Roy Keane gives honest 5-word verdict on replacing Erik ten Hag as Manchester United head coach
Roy Keane has given an honest response to a question about him potentially replacing Erik ten Hag as the manager of Manchester United. The 53-year-old club legend has notably dabbled into management in the past, taking charge of Sunderland and Ipswich after his retirement in 2006.
However, a return to Old Trafford in a managerial role is out of the question for Keane, who has spent the last decade as a football pundit. On The Overlap podcast, he was asked by fellow pundit and Arsenal legend Ian Wright about signing on to be United's interim manager.
Keane responded negatively (via Caught Offside):
“They’re not gonna be asking me."
He further reiterated:
“They just wouldn’t. They just wouldn’t.”
Manchester United's current manager Erik ten Hag has not had an easy time at the helm of the club's affairs. Despite having won two trophies in two seasons, he led them to a poor 8th place finish last season. This season has also started in a rather sub-par manner, with the Red Devils sitting in 14th place.
Their inability to score goals in the Premier League has not helped Erik ten Hag's cause so far. From their first seven games of the season, they have scored just five goals, only better than newly-promoted club Southampton. They also have a negative goal difference of -3.
The poor run of form has put Ten Hag under pressure, with his job widely believed to be on the line.
Manchester United legend slams new signing Joshua Zirkzee amidst poor form
Manchester United legend Paul Scholes has slammed the club's new summer signing Joshua Zirkzee after his struggle to find form at Old Trafford. Speaking after their match against Aston Villa, Scholes singled out the former Bologna forward while questioning United's recruitment.
He said in the SuperSport studio (via Metro):
"‘Look, [Rasmus] Hojlund does alright but is he gonna score you 20 goals? I don’t think so. Zirkzee… what is he? Is he a No.9 or a No.10? Is he going to get you 20 goals? I don’t think so. I think they’re relying more on hope than actual proven quality and they spent so much money as well."
In 10 games in all competitions for Manchester United, Joshua Zirkzee has scored just once. This is a notable difference from his time at clubs like RSC Anderlecht, where he scored 18 goals and provided 13 assists in 47 appearances.
He was in Bologna before making the switch to Old Trafford, scoring 14 goals and providing nine assists in 58 games for the Italian club. He will hope he can return to an improved run of form and enhance the Red Devils' attack as the season progresses.