Roy Keane is the answer for Manchester United if Sir Jim Ratcliffe decides to sack Ruben Amorim, as the Red Devils need their “feathers ruffled” according to Teddy Sheringham.
United were expected to improve under Amorim after the Portuguese boss replaced Erik ten Hag in November, but they remain 14th in the Premier League and have just the Europa League remaining as potential silverware having been dumped out of the FA Cup on Sunday.
Their woeful form has led to suggestions that Amorim may not still be in the job next season, with former Barcelona boss Xavi among those linked with Old Trafford.
But Sheringham reckons United would benefit from some Keane “fireworks” and claims the former midfielder’s “ego” may take him back to Old Trafford despite not leading a team since he left Ipswich in 2011.
Asked by Prime Casino which manager he would select to replace Amorim, Sheringham said: “Roy Keane, without a doubt. There’s no leaders at the football club. You need leaders at top football clubs. You know your John Terrys, your Tony Adams, your Roy Keanes, players that lead by example and make sure other people are doing their jobs.
“No one’s doing that at Manchester United. So, get Roy Keane in there to ruffle a few feathers, make sure that they all understand what they should be doing and do it.
“Roy’s been out of work for a little while now. I wouldn’t be averse to having him back at the football club, but I think there’s only one role for Roy Keane and he needs to be the leader.
“If they’re thinking about changing Amorim, for me, putting someone back in charge like, it would be a leadership coup to do that and get Roy in. There might be fireworks at certain times, but it needs to be sorted out, doesn’t it?
“Manchester United needs shaping up in there. I don’t know whether he’s evolved in his time away, if he’s ready to go back into football or not. His ego would probably take him back in there as well.”
“I think Fergie evolved over the time that he was at Manchester United. From what I have been told, he was far more sedate in his manner by the time I got to Manchester United and had started to become more relaxed.
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“Fergie was a cool customer compared to what he was at Aberdeen, so I think he would have adapted. He would understand the current situation and he would have worked out how to speak to certain players.
“I think there’s still a time to be able to speak to players in no uncertain terms, to ruffle a few feathers. But you have to make sure that if you’re digging out a player, you’re digging out the right ones.
“You need your players in the dressing room to understand what you want from everybody, not just from your leaders. Fergie would probably go for one of his leaders to send a message.
“He might even tell him beforehand that I’m going to come for you in this meeting but it’s not really directed at you. I’m directing it at you so that other players look and think, Jesus, if he’s having a go at him like that, how does he feel about me? I need to buck my ideas up.
“That was the psychology side of the way Sir Alex went about things in his dressing rooms, and I think it’s still needed, and it needs to be done at certain times. This United team definitely need it.”
