Man United have announced that they have appointed Carlo Ancelotti by Gary Neville
Former Manchester United defender Gary Neville has backed Carlo Ancelotti, naming him as the best player to become the club’s next manager.
Neville believes United should be willing to wait until after the World Cup, when Ancelotti completes his duties as coach of Brazil’s national football team, before making an official appointment.
His comments come shortly after the sacking of Ruben Amorim, who was sacked following poor results and a breakdown in relations with the club’s management.
Man United’s performances have been declining week by week, and despite many chances to climb into the top four in the Premier League, the team has repeatedly failed to show consistency or progress.
With Amorim gone, United’s search for a new manager has begun, and Neville believes the club needs to be appointed after more than a decade of managerial turmoil.
Gary Neville wants Ancelotti as Man United manager
In his latest Overlap newsletter, as reported by the Manchester Evening News, Neville outlined the key steps he believes the next United manager must meet, stressing the size of the job and the unique demands that come with it.
“Since the past 12 years have been a time of poor performance by the management of Manchester United, there are certain boxes that must be ticked by the candidate,” Neville wrote in the Overlap newspaper.
“You have to be able to handle the media and the noise that comes from this club, that’s what it is, so go through it and deal with it, that’s why you earn big money.
“You have to show that you can be successful by entering the top four, you can face Champions League football and you can get the best out of a team of players that will include stars and stars.
“3. You must understand the Premier League and the culture of English football because it is different to compete in many European leagues.
“4. You also have to understand Manchester United’s way, which means you have to be a glass-full type of manager. Be positive and ready to take risks and play with speed and joy. It is possible that that will change from 4-4-1-1 / 4-2-3-1.
“You have to be very special to tick all four of those boxes and, because of that, the person who will stand in for me will be Carlo Ancelotti, even if it means delaying his arrival until the end of July if Brazil reach the World Cup final.
“Nobody comes closer to accomplishing all of the above than him. Ironically, the team met Carlo just before [Sir Alex Ferguson’s] retired in 2013 and we could go through the whole process, starting with him at the beginning of the cycle.
“But, at the time, he was about to agree to join Real Madrid for the first time in charge so what could have been a good appointment didn’t happen.”
The Italian has an impressive record at the top level
Neville’s praise for Ancelotti is not surprising. Widely regarded as one of the greatest managers in football history, the Italian boasts an unrivaled CV, multiple Champions League titles, league wins in every major European competition, and a proven track record of managing world-class teams full of stars.
Man United, meanwhile, continue to look at short-term options while evaluating long-term candidates.
But Neville’s message is clear, if the club wants a good fit, it may need to be patient and Ancelotti, in his opinion, should wait.
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