Manchester United’s conundrum: Who is fit to step into the shoes of the greatest football manager ever?

Ryan Giggs/Gary Neville/Phil Neville/Ole Gunnar Solskjaer

Bit of a long shot here, but bookies are also offering odds on a former United player to take over the reigns from Fergie at United. Soon-to-be-retiring midfielder Ryan Giggs and defender-turned-pundit Gary Neville are the main contenders for the job, but with Neville’s younger brother Phil having recently announced his departure from Everton at the end of the season he should not be written off completely. Really though, all three — who were members of the wildly successful Fergie’s Fledglings in the early 90s — are largely inexperienced as managers and would be hugely risky appointments equating to little more than a public display of loyalty to former players, so it’s very unlikely any of these will take the job. Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, on the other hand, is well-established in Norway now, having taken Molde FK to their second consecutive league title last year, and with three years of United Reserves coaching under his belt he may be welcomed back with open arms. Don’t be surprised if Giggs stays on at the club as part of the coaching staff, though.

José Mourinho

Saving the best ’til last, we have “The Special One” José Mourinho. The former Chelsea manager has made no secret of his unhappiness at current club Real Madrid, exclaiming that he wanted to move to “somewhere he was loved” at the end of this campaign. With interim boss Rafa Benítez on his way out of Stamford Bridge this summer though, it looks as if the Russian and the Americans are going to have to fight for his signature. The Eccentric One will certainly have his own agenda too, though.

Drawing back on the question at hand, Mourinho is by far and a way the best option for the United board to replace Fergie, for many reasons: he is proven in England, having won six major trophies during his three-year stint at the Blues; he has hinted at a desired return to the Premier League already, and having tasted managerial life in Portugal, Italy and Spain already might be here to stay; and with contacts and friendly rivalries in the Premier League already he will be pumped and ready to fight for his club’s success.

In conclusion then, there are very few people who could convincingly take over from the legendary Scotsman, but with Mourinho in the frame there is certainly an attractive option there should they be able to secure his signature. Moyes wouldn’t be a bad appointment, but after 27 years with a British manager of toughness and vigour, it might be time for a European manager with flair and panache. It’s Mourinho or bust in this writer’s opinion, and I for one can not wait to see him back in the Premier League, United or not.

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