"They should have the very best in class" - Paul Scholes names Ruben Amorim alternative Manchester United should appoint as new manager
Manchester United icon Paul Scholes has identified an alternative to Ruben Amorin for the Red Devils to appoint as their new manager. The former England midfielder urged the Premier League giants to swoop in for ex-Real Madrid boss Zinedine Zidane as they look to bounce back among Europe's elites.
Manchester United have parted ways with Erin ten Hag. The club confirmed the news via their official channels yesterday (October 28) and reports have started linking them with multiple names to fill in the void in the dugout.
As per the Manchester Evening News, Sporting Lisbon head coach Ruben Amorim is currently the frontrunner to take up the job. The Red Devils are said to have reached an agreement in principle with the 39-year-old and now trying to finalize a deal.
However, Paul Scholes doesn't think the Portuguese is the right man for the job and has provided an explanation as to why he feels it would be risky to appoint the Portuguese.
“Amorim is an interesting one. But, again, that is a risky one,” he told the official Premier League website. "We all know the style of play. [Amorim] plays really good football. We’ve been talking about him for City. That obviously tells you something about his pedigree. Most of these managers, they’ve been at clubs where the expectation probably is not as high."
The Englishman went on to highlight why Zinedine Zidane would be a better candidate for the job.
"This is one of the very biggest clubs in the world, so they should have the very best in class. Zidane is the one who has been at a major, major club and won major honors. But I am not sure how educated he is with the English language or whether he actually wants to come to England. You never get that feeling with him,” he stated.
While Manchester United continue their managerial search, Ruud van Nistelrooy will take charge of the dressing room on an interim basis. The Dutchman returned to the club to join Erik ten Hag's coaching team in the summer and will now lead the team going forward.
The numbers behind Erik ten Hag's Manchester United's fall this season
It is fair to say that Manchester United never looked like a team with a clear ambition under Erik ten Hag this season. The Red Devils struggled to compete with opposition teams and were made to pay for it.
At the time of the Dutchman's sacking, United occupied the 14th spot in the Premier League table with just 11 points, after winning just three of their nine fixtures, to go with two draws and four defeats. They also scored just eight goals and conceded 11, leaving them with a -3 goal difference.
The Manchester outfit also struggled in the Europa League where they first played out a 3-3 draw with Porto and registered a 1-1 draw with Fenerbache the last time out.
With the Dutchman now sacked, Manchester United will open a transitional chapter under interim boss Ruud van Nistelrooy when they lock horns with Leicester City in the EFL Cup tomorrow (October 30).