Gary Neville refuses to back 52yo manager as Man United caretaker

Manchester United are soon expected to announce a new caretaker head coach who will be in charge until the end of the 2025-26 season.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and Michael Carrick seem the frontrunners to get the job after United sacked Ruben Amorim from the head coach position on Monday morning.

Gary Neville was asked if he would support Solskjaer if the 52-year-old were to make his return.

The former United captain surprised everyone with his remark.

He said (via Sky Sports): “I wouldn’t, no. Look, what I do think, Ole is someone that absolutely loves the club. He knows the job, he’s been in the job.

“The other names that are being mentioned, obviously, Michael Carrick and Ruud van Nistelrooy. These are really fantastic people.

“I played with those guys for a lot of years, they love the club intensely. They get the club, but still they’re going to come under a lot of pressure in the next four or five months if results don’t go their way.

“So look, they have to be ready for that. Whoever’s going to get it out of those three that are being mentioned, I wish them all the best because it’s a tough role.”

A follow-up question to Neville should have been about his preferred choice of caretaker manager.

The club need stability over the next six months.

A permanent manager may find it easier to take charge from the start of the 2026–27 campaign, especially given what happened with Amorim.

The Portuguese head coach left Sporting CP for United in November 2024.

Despite repeated promises of backing the manager, INEOS sacked him earlier this week.

Football is a results business, and no manager at United will get a prolonged grace period to prove himself.

Solskjaer previously led United between December 2018 and November 2021.

He was initially hired as a caretaker, but a fantastic run of results made it obvious for the board to hire him full-time.

He guided United to second and third-place finishes in the Premier League.

Solskjaer also came close to winning the Europa League, but his side suffered heartbreak in the final after a penalty shootout defeat to Villarreal.

Article written by Sanidhya Bhardwaj .