As Ruben Amorim’s position as head coach at Old Trafford grows shakier by the week, a former Manchester United coach has claimed there is an “obvious” candidate to replace him with – and it’s an iconic figure at the club.
The pressure is on
Despite a promising summer transfer window, the Red Devils’ campaign has begun exactly where it left season – in disarray.
Last year’s 15th-place finish in the Premier League was the worst of the modern era. This was compounded by a dismal defeat in the Europa League final to Tottenham, and early exits from the FA Cup and Carabao Cup.
But the former Sporting manager escaped scrutiny then, despite the dreadful performances and results, as he arrived midway through the campaign to replace Erik ten Hag, deprived of the benefit of summer transfer window or pre-season.
This time there are no excuses, however. Amorim has been fully backed in the market, both in terms of inbound and outbound transfers, with over £200 million spent on recruitment.
But three defeats, one draw and a solitary win from their opening five fixtures of the new season, capped by a humiliating Carabao Cup exit at the hands of League Two Grimsby Town, has seen his future already under the microscope.
If results do not improve immediately Amorim’s position will grow increasingly untenable with reports already circulating around potential replacements. INEOS continue to insist they’re standing firm behind the 40-year-old, however.
The Old Trafford hierarchy want their head coach to succeed as his failure will be a reflection of their own after huge efforts were made to, firstly, bring him to Manchester; and, secondly, to back him fully in the market.
But, if the club are forced to act, Rene Meulensteen believes there is an “obvious” candidate who could take over at the Theatre of Dreams.
A Return for Carrick
Meulensteen served as Sir Alex Ferguson’s first-team coach for six seasons – 2007-2013 – during one of the most successful periods in the club’s history.
And the Dutchman is adamant one of his former pupils, Michael Carrick, would be the “obvious” replacement for Amorim if INEOS decide to part ways.
“Michael Carrick might be the obvious option if Ruben Amorim is to go,” the 61-year-old states in an interview relayed by TEAMtalk.
“Obviously Michael Carrick still knows quite a few players that were there when he was there. So he’s still got some good information. He obviously knows the club. He knows what’s expected from the club.
“But the key is that you need to have a guy that obviously has got a clear idea but puts some kind of a structure in place that the players buy into and that you get a spark from the players. Because they’re not bad players, there’s plenty of good players there.
“I’m sure that if they would play in a system that suits them, they really play at the best. I think you could see a fantastic Manchester United. Maybe Michael could well be the guy. It’s not magic. It’s common sense more than anything, that’s it and Carrick has got plenty of that.”
Carrick, 44, was a key part of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s team at Old Trafford after being handed a coaching position under Jose Mourinho following his retirement as a player.
The multiple Premier League and Champions League winning midfielder was even named caretaker manager after Solskjaer’s dismissal in November 2021, showing he has some familiarity in the role previously.
But his main experience as a manager in senior football came with Middlesbrough where the 44-year-old impressed across two seasons at the Riverside Stadium, before ultimately losing his job in the third.
The idea that a young coach without any meaningful track record outside of the Championship is the “obvious” candidate to take over the helm at Old Trafford is one that suggests Meulensteen’s judgement has not sharpened with age.
Featured image George Wood via Getty Images
Follow us on Bluesky: @peoplesperson.bsky.social
Darragh Fox
Darragh is a writer for The Peoples Person who spent three years as a history graduate slowly realising football was by far the most interesting thing to write about.
