May 08
What if Fergie walks away? (Part I)
Before I start, thanks for all your comments on my previous article. I hope you’ll appreciate the irony when I say that the best thing about this blog is the spectrum of contributors from all across the world, and it was great to hear your take on my Anglo-centric views. I tried to pull together my responses to those comments in post 52 in that thread, so have a look if you’re still interested in the debate.
Now, here’s some fodder to keep our minds off the unbearable tension that will be next Sunday….
There is a mischievous rumour doing the rounds that Fergie will leave on a high if we win the double. This was touched upon in the comments to this thread at numbers 25-35, approximately. I thought it was worthy of an article, because the “who’s next” guessing game is always fun and hasn’t been played for a while and because I (as usual) have some fairly particular opinions on the point which I want to hear your thoughts on.
First off, let me say that I don’t think it will happen. Anyone who saw Fergie in the centre circle after the West Ham game will be clear that he was in no way saying goodbye to the fans. He has built a great young squad that can only get better — he ain’t walking away now and letting someone else reap the rewards. He’s going to make up for those three years of pain by living with this team as well.
If you want to read more debate on this subject (and you should, because it involves the opinions of Martin Samuel, who is the best football columnist around by a long chalk), have a look at the Times website here.
The ground rules
But football’s a funny old game, and you never know. So let’s look at the possible contenders and the qualifications they would need to take over.
Here’s a list, in no particular order, of the names that spring to mind. I’ll put them in my order of preference at the end of the article.
- Carlos Queiroz
- Martin O’Neill
- Jose Mourinho
- Roy Keane
- Mark Hughes
- generic successful foreign manager (Ancellotti, Scolari, Capello, Hitzfeld, Klinsmann, etc etc)
- Sven
Here also are the things I think the next manager should have:
- experience with a variety of teams, preferably including the Premier League
- experience of winning trophies, preferably as manager
- proven ability to motivate players, both individually and as a unit
- prospective loyalty to Manchester United (in other words not viewing United as a stepping stone to another job, or one job in a shopping list of things to do in a career)
- record of commitment to a club as a whole, including youth team set up and other back room staff
I’m also going to think about possible assistants to each manager, because I think that will be a very important aspect in the success of the transition. If you want any evidence of the importance of the assistant manager, just compare our record in seasons where we have had a genuine assistant (Kidd, McClaren, Queiroz) to the seasons where Fergie has been operating on his own with help from the rest of the back room staff. ‘Nuff said.
The contenders
Carlos Queiroz
Experience and Success - good coaching experience prior to joining United, but disastrous season as manager of Real Madrid.
Motivation - undoubtedly responsible for our Portuguese / Brazilian contingent settling so well and performing to their ability. Failed to gain respect of high-profile Madrid players.
Loyalty - good, as far as we know. Came back to us after Real, which is a good sign. Risky, though — if he became manager and continued to recruit Portuguese / South American players and then left, most of them would be severely unsettled.
Clubman - certainly has a vision for United, and has taken responsibility for bringing in many of the next generation. Also has a strong network of scouts and contacts in “his” areas.
Ideal assistant - needs an English speaker who is United to the core. Bryan Robson would be perfect, since he finally seems to have accepted that the top jobs are not for him. Other less experienced possibilities are Gary Neville (if his injury gets the better of him), Ryan Giggs and Ole Solskjaer.
Martin O’Neill
Experience and Success - wide-ranging. Did a sterling job with Leicester in the Premiership, making them a top ten club with almost no resources; domestically successful with Celtic, and lost a UEFA Cup final to Mourinho’s cheating Porto; has turned Villa around with good prospects for next season.
Motivation - forged a fantastic team spirit at Leicester and Villa, making them punch above their weight both in terms of resources and squad size. Kept his team together well at Celtic.
Loyalty - O’Neill is never going to manage outside these shores, and so United is likely to be his last stop if he does well. No history with us, though.
Clubman - unquestionably looks after the whole club and is capable of building a team over time to a vision. Plays good football when his resources allow.
Ideal assistant - well, if he’ll stay as coach, CQ. That will be the case for all the other contenders. But it wouldn’t surprise anyone if CQ left if he was passed over, so failing him someone young, energetic and United to the core. I’m thinking Giggsy…
Jose Mourinho
Experience and Success - we’ve all had it rammed down our throats — Porto & Chelsea, etc. Impressive trophy cabinet. Guaranteed success, almost, which is important both to the fans and the owners.
