Manchester United manager Michael Carrick’s future remains uncertain as the club navigates a tricky start to the season. The Red Devils are out of the EFL Cup and are sitting 16th in the Premier League table after eight games.
Carrick has been under pressure for a while, and his situation was compounded by a 3-0 defeat to Bournemouth at Old Trafford over the weekend. United have now managed just two wins in 12 games across all competitions under the English manager’s watch this campaign.
The situation has intensified speculation about another managerial change. Among the candidates linked with the job is former Chelsea manager Antonio Conte, who recently revealed that he is not in advanced talks with any club. United legend Paul Scholes has now offered his opinion on the matter.
Scholes wants Conte at Old Trafford
Speaking on The Good, The Bad & The Football, Scholes argued that Conte is the right man to get United back where they belong. He said: “You’d have to pick a manager who you think will get us back to being a competitive team for the Premier League.”
“Out of them three, Antonio Conte’s the man, but he comes with a big f***ing massive warning. He’s made noises that he wants to come and I’m pretty sure the club would have spoke to all three of them.”
“I can’t understand why he’d want this job because I don’t think the team’s good enough for him, personally.”
Unai Emery another option
The Ginger Prince went on to name Aston Villa manager Unai Emery as another solid option for United to consider. He said: “Is the answer staring us right in the face in Unai Emery? He’s won the Europa League with Aston Villa, do you know what an achievement that is?”
“He gets a new team every single year because they have to sell their best players. and he keeps producing, keeps producing.”
“Is everyone put off by his Arsenal and PSG days? Probably, because it’s a big club. But it might be staring us in the face. He’d have to take United over Villa, I think he would.”
However, Scholes insisted that Conte is the top pick among the options available for his former club at the moment. He continued: “I think Conte’s the best one around. When I’m talking best in class and you talk them four, I think Antonio Conte’s miles ahead of all of them. You think Juventus, he went to Napoli and goes and wins the league with them.”
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 could do with a short-term fix
The Italian manager has never spent more than three seasons at any club during his managerial career, but Scholes believes United could opt for a short-term fix. He concluded: “He’s volatile, I know he’s volatile and might be a bit of a madman, but when you talk about successful managers at top clubs he’s streets ahead.”
“I don’t care if it’s short term. I don’t care if he’s there 18 months and he gets us challenging for the league, that would be a success. The more and more I think about it, Conte needs to come in and start banging some heads together.”
Final Thoughts
Former United coach Rene Meulensteen has warned the club against appointing Conte as Carrick’s replacement. However, there is no denying that the Italian has the credentials to guide the Red Devils back to the top.
Featured image by Enrico Locci via Getty Images
