Esteemed Manchester United journalist Andy Mitten has revealed he put Andy Mitten in touch with Manchester United for the manager job.
Manchester United are on their latest search for a new manager, or head coach, after sacking Rúben Amorim following the 1-1 draw against Leeds United at the start of January.
Darren Fletcher took interim charge for two games before Michael Carrick replaced his former teammate. Carrick was handed the “head coach” role until the end of the season, rather than being described as an interim.
The main targets for the new head coach role appear to be World Cup managers, such as Thomas Tuchel and Julian Nagelsmann. However, Luis Enrique has also been linked with a move to Old Trafford, and not for the first time.
Enrique recently won the Champions League with Paris-Saint Germain, despite losing Kylian Mbappe to Real Madrid.
Andy Mitten is known to be a big fan of Enrique and even recommended him for the role in 2022, before Erik ten Hag was appointed.
Mitten reveals Enrique connection
On the latest episode of Talk of the Devils, Andy Mitten revealed he put Luis Enrique in touch with United for the manager’s job, although Ten Hag was chosen ahead of him.
“I put him in touch with Manchester United in April 2022 because my opinion of him couldn’t be higher as a coach,” said Mitten.
“I know someone who knows him very well, and I made some phone calls, and Luis Enrique was the coach of Spain and it was in a World Cup year.
“I interviewed him at his house. Incredible character, absolutely top grade. Two of the best hours of my life and as a human he is an incredible person.
“I’m not surprised that he has done very well as a coach. I’ve got no current inclination as to whether he wants to manage in the Premier League. But he certainly wanted to at one point. When he stopped playing, he put a cap on and sort of travelled around going to different games and stuff like that.
“Back to April 2022, Manchester United were already quite far down the road with Erik ten Hag and that’s the line that they went with.”
Enrique could be the right man
Enrique’s managerial CV is more impressive than most, even more so after his Champions League win, and if he’s still an option, he should be high up United’s list.
United need a manager who can control the dressing room and demand respect from all of the squad – something most coaches have struggled with at United – but Enrique managed it at PSG, and could at Old Trafford.
However, INEOS are known to want a “head coach”, rather than a “manager”. This is even more known after Amorim’s sacking, when he claimed he was the “manager”, but was dismissed from his role as “head coach” in the official statement.
Enrique would want to be the manager, and he’d deserve to be. He’s proven he can be and excel at it, but are United willing to do that?
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