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The fall from grace of Premier League behemoth Manchester United has been clear to see over the last decade.
Ruben Amorim is the latest man charged with returning the club to its glory days, but what of the men who have already tried and failed at Old Trafford?
6. Ralf Rangnick (December 2021 - May 2022)
The German is said to have inspired the likes of Jurgen Klopp and Thomas Tuchel with his gegenpressing approach, but Rangnick failed to leave a positive mark on the crop of players he inherited as United interim coach.
He won just 11 of his 29 matches in charge, which included 4-0 defeats to both Brighton and bitter rivals Liverpool.
Rangnick put an end to his nightmarish spell to manage the Austrian national team in May 2022 and claimed the club required ‘open-heart surgery’ to bring the glory days back to Old Trafford.
5. David Moyes (July 2013 - April 2014)
Former Everton manager David Moyes was handed the impossible task of overtaking Ferguson in 2013.
A 2-0 victory over Wigan in the Community Shield got his tenure off to a perfect start in August, but the Red Devils’ form soon came a cropper.
An ageing squad didn’t help Moyes’ cause but, with the club labouring in seventh place heading into the final month, the Scot was put out of his misery and shown the exit door.
It’s hard to be too critical of his time in charge given the nature of the role, but the club’s failure to qualify for Europe for the first time in 25 years was a damning indictment of the problems he endured during his short time at the club.
4. Ole Gunnar Solskjaer (December 2018 - November 2021)
Club legend Solskjaer was initially drafted in on an interim basis to replace Jose Mourinho, but the Norwegian’s early success prompted the club to name him permanent manager in March 2019.
After overseeing a legendary comeback against Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League, Solskjaer also steered the club to a Europa League final which ultimately ended in defeat to Villarreal in 2021.
Still, while he might sit as the longest-serving manager in the post-Ferguson era, he ultimately ended his time as boss without a trophy and so it’s hard to rank him above any of the names yet to be discussed.
3. Louis Van Gaal (July 2014 - May 2016)
Glittering success with the likes of Barcelona and Bayern Munich brought charismatic Dutch boss Van Gaal to Old Trafford in the summer of 2014, but he initially failed to improve on results seen under his predecessor Moyes.
Results steadily improved in Van Gaal’s first season as United manager though and he steered the side to a fourth-place finish, bringing a return to Champions League football.
However, more struggles were endured during his second term, with several reports indicating Van Gaal had lost senior figures in the United dressing room.
His final match in charge saw him lift the FA Cup with a 2-1 win over Crystal Palace at Wembley, following which the Dutchman was told his time at the club was coming to an end.
2. Erik Ten Hag (May 2022 - October 2024)
Sitting as the most recently departed on this list, Ten Hag’s time at Old Trafford certainly saw the club enjoy some success.
In fact, United fans headed into the Dutchman’s second campaign full of optimism after seeing their side win the League Cup and finish third in the Premier League.
However, results dipped severely in 2023-24 for Ten Hag, whose United side laboured to a disappointing eighth-place finish.
Still, he defied the odds to defeat rivals Manchester City in the FA Cup final to double his trophy count at the United helm, but another slow start in 2024-25 prompted Old Trafford bosses to show him the exit door in October.
1. Jose Mourinho (May 2016 - December 2018)
Many scoffed at Mourinho saying finishing second with United in 2017/18 was one of his best achievements as a manager, but when you look at what has come before and after, it’s hard to argue with.
The Portuguese manager endured many of the struggles faced by the managers already discussed on this list, but was still able to win a League Cup and Europa League double in his first season in charge.
Ultimately, his combative approach both in the dressing room and with those above him cost him his job following a 3-1 loss to Liverpool in 2018, but Mourinho can certainly be proud of his efforts during his time as United boss.
Can Amorim win his first trophy as United boss in the Europa League final? Keep informed of where the value lies with FIRST.com bookmaker reviews & predictions. |
