Man United subsequent supervisor: Assessing candidates to switch Erik ten Hag if Pink Devils sack Dutch boss

As Manchester United’s season continues to slide away, the strain round Dutch boss Erik ten Hag continues to get extra palpable.

The most recent slip noticed the Pink Devils crash out of Europe as they fell 1-Zero to Bayern Munich on the ultimate day of Champions League group-stage play, ending backside of their four-team group to depart them eradicated from Europe of their worst efficiency within the competitors since 2005.

On high of that, they set the document for many objectives in opposition to in a Champions League group stage by an English membership, with 15 conceded of their six video games. Their defensive document has collapsed because the season goes on: from a Premier League standpoint, they sit sixth within the English high flight, however their -Three objective differential is the worst of any membership within the high eight and second-worst of these within the high half.

The Sporting Information has laid out all of the choices ought to Man United transfer on from Ten Hag and search for a brand new starting, within the hopes of salvaging the 2023/24 season.

MORE: How Man United produced their worst Champions League group stage in 18 years

Man United subsequent supervisor: Assessing candidates to switch Erik ten Hag

If Manchester United resolve to tug the plug on Erik ten Hag’s managerial tenure at Previous Trafford, there are no good choices for his substitute.

That enables us to take a position some as to who might slot in as the subsequent man hoping to take United again to former glories, which nonetheless evade the membership for the reason that departure of Sir Alex Ferguson over a decade in the past.

Zinedine Zidane

The previous Actual Madrid supervisor has been out of labor since departing the Spanish membership in 2021, clearly ready for the best place to open up. He was closely rumoured to be in line for the France place as soon as the 2022 World Cup completed, however Didier Deschamps stunned many by signing a brand new contract.

Zidane could be a best choice for United, as he could be for a lot of high golf equipment with a managerial emptiness, however there’s questions round whether or not he could be open to signing on. The 51-year-old advised Marca again in June of 2022 that he is not precisely thrilled a few Premier League job as a result of language barrier.

When requested particularly a few doable job opening in Manchester, Zidane mentioned: “I perceive English, however I do not grasp it utterly. I do know that there are coaches who go to golf equipment with out talking the language, however I work differently. Many parts come into play to win. It’s a international context.” Does he nonetheless really feel the identical means?

Graham Potter

Whereas Potter’s time at Chelsea crashed and burned, many nonetheless charge the previous Brighton & Hove Albion boss extremely and he may very well be in line for a mission job resembling this. Certainly, there have beforehand been rumours that Sir Jim Ratcliffe, the INEOS founder getting ready to buying a 25 per cent stake in United, would love Potter on the membership. He has been out of labor since his Blues tenure got here to a detailed again in April, however it could be a tough promote to followers after his time with the London membership went so poorly.

Roberto De Zerbi

One of many quickest rising managers within the recreation, Brighton supervisor Roberto De Zerbi is understood for his tactical innovation in transitional play, and his title has cropped up a variety of instances when huge golf equipment have a gap.

The 44-year-old Italian has led the tiny membership to new heights, qualifying for the Europa League for the primary time in membership historical past and establishing themselves as top-four contenders, constructing upon the success underneath Graham Potter. But might Potter’s failure at Chelsea trigger some trepidation round one other Brighton success story shifting on up?

Michael Carrick

This checklist would not be full with out point out of the likeliest of these with direct Manchester United hyperlinks. Former United midfielder Michael Carrick, who made 316 appearances for the membership over a 12-year Previous Trafford tenure, is at Championship membership Middlesbrough, his first everlasting managerial appointment. They sit 11th within the second tier as of mid-December, simply three factors again of the playoff spots in a crowded high half.

Carrick’s lack of expertise is obvious, however hiring somebody with deep data of the membership may very well be very attractive, and the actual fact he hasn’t bombed in his first job is notable. The 42-year-old has additionally led the Pink Devils earlier than on a caretaker foundation, put in again in 2021 after Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s dismissal and main the membership to some huge wins over Arsenal in league play and Villarreal within the Champions League earlier than Ralf Rangnick took over.

Hansi Flick

The previous German national-team supervisor solely lasted two years on the job with Die Mannschaft, earlier than their failures on the 2022 World Cup caught up with him. But Flick has huge membership expertise, having led Bayern Munich first as an assistant underneath Niko Kovac after which for 2 years as supervisor, profitable the treble in 2019/20 en path to being named UEFA Coach of the 12 months.

But Flick’s lack of expertise of any type outdoors Germany — he has only one 12 months overseas, as an assistant at Pink Bull Salzburg — coupled together with his struggles on the national-team stage might give some pause at bringing him to England for such a mission place.

