Three options to replace Ole at Man Utd

Robin Bairner

• 16 Sep 2021 06:04 CDT
• 3 min read

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has never entirely been sure the Manchester United manager job is his for the long term.

The Norwegian continually treads a dangerous line between success and failure, never doing quite badly enough to justify being sacked, yet equally not doing well enough to be a success.

Man Utd invested heavily in their squad this season, notably brining Jadon Sancho and Raphael Varane to the club before a triumphant return for Cristiano Ronaldo.

The campaign has started in a broadly positive manner for the Red Devils, yet doubts over Solskjaer resurfaced on Tuesday as they suffered a shock 2-1 loss to Young Boys in the Champions League.

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Solskjaer’s tactics came under particular scrutiny during that match, putting his medium-term future in doubt.

A run of poor form could land Solskjaer in hot water, with four points from their Champions League home double header against Villarreal and Atalanta likely to be pivotal in his future.

Man Utd are favourites to achieve at least that, but if they do not, who will come into the frame as Solskjaer’s replacement?

Antonio Conte

Conte has known success wherever he has gone and has pedigree in the Premier League before. He has won Serie A with Juventus and last season with Inter, where he only departed after falling out with the board. He remains out of work.

The Italian has a history of having difficult relationships with his employers and is certainly not the ‘yes man’ that Solskjaer is perceived to be. This could count against him at Man Utd, where Jose Mourinho frustrated fans with his pragmatic brand of football.

Zinedine Zidane

Zinedine Zidane might not have been a natural fit for a head coach post, yet the France legend has excelled during his periods in charge of Real Madrid, famously winning three successive Champions League titles.

He left the Bernabeu side at the end of last season, citing fatigue.

While a job like Man Utd would doubtless appeal to him, with the France post likely to be available after the 2022 World Cup, that is the position likeliest to be Zidane’s next. It suits his desire for a more relaxed lifestyle.

Brendan Rodgers

Once just a Steven Gerrard slip away from winning the Premier League title with Liverpool, Rodgers’ departed Anfield with an unfair reputation as a flop. He has since rebuilt his career with Celtic and Leicester, enjoying profound success in both jobs.

The former No.2 to Jose Mourinho at Chelsea is more than ready for another crack at the big time – but the big question is: would Leicester allow him to go?