Motivation - based on evidence at Chelsea, every bit as good as Fergie — players would run through brick walls for him. On the plus side, if CQ left we have another Portuguese to replace him, which would reduce the risk of an exodus.
Loyalty - Looks like he’s set for a tour of the big European clubs, with a stop off in the Portugal national squad — no way we’re keeping him until he retires.
Clubman - Was never allowed to do anything other than first team affairs at Chelsea, so undecided. Plays dire football, though — remember that comment he made to his players before last season’s FA Cup final? “Do you want to enjoy the game, or enjoy after the game?”. Sorry for being trite, but both please.
Ideal assistant - irrelevant. He’ll bring his own back room staff, although again it would be good to see him retain a United presence, like Steve Clarke at Chelsea.
Roy Keane
Experience and Success - has done as well as anyone could have expected with Sunderland, getting them promoted and then keeping them up despite a rough start. Seen and done it all as a player.
Motivation - unproven with big enough names and egos to rival his own, but everyone at Sunderland seems in awe of him. At least as ruthless as Fergie.
Loyalty - if he was successful enough, you could see him being United manager for ever.
Clubman - again, doing well based on limited evidence.
Ideal assistant - CQ. Needs a first class coach and someone with lots of experience alongside him. I honestly don’t think it would work with anyone else, but I also don’t think CQ would let Keano be brought in over his head, and there would be a risk of the lines of authority being blurred.
Mark Hughes
Experience and Success - Wales and Blackburn. He has made both better than the sum of their parts, which is high praise for any manager - in particular Wales, with a limited player pool and a tough group. If only they hadn’t lost to Azerbaijan, they would have qualified for the Euros despire being in Italy’s group. Short of club European experience as a manager, though.
Motivation - unarguable with both teams. Managed difficult personalities like Robbie Savage, and has subdued big egos like Benni McCarthy and Roque Santa Cruz.
Loyalty - like Keano, this would be the peak of his managerial career.
Clubman - has done a good job bringing young players into the Blackburn team. After a rocky start with earned them the name Blackeye Rovers, he seems to be committed to good, attacking football.
Ideal assistant - again CQ would be ideal — see Keano. Otherwise, someone with extensive experience. I’m thinking Brian Kidd…
Sven
This was more in here as a joke, but nobody can question his experience and he did a very good job at City. Still, I’m an England fan and the scars run deep…
Miscellaneous European manager
There will inevitably be some big foreign names linked, but it’s impossible to know who. And this post is long enough without going into detail on all the possible contenders. If someone else wants to in the comments, then be my guest.
In fact, this post has become too long to be continued, so I’m going to stop here and let you debate the contenders as I have presented them. I will then write part 2 of this article in a couple of days, which will give my preferences, try to address any comments made, and talk about how the process is likely to work in practice. Happy ranting.
Related items from Red Rants:- What if Fergie walks away? (Part II)
- Man Utd v Barcelona: Preview
- Manchester United vs Sporting Lisbon: point to prove for Fergie
- Fletch For Everton? Pako for a ‘Thrilled’ Queiroz?
- Nani and Anderson — Managed
Tags: Opinions/Columns
May 8th, 2008 at 10:21
why isnt marcello lippi on the list
May 8th, 2008 at 10:30
Cantona! Now that would be entertaining
Definitely not Sven or Jose though…
Just look at Liverpool on how to ruin a dominant team and learn from their mistakes
May 8th, 2008 at 10:31
Probably falls under “generic successful foreign manager”. But I see your point he would maybe warrant his own mention what with all the links to him we have had.
I agree with most of your points. My first choice? Probably Queiroz, at least until we really have enough evidence of Keane’s ability. Would like to see Keane at a more successful club in a couple of years.
May 8th, 2008 at 10:43
checxk tis out boys wigans “NEW” pitch http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/sport/football.html?in_article_id=564661&in_page_id=1779
May 8th, 2008 at 11:12
If Rikjaard were able to handle players and could actually motivate them,he would be my choice.Jose Mourinho should not be included in that shortlist.Please,do we want to be the next Porto or Chelsea?Do I want success?Yes.Do I want to play soulless football?No way.Roy Keane would not cut it 4 me for the same reasons as Mourinho(not soul-less as such,but too pragmatic) and also he needs a decade at least to prove himself.Scolari is just not reliable ito loyalty.He has stated that Epl is rubbish and quite frankly I wouldn’t disagree.Mark Hughes,is a hopeful option,but please play meaningful football with a bit of imagination Sparky before u hand in your CV.I think CQ should be given the chance 2 prove himself with the current squad whn Saf retires.
