Manchester United would reap the benefits of raiding a Premier League rival if they decide to sack Ruben Amorim over the coming days. The latter is fighting to save his job at Old Trafford after overseeing a disastrous start to the new campaign. United have only won one of their opening four league matches, with their sole victory coming against newly-promoted Burnley thanks to a late penalty.
The Red Devils also bowed out of the Carabao Cup in embarrassing fashion, losing to fourth-tier Grimsby Town in one of the competition’s biggest shocks. Their awful form has left Amorim on the brink of losing his job after less than a year in the dugout. It has been reported that he has lost the dressing room and it remains to be seen whether he will be sacked if United lose to Chelsea on the weekend.
Club chiefs are under no illusion that a change will have to be made if United’s fortunes do not improve quickly. According to The Mirror, a number of managers have already been earmarked as potential replacements for Amorim in case he is relieved of his duties.
It is said that Gareth Southgate, Marco Silva, Andoni Iraola and Mauricio Pochettino are among those to have been shortlisted by the Red Devils. Oliver Glasner is also said to have emerged as a possible candidate and there is reason to believe the Crystal Palace boss would be the ideal choice.
He is coming off the back of his most successful campaign at Selhurst Park, having led the Eagles to FA Cup glory at the end of last season. Amorim had trophy-winning experience before his arrival at United but Glasner boasts the extra advantage of having done it in England.
His potential appointment would buck United’s trend of going for big-name managers, which they have largely done since the departure of Sir Alex Ferguson. The likes of Louis van Gaal, Jose Mourinho and now Amorim have all been tasked with steadying the ship to varying degrees of success.
United have rarely trusted up-and-coming bosses with the exception of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and now could be the perfect time to recruit a manager in that mould. Glasner has earned his shot at a big job and would bring the insatiable hunger for improvement that he has shown during his time at Palace.
The man from Austria is also unlikely to stand for the culture of mediocrity which has plagued the Red Devils in recent years. Since moving to Selhurst Park, he has demonstrated that he will not simply lie down and allow those above him to make baffling football decisions.
Glasner reportedly threatened to quit Palace if they sold Marc Guehi to Liverpool on deadline day without landing a suitable replacement. He later denied this, but a similar no-nonsense approach at United could help to keep the powers that be in check.
That said, one wonders if Sir Jim Ratcliffe would prefer to appoint a ‘yes man’ rather than somebody like Glasner who would not be afraid to challenge him.
In terms of what would be best for United, it seems clear that Glasner’s qualities would make him the ideal choice to succeed Amorim in the dugout. However, only time will tell which direction the Red Devils could go in to replace their current boss if he is deemed surplus to requirements.
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