The criticism of Manchester United owners The Glazer family has been massive for many years, after Sir Jim Ratcliffe came in with his billions, he has taken over the sporting responsibility and shielded the unpopular main owners somewhat. – Manchester United are once again chasing a new manager and Alan Shearer, the all-time Premier League top scorer, feels it necessary to warn whoever takes over on the sidelines.
He warns that the new manager is going into a club that doesn’t work and uses seven completely ridiculous Ratcliffe missteps as some kind of proof.
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Manchester United have been warned that any potential new manager is likely to be deterred by the way the club has been run since Sir Jim Ratcliffe took charge, after Alan Shearer listed a catalogue of mistakes made by the British billionaire.
The Red Devils terminated Rúben Amorim’s services on Monday after only 14 months in charge. While the Portuguese enthusiast himself went to bed with an incredible outburst after the 1-1 draw with Leeds, which strongly hinted at frustration with those in power behind the scenes, his position at Manchester United had been threatened for weeks due to frustration with his refusal to move away from his 3-4-2-1 formation and on the back of hints of disagreements over transfer budgets and goals.
Now, with the search for a successor in full swing, Shearer has warned that any new manager will have to question several red flags that are being raised in front of him by Ratcliffe’s running of the club.
Speaking on The Rest is Football podcast, host Gary Lineker described United as a “non-functioning club” and suggested that the way the 73-year-old has run the club since acquiring a 26.2% stake in the club (now 27.7) doesn’t hold water.
Shearer, who agreed with him, was quick to list seven major mistakes Ratcliffe has made since taking over at Old Trafford.
“It didn’t work out for him [Amorim], but I have to say that those who run the football club also have to accept the blame,” Shearer stated. “They completely messed it up.
“We have seen, and it is not the first time we have said this. If you look at every corner they’ve tried to turn and every decision they’ve made, it’s been a complete joke, whether it was giving Ten Hag another deal.
“Whether it was sacking [Erik] Ten Hag, paying Newcastle for Dan Ashworth and then him going on a layoff. So, fire Dan Ashworth and give him a severance package. So, to try to get Rúben Amorim and not accept that he has to come in now.
“Paid the money for him and his staff, then 14 months later, fired him. The list goes on and on, whether it’s staffing or other decisions.
“The owners, Sir Jim Ratcliffe, [sporting director, Jason] Wilcox, [CEO, Omar] Berrada, they also have to accept their guilt because they’ve messed up completely with every decision since they came in.”
Manchester United are getting closer to announcing interim boss; A decision on a permanent boss is pending.
Meanwhile, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and Michael Carrick are set to hold new talks with United this weekend, as they appear to be the leading candidates to take over for the rest of the season.
We understand that a decision is likely to be reached immediately, with an announcement expected from the club early next week and potentially within the next 48 hours.
Solskjaer has been considered the favourite to return to the role he held for three years until the end of 2021, and he remains very popular with fans. Carrick, on the other hand, who himself had three years with Middlesbrough in the Championship, is eager to get the chance.
A source close to the club told us: “Ole is hugely popular, with fans, players, staff, experts, and it would be very easy to bring him in – they know what they’re getting.
“There’s a good chance it’s going to be him, but Michael has his admirers and they also respect what he did at Boro; they firmly believe that they have good alternatives to be had.”
While a new permanent coach appointed this month isn’t entirely ruled out, sources have told us they’re more inclined to wait until the summer – giving them the chance to do their due diligence and assess the risks and rewards of all candidates for the role.
We understand that United have embraced the issues that arose when they hired a new head coach in the middle of the season last time around, when Amorim replaced Erik ten Hag in November 2024.
During initial talks with the then Sporting CP coach, INEOS had pressured Amorim by telling him that it was effectively now or never for the United seat; a decision that left him, he felt, with little choice but to accept.
After the transfer problems during his tenure resulted in a disastrous 15th place, INEOS has since realised that it was not an ideal situation and is keen to learn from the mistake going forward.
As for the next permanent manager, transfer correspondent Fraser Fletcher exclusively revealed earlier this week that Oliver Glasner is at the top of the Red Devils’ six-man wish list – an interest fuelled by the fact that his contract with Crystal Palace expires at the end of the season.
In addition, Fletcher has also explained why Roberto De Zerbi is a name that club managers also like, although there is likely to be strong competition for the Italian, whose deal with Marseille currently lasts until the summer of 2027.
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