So after a few days of intense speculation, the news officially broke from Manchester United headquarters this morning (May 8th) that long-term manager Sir Alex Ferguson would be leaving the club at the end of this season. The news comes as little shock to most of us, although is welcomed by very few of us; inevitable as it was at the age of 71, I don’t think anyone really wanted to face the retirement of the greatest football manager of our lifetimes. With their 20th league title behind them though, the looming question now turns to who will step into the biggest shoes in football and take charge of one of the biggest clubs in Europe. Well, there are a few contenders…
David Moyes
Everton manager David Moyes has done a decent job at the Merseyside club, leading them to a handful of top-six finishes in his ten years in charge. He’s never quite broken into the top four elite as he would’ve liked, so it might be time for him to move on to a bigger challenge. A solid manager with understated tactics and a calculated approach to spending, Moyes has more than proven himself as capable in the level of the Premier League, although with only Everton and Preston North End on his managerial CV it’s possible that he might be seen as too much of a risk. An honest, likeable manager who could set up a new era of the club if given the chance.
Rafa Benítez
Current Chelsea boss Rafa Benítez will be moving… somewhere at the end of the season, but to which club is anyone’s guess. I’d write him off for the United job early, but as a ‘free agent’ and with a proven track record in the Premier League, he will be available. That’s possibly a scary thought for United fans, but it might not be such a bad appointment if they welcome him and don’t lambast him like the Chelsea fans did. Not the best option, but certainly a viable one.
Jürgen Klopp
Borussia Dortmund manager Jürgen Klopp has understandably received rave reviews from commentators as of late, as his low-cost side convincingly knocked Spanish giants Real Madrid out of the Champions League last month, setting them up for a final showdown with Bundesliga rivals Bayern Munich at Wembley in a few weeks. It’s not entirely clear what Klopp’s next planned steps are, but with Dortmund quickly making their way to the top of world football in the blink of an eye it would not be surprising if he wanted to stay put and make progress on overtaking Munich as the kings of German football. Clearly a talented manager though, and sure to be welcome in Manchester.
@ André Pusey to call the greatest manager is an overstatement and grossly and logically untrue. Becoz he has never proven himself other than two clubs in his entire career. E.g Italia coach Marcello Lippi was winner wherever he go. He won world cup Serie-A with various sides. Europena Something winner. Same goes Fabio Cappelo even though his reign was notorious for England but he nevertheless was a winner at every stage of clubs he managed. Giovanni Traatonni or Otto Rhaggel or Rinus Michel are all Head and Shoulder above Fergie. Fergie is ONLY CALLED THE GREATEST BECOZ OF UR RUPERT MURDOCK EPN-STAR/SKY Sports/Super Sports brainwashing strtegey promoting EPL and its brand. Without both Fergie and EPL would not worth a dime.
Thank you for your comment, Mr “U R ALL Rupert Murdock brainwashed football fans except me of course”! I’m a Southampton fan, so I hope that helps. This is just an opinion, and designed to garner views. So thanks for reading! Yes, those managers you have mentioned are great, but IMO Fergie has achieved enough to warrant the title of the greatest manager ever.
I don’t Moye can maneger MAN UNITED because of his lack of European football so them go for Borussia Dortmund coach Junge KLOPP cus he is the right man to successed SIR ALEX FERGUSON at MAN UNITED
Unfortunately, since I wrote this article, it appears that Moyes has become a done deal. It’s Mourinho or bust IMO; Chelsea will win the league should he go back there.