Why Man Utd will be a NIGHTMARE for the new manager
Robin Bairner
- 22 Nov 2021 20:11 GMT
- 3 min read
Manchester United acted to sack Ole Gunnar Solskjaer on Sunday following the club’s 4-1 defeat to lowly Watford less than 24 hours earlier.
Eighth in the Premier League, despite having a squad considered by many to be capable of winning the title, they have come up dramatically short of expectations this season.
But just because Solskjaer has gone, Man Utd’s problems still remain. Whomever their new coach is, whether it is Zinedine Zidane, Brendan Rodgers, Mauricio Pochettino or even Steve Bruce, they are going to have a mammoth job to turn the club around.
Interim boss Michael Carrick, who said on Monday that he shares the same footballing philosophies as Solskjaer, will equally have a huge task on his hands if he is given the role for any prolonged period.
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Timing could not be worse
The timing of Solskjaer’s sacking could barely have been worse. Had the Man Utd board dispatched the Norwegian after the 2-0 home defeat by Manchester City, his replacement would have had two weeks of the international window to at least stabilise the club.
Instead, Man Utd are heading into the busiest period of the year without a manger – and seemingly without a plan.
The Red Devils have a packed schedule between Tuesday’s clash against Villarreal and the 3 January Premier League match against Wolves. That’s 11 fixtures in 41 days, leaving little time for meaningful training.
A squad in disharmony
Man Utd may possess terrific individual talent throughout their squad, but it appears to have been thrown together without any long-term thinking.
This is best highlighted by the signing of Cristiano Ronaldo, a player ill-suited to what Solskjaer seemed to be trying to achieve yet at the same time absolutely integral because his individual qualities dragged his team out of so many difficult situations.
Away from the field, this is clearly a squad at a low ebb. Players are taking the field without confidence and are delivering performances that show that.
Any new boss is set to inherit a dressing room that looks broken.
Fan frustration
The rift between Man Utd fans and the club is massive at present. The board are (rightly) the target of a great deal of criticism and the unrest means that any new manager will be working under duress from the very beginning.
Man Utd should be a dream club to manage, but right now, it looks a nightmare.
Read more about: Premier League, Man Utd
