It’s that time again! Manchester United are once again in the midst of a managerial search. Ruben Amorim has been terminated, and honestly, he had it coming, given the way he publicly hit out at those directly above him in the org chart yesterday. It’s like he wanted to be sacked, the way he was speaking during that news conference.
Burnley FC vs Manchester United FYIs
Kickoff: Wed. Jan 7, 8:15pm, Turf Moor, Burnley, UK
Manchester United Preview Material: Managerial Candidates Team News
PL Position: Manchester United 6th, 31 pts Burnley FC 19th, 12 pts
Google Result Probability: Manchester United 56% Draw 24% Burnley FC 20%
So once again, United keeps on changing managers, and that means they’ll once again bring in a new guy to run his systems, for a roster that was built for the previous guy and his systems.
The United roster will once again have more square pegs in round holes, and it’s a recipe for anything but success, but the club just doesn’t seem to learn this lesson.
So who is next on this hamster wheel? As always, click where highlighted for more on said manager
Man United Managerial Candidates
Oliver Glasner
The consensus front-runner, and that is deserved, given what he’s been able to do in South London. Glasner has taken Palace to heights never before seen in their very long history, so he has the bona fides to be the favorite.
Enzo Maresca
What happened with Amorim certainly has a Chelsea-Enzo Maresca feel to it. Basically, both situations were arrangements where both sides wanted out, or the “Antonio Conte Special” as we like to call it.
Chelsea has their own issues and problems with managerial stability, but the timing and fit could work, with Maresca coming in now.
Darren Fletcher
If you want go path of least resistance, and stay in-house, then Fletcher, the current interim manager, is your guy. If you want a United man who knows the club culture, as well as the storied traditions, then go this route. However, promoting him might feel too much like the Ole Gunnar Solskjaer hire all over again.
And given how OGS never won anything of note, mayeb this wouldn’t fly with a lot of United supporters.
Xavi Hernandez
Maybe this isn’t the most exciting idea possible, but he does have a league title, from one of Europe’s big five leagues, on his CV. The six managers who followed Sir Alex Ferguson: David Moyes, Louis van Gaal, Jose Mourinho, Solskajer, Erik ten Hag and now Amorim, were all unable to do that.
In that context, the Xavi idea doesn’t sound so bad.
Gareth Southgate
We have to mention him here, simply because international law mandates that you include Southgate in every single “United Coaching Candidates” article of the past couple years or so.
But no, the former England boss is most likely not going to get the gig.
Paul M. Banks is the Founding Editor of The Sports Bank. He’s also the author of “Transatlantic Passage: How the English Premier League Redefined Soccer in America,” and “No, I Can’t Get You Free Tickets: Lessons Learned From a Life in the Sports Media Industry.”
He currently contributes to USA Today’s NFL Wires Network, RG.org and Ratings.org. His past bylines include the New York Daily News, Sports Illustrated and the Chicago Tribune. His work has been featured in numerous outlets, including the Wall Street Journal, Forbes and the Washington Post.