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Michael Carrick’s struggles mean Manchester United are expected to soon be looking for their ninth manager of the post-Alex Ferguson era. To prevent further drift and decay, it is essential the club gets the next appointment right. It is time to hand the reins to… Antonio Conte.
Conte has been linked with the job before. He was a candidate following Jose Mourinho’s sacking, but United ended up sticking with Ole Gunnar Solskjaer after an impressive spell as interim boss. When Solskjaer himself came under pressure in the autumn of 2021, reports in Italy indicated Conte was interested in replacing him. But the call never came.
United were supposedly deterred by Conte’s combative nature. They feared he was a short-term option rather than a manager who would rebuild the club over several years. If United were to let those same concerns rule Conte out as Carrick’s successor, they would be making a grave mistake.
“More kick-up-the-backside than arm-around-the-shoulder”
Granted, Conte is unlikely to build a dynasty at Old Trafford. Since leaving Juventus in 2014, he has not completed more than two seasons with any club. And there is no doubt he is combustible. Conte is more kick-up-the-backside than arm-around-the-shoulder and not everyone in the United squad would respond well to his methods.
Still, Conte’s track record speaks for itself. He has won six league titles with four different teams. In his last five club roles, he has only failed to scoop silverware at Tottenham Hotspur. Even there, Conte brought about an initial upturn, guiding Spurs into the Champions League at Arsenal’s expense in 2021/22.
It is not as if he has only ever taken over teams on the verge of success. With United surely to soon be looking for another man to revive a fallen giant, they should note that Conte led Juventus to their first Serie A success post-Calciopoli in 2012. Both Chelsea and Napoli finished 10th the year before Conte’s arrival; he won the league in his debut campaign at both clubs. At Inter, Conte ended an 11-year wait for a scudetto in 2021.
United cannot afford to be too precious about Conte’s tendency to move on quickly. Their recent managerial picks have only lasted one or two years anyway. At least Conte would give the club a better chance of success during his own short stay.
Conte’s reputation for putting noses out of joint would be no bad thing for United, a sleeping giant in need of a rude awakening. The Italian has the force of personality to drag the club out of its malaise. It is certainly hard to imagine players being openly critical of his tactics, as Bruno Fernandes was of Carrick’s after the defeat by Como. Conte would command instant respect in the dressing room.
Of course, there is no guarantee Conte would succeed at Old Trafford. United have tried virtually everything since Ferguson retired, going back to the drawing board more often than an overworked town planner. The club’s problems run much deeper than the manager. Would anyone really be surprised if they were in the exact same position in two or three years’ time?
Failure is not inevitable, though, and despite the understandable doom and gloom, United’s squad does contain talent. Conte would quickly make them more competitive, and morale would rise with improving results. This season is not a write-off yet. But if United want to salvage something from it, there is only one man they need to call.