May 8th, 2008 at 11:40
Ah yes the urban myth that sparky is a devil through and through….well he’s
not he’s a chav in his heart and he had the best of his profession with us..
nothing wrong…but a chav being the manager of United is preposterous to be honest
May 8th, 2008 at 11:50
Afraid my comments are going to be short and sweet, I’ll pick up anything of substance in Part II. But still:
@ bleh (1) - included in “generic foreign manager”.
@ magno (2) - Cantona may be an interesting choice as assistant, but he has precisely zero management experience
@ vish (5) - your definition of chav is very different to mine (unless you mean Chelsea fan, in which case I’d be interested in some evidence other than that Sparky played for them for a couple of seasons after the famous “you can’t win anything with kids” clearout alongside Ince and Kanchelskis).
May 8th, 2008 at 11:52
I agree Jay Wire, Rijkaard is a great choice. If we want to see beautiful, attacking football he is the guy to go to.
May 8th, 2008 at 12:08
@ Penguin - I’m pretty sure Mark is a self-professed Chelsea fan.
I don’t think we need to think about sucessors just yet, no way is he leaving in the next couple of years, health permitting. He lives for it, and views a lot of the team as his prodigies (rooney, ronaldo etc) and will want to see them mature and get better. By then we’ll probably be talking about more good managers that have popped up.
Personally, I think Roy Keane will still not have had enough experience, and would never play second fiddle to another as an assistant. I would also be surprised by Jose, as I don’t actually think he’s that good at managing top-level egos.
Martin O’Neil seems most likely to me, especially if he pushes Villa into Europe next year. And I’d be fine with that, given his candour, successes and style.
As an aside, if Rooney is fit this weekend, do you start him over Tevez?
May 8th, 2008 at 12:13
might sound stupid , i would put everyone attacks on the pitch lol and have rio and van der sar defending only
May 8th, 2008 at 12:44
@beachryan - you learn something new every day.
and you play both!
May 8th, 2008 at 12:46
I don’t think SAF is off until he takes the all time most championships statistic from Liverpool, which is about 3 years away
May 8th, 2008 at 12:54
Rijkaard might be a good choice - he’s had success at the highest level, his teams play entertaining football, and he’s still quite young
On another note - anyone fancy Wenger?
May 8th, 2008 at 13:30
I wish Fergie stays on forever.
But, the idea of CQ staying assistant coach to Keano is a little far-fetched. Keane as manager and Sir Alex as his mentor for a couple of seasons would be great. Sir Alex should be more than willing to help his best player.
Keane would be my choice. He was one of the most inspirational captains around. He would definitely command respect from his players. And I don’t see him quit United for any other club. As for trophies, he has achieved whatever was expected of him in the two seasons. He did accomplish a lot as a player and that experience would definitely help him in winning trophies. Ability to manage egos - he should be better than Fergie
Fergie, please don’t leave.
May 8th, 2008 at 13:53
I also read somewhere that Fergie has often let Keano give the half time talk. He is certainly manager material.
) and so wouldn’t quit Arsenal. Hope Sir Alex stays on too, to see his young Man United side win consecutive Champions League trophies.
[Neil]
Wenger is an interesting choice. He is a proven manager and his ability to spot talent is great. But, he is in the process of building a team for the future (which he does so every three years
May 8th, 2008 at 13:57
For Quieroz is the one who’s gonna take the job.I think the platform is made for him.He knows the squad and they respect him.If he didn’t get the job,then Rijkaard could be the right choice.He has failed the previous two seasons with Barca due to the amount of pressure the catalans fans and the media put to their managers.
May 8th, 2008 at 14:03
raj, it is not unusual for the team captain to give the half-time talk… that is one of the reasons that they are there for, to motivate his peers. Something coming from your equal is twice more valuable than if it came from a manager.
I would actually fancy Wenger… surprisingly… but Rijkaard would also be my top choice, but the club should also look at Hiddink.
