Manchester United’s managerial merry-go-round continues after Ruben Amorim’s sacking
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Ruben Amorim left Old Trafford with the struggling English Premier League giants sixth in the table after the Jan 4 draw at Leeds United.
PHOTO: REUTERS
LONDON – Manchester United woke up on Jan 5 to yet another reset.
And now, after the sacking of Ruben Amorim
Among the suggested favourites to take over what is touted as football’s most difficult job are Enzo Maresca, who dramatically left Chelsea on New Year’s Day, Oliver Glasner, Gareth Southgate, Michael Carrick, Xavi Hernandez, England manager Thomas Tuchel and United’s interim coach Darren Fletcher.
Former United defender Gary Neville has called on the club to stop experimenting with managers and appoint someone who fits their traditional playing style.
“The experiments have got to stop,” the pundit told Sky Sports. “I’ve always been proud of what this club is – adventurous, exciting football, playing young players and entertaining the crowd.”
“They must take risks and have the courage to play attacking, aggressive football.”
“Barcelona will never change for anybody,” he added.
“I don’t believe United should change for anybody. The club has to find a manager who has experience and is willing to play fast, entertaining, attacking football.”
Maresca sits near the top of the list – available, ambitious, and with a fresh Club World Cup trophy from his Chelsea stint. But tensions over support and recruitment that ultimately prompted his exit from the west London club last week suggest that United would be replacing one disgruntled manager with another.
The 45-year-old has also been linked to the Manchester City job as Pep Guardiola’s successor, although United can offer an immediate return to the dugout that could be attractive to the Italian.
Moves from Chelsea to Manchester have historically not worked well. Jose Mourinho lasted barely a season between 2016 and 2018, and Dave Sexton had little success at Old Trafford in his stint in the 1970s.
Crystal Palace boss Glasner brings a compelling blend of pragmatism and structure. He delivered the London club their first major trophy when they won the FA Cup last season and reshaped a mid-table side into one of the league’s most organised units with the same 3-4-3 that Amorim was so committed to.
The Austrian could be tough to prise away from Palace, although his contract situation and his own ambitions make him a realistic target, especially if United wait until summer. His deal runs until June and he has yet to commit his long-term future.
There is also a perception that the 51-year-old manages the media – and, by extension, pressure – better than Amorim did, a non-trivial edge at Old Trafford.
Xavi, 45, represents a different kind of bet – identity and ideals over immediate pragmatism. Free since leaving Barcelona in 2024, he remains associated with a possession-first, youth-forward model that seeks control through the ball.
Reports have long suggested that he is open to the Premier League and specifically intrigued by United, yet his lack of English top-flight experience means adaptation – and patience – would be essential. If United want a cultural restructure more than a quick fix, Xavi fits, although early turbulence during a period of adjustment is likely.
His availability makes him an obvious choice.
Carrick, a former Red Devils midfielder, is a name that resonates strongly with United fans. The Englishman briefly stepped into the spotlight as caretaker manager for three games in 2021 that included wins over Arsenal and Villarreal and a draw with Chelsea.
The 44-year-old, who is also available, later enhanced his managerial credentials at Middlesbrough before being sacked in June after he failed to take them out of the Championship.
While Southgate reportedly has a good relationship with United co-owner Jim Ratcliffe and sporting director Jason Wilcox, he said in November that he is not “desperate to stay in football”.
The 55-year-old also spoke openly about the harsh scrutiny as England manager during Euro 2024 and might not be keen to work in the cut-throat environment of the Premier League, particularly at United, a club under constant public watch.
Fletcher, a technical director at United and the club’s Under-18s manager, is an unlikely choice, although the 41-year-old Scot has a unique blend of coaching experience and boardroom insight that could work in his favour.
Former United defender and pundit Rio Ferdinand named Tuchel, whose contract with England runs until the 2026 World Cup Finals, to his four-man shortlist.
The 52-year-old German, who led England to eight wins from eight matches in World Cup qualifying, was linked to the United job after Dutchman Erik ten Hag was fired and reportedly met Ratcliffe to discuss the role.
United’s coaching woes are not a new story. It has been a managerial merry-go-round since Ferguson’s departure – with the club cycling through philosophies and personalities, from David Moyes to Louis van Gaal, Mourinho, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, and most recently Amorim, without resolving deeper questions around identity and a unifying footballing vision.
Amorim’s downfall was partly intertwined with disagreements over role definition – manager versus head coach – and the limits of influence over recruitment. Whoever comes next must thrive within that framework, not bend it. REUTERS
