As far as getting a replacement goes, if we got van Gaal as nearly a sure bet in coming here, and Klopp/Simeone/Ancelloti/Mourinho/Martinez are long shots, I'd say things look up. Any of those guys would set us up to play attacking football. If Woodward doesn't f' things up, I'd say we will return to our attacking ways next season.
Let's do this again. The club is in a lot worse position now than it was 12 months back and choices are fewer. I would take with no qualms - Heynckes + Solskjaer - CQ + Solskjaer with some reservations - Klopp -Mourinho with even more reservations - van Gaal + Meulensteen(/de Boer) - Ancelloti - Simeone Anyone outside of this list is again a long shot appointment and a gamble from the board.
CQ would be a Villanova-esque appointment. Ole hasn't exactly torn up any trees outside Norway. Would love to see Heynckes, but he's pretty much retired. I doubt he'd be in the running...
I was just coming to post something along the lines of if we dont get someone like Klopp or LVG then whomever we get, we're in a decent position to sure up the appointment with the likes of CQ and or Meulensteen. I think though that I'd most like to see Klopp, Mourinho or CQ + someone big as his assistant. I totally understand your reservations re Kopp and Mourinho. I think for different reasons, they still top my list (Heynckes would if I thought it was anything less than a pipe dream). The upsides of Klopp and Mourinho mean the risks are acceptable. Klopp: He'll make significant additions to the squad, buy a lot of youth and there's a chance the whole thing blows up. BUT - we'll be younger, we'll have good attackers and the next guy will have something to work with if he fails. Mourinho: He is mercenary. He won't be long, the football won't be pretty and we likely won't be serious contenders for a CL during his tenure of 3 years. BUT - we'll be more athletic, the CM will be fixed, we will win at least one league while he's here and we will effectively bounce back from Moyes with few lingering effects.
When do you guys think we'll hear an official announcement of the next manager? Before seasons end? Before WC? After WC?
If it's VG I doubt you'll hear anything about it until after the WC. If it's anyone else you'll most likely hear about it right after the major seasons end.
Depends on who it is. It won't be before season ends, if it isn't announced before the World Cup it has to be van gaal. I'm assuming if it's anyone who isn't managing at the wc it will be announced as the season ends
Van Gaal seems the perfect fit right now based on everything we've already talked about...no bullshit attitude, offensive tactics, proven, promotes youth, etc. The glaring problem with Van Gaal is that the WC will take up his entire summer. Meaning that unless some deals have already been agreed with players (and the new regime still wants them) we likely won't have the big summer of signings the club desperately needs. If Van Gaal takes charge after the WC, let's say mid July, that gives him a month and a half to bring in his staff, assess the current squad, scout players, and make signings. That's very little time start the big overhaul needed.
The interesting thing about that is if Van Gaal or whoever the new manager is doesn't get much time to make big changes to the squad, but ends up doing well anyway...that would only make moyes look even worse.
I'll be honest. I just want LvG in because out of all the realistic names listed, he's the only one who will have the balls to drop Rooney or at the very least play him in a position where he can do least damage to the team schematic... Ancelotti strikes me as a yes man and his handling of the break up of Milan's Dad's Army of 2007 doesn't exactly instil me with confidence that he could rebuild our team. LvG has shown that he is willing to give youth a chance everywhere he has been. Brought Alkmaar the title on a shoestring budget as well, so he's more than adaptable as well. I really can't see a downside to his appointment; even his issues with senior management would be a moot point here with the Glazers and Woodward very much hands-off when it comes to footballing matters. The players need a kick up the arse and if they disagree with his methods, quite frankly they can ******** off.
He's not Moyes though. He doesn't need time to "look at other things", find out who Shinji Kagawa is, or come to any shocking realisations about the difficulties of managing a top club. Plus he doesn't have the added worry of a lack of whiteboards and iPads.
I think that Ancelotti would propbably be a little more receptive to keeping Giggs, Scholes and the crew on board, compared to LvG. But LvG's character, control and just overall demeanor is whats needed. Carlo Ancelotti is cool, calm and collected, as well as experienced. But personally, I just prefer the philosophy that LVG brings. Those to me, are the most obvious options available. Personally, I wouldnt want to give CQ, Rene or Giggs the job individually. But all three together IMO is a very good team. Not sure if thats realistic though.
I don't get how people come up with combo teams. There is no guarantee how their chemistry will be together. Ultimately need to get the right man in at the top and he can build his/her own team.
Gab Marcotti has suggested in his new article that we should probably try and look for a Director of Football. I remember Fergie mentioning in his book about how he loved the Bayern model. Matthias Sammer is currently working there as the Sporting Director. Do you guys feel that it is something we should be doing? One of the names that has been suggested on twitter was Nicola Cortese, who could do such a role. Considering that we are not yet completely sold on Woodward yet and his performance as chief executive. Would you guys feel it would be wise to head into this direction?
If we go that route, there's no turning back. The allure of giving a manager complete control also removes itself from a list of positivge reasons a foreign coach would come to England.
To an extent. To me though, you need a Giggs or Gary personality, a Keane drive and a Scholes brain to be a really good DoF. The reason I mention the players is because to me, our DoF should be a former player who is utterly loyal to the club. So perhaps maybe we need to wait. A Giggs' could do it you know, but not now. Maybe in 5 or 10 years. A Neville/Scholes partnership could do it too. TBF, the one player who I think could take it on, wouldn't be offered the job: Nicky Butt. It isn't that we'd want a DoF to be some kind of domineering player. They'd work with the manager to ensure he understands not just our ethos but also to provide a link between managers and to look at 4-5 years down the road while the manager bruises his brain on today and tomorrow.