"I think he was the right one " - Paul Scholes names his preferred choice for Manchester United head coach role amid talks with Ruben Amorim
Manchester United legend Paul Scholes has named the manager that he would have preferred the club to hire instead of reported top target Ruben Amorim of Sporting CP. The ex-English midfielder claimed that German tactician Thomas Tuchel would have been a better fit for the Red Devils.
Tuchel has managed top European sides like Borussia Dortmund, Paris Saint-Germain, Chelsea and Bayern Munich. He won trophies at all four clubs (including a UEFA Champions League with the Blues in 2020-21), showcasing his versatility and adaptability.
Tuchel and Bayern parted ways at the end of the 2023-24 campaign, which saw them finish third in the Bundesliga. A host of top clubs were linked with his signature, including Manchester United.
Even before his departure from Bavaria, the 51-year-old was a target for United's new minority owners, Sir Jim Ratcliffe and INEOS. Many reports claimed that Sir Ratcliffe had secretly held talks with Tuchel when Erik ten Hag came under fire during the 2023-24 season.
However, on October 16, Tuchel was named as the new England manager, succeeding Gareth Southgate who had resigned his post following a loss in the European Championships final. He will be taking charge of the Three Lions from January 2025.
A couple of weeks later (October 28), United announced that they had sacked Erik ten Hag, with assistant coach Ruud van Nistelrooy set to take over as the interim boss. With Tuchel off the market, the Red Devils have reportedly turned their attention towards Amorim.
They have reportedly agreed oral terms with the 39-year-old tactician, which has not sat well with Scholes due to his inexperience at a top European side. Speaking at The Overlap Fan Debate, the 49-year-old said (via Daily Mail):
"I think Thomas Tuchel was the right one to coach Manchester United, but obviously he's gone now with England. He's someone that can manage an elite football club and win big games. He’s been there and done it."
United currently sit 14th in the Premier League standings with three wins, two draws and four losses.
"We don't know too much" - Paul Scholes makes claim about Manchester United-linked manager Ruben Amorim
Manchester United icon Paul Scholes has claimed that he hadn't seen enough of Sporting CP coach Ruben Amorim's tactics in action.
Speaking at The Overlap Fan Debate, Scholes claimed that he didn't watch the Liga Portugal very much, with his only knowledge of Amorim coming from European football. However, he stated that the implementation of the 39-year-old's attacking, possession-based style of play could be exciting for the Red Devils as they don't implement that now.
The 49-year-old one-club man, who bagged 153 goals and 82 assists in a 19-year-long career with United, said (via Daily Mail):
"In England, we don't watch a lot of Portuguese football, so we don't know too much. We see them a bit in European football, and all the things we hear about him are good – exciting football, three at the back and possession based – something United don't really do. If he comes in to do that, it could be exciting."
Interim manager Ruud van Nistelrooy takes charge of his first game for Manchester United in the Round of 16 of the EFL Cup against Leicester City (October 30).