May 8th, 2008 at 14:39
Off topic, but theres an article on the Man United website where Neville says he’s ready to play the last two games if needed. What do you guys think, does he deserve it? Do you think Fergie will play him because he is captain, or will he stick with Brown who has been doing great all season?
May 8th, 2008 at 14:58
Another off-topic diversion (sorry!) but here’s something for all the Huntelaar lovers on here!
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/main.jhtml?xml=/sport/2008/05/08/ufnhunt208.xml
Also some interesting news/gossip further on in the article regarding the right back position
May 8th, 2008 at 15:11
When Lippi said he was taking a time-out after the World Cup final, I thought he was eyeing a position at United. Now it seems he is being considered to replace Rijkaard. Given the fickle nature of Spanish clubs, he should be fired by the time the Boss deceides to call it a day. (Which, by the way, I don’t think will happen this summer. Maybe next summer)
May 8th, 2008 at 15:17
[Andrei]
I thought the half-time pep talk is one of the important responsibilities of a manager. I didn’t know that captains do it often. Thanks for that mate. Anyway, my point was Keane can motivate the team better than many.
[TinManUnited]
Brown has been good all season and he was terrific against Barca. He is an automatic choice for the next two games. Neville will be behind Silvestre, O’Shea and Pique in the list even though he is available. Hope Fergie gives him another ten minutes this Sunday.
May 8th, 2008 at 15:21
Queiroz is an almost certainty for being the next manager. I say so because of the Portuguese-speaking contingent being built up at United (not to mention the links to Bosingwa) and the fact that he himself has been in the limelight quite a lot. I havent seen any other assistant manager this season who has been getting so much attention (except gus poyet, coz Juande Ramos dont speak no English) This all seems to be a preconceived plan to provide Queiroz with a stepping stone to the throne.
May 8th, 2008 at 15:59
i dont care who are next manager is,as long as he has an attacking mind, so mourinho gets a big fat no. He must have some success as a manager, or we will have the likes of steve mclown as our manager…
congrats on the anniversary RR(even though you didnt make this article) sorry i didnt say this earlier, i had near no time yesterday.
May 8th, 2008 at 16:04
@ Mihir (21) - Queiroz gets a lot of media attention because Ferguson refuses to speak to the BBC, so after every game you get Fergie’s comments to Sky and the press, and then on Match of the Day and BBC Radio we hear Queiroz’s views. If Fergie was speaking to the BBC (and he looks very petty these days for not doing so), we wouldn’t hear much from CQ.
May 8th, 2008 at 16:18
The reason queiroz seems to be in the limelight more than other assistant managers is because fergie fell out with the bbc so queiroz does all the interviews with them.
May 8th, 2008 at 16:32
Neil - Wenger absolutely detests United. Mourinho is much more pragmatic about matters of football, yet Wenger was quick to support Avram Grant when he was being questioned about the worthiness of Chelsea winning the league.
But that doesn’t mean I’d rather have Mourinho. I’d personally go for CQ and one red-blooded assistant, probably Gary Neville.
May 8th, 2008 at 16:38
I would like to see Juande Ramos at United he does play terrific football(onwhat i have seen at sevilla)
he has a good amount of experience and will have managed in the premiership
I suppose it is all down to how he does at spurs (who by the way i think may challenge for champions league spot next season)
what do you guys think???
May 8th, 2008 at 16:47
I would love to see Keano at United, but after his criticism of SAF earlier this year, I don’t see it. I think he’s burned his bridges at United and he wants to construct a new legacy at Sunderland. Also, my understanding is that Keane never got on with CQ - so I doubt he would work with him.
In your list of criteria, you left out European match/cup experience. I think this would be crucial for a new United manager.
If Sparky can gain some experience in Europe with Blackburn, then he would be my next choice, in a few years. If not, then I’d like to see a European manager come in. I don’t think a future United manager need necessarily be a United old boy.
May 8th, 2008 at 17:28
Also you guys should consider the tactical ability of the prospective manager.
No offense intended but the tactical knowledge of British managers (or those from the British Isles
) is often less well developed compared to their continental counterparts.
I wonder about Martin O’neill. Nobody questions his ability to motivate players and getting the best out of them. If he was to actually possess the tactital nous to drive a team in tricky situations, then he would be my no.1 choice.
May 8th, 2008 at 17:48
First off, Fergie isn’t going anywhere for at least two more seasons. The Gaffer has Red Devil blood running through his veins and I think it is the one thing that makes him want to wake up in the morning. Simply put, he lives for the challenge and I think he is now enjoying the work more than he did 20 years ago.
