3 Alternatives to Ole Gunnar Solskjaer as United's permanent boss
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has done a tremendous job since replacing Jose Mourinho in December. Three months in and 19 matches later, Manchester United have won 14 of the matches and losing just 3 in all competitions. It is surely a great record as compared to his predecessor.
But the fact remains that Solskjaer is inexperienced when it comes to management of a top club. His only other management experience in the Premier League was when he managed Cardiff City in 2014. It ended terribly as the side was relegated that season.
Manchester United cannot afford to make a mistake at this point. Since the departure of Sir Alex Ferguson, they have been mediocre at best. Their vast legion of fans has made their displeasure clear at the inability of the board to find a suitable candidate for the managerial position.
The recent defeats against Arsenal and Wolves have many questioning his technical acumen and expertise to manage a club like United. Although the players and the fans have been vocal with their support to Solskjaer, the board has to ultimately decide what is best for the future of the club and evaluate all the candidates before coming to a conclusion.
Here are three alternatives for the club to consider as the next boss of the Red Devils.
#3 Eddie Howe (Bournemouth FC)
He is, without a doubt, one of the most underrated managers in the league.
At the age of 31, he became the coach of AFC Bournemouth and led them out of the relegation zone even though they were 17 points behind at the time.
It is now his second managerial stint with the Cherries and Howe has managed to bring Bournemouth from the League One to the Championship and finally, to the Premier League. It is an incredible achievement, and there were no complaints when he was awarded the Manager of the Decade at the Football League Awards in 2015.
Under Howe, Bournemouth has managed to survive in the Premier League for 3 years in a row. They even managed to finish 9th in the table in the 2016-17 season. For a period of time, he was linked to a top job with the Gunners, but eventually, he did not succeed Arsene Wenger.
Much like the United philosophy, he believes in attacking free-flowing football. His team is known for their doggedness and refusal to accept defeat. He has a habit of promoting young homegrown talents which blend with the United's history of giving youth a chance.
The only concern would be his inexperience in handling a big club, which may reduce his chances for a top job. Bournemouth has been a mid-table club and Howe has little experience against European clubs. If United wish to be in the top-tier of European competition and stand a chance to win the UEFA Champions League, the board will surely hire someone with loads of experience.