Next Man Utd manager: Gareth Southgate warned off huge role as ‘not very good’ claim made

Stan Collymore has suggested Manchester United fans would not welcome Gareth Southgate, as he’d be perceived as “not very good” and the Red Devils should be targeting a thriving club manager.

This summer could be make or break for Southgate in the England job. He’s led them through three major tournaments, and has reached at least the semi-finals in two of those.

Having got to the latter stages, it’s been widely suggested the Three Lions should have gone all the way in one of the 2018 World Cup or EURO 2020.

And with Southgate’s current contract expiring at the end of this year, if success does not come in the upcoming Euros, he could be sacked, or walk away himself.

If that is to happen, he could be in line for a return to club football.

Indeed, many reports of late have suggested he’s on the shortlist to replace Erik ten Hag at Manchester United.

The Dutchman is seemingly under increasing pressure, and some reports have stated new part-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe has already decided to pull the trigger and sack him.

If that does happen, TEAMtalk sources recently revealed that Southgate would be very interested in replacing him at Old Trafford.

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United fans would not welcome Southgate

According to Collymore, though, Southgate is not the right man for the job, and United fans will remind him of that if he’s hired by their club.

“I could see the England boss being treated by Man United fans in the same way Liverpool supporters viewed Roy Hodgson,” he told GIVEMESPORT.

“He has a good CV but they will always be perceived as not being very good as a result of being British, not playing the ball out from the back, and they don’t have that huge personality that many managers at big clubs have.

“Therefore, Southgate would not be my choice for the Old Trafford hot seat.”

Hodgson’s sojourn at Liverpool a few years after he had left the Finland job ended after 31 matches, when he was sacked by the club.

The expectation of the Reds and United is similar, so welcoming an international manager to Old Trafford could conceivably go the same way as Hodgson’s tenure at Anfield.

Ratcliffe told to hire thriving club boss

Instead, Collymore believes a boss currently thriving in club football would be a better option than Southgate.

“I think a club like Man United should be targeting a manager who is currently doing very well at his club and has a strong body of work behind him, which includes winning trophies – preferably in countries such as England, Spain, Italy and Germany,” Collymore said.

There are numerous successful managers United could look at, with Julian Nagelsmann one who is set to be without a job in the summer after he leaves the German national role, but he has behind him a Bundesliga trophy from the 2021/22 season.

The boss recently suggested he would be happy to pen an agreement with a new club soon if the right offer comes – something United could well be eager to explore.

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