With that said, there will be a day when he retires. So who takes over comes down to the conditions of both the team and the league in a couple of years. A lot can happen with both the club’s fortune as well as the present state of the league and the other candidates for the job. RR has given us some present candidates for the job. Well would Keane, Hughes, the Special One, Martin O’Neill and even Queiroz be available or even desirable in a couple of years time? Will Queiroz want to wait that long to get his shot or will he go and take the Portugal job? Mourinho will probably be embedded deeply with Inter Milan by that time. O’Neill, Hughes and Keane may have more positives or more negatives to offer by that time, depending on how their respective clubs do. So who is best to take over? In my opinion there is only one man right now for that job and he still will be the man 2 years from now. Carlos Queiroz is more than just qualified tactically. He has helped Fergie develop the style and system the club uses today and has had much to do in shaping it around the present core player base.
Carlos has often been criticized by many of us fans and Manchester media for some of his ideas but nobody is laughing or bitching now when we are days away from an historic Double. He knows the players, works well with them and has their loyalty and respect. He understands what it means to play Manchester United football and that the club comes first over anything or anybody. A very important factor in why he should be the future boss is his influence in the Portuguese and Spanish market as well as his ties and connections in Brazil. And most important in this is his ties and positive relationship with the present Portuguese and Brazilian contingent namely Ronaldo, Nani, Anderson
and the twins (and possibly even Bosingwa too). He would help ensure that a mass exodus of these players does not occur when Fergie steps down. He alone can keep Ronaldo from leaving. They are very close and Ronaldo does listen to both him and Fergie very intently.
If the team is to continue this Portuguese and Latin influence in style and player selection from abroad, it is vital that the coach can communicate and relate well to these players. Manchester is not London. It is not as desirable a city to live in for foreigners as is the the Capital. Lets face it, the weather is shite too. To keep this hot blooded and passionate Latin players happy, they need to feel like they are key and essential elements of a footballing movement that nobody else can emulate. Ronaldo has stated many times that he finds life in Manchester dull and hard and although he is used to the the weather, he finds his drive and satisfaction to stay put by being part of the biggest club in the world and by being part of a style of play and system that originates around him. So I ask you all, why rock the boat? No, for me the choice is clearly Carlos Queiroz. His loyalty, and the positive job he has already done as an assistant makes him the man for the job. Many of the rest may have been players but they do not have the Man Utd coaching experience necessary to run this club
nor do they have the very technical savvy to operate our playing system. Most of all, they don’t have the cultural edge to deal with all the ego’s and cultural challenges that Queiroz has helped Fergie with in dealing with our foreign contingent. Has anybody seen a team with as many foreigners that seems to work so well and harmoniously on and off the field?
Finally, Queiroz has earned his shot because of his contribution, tenure and his loyalty. Eventually it will be time for the Glazer’s to reward him with a big fat contract to take over from SAF. And I seriously doubt if the team will skip a beat after this happens. Now for the sake of debate, my second choice and third choice in order of preference would be Big Phil Scolari (for his past his past accomplishments and for his Portuguese background and experience with the players we presently have) and Roy Keane for his tactical knowledge of the way the team plays and for his intimidating and very Fergie-like demeanor and personality. He is one who would be respected and feared (but does he have the tactical genius for the job and can he keep the foreign contingent happy. So obviously the list is a small one.
May 8th, 2008 at 17:56
One more thing to keep in mind when selecting the next manager for United. If indeed this happens in a few years it will be important to know what the final outcome will be with Sepp Blatter’s proposition to FIFA that all teams can field only 5 foreigners in their starting eleven at any one time. Does this mean that with more UK players on the pitch at once, that this will hurt our style of play or cause us to have to conform to a more British style similar to what we used in the 1990’s? Such a ruling could change the direction a team goes in it’s future player purchases as well, it could require a manager with more of an understanding and compatibility with the British game GOD FORBID.
May 8th, 2008 at 18:23
roy keane the player, top notch legendary, slight dick.
roy keane the manager………………………..
He really has nothing in his arsenal to say he is united managerial material, getting promoted from the championship is a minor accomplishment in my eyes, fine he got and is staying in the premier league for another season, thats good. All of his signings have been average(apart from 2 or 3) or crap, and 90% of them have been players he knows. that definitely is not the sign of a good manager.
