Pranav Nair
Manchester United earmark five names in their hunt for an interim manager
According to The Daily Mail, Manchester United have shortlisted five names as their hunt for an interim manager to replace Ole Gunnar Solskjaer chugs on.
The Red Devils parted ways with the Norwegian this week following yet another humiliating defeat in the Premier League. A 4-1 hammering at Vicarage Road against a struggling Watford side broke the back, ultimately ending with the manager’s departure.
Michael Carrick has since taken over as the interim manager and led United to a 2-0 win against Villarreal. The victory saw them book their place in the UEFA Champions League knockout stages for the first time since the 2018/19 season.
Meanwhile in the background, United are looking at five names. They have already held talks with former Barcelona manager, Ernesto Valverde. The 57-year-old is interested in the temporary position but he faces competition from a number of familiar names.
Others in the fray include former AS Roma boss Paulo Fonseca, former Lyon boss Rudi Garcia, ex-Borussia Dortmund boss Lucian Favre and Lokomotiv Moscow sporting director Ralf Rangnick. Villarreal boss Unai Emery has also been part of the conversation while the clamour for Paris Saint-Germain manager, Mauricio Pochettino, is as loud as ever.
The chosen one?
Of all the names, it is perhaps Rangnick who appears the solid choice. He has a fine track record in management and has turned around sides such as TSG Hoffenheim and RB Leipzig, making them Bundesliga mainstays.
More so, he is familiar with making the best use of his resources and will dd a new fresh perspective to decision making at Old Trafford. The 63-year-old already has a good relationship with John Murtough and could prove to be the man to change the club’s fortunes.
The German appears to be United’s fallback option should a move for Mauricio Pochettino fall short. The Argentine’s comments on the matter could very well hint at Rangnick being the man to manage us until the end of the season.
Thanks but no thanks
Sevilla manager Julen Lopetegui was also linked with the job. However, he dismissed the links earlier this week. Curiously enough, Steve Bruce has also offered his services to United.
The former Man United skipper is a club legend. However, his track record in the front office is decent at best. While he may indeed be a possessor of the ‘United DNA’, emotion alone can help little in turning around the club’s fortunes.
Whoever takes up the job must have ice in his veins and should be able to handle the egos of some of the world’s foremost stars. Valverde certainly has experience of doing that given his time at Barcelona. Whether this swings the pendulum in his favour remains to be seen.
More Manchester United News
- Paris Saint-Germain manager Mauricio Pochettino gives his verdict on the Manchester United job
- Manchester United target Sergej Milinkovic-Savic could be preparing to leave SS Lazio
- Ernesto Valverde is linked to the position of interim manager at Manchester United
Most of the world’s best managers are already employed, bringing down United’s choices among top tier names. The club have only themselves to blame as the delay in pulling the plug on Solskjaer saw Tottenham Hotspur beat them to the signing of Antonio Conte.
One name missing from the list is of French legend Zinedine Zidane. Whether he has effectively been ruled out of the running or is in fact a trump card remains to be seen. One thing is clear; United cannot afford to dilly dally and should come to a consensus sooner rather than later.