Antonio Conte

Former Chelsea and Tottenham boss Conte hasn’t cropped up close to the highest of any betting lists, however there may very well be some sense in hiring the Italian to take over at Previous Trafford. Conte has been out of labor since his acrimonious departure from Tottenham this previous summer season, after he seemingly shoved his means out of the membership amidst stories he was completely depressing in London.

Whereas the concept of a management freak resembling Conte taking on the Manchester United mess might simply be a recipe for catastrophe, the membership might additionally search out a fixer of his nature, hoping for a direct enhance they’ll construct on as soon as issues crumble underneath the Italian, as they usually do. Nonetheless, the Pink Devils would doubtless have competitors as he appears to favor working in his house nation.

Julen Lopetegui

Fifty-seven-year-old Spanish boss Lopetegui represents possibly the right mixture of expertise, availability, and curiosity as Manchester United search out doable new managers. Lopetegui is most recognized for his time answerable for the Spanish nationwide group, the place he succeeded Vincente del Bosque, however he additionally has huge membership expertise at Actual Madrid.

Lopetegui has additionally managed within the Premier League, seemingly on an upward trajectory at Wolves earlier than abruptly leaving simply days earlier than the present season amidst rigidity with the board. And therein lies the difficulty round Lopetegui: he has left a number of positions in mysterious and awkward circumstances, together with his Wolves exit harking back to his departure from the Spanish nationwide group, the place he immediately departed simply days earlier than the beginning of the 2018 World Cup as information of his discussions with Actual Madrid got here to gentle. Between these two incidents, and his failed tenures at Madrid and Sevilla, would he be definitely worth the danger at Previous Trafford?

Names that do not make sense as subsequent Man United supervisor

Julian Nagelsmann

Whereas the German’s title has come up in betting circles as a chance for the subsequent Manchester United supervisor, there is not any sense to this really happening. Nagelsmann was solely lately employed as the pinnacle coach of the German nationwide group, that means there is not any likelihood he’s accessible till after Euro 2024 on the earliest, and in that case, it is doubtless that Germany flopped at their very own event, that means his rent would most likely be fairly bitter. This one simply would not add up.

Lionel Scaloni

Whereas it is conceivable that the Argentine might turn into accessible at a second’s discover amid hypothesis of his potential exit with the defending World Cup champions, this feels an unlikely pairing. Ought to he certainly go away Argentina, Scaloni has been open about his psychological fatigue and is more likely to take a while off from administration. Within the occasion he does return rapidly, he is been closely linked to Actual Madrid as a doable substitute for the Carlo Ancelotti, who is predicted to turn into the subsequent everlasting Brazil head coach.

It is laborious to think about that Scaloni, who seemingly craves stability and routine, has no expertise at membership stage, and lacks ties to the Premier League or Previous Trafford (past a quick mortgage spell with West Ham as a participant in 2006) could be a match for Manchester United in any capability.

Gareth Southgate

You’ll be able to sense a pattern right here as one other presently employed national-team supervisor is talked about in England boss Southgate. Whereas he is been linked to the United job earlier than, it could take an ideal storm for him to be put in, whether or not on a everlasting foundation or as an interim stopgap possibility.

Some consider he may very well be thought of subsequent summer season as soon as the Euros are over: it has been speculated that Southgate might go away his England publish following subsequent summer season’s event, together with his contract expiring in December subsequent 12 months. Nevertheless, it is also doable he decides to remain on for the 2026 World Cup cycle, significantly if England have an excellent event in Germany. In that occasion, he would solely be accessible for double obligation on a brief foundation, and that might merely be too messy to outweigh the advantages. Brazil are presently in that boat, and it is all gone unsuitable for Fernando Diniz regardless of his Copa Libertadores victory with Fluminense.

Mauricio Pochettino

Within the occasion Todd Boehly proves to sport simply as itchy a set off finger as his successor Roman Abramovich at Chelsea, it is doable that Mauricio Pochettino turns into accessible ought to Manchester United look to maneuver on from Erik ten Hag. However would he actually be a sellable rent, having simply failed in London after bombing at PSG and departing Tottenham in acrimonious method? It appears unlikely that United could be excited by somebody who calls for vital membership management and may have simply been fired from a struggling league rival.

Manchester United managers since Sir Alex Ferguson

If Manchester United had been to nominate a brand new supervisor, that individual could be the ninth coach to take cost of a United group following Sir Alex Ferguson’s retirement in Could 2013, together with caretaker/interim managers Ryan Giggs, Ralf Rangnick and Carrick.

Nonetheless supervisor of the membership