Managing a club as memorable and historic as Manchester United is certainly not every manager’s job, the pressure to win titles every season and to manage some of the biggest names in the game is certainly a horrendous task.Add to this the pressure of having to replace the most successful manager in English football history.
Ferguson’s replacement certainly has to be someone of extraordinary character and expertise. Here we look at five individuals who are capable of replacing the Scot.
David Moyes
A firm favorite to take the hot seat at the Old Trafford, Moyes will be out of contract this summer having not signed a contract with Everton as yet.
Even though he has not managed to win a single silverware in his managerial career, his quality is for all to know. One of Moyes’ key achievements have been to ensure, Everton consistently challenge for European places, considering the minimal budget he has had at hand that is a redoubtable achievement.
With funds readily available at Manchester United, Moyes could probably turn United into a reckoning force in Europe. However there is a question mark on his ability to manage a club of the stature of Manchester United, having managed much smaller clubs in the past.
Jose Mourinho
Unlike Moyes, Mourinho enjoys a multitude of silverware under his name having won titles with Porto, Chelsea, Inter Milan and Real Madrid. Mourinho is regarded among the elite managers in Europe currently and has the credentials to manage a club as illustrious as Manchester United.
Among other things, Mourinho is a guaranteed winner. He has won seven league titles in four different countries in 11 seasons, in addition to this the special one has also managed to lift the European cup twice.
However with Mourinho also comes a lot of drama, he is in a constant rivalry with the press as well as other managers, but more ominously with his own players. Mourinho is also known to promote a boring style of play which might not sit well with United fans.
Laurent Blanc
Even though he enjoyed a less than successful stint with United as a player, the Frenchman is a well reputed technician. He led Bordeaux to the Ligue 1 title in only his second season in charge of the club and enjoyed a decent spell with the French national team.
Like his former boss Alex Ferguson, Blanc is also a man of principles and during his time as coach of the French national team he ensured that discipline was maintained in the squad. One of his very first decisions was to suspend all the 23 players in France’s 2010 FIFA World Cup squad, as a punishment for all the negative events which occurred during the course of the competition.
Jurgen Klopp
One of the most sought after managers in Europe, Manchester United can greatly benefit from the appointment of the German technician. Operating on a thin budget Klopp has provided stiff competition to German giants Bayern Munich in recent times, outclassing them in the last two seasons to win the Bundesliga title.
He has transferred his success in Germany to Europe and has inspired his team to a Champions League final berth. His technical brilliance has allowed Dortmund to compete at all fronts despite losing his star players every successive season.
At only 45, Klopp is capable to serve as a long term replacement for the departing Ferguson
Louis Van Gaal
When Ferguson announced his retirement back in 2002, it was Louis Van Gaal who was favourite to replace him. At 61 the Dutch international might only provide short term solutions, but his permeate of experience and expertise will surely benefit United.
He has managed prestigious teams including Barcelona and Bayern Munich and has a stream of titles under his name.
Managing a club as prestigious as Man United would be a dream for any manager in the world, but the pressure associated with the job and that to replace a manager as successful as Ferguson is a himalayan of a task.
