Next Man United Manager Candidates: Pros & Cons For Pochettino, Ten Hag, Lopetegui & Enrique
There are said to be four main candidates to become the next Manchester United manager.
United have been without a permanent manager since November when Ralf Rangnick was appointed as interim boss following the sacking of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.
Rangnick is supposed to move into an advisory role on June 1, though Sky Sports have claimed he has not yet been told exactly when that new job will entail.
According to Sky, the four men in the frame to take over from Rangnick in the Old Trafford dugout are Paris Saint-Germain's Mauricio Pochettino, Ajax's Erik ten Hag, Sevilla's Luis Enrique and Spain boss Julen Lopetegui.
But who would be the best fit? We look at the candidates' pros and cons below.
Next Manchester United Manager Candidates
Mauricio Pochettino
Age: 50
Teams managed: Espanyol, Southampton, Tottenham, PSG
Trophies won: 4
- Copa Catalunya x 2 (Espanyol)
- Trophee des Champions x 1 (PSG)
- Coupe de France x 1 (PSG)
Pochettino Pros
Knows the Premier League well and has a track record of improving English teams, having raised the bar at Southampton and Tottenham. Has a great relationship with Harry Kane and could potentially attract the striker to follow him to Old Trafford if United can convince Spurs to sell.
Pochettino Cons
Stock has fallen at PSG where he has been unable to get the best out of a team of stars. Known as a nearly man in England, after his Tottenham team were the best in the Premier League across the 2016/17 and 2017/18 seasons combined but still failed to win any silverware.
Erik ten Hag
Age: 52
Teams managed: Go Ahead Eagles, Bayern Munich II, FC Utrecht, Ajax
Trophies won: 5
- Eredivisie x 2 (Ajax)
- KNVB Cup x 2 (Ajax)
- Johan Cruyff Shield x 1 (Ajax)
Ten Hag Pros
Is used to winning, having delivered victories in over 73% of his 200+ Ajax games. Took Ajax from runners up to champions in Holland and has made them punch above their weight in Europe, without spending mega money.
Ten Hag Cons
Has yet to manage a team of elite players. Yes, he has built a fine side at Ajax but his United team would need to be even better. Would he be able to handle the egos at the top end of the Premier League?
Julen Lopetegui
Age: 55
Teams managed: Real Madrid B, Spain U19, Spain U20, Spain U21, Porto, Spain, Real Madrid, Sevilla
Trophies won: 3
- European U19 Championship x 1 (Spain U19)
- European U21 Championship x 1 (Spain U21)
- Europa League x 1 (Sevilla)
Lopetegui Pros
Has done a good job at Sevilla, winning the Europa League and leading the club to back-to-back fourth place finishes, before pushing for second place this season.
Lopetegui Cons
Has a very poor record at big clubs. Won nothing in 18 months at Porto, before lasting just 14 games in the top job at Real Madrid. Has never managed a team for more than three years, so might not be a man for the long term.
Luis Enrique
Age: 51
Teams managed: Barcelona B, Roma, Celta, Barcelona, Spain
Trophies won: 9
- Champions League x 1 (Barcelona)
- La Liga x 2 (Barcelona)
- Copa del Rey x 3 (Barcelona)
- UEFA Super Cup x 1 (Barcelona)
- FIFA Club World Cup x 1 (Barcelona)
- Supercopa de Espana x 1 (Barcelona)
Enrique Pros
Has won big trophies while handling the pressures of managing a European giant. Has never been formally fired from a managerial position.
Enrique Cons
Has not won anything without a prime Lionel Messi. Demands a level of technical ability that many current United players do not possess. So significant personnel changes may be necessary, potentially including in the position of goalkeeper after he left David de Gea out of his latest Spain squad.