Finding a new coach for Manchester United is already extremely difficult. This job is almost impossible, and this is the seventh time since Sir Alex Ferguson retired in May 2013 that the "Red Devils" have had to rush into the hunt for a new coach, after Ruben Amorim was sacked.
People often repeat that saying at Old Trafford every time the coach's office is cleaned up to welcome the successor. But this time, Man United really has to do it right.
Man United needs a big step. It is time for one of the most powerful clubs in the world to choose a coach with experience, achievements, capacity in the Premier League and personality large enough to make sitting in the hot seat a privilege, not a burden.
Whether they are ready to wait until after the World Cup to aim for names like Thomas Tuchel, Mauricio Pochettino or Carlo Ancelotti, or will risk choices like Oliver Glasner, Kieran McKenna or Gareth Southgate, still needs to be seen. Sources say there is currently no clear plan to quickly appoint a new coach, or apply a long-term strategy and let Darren Fletcher temporarily lead the team until the summer.
But past mistakes, along with lessons learned from the unexpected appointments of David Moyes, Louis van Gaal, Jose Mourinho, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, Erik ten Hag and Amorim, now force Man United to find a coach who can do what each of them has not been able to do or is not capable of doing. That is to endure pressure, deploy attractive football and most importantly, win.
Amorim, only 39 years old when Man United recruited him from Sporting CP in November 2024, was once a rising star of European coaching. He possesses appeal, confidence and impressive record. Amorim once helped Sporting win two domestic championships, ending the dominance of Benfica and Porto in Portugal, and was also on Liverpool and Barcelona's priority list when these clubs sought new coaches.
However, despite big expectations, Amorim quickly showed that he was not qualified. Sources say that the Portuguese coach was too stubborn and inexperienced to meet the harsh requirements of the job. Although he had promised to be flexible and develop his favorite 3-4-3 formation, Amorim ultimately refused to adjust to reality, until it was too late.
Therefore, after only 14 months, Amorim was eliminated by Man United, like all successors of the post-Ferguson era. Once again, the club paid the price for placing their trust in a coach who was not capable enough for the hot seat.
The key question is which direction they will take. A head coach working in parallel with the Football Director, or a traditional manager, with broader authority to lead both the team and the club.
Ferguson once said that the person with the strongest personality in any club must be a coach, and that is even more true at Man United. This is a high-class club, but it lacks such a character in the coaching seat, as well as in the top leadership.
And that is exactly what Man United needs at this time - a person with a big enough ego and capable enough to withstand pressure, handle the voices of former players, and at the same time meet the requirements for results and beautiful football.
Since Ferguson's time, no one has done that completely. And it's time for things to change.