May 8th, 2008 at 18:45
If fergie leaves at the end of this season I want a manager from the british-irish isles.
And so to that effect I would want either martin O’Neill or Mark Hughes as both of them have a fair bit of managerial experience. Keane has only been managing for 2 years and isn’t quite ready for the big job yet. Let see what he can do at sunderland.
We’ve seen what sparky can do at blackburn with limited resources and also what Martin O’neill is doing at villa with his young core of british based players.
Even then I don’t think fergie would leave the united post if united win the double as there is no way he is going to leave united when he only needs a couple more league titles to beat liverpools record of 18 league titles.
nuff said
May 8th, 2008 at 18:54
Dan; You are being very unfair to Keano indeed. “All his signings have been crap”. I dare say I can’t think of too many mangers who could have done better with the budget he had to work with. He turned around a team that was going south over night and had them catapult into the Prem. Above all, he had them stay in the Prem by using his managerial abilities and by purchasing older and experienced players that he knows would help create an atmosphere of winning and confidence. There isn’t a manager in the world that could have done much better than him. That does not mean he is the ideal candidate for United though. He still needs more experience and he needs to show what he can do with Sunderland another year or two in the Prem. If they continue to improve and he has managed a minor miracle with very few pounds to do it with, then I would seriously have a look at him. He does have a lot of experience as a player in the Champions League and he has always been a student of the game. From a personality standpoint, he may be the closest match to Fergie. Ideally, he would be a great assistant to Queiroz if his ego doesn’t take over. A few years under Queiroz and as an assistant with in the United system would make him a great long term replacement for Fergie down the road. But I do agree that he is not the man for the job yet.
May 8th, 2008 at 18:59
Sager; Please explain why you want a manager to be from the British-Irish Isles only? Considering the blend of foreign players and our success playing a very continental style that suits those players as well as the Champions League, do you not think that would be a major step back for the club after what they have become?
May 8th, 2008 at 19:05
Keane took over sunderland when they were struggling in the championship and managed to get them promoted, which is a good accomplishment. Keeping the team in the premiership was all that was expected of him this year, so he’s delivered again. The next few years will give a good indication of how good a manager he is. I agree that he doesn’t seem to have an eye for a good player though, as his signings haven’t been very impressive.
It would make sense for queiroz to take over from fergie but i hope he’s overlooked. His tactics are very negative. If we’re going to play negative football i’d rather have mourinho or some italian manager take over, as they are sure to be better managers than queiroz. We are a club which will be able to attract a top manager, so it should probably be a successful foreign manager who comes in as opposed to queiroz or a british manager like hughes or keane, unless they step it up over the next few years.
May 8th, 2008 at 19:11
Keane will never be an assistant manager to queiroz as they have conflicting opinions on tactics.
May 8th, 2008 at 19:28
Tevez; Keane’s tactics have not been negative, he has just realised he has to mould his team on what style suits them best and clearly the long ball up to Kenwyne Jones is their most prominent threat. Also I would like to add the same point with regards to Mourinho, Chelsea’s current team have strong, well drilled and efficient players but they lack the ability to create something out of nothing, it is not solely his fault for their negative style, he was just playing to their strengths. The way his Porto team played pays justice to this, they were a very attractive team to watch.
Grognard; Firstly we can never be sure of how long SAF will stay with us. Sure, common sense tells us that we will want to continue shaping his team to become the best he has ever managed but he has been known to spring a surprise before so don’t rule anything out.
Secondly, I agree that Carlos Queiroz is the most suitable candidate for the job at this moment in time but he may lack the other necessary managerial skills needed to manage United. His tactical and scouting knowledge seems spot on but he may lack the ability to motivate his players in times of need and he may not know how to deal with pressure.
Thirdly, Keane was given more money than Birmingham and Derby combined over the summer so lack of transfer funds was not and will not be a problem for him, Niall Quinn has given him his full backing and Roy Keane has duly delivered. Now they have established themselves as a premiership team they should be able to attract better players and I can definitely see them making a steady improvement under Keane. I have no doubt we will become one of the greats in management.
May 8th, 2008 at 19:34
I don’t think Mourinho would count because he has said that in 10 years or so (can’t remember the years he specified) he’d like to become coach to a national football team.
If rumours are true then Scolari’s out as well. Apparently Manchester City are in talks with him or have put him on their short list.
