Julian Nagelsmann is a man in demand across Europe. Can Man Utd afford to snooze under Solskjaer?
Numbers never tell the full story but a collective 162 points off the top and five managers just about encapsulates the fall of Manchester United in the eight years of the post-Fergie era.
While there have been signs of progress under Ole Gunnar Solskjær, the club remains part-shrouded in darkness, desperately attempting to claw back their halcyon years.
Last season, United were knocked out of three semi-finals and finished 33 points off the title; this season they’ve been knocked out of one semi-final and one-quarter final. The Europa League is still in their hands after their breeze past Granada earlier this month.
The league title this season is unattainable: 11 points between them and the fastidious Manchester City with a game in hand. Their best-case scenario will be a non-threatening runner-up finish and a Europa League victory, almost mirroring the second season of Jose Mourinho, who was sacked just months later. It hardly screams progress.
Such a declaration might seem a tad harsh but heavy expectations are warranted given United’s size and resources; ambition should never be shelved in fear of rupturing the status quo. Taking United’s past few seasons as a microcosm of their overall legacy would be a huge mistake as this is a club whose history dictates that they should be aiming higher.
There was a time where so much as a draw for Manchester United against a mid-table club would feel like a shock to the system. Now such mishaps here and there are normalised. A top-four finish and a decent cup run, even in the lowly Europa League, now constitutes a decent season.
Beyond the greed and vile nature of the Glazers, the issues largely lie with a man who gets the most out of his players and yet does not have the tactical acumen to take them forward with any real identity. With Solskjær and his zero silverware in two-and-a-half years and 57% win record (still less than Mourinho’s United percentage), you get the nagging feeling that he’s taken them as far as he can.
This is not to deride the coach and his achievements: the bedding-in of Mason Greenwood, Brandon Williams, the purchase of Bruno Fernandes, the revitalisation of Luke Shaw, those historic wins in Paris, the record-equalling cruise over Southampton this season( 9-0), etc, are all hugely wondrous moments for any supporter, and they have been provided by the popular cult player who undoubtedly understands the club.
But if you honestly look to the future of United, is it truly the Norwegian that you see at the helm?
It’s always hard to make a case for a huge switch when the current trajectory isn’t particularly turbulent, but there’s little to suggest any further growth under the stewardship of the current manager.
United’s nose should always be pointing upwards, not straight ahead or in slight flux. The hot seat is occupied by someone who will never be able to tussle with the greater coaching minds in the league – Pep Guardiola, Jurgen Klopp (and arguably even Thomas Tuchel) – and offer a serious title challenge next campaign and beyond. He has scarcely given any indication of such proficiency in any of his 142 games in charge.
And despite all his supposed Manchester United values, Solskjaer recently claimed that obsessing over silverware is an ‘ego thing’ for some. Does that sound like a Manchester United manager?
Of course, the usual retort when asking for any change in management is coming up with a suitable replacement.
Mauricio Pochettino was heavily linked but he’s now at Paris Saint Germain. Perhaps an even better – and readily available – choice would be the bright-eyed Julian Nagelsmann, who has his RB Leipzig team biting at the feet of the dominant Bayern Munich in the Bundesliga. Only last season, he was the first manager in their history to reach the Champions League semi-finals and became the youngest manager to achieve that feat.
His achievements are astounding, particularly at such a young age (33) while his tactical blueprint speaks of a refined press with the versatility to uniformly measure out a ridged, solid back line. He often deploys wing-backs in a back five and they are the focal point for transition.
But most emblematic of the young coach is his in-game management, having accommodated eight different formations this season alone.
United are at their best when pulling back from losing positions, but while this could be seen as an achievement, it also speaks of an inability to control the game from the outset. Starting constantly on the back foot grants opportunity, whereas with Nagelsmann they have a chance to set out a side capable of exploiting opposition weaknesses.
The German is already heavily linked with Tottenham following their dismissal of the beleaguered Jose Mourinho, while Bayern Munich would be an obvious choice with their current managerial situation – Hans-Dieter Flick is heavily linked to the German national side’s coach position for the upcoming summer. Any suitor must act fast.
To be back among the collection of title contenders, a move for a coach like Nagelsmann would be both an unprecedented and a brilliant move. A league title requires an an almost faultless campaign and such a campaign seems beyond Solskjaer.
With Ed Woodward now gone, the perfect opportunity has been presented to renovate entirely at Old Trafford, to slide into another great era. If United hesitate then Bayern surely will not.
United have undeniably grown in certain respects under their cult hero manager, but is that progress enough as long as a title challenge still feels so far away?
Jacque Talbot – follow Jacque on Twitter here
The post Should Man Utd rival Bayern and Spurs for Nagelsmann? appeared first on Football365.