These are strange times at Manchester United. It has been eight seasons since the Red Devils last won the Premier League under the tutelage of the legendary Sir Alex Ferguson, and five campaigns have passed since the Old Trafford trophy cabinet has opened for anything other than a dusting.
While Manchester City, Liverpool, and Chelsea have all moved on, the Red Devils have stalled and the latest Premier League 2022 betting odds suggest that a top four place might be a tall order for the club.
A tough outing away to bottom club Burnley which resulted in a draw was a fair indication of the size of the task at Old Trafford and the next managerial appointment needs to be the right one.
And it won’t be an easy call for the owners to make as some of the brightest young managers can be ruled out already. Steven Gerrard has started well at Rangers and now Aston Villa, but the former Liverpool star would be the last person United fans would want to see in the dugout.
And he, like former Red Devil Wayne Rooney, still has much to prove while FC Bayern boss Julian Nagelsmann may be out of reach with Manchester City looking for a long-term successor to Pep Guardiola.
So who is ready to sit in one of the hottest seats in football?
Mauricio Pochettino
Argentine coach Mauricio Pochettino has been high on the list for some time. He was highly regarded during his time at Southampton and Spurs in the Premier League. And when he left Tottenham, the speculation at Old Trafford reached fever pitch.
He moved to PSG where expectations are arguably higher than they are at the Manchester club, but the French club has stuttered at home and in Europe.
After losing the Ligue 1 title to Lille last term, PSG are 13 points clear of the chasing pack this year, but it’s hard to see them winning the Champions League. And if they lose to Real Madrid in the Round of 16, then Poch could be looking for a new job.
Erik Ten Hag
Probably the least known candidate to SBOTOP football fans, Ajax manager Erik ten Hag has emerged as a strong candidate for the Old Trafford hot seat.
In his four years at the Amsterdam club, the 52-year-old has led Ajax to two league titles, two cups, and the semi-final of the Champions League – all while selling his best players and bringing new stars through.
He has generated £300-M in player sales over the same period that United have had a net spend of over £300-M.
He’s still a bit of an unknown quantity in a major league. But imagine what ten Hag could do with some money to spend.
Zinedine Zidane
For most Manchester United fans, the dream move would be to appoint Zinedine Zidane. He became the first head coach to win three Champions Leagues titles in a row when he was boss of Real Madrid, and Red Devils supporters would love to see him reunited with Cristiano Ronaldo at their club.
But it seems that moneybags PSG have Zizou in their sights and the Frenchman’s family is rumoured to prefer to stay on the continent.
CR7 is probably more likely to head that way than Zidane coming to Manchester, but nothing has been signed as yet.
Brendan Rodgers
He’s not having the best of times at Leicester City at the moment but it’s not long since Brendan Rodgers was one of the hottest properties in British football.
His move from Swansea to Liverpool in 2012 made him a Big Six manager and he impressed at Anfield before heading to Celtic where his side dominated the Scottish League.
At Leicester, he has had two top six finishes. And when Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was sacked in November, he became the favourite to take over at Manchester United, leading to speculation that the players at Leicester began to lose focus.
The Foxes’ patchy run of Premier League 2022 results may have persuaded United’s owners to look elsewhere, but Rodgers has the pedigree to take on another big club.
Graham Potter
When Rodgers left Swansea for Liverpool, it was seen as a risk. But in 2014, he so nearly won the league and Brighton’s Graham Potter at 46 years old has made good progress in his managerial career starting at the same club.
His Swansea side became noted as a fast-flowing giant-killing team, reaching the quarter-final of the 2019 FA Cup before Potter was poached by the Seagulls.
He’s had plenty of money to spend while keeping Brighton in the top-flight, but it is Potter’s attacking style of football which is attractive to the Old Trafford faithful.
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