Next Man United manager? Ruben Amorim heavy favourite as Erik ten Hag finally departs
The job of Manchester United manager is perhaps the most challenging in world football and once again, it’s now up for grabs following the departure of Erik ten Hag.
Since legendary boss Sir Alex Ferguson stepped down in 2013, the Red Devils have gone through four permanent head coaches before appointing Erik ten Hag ahead of the 2022-23 season.
David Moyes, Louis van Gaal, José Mourinho, Ole Gunnar Solskjær and Ten Hag won two League Cups, a Europa League title, and an FA Cup trophy between them.
However, as Roy Keane once said, a one-game losing streak at the Old Trafford-based club is seen as a crisis.
Of course, Ten Hag oversaw something much worse than a one-game losing streak at the start of this season. In fact, the Red Devils are 14th in the Premier League after nine games with just three wins and eight goals on the board. Their 2-1 defeat to West Ham United on Sunday proved to be the final straw, with Ten Hag departing a Man United side just equidistant from the relegation zone and Champions League places (7 points).
“Erik ten Hag has left his role as Manchester United men’s first-team manager,” the club revealed in an official statement on Monday.
“Erik was appointed in April 2022 and led the club to two domestic trophies, winning the Carabao Cup in 2023 and the FA Cup in 2024. We are grateful to Erik for everything he has done during his time with us and wish him well for the future.
“Ruud van Nistelrooy will take charge of the team as interim head coach, supported by the current coaching team, whilst a permanent head coach is recruited.”
Ten Hag became the first manager to win a major domestic cup final against Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City when Man United won the FA Cup last season. However, when balanced with the following rap sheet, that’s hardly enough to balance the scales:
Manchester United have set a club record for the most defeats in a single Premier League season.
13 is definitely unlucky for Erik ten Hag. 🙃 pic.twitter.com/5qKZp42sf3
— Squawka (@Squawka) May 6, 2024
Erik ten Hag is the first Manchester United manager to lose two of the club's first three games of a Premier League campaign on multiple occasions (Also 2022/23). 🙃 pic.twitter.com/Z50xDSTgVw
— Squawka (@Squawka) September 1, 2024
Last season, Erik ten Hag equalled the record for the fewest points Manchester United had won after seven Premier League games (9).
This season he has beaten it (8). 😬 pic.twitter.com/gsuEER8Mab
— Squawka (@Squawka) October 6, 2024
It felt like Ten Hag was on the verge of being sacked for such a long time, though Man United did make it unnecessarily expensive for themselves by giving him a two-year contract in the summer.
But now that the Dutchman is gone, who are the favourites to replace him?
Ruben Amorim
Within 24 hours of Ten Hag’s departure being announced, a clear favourite emerged. Ruben Amorim is a name that has been linked with various Premier League clubs in recent years. He was one of managers linked to replace Jurgen Klopp when the German first announced his departure at the start of the year. Amorim was also reportedly on Chelsea’s shortlist in the summer.
Before Rúben Amorim became manger in March 2020, Sporting CP had not won the Primeira Liga since 2001/02.
In his first full season, he ended the club's 19-year wait for a league title – losing just one game – and also won the Taça da Liga.
In 2023/24, at 39 years old, Amorim… pic.twitter.com/7h4Yzv9i6V
— Squawka (@Squawka) May 5, 2024
Amorim has been at Sporting CP for four years, after previous managerial spells of Casa Pia and Braga. In his first full campaign in charge of Sporting CP, Amorim led the Lisbon club to the league title, ending a 19-year wait.
They’ve since won a second Primeira Liga, alongside two Portuguese League Cups. And they sit top of the table once again, perfect after nine league games. According to the latest reports, he’s in advanced talks with Man United about taking charge ahead of the weekend.
How they could line up
Ruben Amorim has predominantly stuck with a back three during his time at Sporting CP, and that is very much part of his philosophy. And philosophies are increasing in the requirements of football clubs looking for new managers. In Ruben Amorim’s back three, possession is the key, with the centre-backs required to break the first line through the centre of the pitch as much as possible.
