Dwight Yorke says Zinedine Zidane is best fit for Man United
Published:
Dwight Yorke says Zinedine Zidane is best fit for Man United, picks standout player in ‘terrible’ season & identifies two players club MUST sign this summer. United legend says ‘boys would eat alive’ rumoured Ten Hag replacement
- “Considering everything else that’s happened, the current league position and the failings in Europe, you’d have to think there would be some question marks around the manager in the summer.“
- “Maybe Zinedine Zidane. I would think he fits the bill most. None of these players know him, so when he comes in with his kind of profile, he commands that instant respect because everyone is basically on trial. For me, he’s probably the best fit.“
- “Who else is out there? They talk about Graham Potter, but the boys would eat him alive, I think, just based on what he did at Chelsea.“
- “Alejandro Garnacho has been the standout player in a Man United shirt for me, this season. He’s got something special about him; the X factor. He’s still young, his decision-making could still improve, but there’s lots there which I’m encouraged by.“
- “Everybody knows I’m such a huge fan of Marcus Rashford, and with his prolific season last time out, I really thought he’d have kicked on again but we haven’t really seen that. I still do strongly believe that he is the best player at the club, we really need to get him back to that level.”
- “I’ll tell you now, if I was managing Manchester United in the summer, the first thing I’d do is go and get the two young kids from Crystal Palace. I don’t even have to mention their names; everybody knows who they are. I would go and get those players now.”
- “When you’re Man United, and you’ve got Tottenham and Aston Villa overpowering you, and a handful of clubs threatening you from behind, that’s the bit I can’t accept. Not at United. For us to not finish in the top four… I can’t get my head around that kind of thing.”
Questions will be asked about Ten Hag in the summer… Zidane is the best fit (these boys would eat Graham Potter alive)
I don’t know what the new owners will come in and do, or how much of an influence they’ll have on what’s going on in the dugout or on the pitch. But, listen, you get judged on results, whether you’re a player or a manager. Manchester United, under Erik ten Hag, were a breath of fresh air. They made two cup finals and won one, and so you’re thinking ‘here we go’.
But this season has been really disappointing; the fact we got knocked out of the Champions League so early was a huge disappointment in my eyes, especially when it looked like a relatively straightforward group to get out of, and yet we failed. We’re sixth in the table at the moment, so far off the top three and still some distance off fourth and fifth, and we’ve got one possibility of winning a cup, and that’s going to be really difficult, with Liverpool up next.
If you were to weigh things up this season, you’ve got to say that if we don’t win the FA Cup, then this has been a hugely disappointing season. Considering everything else that’s happened, the current league position and the failings in Europe, you’d have to think there would be some question marks around the manager in the summer.
You’d need to look at successful and proven managers, first of all. People with strong characters, people who have a clear identity of the way in which they play. You need a big personality, because we know there are some big egos in that dressing room. That’s always the case at big clubs, so you have to have somebody who can manage that, while also implementing a certain playing philosophy.
Players breaking rules and protocols… these things are non negotiable for a manager, and you have to instill that from the very beginning, and so you have to ask who would be able to come in and do all of the above.
There aren’t too many outstanding managers out there, though. There are a lot of good managers. But you need outstanding managers to come in and turn things around at a club like Man United, and there just aren’t many of them out there, outside of Jurgen Klopp, Pep Guardiola and maybe Mikel Arteta, who might fall into that bracket now, although he hasn’t won anything yet.
Outside of that, though, you’d say maybe Jose Mourinho… he’s available. Is he the answer? He’s had his chance there.
Maybe Zinedine Zidane. I would think he fits the bill most. None of these players know him, so when he comes in with his kind of profile, he commands that instant respect because everyone is basically on trial. For me, he’s probably the best fit.
I can’t see Xabi Alonso coming to us because of his Liverpool links. That’s never going to happen. Thomas Tuchel has had his chance at two big clubs but not really done it; saying that, he obviously won the Champions League with Chelsea and I did like him at the beginning, but things haven’t gone well for him since that.
Who else is out there? They talk about Graham Potter, but the boys would eat him alive, I think, just based on what he did at Chelsea.
Garnacho has been the standout for me, in an otherwise terrible season
Manchester United are playing for fourth or fifth. That’s just terrible. I don’t give a monkey’s about injuries, or any of that… that’s why you’ve got a squad. That’s why you need depth; look at Liverpool, they’ve had injury problems too, but they’re bringing in players who are able to get the job done, so I can’t really buy that excuse. You need to motivate people to ensure they’re staying at the top of their game, because when they’re called upon, they should be able to step up and fit straight in. But that’s the manager’s job.
Alejandro Garnacho has been the standout player in a Man United shirt for me, this season. He’s got something special about him; the X factor. He’s still young, his decision-making could still improve, but there’s lots there which I’m encouraged by.
Kobbie Mainoo has come in and done reasonably well; he’s had a couple of outstanding games but he’s kind of levelled off recently, but that’s what happens when you’re playing in a struggling team.
Rasmus Hojlund huffs and puffs, and I’m glad he’s finally got a few goals. I’m pleased for him because once you start off struggling at a club like United, it’s very hard to come back because it’s such an uphill battle.
But I was say Garnacho has had the most consistent season, compared to everyone else in that team.
Everybody knows I’m such a huge fan of Marcus Rashford, and with his prolific season last time out, I really thought he’d have kicked on again but we haven’t really seen that. So with that in mind, I’ve been disappointed with him, but it’s not just me; you know, I’m sure he’d be disappointed with how things have gone this season.
I still do strongly believe that he is the best player at the club, we really need to get him back to that level. That’s down to two people: that responsibility comes from Rashford himself, who needs to take on that challenge, and from the manager, to make sure that confidence is instilled in him when he plays. I don’t know what’s going on there, but he really is the one who I feel has all the ingredients to be such a wonderful player.
The two players Man United NEED to sign in the summer…
I’ll tell you now, if I was managing Manchester United in the summer, the first thing I’d do is go and get the two young kids from Crystal Palace. I don’t even have to mention their names; everybody knows who they are. I would go and get those players now.
Add those two names, add youthfulness to the team, add energy and desire, with a bit more intensity. Defensively, we’ve got centre-backs there, now, who aren’t going to improve. That, for me, is where we need to strengthen. We need young, hungry players who really want to play for the football club and get the club back to the top. You might take an immediate hit in some ways, but in a year or two, those players would develop and adapt to your philosophy.
The problem is, the manager then needs that time to implement his philosophy. Erik ten Hag had such a successful season last year, but then you’ve got to follow that up by finishing fourth this year. If you finish fourth without winning anything, then people can see you’re still building and you’re into your third year with the club and things are looking positive. But when you’re not finishing fourth, and you’re at risk of playing a season with no Champions League football… I have a problem with that.
There’s no way United shouldn’t be finishing in the top four. We’re not going to win the league, OK, people accept that, because of where we are. But I think it’s unacceptable to not qualify for the Champions League. Look, the top three at the moment are so far ahead, without a doubt. But when you’re Man United, and you’ve got Tottenham and Aston Villa overpowering you, and a handful of clubs threatening you from behind, that’s the bit I can’t accept. Not at United. For us to not finish in the top four… I can’t get my head around that kind of thing.
