Manchester United appear to be on the brink of a managerial upheaval, less than a year after removing former head coach Ruben Amorim from the hot seat at Old Trafford. The Portuguese head coach was let go in January this year after a poor run of results, with Michael Carrick roped in as a caretaker manager until the end of the campaign to steady the ship.
However, the Englishman exceeded expectations at the Theatre of Dreams, helping the Red Devils finish third in the Premier League table and securing the full-time job. Unfortunately, Carrick has endured a difficult time this campaign, despite investing over £150 million in the midfield over the summer.
United have been vulnerable at the back, lacklustre in midfield and blunt in attack, and now sit 16th in the Premier League table after eight games. The Red Devils have won just two of their 12 games in all competitions, losing six others, and Carrick is feeling the heat at Old Trafford.
The 3-0 defeat to Bournemouth over the weekend could be the final straw that breaks the camel’s back. The English giants are already linked with several potential managerial candidates available to take charge immediately, including former Chelsea manager Antonio Conte.
The Italian left Napoli this summer, has yet to take up his next assignment, and could be a high-profile option to sort things out at the Theatre of Dreams. However, former United coach Rene Meulensteen believes that Conte is not the right person for the job.
Conte not suited for United
During a conversation on talkSPORT, Meulensteen was asked about Conte getting the Old Trafford job. The former United coach responded: “I’ve seen that name being said and I would not be a supporter of that appointment at all.”
“I think that would maybe get a very short uplift but it would come crashing down really, really quickly knowing the way that Conte goes about his job. I wouldn’t be in favour of that.”
Conte won the Premier League with Chelsea and Serie A titles with Juventus, Inter Milan and Napoli. However, the Italian has recently revealed that he is not in advanced talks with any club, effectively ending speculation about a move to Old Trafford.
Antonio Conte: Managerial Career Stats
| Team | From | To | Games | Wins | Draws | Losses | Goals for | Goals against | Goal difference | Win % |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arezzo | 1 July 2006 | 31 October 2006 | 12 | 1 | 7 | 4 | 10 | -6 | - | 8.33 |
| Arezzo | 13 March 2007 | 12 June 2007 | 15 | 8 | 3 | 4 | 22 | 17 | +5 | 53.33 |
| Bari | 27 December 2007 | 23 June 2009 | 67 | 32 | 22 | 13 | 98 | 63 | +35 | 47.76 |
| Atalanta | 21 September 2009 | 7 January 2010 | 14 | 3 | 4 | 7 | 14 | 21 | -7 | 21.43 |
| Siena | 23 May 2010 | 30 May 2011 | 44 | 22 | 14 | 8 | 71 | 38 | +33 | 50.00 |
| Juventus | 31 May 2011 | 15 July 2014 | 151 | 102 | 34 | 15 | 280 | 101 | +179 | 67.55 |
| Italy | 14 August 2014 | 2 July 2016 | 25 | 14 | 7 | 4 | 34 | 21 | +13 | 56.00 |
| Chelsea | 3 July 2016 | 13 July 2018 | 106 | 69 | 17 | 20 | 212 | 102 | +110 | 65.09 |
| Inter Milan | 31 May 2019 | 26 May 2021 | 102 | 64 | 23 | 15 | 214 | 102 | +112 | 62.75 |
| Tottenham Hotspur | 2 November 2021 | 26 March 2023 | 76 | 41 | 12 | 23 | 136 | 85 | +51 | 53.95 |
| Napoli | 5 June 2024 | 24 May 2026 | 91 | 52 | 22 | 17 | 138 | 83 | +55 | 57.14 |
| Career Total | - | - | 703 | 408 | 165 | 130 | 1,223 | 646 | +577 | 58.04 |
Source: Wikipedia.
United have bigger problems
Meulensteen appeared to suggest that the problem at United is bigger than one that a change of manager could solve. He continued: “If you asked me any other names, I couldn’t tell you, because the problem is not the next manager.”
“Yes, he needs to be a strong personality, a strong character with great, strong views about the way he wants to do things. But every other manager that has been there before has, reading between the lines, said the same thing.”
“The problem is that the ownership has Manchester United in a headlock. That’s the problem and they can’t get out of it.”
Final Thoughts
Conte has long been linked with the hot seat at Old Trafford but a move has never materialised. Meanwhile, recent reports suggest that former Newcastle United manager Eddie Howe is the frontrunner in the race to become the next United manager.
Featured image by Enrico Locci via Getty Images
