The heat on Manchester United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has increased after another poor performance and defeat away at Leicester. The Foxes were in poor form going into the game, but they had no issue slicing through United’s midfield and defense on their way to a 4-2 victory.
United’s performances have been bad all season, and now that results are turning sour, many fans have reached breaking point, with the hashtag ‘Ole Out’ rising on Twitter. A sizable and growing segment of the fan base wants Solskjaer’s stint to end, and the present possibilities are being exhaustively studied and analyzed.
The first candidate is Antonio Conte, the former Chelsea, Juventus, and Inter Milan manager who is currently unemployed. Conte has won titles wherever he has gone, most notably with Inter Milan, where he ended Juventus’ almost decade-long Serie A dominance.
However, many United fans are concerned that, despite his obvious background, Conte does not appear to fit the mold of a United manager, as Gary Neville pointed out.
Zinedine Zidane, the former Real Madrid manager, is another man out of job with an extraordinary pedigree as a player and a manager. Zidane won two league titles and an incredible three Champions Leagues in a row during his two periods at Real Madrid, with Cristiano Ronaldo playing the best football of his career under his tutelage.
Zidane has the name value and pedigree for the job, and he would instantly command respect from every member of the present side, something Ole may lack. Erik ten Hag of Ajax and Graham Potter of Brighton, both young coaches with a distinct playing style, would be two more progressive alternatives.
Despite signing a new contract with Ajax six months ago, ten Hag has already been linked with Tottenham Hotspur and Barcelona, but a move to Manchester would undoubtedly be more appealing.
Despite the outcry from fans, there is no hint that Ole’s job at United is in jeopardy, but results must improve as the tough games continue to pile up.