In a 3-4-3, the double pivot drops back as the line between the defence and the rest of the team. This season, Amorim’s wingers have been tucked in slightly, with the width coming from the wing-backs. This would give Bruno Fernandes a role as one of the two wider players flanking the sole striker. But, this may also cause a problem for some of the more natural full-backs at Man United. His two most-used wing-backs in the Primeira Liga this season, Nuno Santos and Geovany Guenda are both natural wingers.
Ruud Van Nistelrooy
With the exception of Van Gaal and Ten Hag, those who have followed Ferguson had Premier League experience.
While Van Nistelrooy doesn’t have managerial experience at this level, he certainly knows his way around Old Trafford, having played for the club and worked under ten Hag as assistant manager. His work at PSV ended with the Dutchman citing a lack of support but while he was there, he lost just eight of 51 games and won two trophies.
Ruud van Nistelrooy's PSV managerial career by numbers:
◉ 51 games
◉ 33 wins
◉ 8 defeats
◎ 126 goals
◎ 60 conceded
◉ 2 trophiesRuud has decided to leave after one season. 🧐 pic.twitter.com/59V5NSbTQL
— Squawka (@Squawka) May 24, 2023
Just like Ole Gunnar Solskjaer before him, Van Nistelrooy is the latest Man United striker to become interim boss at the club. He’ll hope to do just as well as the Norwegian did at the start of his reign, with Solskjaer 100% after his first eight games in charge.
As the man now in the hot seat, Van Nistelrooy has the biggest chance to prove himself and was the bookies’ early favourite. He’d certainly be a popular appointment among supporters.
How they could line up
Van Nistelrooy is another modern coach who could well drift towards a back three. A shift in formation could be what is needed to return the glory days to Old Trafford but new man, Manuel Ugarte, could find himself frozen out early into his time at the club to accommodate for Bruno Fernandes’ creativity and talented local lad Kobbie Mainoo.
Gareth Southgate
Former England boss Gareth Southgate was the favourite following his post-Euro 2024 resignation. He’d interestingly become Man United’s first permanent English head coach since Ron Atkinson, whom Ferguson eventually succeeded in 1986.
“I’m just going to take some time, refresh, recharge and go from there. I think at the moment people know that I need to get my energy back. I am not going to rush into anything I want to make sure I make good decisions,” Southgate said recently, with those comments lengthening his odds slightly. However, he’s still the third favourite and one of the most high-profile coaches without a job right now.
How they could line up
The former Middlesbrough boss oversaw 102 matches with the England national team, yielding a 59.8% winning percentage. He’s also shown tactical flexibility by rotating between several formations, with 4-2-3-1 and 4-3-3 the most commonly used. Both are not alien to Man United’s current squad, with 4-3-3 being an interesting development, considering that Ten Hag dropped that lineup on just six occasions during his time at the club.
Here, two wingers (Alejandro Garnacho and Marcus Rashford) support Højlund, with Ugarte holding and Fernandes and Mainoo completing Man United’s midfield triumvirate. If they can stay fit, Luke Shaw and Harry Maguire can former a similar full-back/centre-back partnership to the one they fostered under Southgate with England, while helping the new boss become accustomed to his new squad.
Xavi Hernandez
Xavi’s time as Barcelona manager came to an end over the summer following a 143-game run in which he boasted a 62.68% win rate and lifted La Liga and Supercopa de Espana titles.
The Spanish midfield legend fuelled a social media firestorm last week after his wife posted a picture of him and his son on her Instagram story, with his son wearing a Manchester United shirt.
Image via Manchester Evening News.
Xavi has shot up to 3/1 in the betting stakes to replace Ten Hag, sneaking him ahead of Southgate.
How they could line up
Xavi used an attacking 4-3-3 during his time in charge of Barca, using fast wingers who like to cut inside around an attacking focal point like Robert Lewandowski. With Alejandro Garnacho, Marcus Rashford, Amad Diallo, Rasmus Hojlund and Joshua Zirkzee around, he’s spoilt for choice replicating that approach.
Luke Shaw could be one to lose out under the Spaniard, who often used Joao Cancelo as an inverted left-back at the Camp Nou. Diogo Dalot and Noussair Mazraoui have both demonstrated they’re more than capable of filling that role.
