Manchester United’s managerial situation is not an easy one to solve. And we are not the only ones having trouble.
There is constant pressure as a Premier League manager, with Ruben Amorim always just one loss away from an ongoing debate over his future.
Sir Jim Ratcliffe has urged patience and is seeking a long-term evaluation, with it clear that Ineos have no desire to rip up this current project and start again.
Ratcliffe’s stance is driven by a desire not to have to admit to an error, but also because there is no obvious alternative to Amorim.
The 7 managers contacted by Ineos about the Man United job before Ruben Amorim’s appointment
One manager who was twice linked was former Brentford boss Thomas Frank, before he was later hired by Tottenham.
Ratcliffe held face-to-face talks with Frank following the 2024 FA Cup Final, and he was once again considered once Erik ten Hag was sacked – before United opted for Amorim.
Amorim’s time at United has been challenging, and Frank represented an alternative who was another up and coming manager – but one with Premier League experience.
More United News
He is now getting the chance to show what he can do with Tottenham Hotspur, and the results have been underwhelming.
Tottenham fans point out Frank problems
One of the biggest problems Manchester United fans had with Erik ten Hag, was the lack of a cohesive playing style with his teams.
Ruben Amorim has committed to a style of play, but there is ongoing debate over how effective his tactics are.
Tottenham lost 3-0 to Nottingham Forest at the weekend, slipping to 11th in the table. They have now lost three of their last five matches.
The honeymoon period for Frank at Tottenham is long gone, and fans on social media have been lamenting a disconnect with the club, and his tactics.
One fan wrote: “The next manager MUST bring a clear identity and style. Even if it doesn’t always work, at least there’s something to hold onto. Right now, we have nothing.”
A second responded: “Frank is an embarrassment of a football manager and I know 100% that this IS the worst I’ve ever felt as a Spurs fan!”
A third wrote: “I don’t think Thomas Frank understands what sort of Club he’s at. We aren’t Prime Barcelona but we still have standards.”
Another added: “It’s tough/draining and pointless getting behind a project when we have no faith in the manager.”
And a fifth wrote: “It is truly a numbing experience. Losing to Sean Dyche of all people when in bad form overall should be an automatic sacking.”
“I’m feeling greater apathy than ever before,” added another.
Are you confident Ruben Amorim is the right head coach for Man Utd?
Tottenham hoped to avoid United error
Manchester United’s poor 2023/24 season was covered up by the FA Cup Final win over City. And amid the emotion of winning the cup, United decided to keep Erik ten Hag. He was fired months later after a poor start to 2024/25.
Tottenham found themselves at a similar dilemma after Ange Postecoglou won the Europa League, offsetting a terrible league campaign.
Spurs fired Postecoglou right away, and hired Thomas Frank as his replacement.
It was a decision Ineos considered at the time, and chose not to take.
Whether Frank would be doing better than Amorim is like splitting hairs. He might even have been a downgrade.
What we are seeing from his Tottenham stint so far is that there is no reason for Ineos to regret their decision not to hire him.