Fergie still has the passion and drive to stay as manager but I think Queiroz would be a good successor. He’s been Sir Alex’s “sidekick” so he will know how to deal with the team. Being multi-lingual helps as well! With that said I’d like to see Keane back at the club in the future, all he needs is more experience as manager, possibly with a bigger club? Unless he can make Sunderland a mid-table/top half of table club…
May 8th, 2008 at 20:34
grognard, read again, dont misquote me please, i said all his signings have been average(apart from 2 or 3) or crap. i clearly did not say ALL his signing have been crap. Please dont do that in the future, it really pees me off.
May 8th, 2008 at 21:33
I have to say ive been impressed with the way Martin O’Neill has got his Villa side set up and Playing, not too much different to us with 2 deeper midfielders behind 3 attacking midfielders and 1 up top. He if can get them playing like that just imagine what he could do with the players we have…..
I still think it will be Carlos though and im sure he will do just fine.
Sparky and Keano are another 2 which will be considered aslong as they keep performing well as managers.
My fear would be a foreign manager coming over with no experience of the premiership, that could be disaterous. Look at what the scousers have to put up with!!!! Also some of you suggested Wenger - im not into an all foreign side so no thankyou.
May 8th, 2008 at 21:59
tevez; And Mourinho’s tactics are not negative? Lord give me strength.
Conor; Don’t underestimate Queiroz’s ability to manage the players. He has watched and learned from Fergie for a number of years, and unlike players who have played for him, he is privy to Fergie’s thoughts and feelings on players, tactics and opponents. This can do nothing but build experience and knowledge that no former player can ever have. Let’s not forget the Portuguese connection either. It is clear that United under Fergie have started a movement and style which with the proper nurturing and care has blossomed in to a beautiful football hybrid. Queiroz or some other Portuguese/English speaking coach are the only types qualified to take on this challenge and direction that was started by Fergie. Other than Queiroz the only other candidates for the job are Scolari and Mourinho. And I doubt anybody would want Mourinho’s brand of football, not can he be trusted to take over the club for the long haul.
Therefore, I would pick Queiroz and I would be very open to either Giggsy or Solksjaer as his assistant or possibly Paul Ince.
May 8th, 2008 at 22:01
My apologies Dan, but telling me that it pisses you off is not a very friendly way of going about things, don’t you think?
May 8th, 2008 at 22:30
With José Mourinho’s players you said “players would run through brick walls for him”. That sums it up. He’s the standout choice and before Abramovich forced Shevchenko on him, Chelsea played decent football with a front 3 of Robben, Duff and Drogba. And who said he was going to take over every other team in Europe, If he was happy he’d stay for years
May 9th, 2008 at 0:45
I think the partnership between Sir Alex Ferguson and Carlos Quiroz will take some beating. They are both top tactitians and have a great impact on certain parts of the world.
SAF’s qualities and triumphs speak for themselves but without Carlos there would players like Ronaldo, Nani and Anderson have felt so comfortable in coming to United? Don’t get me wrong, I know Ronaldo has always said Fergie has been like a father figure to him and that he is the main reason for staying at United after THAT World Cup and in turn CR7 has had a good impact on the other Portugese speaking CHAPS. I think Quiroz still has a lot to say over the next 5 years at the club and it is very important that he is given time should he not remain instantly successful.
I would like to see a smooth transition between managers and the only way for that to happen is to let an insider take the reins. I would like to see a man with experience as well as passion for United become a right hand man and somebody who can channel their passion in the right way. Roy Keane was a great captain and leader but his off the field rants cost him his place at United and I don’t think he’ll come back. Neville would be great for motivation but his managerial side still has a long, long way to go.. so if you are asking ME who I’d see as Quiroz’s assistant, I’d have to say somebody like Brian McClair fits the bill. He has had reasonable success managing in the reserves and youth squads and has the experience of playing for the United as well as playing Under SAF.
I think when the time comes for Ferguson to step down, Carlos will already havve been making the main decisions and doing the team talks for a long time. He would have conducted more press conferences and as we have seen has already been trusted with important transfer deals and already has the respect of the current band of players. People can keep talking until the are red, white and green in the face about Lippi or Capello but the fact is, the transition between managers is ALREADY in process.
