1999 Treble winner Dwight Yorke has advised the Red Devils to consider appointing a club legend as the replacement for Erik ten Hag, if the Dutchman is sacked.
ten Hag could be the next Premier League manager to get sacked after Man United’s disastrous performances this season. The Red Devils are eighth in the Premier League and already out of the Champions League and the Carabao Cup.
INEOS chairman Sir Jim Ratcliffe is expected to keep ten Hag at the club at least until the end of the season. However, if results go against them the mood at the club could change quickly.
Dwight Yorke suggests that Ratcliffe and Man United chiefs should contemplate appointing a former player as interim manager until they finalize their decision on a permanent successor, in case the former Ajax manager is sacked.
Yorke told Footy Accumulators: “I don’t see any benefit of appointing Wayne Rooney in a caretaker role should Ten Hag get sacked.
“Wazza shouldn’t be put in that position – especially before me!
“The club may have to consider putting a club legend in charge on an interim basis, but I think Zinedine Zidane is the only option the board should seriously consider right now.
“Look at the stature he has in the game and what he achieved at Real Madrid.”
Yorke continued: “There aren’t too many other options out there – a lot of them have already had their chance.
“People are saying Graham Potter should take over, but he’s already had a chance at an elite club.
“Managers from smaller clubs should always grab the opportunity to take over a huge club at United. Elite clubs have bigger revenues, players, and expectations, and managers should jump at the chance.
“People say the pressure is huge, but that’s just part of the expectation. Everything is better at a big club.
“Those arriving from smaller clubs should aim to go forward instead of backward. Graham Potter had the chance at Chelsea, and I don’t think he’d suddenly succeed at Man United. He was a failure at Chelsea and he didn’t capitalise.”
Yorke added Brighton manager Roberto De Zerbi as a possible successor to ten Hag:
“I think Roberto De Zerbi may have a chance, but that remains to be seen.
“He’s one name to consider, but everybody else has had their chance. I don’t see anybody outside of Zidane and De Zerbi.”