24 Apr 2024 18:50:03
Hi ed002. With the new Graham Potter is close to joining ajax. Does that leave Southgate as firm favourite to take over if ten hag was to depart. Or has tuchel become a serious consideration. Thanks.

{Ed002's Note - Southgate would be ahead of Potter I would think now - he has a lot of options - then perhaps Thomas Tuchel.}

1.) 24 Apr 2024
24 Apr 2024 23:22:38
Zidane is SJR's pick.

2.) 25 Apr 2024
25 Apr 2024 07:42:21
Heaven help us if it is Southgate, more years in the shadows oncoming.

3.) 25 Apr 2024
25 Apr 2024 07:49:35
Really not sure who I’d want at the moment. By the sound of it, ENEOS and the people they’re starting to bring in will ultimately determine who we sign, and, presumably, the style of football we’ll be playing. With that in mind, I feel like what we really need is a manager who can get the players fired up and performing at their best and who knows how to manage a game.

Ten Haag has shown that he’s unable to do either of those things, but so too have a lot of the names that are being thrown around at the moment. As for some of the bigger names that were being linked with (Tuchel, Zidane, Mou), I worry that not all of them would be happy having transfer targets being determined by a committee. I’m sure that whoever we end up with will still be part of these discussions, but the club signing players that managers don’t really want (or failing to secure their top targets) is something that’s caused issues with a lot of our post-SAF managers.

4.) 25 Apr 2024
25 Apr 2024 08:23:06
Lots of reports that it’s been decided we’re moving from a transition style to a more possession based style (influenced by ex-City Berarda, Wilcox, wat Nice play etc)

Is Southgate the right man to implement this style? Does anyone know what his instinctive style is?

Also, seems like Wilcox etc currently evaluating which players will be able to adapt to a more possession based style….

Can’t think of many, and thus also is a negative against Bruno, as he’s better in a quick transition.

Maybe he’ll need to go also?

5.) 25 Apr 2024
25 Apr 2024 09:08:53
Southgate wouldn't be my pick but then I don't get a say in the decision. As a supporter my role is to support the team.

I'm actually a lot less worried about who the club hire as the next manager this time. Over the past decade the running of the club has been so poor that it's been absolutely vital that we hire the right manager, as ultimately that is the guy who will decide the majority of what we do and the clubs sporting direction.

The wrong man means several years heading in the wrong direction. That's why I was concerned when we hired Mourinho. Great manager, and a good personality within football. Yet he has a very short term approach, and plays very pragmatic football. Sure he'll get you competing for things, but often at the expense of building a team for the medium to long term. That for me was the exact opposite of what we needed at that time.

This time however things are different, we aren't hiring a manager to do it all, we are hiring a head coach to manage the team. With new expert people in place and soon to be in place to plan for the long term, to think about an over arching style/ vision, to plan youth progression etc. While the next manager will have a say in transfers he won't be leading the recruitment, which means that the following manager won't be left to try and fit players signed for the previous manager into his team.

If it's Southgate and he doesn't do well then we sack him in a year or twos time with minimal impact on the team.

The squad needs a massive rebuild, we won't realistically be winning anything over the next season or two. While a massive squad turnover means playing style will be inconsistent.

Maybe Southgate's steadying hand like he's done with England won't be a bad thing. Especially if we have someone like Gary O'Neil working with him on tactics and style of play.

Either way, I don't see hiring managers as being as fundamental to our success right now as it has been over the past decade.

6.) 25 Apr 2024
25 Apr 2024 09:15:59
Maybe we’re all being a bit unfair towards Southgate in our universal opinion that we don’t want him: after all, he’s brought together a very dysfunctional England setup and got them playing together?

However, he does seem rather dour and lacking charisma, as well as sticking with favourites and appearing tactically rigid - and a bit of a “yes” man in an archaic institution.

Does anyone know a bit more about Southgate’s coaching methods, what players think of his methods and if he is actually any good?

7.) 25 Apr 2024
24 Apr 2024 20:04:01
Thanks Ed. Would there be anyone else to keep an eye on, who may be strongly linked.

{Ed002's Note - Zinedine Zidane (C) I understand an advisor told Liverpool not to discount Zidane after discussions over another job for him are delayed pending a change of club ownership. However, I think Liverpool are a very unlikely option with much preferred targets. He would perhaps like to await the Juventus job, but they have a preferred option, or to take over the French National side but that would require Didier Deschamps to step down before the next World Cup. May be offered a chance at Manchester United and should not be discounted, but again they have preferred options, but perhaps not better options. Wildcard would be Bayern Munich, Chelsea or Real Madrid but Bayern have a preferred target, the Chelsea job will most likely head elsewhere and Ancelotti will be at Madrid until 2026.

There are others who may be possible.}

8.) 25 Apr 2024
25 Apr 2024 00:07:15
Hi Ed 002

Two questions if possible

Do you think appointing Southgate is a good move? Does not look to have any discernible style with England and does not seem to play attractive/ attacking football - how do you think he would fare at Utd and club level football?