Sir Alex spends 90% of his time delegating and is far less ‘hands on’ than in his younger days. I think we will see CQ more or less doing most of the work before SAF officially leaves. He has had the experience of Madrid and that of working and learning from one of the best managers sport has seen.
My only concern would be that of what has happened at Arsenal, the French Embassey! I want a balance to remain at our club, between the ~British, Irish and the rest!
May 9th, 2008 at 4:53
Good article Penguin
May 9th, 2008 at 5:50
My thoughts are that it has to be a former player, really. At the very least someone highl and visibly involved with the club. CQ probably doesn’t deserve the job, based on his time as manager at other clubs. Keane would be great, I agree with you that he could manage forever at United, but there is the worrying possibility that he wouldn’t be great. He’s done well at Sunderland but with 40 million he bought 1 quality player (Gordon) and everyone else is just decent.
Sparky would probably be my ideal, at least while we wait for Keane to prove himself further elsewhere. Hughes has done very well everywhere he’s worked. Great article, Penguin.
Oh and Tom, you don’t think Keane would come back? Really? I think he’d jump at the chance, provided he’d set Sunderland on a steady path first.
May 9th, 2008 at 6:29
i also beleve that carlos is apprentising to fergie to take over one day….
even tho i am not english, i am still proud to say that among the top 4, man utd has the strongest english contingent in the EPL
i like the current situation, and if i was manager(a la football manager 2008) this balance that tom F mentioned would be one i keep….
but it is hard to see any top side in europe with a strong contingent of native players in their team… not barca, not real, not ac milan, inter, arse, chelsea, liverpool, so on so forth…
i think it is an admirable quality…
which is why i hope the fergie and carlos partnership continues, or something to that likeness… strong core of english players and a smattering of quality foreigners.
but i think we may be witnessing an end to an era…. i havent seen a youth product promoted since wesbrown and oshea… another important aspect to me..
May 9th, 2008 at 8:26
Interesting choice - Steve Copell or Mcleish as Assistants…..How abt that ?
May 9th, 2008 at 9:07
I think it was Gill who said some time ago that Fergie’s successor will have to be someone with a proven managerial track record at the highest level. If that still holds good and I think it should, then it excludes people like Bruce, Hughes, Mcleish and certainly Keane. Why some people think Cantona, with no managerial experience, is a possible candidate is totally beyond me. O’Neill and Mourinho by contrast are candidates. Queiroz with no real track record of success as a manager, except perhaps with Portugal youth, may probably be in the frame, on Fergie’s recommendation, for continuity. Wenger is probably the only other manager in England who would qualify. As to the foreigners - Sven ? Hopefully not. Hitzfeld - probably too old now. Klinsmann - possibly. Taking over from Fergie in what is the biggest job in club football is almost an unenviable position. It’s vital that the club gets the choice right though
May 9th, 2008 at 9:27
Hello Julian, I was the only one who mentioned Cantona but it was only a joke, it’s not gonna happen…:)
May 9th, 2008 at 11:05
Mango, seriously I’ve heard it mentioned elsewhere. It’s a rather a romantic view - ie the return of the Messiah !
May 9th, 2008 at 12:40
Conor, i never said keane’s tactics were negative…
Grognard, yes mourinho’s tactics are also negative, but if a negative coach is going to take charge i would rather mourinho than queiroz, as he is a much more competent manager.
Tom F, ronaldo came to united when queiroz was off to madrid so queiroz wasn’t a factor in convincing ronaldo. Players like nani and anderson have come to play with ronaldo. Veloso seems to want to play here because of ronaldo and the other portuguese-speaking players too.
May 9th, 2008 at 16:34
tevez; Lets not forget that Ronaldo has a very frosty relationship with Mourinho over comments the Special One made about him last year. I think our chances of keeping Ronny are far stronger with Queiroz who Ronny has become close to rather than, Mourinho who quashes individualism on the pitch in favor of team play. The last thing Ronaldo needs is a leash placed on him from a man he has no respect for.
And I also don’t believe that Mourinho is that much better a manager. AV Grant is kind of proving that this year. He has done more with Chelsea than Mourinho was able to do with all his supposed brilliance. The only thing Mourinho has over Queiroz is experience as the head man and the ability to motivate spoilt rich superstars. If that’s your only criteria for hiring a manger, then he is your man.
May 9th, 2008 at 17:06
Tevez; Oh I realise now that you said Queiroz’s tactics are negative, sorry. But that is still not true.