“Look what happened with Sir Alex Ferguson…”: Dutch icon tips surprise name for United hot seat

After sacking Ruben Amorim at the start of the calendar year, Manchester United are looking for yet another new face to bring back the glory days at Old Trafford. Michael Carrick has started his term as interim head coach with a bang, but there is no sign of a permanent deal for the former Manchester United midfielder just yet. INEOS appear to be taking their time with what is undoubtedly their most important decision since taking over the sporting structure at the club. Dutch legend throws unlikely name in the ring A host of top names have been linked with the post should Carrick not be given the nod full-time, with the final decision expected to be announced at the close of the current campaign. As reported by the Metro, former Dutch international Ruud Gullit has suggested a fellow countryman would be a perfect fit for the role if he manages to prove himself in the Eredivisie. Current Feyenoord boss and ex-Red Robin van Persie is the name on Gullit’s lips, with the two-time Champions League winner backing the 41-year-old for great things as a coach. “It would be great if Robin van Persie became the manager of Manchester United in the future. I definitely hope that happens at some point! Robin is a great manager, but he’s struggling a little bit at Feyenoord at the moment. I feel like the expectations for him are very high because of the career he had, so he’s under the spotlight a lot more than other managers in the Eredivisie,” said Gullit. Although Feyenoord sit second in the Dutch top flight, a poor run of form over the last few months has left them miles behind champions-elect PSV, who hold a 17-point advantage at the top of the table. One for the future However, Gullit references Sir Alex Ferguson’s turbulent early years in charge at Old Trafford and hopes Van Persie can be afforded similar leeway to establish himself in the Eredivisie before potentially moving to the Premier League. “He’s under fire over here in Holland at the moment, but I hope he’s given time to rectify it and prove how good he is. “Look what happened with Sir Alex Ferguson and Manchester United – they kept him, and look how good he ended up being! Down the line, however, I think it would be great for Robin to manage at Old Trafford one day,” he added. Given the necessity for immediate success at Old Trafford, Van Persie’s name is highly unlikely to be considered for the role this summer, but he will no doubt be aiming for the top jobs throughout his managerial career. Circumstances in football can change in the blink of an eye, and if the talisman of United’s last Premier League success in 2013 can turn things around at his beloved Feyenoord, he might find his stock rising over the coming years. However, INEOS will be focusing on the here and now, and Carrick has the chance to add further stock to his suitability for the role by beating a somewhat resurgent West Ham at the London Stadium tonight (Tuesday). Carrick is aiming for five straight wins since taking charge, which would see Manchester United finish the evening in third place in the Premier League. The Peoples Person has been one of the world’s leading Man United news sites for over a decade. Follow us on Bluesky: @peoplesperson.bsky.social Conner Botterill Conner Botterill has been with The Peoples Person for three years. A keen match-going red with degrees in Sport and Journalism and Philosophy and Psychology through the Open University. His favourite match attended was the Champions League victory in Paris under one the guidance of one of his idols, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer. Conner still believes he has a chance of making United’s first team through his 5-a-side career.