Secondly - I thought Ten Hag would be a great appointment. What do you think has gone wrong for him exactly? Is it purely the Utd set up above him or does he lack the required skill or charisma? Do players just not like him? Thanks as always.

{Ed002's Note - 1. I would not be happy with Southgate if I was a Manchester United supporter.
2. Eric ten Hag arrived at Manchester United and had to fit in to a flawed structure. He is also a miserable bugger and authoritarian.}

9.) 25 Apr 2024
25 Apr 2024 11:14:21
I’d rather keep ten Hag over Southgate. That being said, if Erik is a miserable sod, you can see this influencing the squad, as they all look miserable too.

I’d go all in for Zizou as player/ coach! ?

Tuchel I just don’t get, and apparently he’s too strict as well.

Anyone else we’re linked with beyond these guys if Potter is going to Ajax?

10.) 25 Apr 2024
25 Apr 2024 11:52:45
Very worrying that they would offer it to Southgate.

Personally, I think ETH deserves another year under a better structure and better players.

{Ed002's Note - There are options other than Gareth Southgate.}

11.) 25 Apr 2024
25 Apr 2024 12:33:30
There are other options but the focus right now is on these options.

12.) 25 Apr 2024
25 Apr 2024 12:41:32
I still get the feeling we may go after Amorim, I'm not sure why, I'm not sure he would be the man for any style you would associate with united or any particular style I would say similar with Tuchel.

ed are you saying Southgate is top option based on the fact we have been interested in him in the past? of past on something more recent?

I'm not expecting loads of detail I just struggle to understand the thinking on him especially as a person to implement a style or structure, he may be someone who can get on with the players initially but that soon fades in club football if the wins aren't coming.

{Ed002's Note - Gareth Southgate (C) May be a safe bet for Manchester United - very much on the list for Jim Ratcliffe. Available after the Euros and has been of interest before.

For me there are better options available.}

13.) 25 Apr 2024
25 Apr 2024 13:08:00
I'd like to add my comments above about not being the man to implement a style were about Southgate not Amorim.

Thanks for the answer ed definitely seems like better options out there. though the fact you say he's on the list for SJR makes me a little hopeful that the decision in the end will be made by Berrada, Wilcox and Ashworth and they may not be as keen on Southgate.

{Ed002's Note - I would not get hopes up over Amorim.}

14.) 25 Apr 2024
25 Apr 2024 13:39:43
The fact that he is even seen as option though, jeez. And a top one at that.

15.) 25 Apr 2024
25 Apr 2024 16:38:34
Guessing amorim likely joining chelsea? And ed002 is De Zerbi an option and where is he likely going?

{Ed002's Note - Roberto de Zerbi (C) Brighton would fight to keep him but another who will certainly be discussed by Barcelona, Bayern Munich, Liverpool and Manchester United with Jim Ratcliffe having a very serious interest in him. A minor issue exists in the €15M cost of Brighton releasing him. Additionally, there are termination clauses for all of his staff. Deco has de Zerbi as his preferred option for Barcelona which he has shared with Yuste and Laporte but it will not be Deco's decision and they can perhaps be excluded with avi staying another year. Not top of Chelsea's list, but on the list. Likely first choice for Bayern Munich now but they are invoking a Plan B with an interim signing. An interesting option might be Manchester City when the job becomes available. He has said he is not interested in the Liverpool job. Brighton are actively looking for a replacement and fear he may depart but will fight to keep him.

16.) 25 Apr 2024
25 Apr 2024 17:46:37
Hi Ed002,

Any chance of having a quiet word with Sir Jim about better options available than Southgate please?!

Bet he’d listen to someone as credible and well-respected as you!

{Ed002's Note - There are options.}

17.) 25 Apr 2024
25 Apr 2024 21:04:07
Shappy why would O’Neil take a step backwards from being a head coach at Wolves (where he’s been relatively successful) to be an assistant at Utd? Maybe Ancelotti and Alonso will come be coaches under Southgate too? ?.

18.) 26 Apr 2024
25 Apr 2024 21:46:53
Maybe with Wilcox apparently assessing the manager he will come to the conclusion that Ten Hag is the right coach for us.

He has lost his way a bit this year, maybe pressure of the job and constant scrutiny is getting him.

If Ten Hag is open to constructive criticism (I know) he might end up staying.

19.) 26 Apr 2024
25 Apr 2024 22:28:43
Fuser, I'm not saying he's going to, but that was the rumour the other week. Apparently the club are looking at hiring coaches to work with the manager rather than have all the coaching staff be hired and fired with the manager.

He would be an ambitious pick for a role like that no doubt. Do I think he'd go for it? Probably not, but I do like that my club is supposedly being ambitious enough to at least try and test the water.

20.) 27 Apr 2024
27 Apr 2024 18:30:32
De Zerbi or Zidane for me.
I’m not sure Southgate or Potter would be any better than Ten Hag if the squad is overhauled either way.