Former Manchester United captain Roy Keane has told the club to appoint Atletico Madrid boss Diego Simeone as the next manager.
Speaking on The Overlap Live, as relayed by Goal, Roy Keane has urged Manchester United to go after Atletico Madrid boss Diego Simeone and make him the next manager.
Nine years after Sir Alex Ferguson stepped down as the manager of Manchester United, they have failed to win a single Premier League title. They did win some silverware under Louis van Gaal and then Jose Mourinho, but it has been five years since they last lifted a trophy.
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer did lead the club to a fair few semi-finals, but the team slipped up while they also lost the Europa League final last season. The ongoing campaign has been disastrous as the Red Devils have tripped up time and again, despite spending quite heavily in the summer.
Solskjaer was sacked after a poor run of results, and Ralf Rangnick was brought in as interim manager until the end of the season. The German tactician has somewhat steadied the ship, but results continue to disappoint. And, as things stand, they look set to finish another season without a trophy unless they go on to win the Champions League, which is an unlikely prospect.
Rangnick will be stepping aside at the end of the season, and Manchester United will name a new permanent manager at the time. Several names have been linked with the job, with Mauricio Pochettino’s name mentioned the most. However, former captain and club legend Roy Keane has urged the Red Devils to go after Atletico Madrid boss Diego Simeone instead.
“Maybe Simeone, he’s the right kind of character. He’s having a difficult spell with Atletico. His race has maybe run with them. Simeone, go and get him, he’s a big character. He’s done great things. He’s a great character, a big personality. He doesn’t mess around with players,” Keane said.
"If he’s the right manager for Man United, go & get him. Pay the money, whatever it takes. Because you pay fortunes for players. He’s done great things. Big character, big personality, doesn’t mess round with players. Go & get Simeone.” – Roy Keane pic.twitter.com/6PkJrxQBct
— UnitedReds (@UnitedRedscom) February 25, 2022
“Maybe someone like him coming into the club, could work. It can soon change. I don’t think it’s all doom and gloom, there’s still good things going on at United, but they’ve got to get the manager. If the manager is not right, then the rest will just fall apart.”
Keane then added that Manchester United needed to be ruthless in their approach and go after the manager they wanted even if they were under contract elsewhere. “You go and get the manager you want. People say, ‘oh, somebody’s tied up with a club’. But if you really want a manager – and that’s what it’s like when you really want a player – you go and get him.”
“Never mind making excuses saying he’s not available for two years. You pay fortunes for players, so why not a manager? I don’t care who’s under contract; if you think he’s the right manager for Manchester United well you go and get him,” he said.
Simeone has spent the last ten years at Atletico Madrid and has won two La Liga titles, with the latest coming last season, along with several other trophies. His contract with Los Rojiblancos runs until 2024, but there have been rumblings he might move on later this year. Whether Manchester United consider the 51-year-old as an option remains to be seen.
