Ideal next Man Utd manager picked out by club legend as true feelings on Ten Hag sack are made clear

Iconic former Manchester United goalkeeper Peter Schmeichel has explained why Thomas Tuchel has the “aura” needed to replace Erik ten Hag as Red Devils manager as the wait to find out if the Dutchman faces the sack continues.

Ten Hag has begun the 2024/25 campaign miserably, having lost three of seven Premier League games to leave them 14th in the table and having taken a disappointing eight points. That leaves Manchester United nearer the relegation places than the top four – and having overseen their worst-ever season last time out-  finishing eighth – the heat is well and truly on Ten Hag.

But while discussions over Ten Hag‘s future are yet to reach a conclusion – at least publicly – former goalkeeper Schmeichel has explained why he feels former Bayern Munich and Chelsea boss Tuchel fits the bill if they do need a successor.

“With the last two jobs Thomas Tuchel had, at Chelsea and at Bayern Munich, he was at those two clubs at the wrong time,” Schmeichel said on the Seaman Says podcast.

“Chelsea was a mess when he was there with the new owners coming in. At Bayern it was similar because they changed the whole leadership of the club.

“I like Thomas Tuchel, I really like him. Being around the Champions League, talking to him and interviewing him, listening to him talk to his players in the technical area, he just looks like someone who would be a good manager for Manchester United.

“I don’t think he got his way at Chelsea and I know for sure he didn’t get his way at Bayern Munich. I just think he’s got such a great aura around him that he fits the bill for United.”

Schmeichel, though, is adamant he wants Ten Hag to keep his job, adding: “Erik ten Hag is still the manager and I will support him because I want the club to do well. I don’t want United to be the club that changes the manager all the time.

“I hope they stick with Erik because we need consistency now. Let him have a fair go at this.

“He’s been hampered by a lot of things over the last two years, now he’s got his own players, let him show us what the plan is and what he can do with the football club. If that doesn’t work then maybe then we talk about a change.”

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Schmeichel unsure on Ten Hag success / latest on Man Utd executive meeting 

Schmeichel was then asked if he feels the under-fire Dutchman can still deliver success for United, to which he replied: “I don’t know to be completely honest. I really, really don’t know.

“I don’t think the owners think he is the one because we saw they were speaking to other managers in the summer and even recently there has been linked with Thomas Tuchel.

“I don’t know. If they decide to change the manager then fair enough, but I just don’t see the point in doing that right now.”

But in a pointed message to club shareholders INEOS, he stated: “There’s a lot of things happening at the club at the moment so it’s difficult to judge precisely where the team is.

“Will we get back? How long until we get back? When is that going to happen? I think we need a bit of patience to see how the new guys that have come in are going to impact the club.

“It’s difficult to have a massive impact in such a short space of time. It’s been like this since Sir Alex [Ferguson] left so it’s a long, long period they have to correct.

“I’m all for giving them time but as we speak we’re 14th in the table so it’s not good enough.”

TEAMtalk understands that Ratcliffe, though, recommended to the United executive committee meeting on Tuesday that he wants Ten Hag gone, though will leave the final decision to chief executive Omar Berrada and sporting director Dan Ashworth.

The two of them will also be left to decide whom is best fit to succeed Ten Hag if they go down the route of firing him. And while no verdict was reached on Tuesday, an announcement could still be made in the coming days.

Potter linked with another Prem job / Red Devils linked with Stuttgart ace

We understand that Graham Potter is one man under consideration for the job if the axe falls on Ten Hag, though he is now reportedly in the running to becoem Wolves manager if the under-pressure Gary O’Neil departs.

Potter has been out of work since April 2023 when he was dismissed by Chelsea. And over the past 12 months, he has been strongly linked with the United hot-seat, though is yet to get back into the game.

Now with Wolves bottom of the Premier League with just a point to their name, Potter has been linked with the vacancy and is reportedly keen to take on the top job at Molineux in a move that could see United miss out.

And while we understand Tuchel remains their top choice, that has not stopped speculation suggesting a barrage of other names over the last few days, with Unai Emery, Xabi Alonso and Xavi Hernandez among the more fanciful names linked.

On the recruitment side, United are being linked with a move for Stuttgart attacker Jamie Leweling, with scouts keeping tabs on him play for Germany, after a call-up in the absence of Jamal Musiala.

A new goalkeeper is also on the radar too, with sources revealing that an in-form League One goalkeeper is being monitored carefully.

How does Tuchel compare to Ten Hag?