After Chelsea decided to part company with Pochetino this week, the coaching market of the Premier League began to become active. Many names are related to the vacant positions at Stamford Bridge. However, this speculation is not only spreading in London. It is reported that if United decide to dismiss Eric Teng Hager after Saturday's FA Cup final, they have drawn up a list of four people to replace him. Here, we screen each candidate to assess whether they are suitable for this position at Old Trafford.
Pochettino - Leave Chelsea
The former Tottenham Hotspur and Paris Saint Germain head coach Paochetino, who has just left their Premier League rivals Chelsea, may return to the English top league immediately. Prior to the appointment of Eric Teng Hager, Pochetino had a close relationship with Manchester United, and he might eventually take the post this summer. Considering the progress his Chelsea team has made in the last months of this season, the 52 year old manager may feel very sad because he was fired at Stamford Bridge, even if he left with "mutual consent". The Blues ended the season with five straight wins, winning sixth place and a place in the Europa League next season. Considering the environment, transition and unprecedented injury crisis that Pochetino has to deal with, his work at Chelsea should keep his market at a relatively high level, which may give him a great opportunity to win this position at Manchester United.
Thomas Tuhel - Leave Bayern Munich
It is reported that Thomas Tuhel, the former head coach of Chelsea, Paris Saint Germain and Dortmund, agreed to leave Bayern Munich at the end of this season a few months ago. Now he will plan to coach next time and firmly hope to return to the Premier League. It is reported that Tuhel is linked with the vacant position at Chelsea. He does not want to return to West London. If he has the opportunity, he will be keen on the work of Manchester United. Before leaving Bayern, the German experienced a disappointing season in this Bavarian club, failed to win the cup for the first time in 12 years, and won the third place in the Bundesliga. Nevertheless, Tuhel led Bayern to reach the final just a few minutes away in the Champions League this season - although his hasty replacement led to their elimination at the Bernabeu - and had to deal with the injuries of key players such as Neuer and Derehet.
Kieran McKenna Ipswich
During Solskjaer's tenure, Kieran McKenna was a coach of Manchester United. His Ipswich team's return to the Premier League won many admirers. Tractor Boy is one of the most watched teams in England this season. Their goal count (92 goals) is more than that of other teams in the Championship. When McKenna was appointed as the head coach of Ipswich in December 2021, he initially adopted a three man defensive line, but due to the decline of his state, he recovered to 4-2-3-1. The focus is on full backs to stretch opponents, especially Leff Davies, who shone brilliantly in Ipswich's return to the Premier League. After all, the 24-year-old has more assists at the end of the season (18) than any other player in the Championship. However, the 38 year old coach is a hot coach. It is reported that Brighton and Chelsea are struggling to sign McKenna. Therefore, if MAN Lenovo finds one of the country's smartest coaches, it needs to take quick action. It was revealed that if he wanted to leave Ipswich, he would prefer to return to Manchester.
Thomas Frank Brentford
If United want to give priority to the experience of the Premier League, Thomas Frank is likely to be the first choice. The Dane created a miracle when Brentford's budget was quite moderate. Despite the danger of demotion earlier this year, Frank still showed his coaching ability. In this season's game, Frank switched between 4-2-3-1 and the three man defence, and the injury did not help his Brentford team. In fact, for most of the 2023-24 season, he had to work hard without key players Brian Mbemo and Ethan Pinnock, and his Bees team suffered losses. His Brentford team is almost not as dominant as other teams on the list. Frank is now a more pragmatic coach than people like Bochetino and McKenna. However, he can use the tools he has mastered well without causing too much disturbance. This is likely to be suitable for the new senior management of Manchester United.
