Manchester United's Next Manager: Why This Rebuild Needs Time

The speculation around Michael Carrick highlights United's managerial dilemma as the club seeks the right appointment to complete a lengthy rebuild process.

There is a an initial low rumbling about Carrick getting the Manchester United job full time. For me it's way too soon to be thinking about that, but depending on how he does I wouldn't totally rule it out. United is a unique club, and what works for other clubs more often than not doesn't work for us. Since Sir Alex has retired we've tried every sort of manager, EPL proven, top European winners, young up and coming managers, even a club legend. None have worked for various different reasons, although primarily due to how the club was being run above them.

The Pattern Since Alex Ferguson

If the club is going to try and fully embrace this DoF/head coach model then maybe someone like Carrick might be the right person to get the kind of success that we want. He much like Ole before him would at least be given more time by the fans due to his past with the club, and a big part of the problem we have had is that turning us around is a 2-3 year job minimum and the fans have typically lost patience before we can see the fruits of the managers labour.

The Brutal Reality of Rebuilding

I also wouldn't be surprised if we don't see success again until the manager after the next permanent manager. Mostly due to the time this turn around is likely to take and the ruthlessness that the manager will have to show to get us there. There are still players who need rooting out, and changing the mentality of the dressing room isn't something that you can coax out of players, you need to be tough. Diamonds are forged under pressure. That will make life difficult for that manager, particularly when results don't go well, the media will swoop and if the fans aren't on the managers side then his position will become uneasy. Again if we are going down the DoF/head coach role that actually makes it easier to pull the trigger and sack a manager down the line.

Summer Options and Preferences

It might be that our next manager does 70-90% of the work before losing their job and setting it up nicely for the next guy. Either way if it's not Carrick then that begs the question who takes it in the summer. For me personally I'd rule out potential candidates like Southgate, Tuchel and Simeone due to their style of play being too pragmatic and defensive. I just don't see United fans having the patience to sit through boring football while not winning anything of note. I think we can also rule out Alonso, he looks Liverpool bound and to be honest I don't think the fanbase will have much patience right now for another manager who has a preference for a back three system.

My preference in order would be Luis Enrique, Julian Nagelsmann, Roberto De Zerbi, Mauricio Pochettino and Andoni Iraola. Enrique if you can get him is the best candidate in terms of experience, style of play and gravitas. While Nagelsmann is also has that tactical acumen and gravitas but with a little less experience. De Zerbi has EPL experience and a great style of play, but can be combustible so might not be a long term solution. Pochettino has shown himself to be an excellent manager in the EPL but hasn't managed here for a while now, that said the current footballing trends in the EPL seem well suited to his style of play. Finally Iraola is the best young up and coming manager in the EPL who also plays an entertaining and successful style of football and I think he would be far more willing to fit within the structure the club is moving towards.

Broadly I'd put them into two categories, proven top managers (Enrique and Nagelsmann) who will be less inclined to accept a "head coach" role, but they bring so much to the job that it's probably worth compromising a little on that structure to get a genuine top level manager in.
Then you have that second group (De Zerbi, Pochettino and Iraola) who all play an exciting and entertaining front foot, aggressive pressing style of play but have less experience at the top but would be more likely to accept the more limited head coach role the club is looking to try and implement.

Who would you guys ideally want as our next permanent manager and why?

Written by Shappy January 24 2026 14:06:55