Roy Keane didn't pull any punches in his post-match rant after United's draw with Burnley. The United legend tore into the club's hierarchy, particularly the remaining influence of Sir Alex Ferguson, and called for an appointment that would "remove the risks" at Old Trafford.
Ruben Amorim's sacking marks the 6th manager since Sir Alex Ferguson to be fired from the Manchester United top job. It's a legacy of failure that has formed in the wake of one of the greatest managers to ever live. Roy Keane believes it's time to step out of that wake.
Keane has thrown the blame partially at the feet of Sir Alex for "hanging around like a bad smell" at Old Trafford, continuing to manipulate decisions since his retirement. The quotes come as Darren Fletcher, undoubtedly a student of Sir Alex, who was recently quoted as stating he does not make a major decision without calling his former boss first, is acting interim manager.
Keane is calling for a break from the 'students of Fergie' manager hires, like Ole Gunnar Solskjær or Michael Carrick, and suggests hiring a more experienced and reliable manager. According to Keane, Man United should be considered Newcastle manager Eddie Howe.
Speaking on Sky Sports following United's draw to Burnley, Keane said: "I'd go with Eddie Howe. I like him. I like what he's done. He's managed a lot of games. When his teams are at it, they'll play good football... He's managed seven or 800 games. He's still a young man. I love his calmness. Maybe Man United need a little bit of that."
Manchester United have been linked to a variety of managers since the sacking of Ruben Amorim earlier this week, including Oliver Glasner, Roberto De Zerbi, and Xavi Hernandez. All of these appointments, including Eddie Howe, would require waiting until the end of the season to complete.
Howe remains under contract at Newcastle, where he has enjoyed considerable success, including leading the club to qualification for the Champions League and winning the EFL Cup, Newcastle's first trophy in over half a century.
Howe is under a fair amount of pressure at Newcastle after a poor start to the season, which included, perhaps most painfully for their fanbase, a loss to fierce rivals Sunderland. Howe obviously has a solid CV, and has always played exciting and attacking football, but is coming under pressure as Newcastle struggle to make an impact towards the top of the table.
Pressure on Howe seems to have largely come from his recruitment, after a largely poor transfer window in the summer which resulted in the loss of Alexander Isak after a lengthy strike by the player, and signings like Antony Elanga and Jacob Ramsey, who have been underwhelming at St. James Park.
Whoever is eventually signed as permanent United manager will come under immense pressure. The head coach at Manchester United is developing into one of the toughest roles in football, and it gets more difficult with every successive failure of managers before them. The manager that United and INEOS choose to hire has to, above all, be able to cope with the pressure and expectations.
Howe's job at Newcastle is a tough one. It is the single club in a city that is desperate for success, and is now actively anticipating it after the club has been purchased by the Saudi Arabian PIF. It will be interesting to observe how Howe handles the rest of the season there. It will inform how he copes in tough moments if he is to join Man United.
The Manchester United job is a jump up for virtually any manager. Is Eddie Howe ready for that jump? It's difficult to say. But is anyone truly ready for such a tough job?
Roy Keane and Gary Neville both spoke about 'removing the risks' with United's next appointment, What they're asking for is impossible. No manager comes without risk. Howe certainly comes with risk. But is his upside, and his potential ability to bring United back to real success, enough to take a chance on him?