing Ronaldo only to replace with a player not good enough for Burnley. Would have been smarter to keep Ronaldo on side.
Freezing out Sancho. Has proven to be a self-own that could have been managed internally to maintain squad harmony and not to devalue an asset.
Playing McTominay as a 10. We are not Scotland.
Subs Amrabat at HT v City and replacing with McTominay.
Making a pigs ear of the DDG contract by offering it to him and retracting it.
Signing Onana before your team were comfortable enough on the ball to maximize his key strength.

Add this:

Signing an inexperienced 20 year old striker when you know that last year your biggest problem was scoring goals.

 

[pocco]

Signings - Antony, Casemiro (short term buy on a long term expensive contract), Mount.
Ditching your strategies after a couple of poor games. 2 x numbers 8's Where does that leave Mount now?
Losing Ronaldo only to replace with a player not good enough for Burnley. Would have been smarter to keep Ronaldo on side.
Freezing out Sancho. Has proven to be a self-own that could have been managed internally to maintain squad harmony and not to devalue an asset.
Playing McTominay as a 10. We are not Scotland.
Subs Amrabat at HT v City and replacing with McTominay.
Making a pigs ear of the DDG contract by offering it to him and retracting it.
Signing Onana before your team were comfortable enough on the ball to maximize his key strength.

Bruno RW (Inc moving him there to play Wout at no10 because it worked once vs Leeds )
Reneging on the De Gea deal and disrespecting a long time player and popular figure
Trying to sign Arnautovic without realising he'd been in hot water for racism
Pursuing De Jong for the full transfer window and ruining a chance at finding a good alternative
Allowing Ronaldo to continue after he took the piss out of the club in the summer he arrived, only to bin him off shortly after and have no replacement
Against Brighton and Brentford last season, trying to use Fred as the first ball from defence and expecting him to play out, after its something he specifically struggled with for years when pressured.
I know it's a freebie, but Eriksen as a holding sort of player, when he'd made his name as a more advanced player

 

[BenitoSTARR]

Playing Casemiro as your only defensive midfielder while having Rashford cheating defensively on one wing and Antony doing nothing offensively on the other. It is Sunday league stuff.

Playing an inexperienced 20 year old as your main striker.

Signings - Antony, Casemiro (short term buy on a long term expensive contract), Mount.
Ditching your strategies after a couple of poor games. 2 x numbers 8's Where does that leave Mount now?
Losing Ronaldo only to replace with a player not good enough for Burnley. Would have been smarter to keep Ronaldo on side.
Freezing out Sancho. Has proven to be a self-own that could have been managed internally to maintain squad harmony and not to devalue an asset.
Playing McTominay as a 10. We are not Scotland.
Subs Amrabat at HT v City and replacing with McTominay.
Making a pigs ear of the DDG contract by offering it to him and retracting it.
Signing Onana before your team were comfortable enough on the ball to maximize his key strength.

Add this:

Signing an inexperienced 20 year old striker when you know that last year your biggest problem was scoring goals.

Bruno RW (Inc moving him they're to play Wout at no10 because it worked once vs Leeds )
Reneging on the De Gea deal and disrespecting a long time player and popular figure
Trying to sign Arnautovic without realising he'd been in hot water for racism
Pursuing De Jong for the full transfer window and ruining a chance at finding a good alternative
Allowing Ronaldo to continue after he took the piss out of the club in the summer he arrived, only to bin him off shortly after and have no replacement
Against Brighton and Brentford last season, trying to use Fred as the first ball from defence and expecting him to play out, after its something he specifically struggled with for years when pressured.
I know it's a freebie, but Eriksen as a holding sort of player, when he'd made his name as a more advanced player

So are you all on the fence about him then?

 

[pocco]

So are you all on the fence about him then?

 

[gaffs]

So are you all on the fence about him then?

Personally, back him. But doesnt mean you cant point out faults.

 

[frostbite]

So are you all on the fence about him then?

Undecided!

Should we sack him now? After Chrismas? In May?

 

[BenitoSTARR]

Personally, back him. But doesnt mean you cant point out faults.

And I appreciate that to be fair. I’m not happy with the current situation either and some of the club decisions that Ten Hag has been a part of but equally I think he’s a great manager and will prove to be one if we give him the time.

Im not sure every quoted criticism is entirely fair but I agree with some of it.

I only ever take issue when there is no acknowledgement of context and purely criticism.

 

[BenitoSTARR]

Undecided!

Should we sack him now? After Chrismas? In May?

Not at all and give him time to get through this unprecedented injury period and period of sporting uncertainty with INEOS around the corner.

Genuine question here what do people expect Ten Hag to be able to achieve having had to play Evans, Maguire and Lindelof since the 3rd PL game? What was a realistic expectation about our style of play and position in the table in your eyes?

 

[gaffs]

And I appreciate that to be fair. I’m not happy with the current situation either and some of the club decisions that Ten Hag has been a part of but equally I think he’s a great manager and will prove to be one if we give him the time.

Im not sure every quoted criticism is entirely fair but I agree with some of it.

I only ever take issue when there is no acknowledgement of context and purely criticism.

I agree. I think he’s a good manager too. For me, he needs to stick to his football ethos. If he’s gonna go out, he should do so by doing things the way that he wants to do them. Not by chopping and changing and just hoping he find something that works.

I do think that he has an almighty challenge to turn things around. History tells us it’s near impossible.

Fulham and Copenhagen games are crucial. If we go out of the Champions League, then the only thing that saving him is the pending partial takeover.

 

[gaffs]

Not at all and give him time to get through this unprecedented injury period and period of sporting uncertainty with INEOS around the corner.

Genuine question here what do people expect Ten Hag to be able to achieve having had to play Evans, Maguire and Lindelof since the 3rd PL game? What was a realistic expectation about our style of play and position in the table in your eyes?

not easy, playing with that back four, especially Lindelof at left back. But the team isn’t clicking in any area of the field - from the goalkeeper letting them in to the forwards, not making any chances.

If he doesn’t trust the back four, set up the team to protect them. But he’s not doing that.

 

[BenitoSTARR]

not easy, playing with that back four, especially Lindelof at left back. But the team isn’t clicking in any area of the field - from the goalkeeper letting them in to the forwards, not making any chances.

If he doesn’t trust the back four, set up the team to protect them. But he’s not doing that.

Part of the problem is I don’t think he’s had the players to protect that back 4 I don’t think many could with how we want to play and the knock on effects of so much disruption to that back line on a club that has just signed Onana who is one of the build up GKs of world football is telling.

I think you plop Guardiola into the exact same circumstances but just his managerial accumen and I’d be stunned if we were in a far better position.

 

[Someone]

Realistically no one inside the club knows who's the next manager could be. Neither Arnold nor Mortough will be allowed to choose a new manager.

Ratcliffe and his men are going to be making that decision assuming the deal goes through. They could be the source of rumors but I doubt it.