Aston Villa boss Unai Emery would be the “perfect coach” to revive Manchester United, according to Sky Sports pundit Jamie Carragher.
Carragher believes Emery should go to Old Trafford on Sunday for Villa’s game against United – live on Sky Sports – as the “frontrunner” to take over this summer. Instead, Michael Carrick, who has never had a permanent Premier League job, seems to be in that position.
“I suspect he does not rank high among the candidates,” Carragher wrote in his Telegraph column. “That is good news for Aston Villa, but it must be frustrating for one of the best, and still most underrated, coaches in Europe.
“For Emery not to be under serious consideration says plenty about modern football. By any metric, he would be the perfect coach to revive United.
“Emery is a manager who wins trophies, has a clear football vision, a track record of revitalising clubs in need of a mini-revolution to break into the Champions League, and who demands respect while leading with authority.”
Sunday 15th March 12:30pm
Kick off 2:00pm
Carrick is not in this position without reason. United have won six of the eight games he has been in charge for, losing just once. They have also usurped Emery’s Villa in the table. When the sides meet on Sunday, it is third plays fourth, with only goal difference separating them.
This match could have a decisive impact on the race for Champions League football. Wayne Rooney believes Carrick should get the job if United qualify. Villa missing out is a distinct possibility after one win in their last five league games.
Carragher reckons Carrick’s chances will only improve if United stay above Villa, but considers Emery to be the second best coach in England behind only Pep Guardiola. He would want him on Liverpool’s shortlist if Arne Slot goes.
Emery, who celebrated his 100th win as Villa boss with Thursday’s Europa League victory in Lille, has a contract until 2029, but similar issues have not stopped speculation linking the likes of Thomas Tuchel and Julian Nagelsmann with the Old Trafford job.
Carragher believes Emery’s desire for full control as manager is a “significant factor” behind United’s apparent lack of interest – the club’s new footballing structure has faced criticism for their perceived overreach.
After United sacked Ruben Amorim in January it emerged that he felt like he was being micromanaged. There was also a falling out with sporting director Jason Wilcox shortly before his departure.
“Appointing Emery is effectively a means of enhancing the role of the manager and diminishing that of the directors. That would therefore be a likely cause of friction in the future,” Carragher wrote.
“At Villa, it seemed like Emery appointed his own sporting director when Monchi arrived, and when there was a disagreement about transfer policy, the executive left.
“That will carry weight with members of United’s board, even though candidates should be judged on their coaching and managing skills, not how their arrival would affect the job security of those above them.
“It has reached a point where if a younger, up-and-coming version of Sir Alex Ferguson was on the market, some sporting directors would probably hesitate to approach him because they would fear for their own relevance.”
Carragher feels like Emery’s shortcomings at Paris Saint-Germain and Arsenal are “emphasised just as much as the triumphs elsewhere” rather than being viewed as experiences which have helped him grow.
But the Sky Sports pundit admits Emery may not have been able to recover from Villa’s five-game winless start to the Premier League season quite so smoothly in the glare of the Old Trafford spotlight.
“The suggestion that United’s boardroom would chew Emery up and spit him out like Arsenal and PSG after the first bad spell has merit,” Carragher added.
“If he started a new season as he did at Villa Park last August, Emery would be fire-fighting and it would make it tougher to lead such a spectacular revival as he has.
“Despite this, it is naive to believe Emery would not be attracted by the United job if he felt they really wanted him.”
Emery struggled at Arsenal when replacing Arsene Wenger, narrowly missing out on Champions League qualification by finishing fifth and losing in the Europa League final in his first season, before being sacked three months into his second campaign.
At PSG, Emery’s domestic quadruple in his second season tends to be overlooked because of his failure to win the title in his first year and inability to take the team deeper in the Champions League.
“Sadly for Emery, and happily for Villa, the Spaniard is painted as an overachiever at clubs trying to challenge the elite, and an underachiever at those who consider themselves already part of it,” wrote Carragher.
Watch Man Utd vs Aston Villa on Sunday, live on Sky Sports from 12.30pm; kick-off 2pm.
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