Manchester United is looking for a new coach following the departure of Ruben Amorim. According to media reports, the club is initially looking for an interim solution until the end of the season, someone who is obviously familiar with the club.
Despite a less than convincing season, Manchester United can still dream of a return to the Champions League at the start of the year. Due to inconsistent competition, the Red Devils are only three points behind fourth-placed Liverpool, but fifth place may also be enough. However, since Ruben Amorim’s dismissal on Monday, it is unclear who will bring the club back to the European stage.
According to English media reports, the mission will likely be taken on by a former Red Devils player. According to the BBC, sporting director Jason Wilcox has already held talks with Darren Fletcher, who is currently in charge, Michael Carrick, and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, but only about the role of interim coach until the end of the season. The Red Devils are unlikely to present a long-term solution until next summer. The favorites for the position are Oliver Glasner (Crystal Palace) and Roberto de Zerbi (Marseille).
Solskjaer recommended himself for a permanent position as interim coach in 2019
For Solskjaer, it would be déjà vu: in the 2018/19 season, he took over the coaching position at ManUnited on an interim basis from Jose Mourinho around halfway through the season and finished the season in 6th place. This was enough for those in charge at the time to offer him a permanent position, which lasted until his departure in November 2021.
Whether the Norwegian or Carrick – who was also interim coach for a short time after Solskjaer’s departure – returns will likely depend on Fletcher. If the team performs well under the Scot in Burnley on Wednesday evening and probably on Sunday against Brighton, those in charge are unlikely to see any need for further action.
However, Fletcher himself did not want to think about the longer term. “To be honest, I haven’t thought about it yet. I’m focusing on Burnley, this discussion is for after the game,” the 41-year-old said at the press conference. He also revealed that he could not have imagined this situation in his “wildest dreams.”
The statement was immediately followed by a demand to his protégés: “Hopefully, it looks like the Manchester United team reflects a little bit of me, a team that the fans can be proud of and that I can be proud of,” said the interim coach, who may hold this title for longer than he himself hopes.