Man Utd Should Hire An Experienced Coach, Says Former Winger Sharpe

Lee Sharpe thinks Manchester United now need a proven, experienced head coach after Ruben Amorim’s dismissal, warning that another appointment based mainly on potential may repeat recent problems at Old Trafford. Sharpe, a former United winger, feels the current squad and club situation call for a manager with a long track record at elite level.

Amorim lost the job on Monday after a tense spell, which featured a heated news conference following the draw with Leeds United, when Amorim openly criticised the club’s hierarchy. That moment underlined how strained relations had become behind the scenes, and it added pressure to an already poor run of results.

United have asked Darren Fletcher to lead the Premier League match against Burnley on Wednesday

while the board considers short-term and long-term options. Reports in England suggest United prefer to bring in a caretaker manager for the rest of the season, then make a permanent head coach appointment during the summer window.

Several names are already linked with the Manchester United head coach vacancy. Oliver Glasner and Gareth Southgate are believed to be early favourites, while Xavi and former Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca are also reported as candidates. The final choice is expected to shape the next stage of the club’s rebuilding plan.

Amorim’s overall United record highlights why the club acted. United won 24 of 63 matches under Amorim in all competitions, drew 18 and lost 21. That spell included defeat against Tottenham in the Europa League final last season, a result that kept United without a major European trophy under the Portuguese coach.

Performance levels in the Premier League were also below previous standards. United’s win percentage with Amorim in the league was 32 percent, the lowest figure for any United manager in the competition. The team conceded 1.53 goals per league game on average and kept clean sheets in only 15 percent of fixtures, both club lows for a top-flight boss.

Squad selection in defence was another talking point during Amorim’s reign. Data from Opta showed frequent changes at centre-back, underlining how often Amorim altered his back line. The constant rotation raised doubts about tactical stability, especially when compared with rival clubs using more settled partnerships in that area of the pitch.

25 - Rben Amorim used 25 different starting central defensive partnerships during his time in the Premier League - eight more than any other side in that time. Tinkered. pic.twitter.com/gI5kcWxw8JOptaJoe (@OptaJoe) January 5, 2026

Manchester United head coach debate and manager experience

Sharpe, who played 175 Premier League games and made 116 of them for Manchester United, thinks the club must change direction after parting with Erik ten Hag and Amorim in quick succession. Sharpe told Stats Perform that the pattern of short-term spells suggests deeper structural issues that any incoming manager will also face.

Sharpe said: "I would say yes, but they've had that before in the last 10 years, You know, we've had Jose Mourinho, Van Gaal. We've had experienced managers come in and they've not done the job either way. That's because they weren't given time. Maybe they were clashing with the board again and didn't get the resources and players they wanted. It seems to be a bit of a running theme at Old Trafford these days. So it really, really depends. I mean, I think a younger manager sometimes with a younger squad can work pretty well. If you have a team full of internationally experienced players, sometimes you need a bigger, wiser, more experienced manager to manage those people, players. So I would say after going with Ten Hag and we're going with Amorim, who was sort of more potential and more young hot prospects, I think maybe it could be the time to go down a more experienced route. "

Sharpe’s comments highlight a long-running clash between United managers and the hierarchy over transfers and squad planning. The former winger believes the club must not only choose an experienced head coach, but also provide time and resources, or the same cycle of appointments and dismissals is likely to continue at Old Trafford.