52 year old manager open to replacing Solskjaer with sacking decision expected

52 year old manager Antonio Conte is reportedly open to replacing Ole Gunnar Solskjaer with a sacking decision expected soon.

Respected journalist Fabrizio Romano has revealed what the board are thinking about in regards to the Norwegian following the heavy loss to Liverpool.

The former footballer could only watch on in horror as his team was dismantled in front of him at Old Trafford and the 5-0 defeat means his head is well and truly is on the chopping block.

Romano said on Monday: “There was no emergency meeting during last night. #mufc board are taking their time to see what is going on. Talks are taking place [between people at #mufc] behind the scenes to decide Solskjær’s situation. The next hours will be key.

“#mufc have no contacts with any manager in the last hours. Many managers would be open to join United. Rumours of Antonio Conte not being interested in the United job are not true. He would be open to understand United’s project if United call him.

Man Utd fansite The People’s Person wrote: “It’s no real surprise to hear Solskjaer hasn’t been sacked yet and there were no plans to sack him immediately after the game.

“After all, the club have publicly backed the former Molde man and so didn’t appear to have any real plans to replace him.

“It’s likely they will now be drawing up a shortlist even if he does somehow turn things around as the situation has gotten too bleak to not consider alternatives.

“Romano states in the video that the board are almost split in regards to whether or not Solskjaer should stay, though the concerns over the team are unanimous.

“Antonio Conte’s name has naturally cropped up as he’s one of a few top managers who are available, with Zinedine Zidane the other high profile name.

“Some fans have called for Ajax’s Erik ten Hag to be signed instead, while others feel Luis Enrique has the credentials to lead the team to the next level.”

Former Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson has previously hailed Antonio Conte’s managerial talents, amid the news that the Italian would consider replacing Ole Gunnar Solskjaer at Old Trafford.

If Conte, however, was to become United’s next manager, they would be inheriting a boss who has developed a habit of winning during his career and experienced life in England already with Chelsea.

His first season at Stamford Bridge saw him when the Premier League title, with his new-look 3-5-2 system proving fruitful. His side was full of energy and it was an element to Chelsea’s play that impressed Ferguson, who hailed Conte for the work he had done with his side.

“Fantastic, you see his energy on the pitch,” Ferguson told Sky Sports, speaking back in 2017. “There’s a true saying that the team mirrors the manager, and that’s what they’ve done with him.

“His team have stayed top of the league for so long. They lost to Arsenal and Liverpool early on, but since then they’ve been up.”

His first season in the top flight not only saw him guide Chelsea to the title, but it also saw them win 30 of their 38 matches, losing just five.

The following season, although Chelsea were unable to defend their title crown, finishing a rubbish fifth in comparison with what they had achieved 12 months earlier, Conte did still guide them to a major trophy, winning the FA Cup.

Although the Italian, who is often a sprightly character, only spent two seasons in England, he did leave a lasting impact and has frequently been linked with a move back to the Premier League, so much so he came close to replacing Jose Mourinho at Tottenham Hotspur during the summer.

Conte then joined Inter Milan after a year out of management and guided them to both the Serie A title and the final of the UEFA Europa League.

Meanwhile, a “sizeable number” of the Man Utd squad “lost faith” in Ole Gunnar Solskjaer even before their 5-0 defeat to Liverpool.

They are in a poor run of form of late as they are winless in four Premier League games.

They drew with Everton in between their defeats against Aston Villa and Leicester City.

Man Utd are now eight points adrift of league leaders Chelsea as they sit seventh in the table.

ESPN are now reporting that a “sizeable” number of Man United’s squad “lost faith” in Solskjaer.

They state that “his support in the dressing room is largely limited to the core of United’s British players and a small number of the team’s overseas players.”

ESPN add that Solskjaer’s inability to ease his side’s defensive troubles and his favouritism of under-performing individuals led to players “openly criticising” their boss while away on international duty.

