Neville names Tuchel as one of three potential Man Utd managers he ‘likes’ | OneFootball

Gary Neville has said he has “no idea” who Manchester United will appoint as Ruben Amorim’s successor, but has named three managers he ‘likes’.

Amorim was relieved of his duties on Monday morning, less than 24 hours after overseeing a 1-1 draw at Leeds United in the Premier League.

Man Utd sack Amorim: How it happened

The Portuguese head coach (not manager) leaves Old Trafford with the club sixth in the Premier League table, three points behind champions Liverpool in fourth.

Neville reacted to Amorim’s sacking on The Premier League Show on Sky Sports on Monday evening, describing it as a “poor reflection upon everybody”, but was asked who the Red Devils’ hierarchy could target as their next boss.

The Manchester United legend name-dropped England boss Thomas Tuchel, Atletico Madrid’s Diego Simeone and Athletic Bilbao’s Ernesto Valverde, but stopped short of making any kind of prediction.

“It would be wrong of me to name [a successor],” Neville said, before naming three coaches he ‘likes’.

“There are coaches that I like. I like Tuchel. I like Simeone at Atletico Madrid. I like Valverde. I think Valverde is a fantastic coach.

“But are they really opportunities for Manchester United to go and get these coaches? I don’t know. I have no idea.

“The most important thing is that Manchester United’s scouting department, recruitment department and sporting director have got their eyes open, have seen this coming over the last few months, and already have an idea of what they need to do next. They need to come up with that quite quickly.

“It’s been a real struggle for the last 10 or 12 years for all these good managers and coaches who have come to Old Trafford to try and get the results the club demand. And United can’t keep getting it wrong. They’ve got to get it right at some point.”

Neville outlines what next Man Utd manager must have

Neville doesn’t know who the next manager should be, but insists their philosophy must embody “the Manchester United way”.

“I was thinking about what managers have been appointed at the club over the last 10/12, years,” he said.

“Louis van Gaal had his own philosophy. Jose Mourinho plays a certain style of football. So does David Moyes, Erik ten Hag, very different style of football, very positional, different to what man’s United ordinarily would play.

“Ruben Amorim, a very different style of football than Manchester United would ordinarily expect.

“I think the experiments have got to stop Manchester United.

“I’m not being Manchester United, look at us, but, I’ve always been very proud of what that club is, adventurous, exciting football playing, young players, entertaining the crowd, those fans that pay to come in, that are basically looking for some relief from their job at a weekend and want their entertaining Saturday.

“Manchester United must take risks and be courageous and play with attacking, aggressive football. There’s a brilliant video from Bobby Charlton describing that Manchester United have got to appoint a manager that fits the DNA of their football club.

“Ajax will never change for anybody. Barcelona will never change for anybody. I don’t believe Manchester United should change for anybody. They should play the way in which they play.

“These managers that have come in, fantastic managers, Louis van Gaal, Jose Mourinho, Eric ten Hag, Ruben, are brilliant coaches. You can’t say they’re not good coaches, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, they’ve all come in with different ideas, different styles of play, different philosophies, and none of them really fit the Manchester United way.

“So for me, the club have to find a manager now who’s got experience, who’s willing to pay fast, entertaining, attacking, aggressive football. Simple as that.”

Tuchel linked with Man Utd job

Neville has previously labelled the German a “great coach”, whose achievements speak for themselves.

“They’ve got a great coach, of that there’s no doubt,” Neville said when England appointed Tuchel in October 2024. “Thomas Tuchel has got a proven track record. He’s proven that he can win big knockout matches, so from that point of view the FA cannot be criticised in any way.”

The favourite to replace Amorim is Crystal Palace boss Oliver Glasner, who is out of contract at the end of the season.

Former England manager Sir Gareth Southgate is also in the frame, while Newcastle United’s Eddie Howe is another name the Old Trafford hierarchy reportedly admire.