It is also said that “senior players want more tactical direction from Solskjaer and his coaches, but he has been found wanting in that area.”

“Ole has done a good job but to take on Klopp, Tuchel and Pep, Manchester United need a better manager. I feel for Ole – that will be the darkest day in his career,” Carragher said.

“I don’t want to get involved in a slanging match, I know Ole said something back and rightly so. I’m not comfortable saying someone should be sacked. But we are comfortable saying Fred is not good enough or Scott McTominay is not good enough. So I do not feel too bad saying Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is not good enough.

“Manchester United need a better manager. Ole is not a manager for Manchester United. He’s done really well but you need someone to take them to the next level. Unfortunately, Solskjaer is not Jurgen Klopp, Pep Guardiola or Thomas Tuchel. It’s staring you in the face.

“Manchester United should have the best in class – the best managers and coaches in the world. If you have Ole as the manager you should have someone like Carlos Queiroz as the assistant coach.

“You cannot have people learning on the job who have never been at the club of that size. They have got Mike Phelan but I do not think he’s a coach. There’s Michael Carrick and Kieren McKenna, they have never coached anyone in their lives.

“You have got to have someone who has been there and done it. You cannot be learning on the job at Manchester United.”

SEE MORE: Liverpool fans mock Man Utd and Paul Scholes with savage chant

Twitter users reacted as 52 year old manager Antonio Conte open to replacing Solskjaer with a sacking decision expected…

#ConteIn pic.twitter.com/DphKymnJeU

— . (@andromedaUTD) October 25, 2021

@Murphs1893: I think Erik Ten Hag would be a better fit for United, difficult to get him from Ajax mid season but I’m sure there is a right price!

@HarleyScott98: Surely we take Conte in a heartbeat, considering the state of us

@paulgovier: Like others, I’m not sure he is the right fit but I would love to see how he’d get on with our ‘structure’ at the club. His football can’t be worse than what we’ve seen under Ole. He might be what we need to for the next two years. The game has changed expecting a manager….. to stay for 5 – 10 years isn’t realistic. It can happen but everything has to fit, manager, director of football, board etc. How we are run doesn’t give a manager the best chance to succeed.

@JAKWD95: Whilst he’s not my number one pick, I can see why the club would want him. Think that short termism could be an issue though.

@Minmatar0: If you look at the players we have, there’s no excuse for how poor we are doing. Its all on Ole. no tactics. Our players can’t seem to press properly, they leave massive gaps in midfield. Someone needs to come in and sort us out tactically.

@lewisf1smith: Sincerely hope not. I’d rather throw the kitchen sink at Ten Haag.

@JAKWD95: Whilst I think Ten Haag is the perfect candidate, I think he’s also a respectable guy and wouldn’t just abandon Ajax. Certainly one we have to keep an eye on though.

@Meeransri: IF anyone is to replace Ole it is not Antonio Conte. He will cripple this attacking team. Don’t overcompensate. IF I was to replace Ole it’s either Zidane who knows how to win trophies and balance teams or Ten Haag who has a good attacking philosophy and plays young talent

@Andrew_Keogh98: I’d personally rather Ten Haag over conte but either of them is an upgrade on Ole

@amoyounis1991: Ten Haag is the only coach we should be looking at when ole gets chopped

@Woodzy1983: No he’s doing an awesome job with all that money he’s spent. Give him a new contract! Oles at the wheel

@DinhoLFC_: United should just sack Ole and get Ten Haag. Get a proper recruitment team and system in place. Get rid of the players who don’t work hard like Martial, Pogba and that washed 36 year old striker. Imagine the football they’d play with Greenwood, Sancho, Bruno, VDB, etc

@PlayersTrombone: Horrible. Ole needs backing and time. We’ve come too far to stop the process now. We’re so so close.

@EddieLongbridge: Shambolic if they let Ole go just before he bangs.

@scottwyatt4: Such a shame, he’s doing a great job!

@Willftbl: He needs to go now, surely the Glazers aren’t happy with results despite spending money?