New Man United boss must have 'drive and anger of Sir Alex' says former Red Devils star

The debate on who is next in line to be Manchester United's next manager rages on in the wake of the club's defeat to Newcastle on Wednesday night. 

It was the club's first loss under interim boss Michael Carrick, but the Premier League rookie coach has made a significant impact since taking over from Ruben Amorim at the start of the year. 

Carrick has transformed the club from mid-table fodder to looking like favourites to finish in a top four place and bring back Champions League football next season. 

 

Strachan lays out what's required 

Whether he's the right man for the job permanently remains a question that is up in the air, with Carrick among several names heavily favoured for the position.  

Speaking exclusively to DAZN News, thanks to Covers.com soccer betting, former United midfielder Gordon Strachan believes Carrick isn't the only option in the summer, but whoever it is needs a certain requirement to succeed in the United spotlight. 

"I don’t think Carrick is the only option, but he’s obviously up there," he said. 

"My take is that people always say Manchester United needs to have a world-class manager, but it’s been proven that when big managers come into big teams, it doesn’t always work. There’s no guarantee of success at all.

"A lot of the time with these big coaches is that you don’t realise they’re world-class until later on – Chelsea brought in Jose Mourinho after one good season, so they all had to start somewhere and only get labelled world-class when they’re in their 50s and 60s!

"I think sometimes when you bring in a big manager, the drive and the passion isn’t there anymore.

"Whoever takes the Man United job needs to have the drive and anger to succeed – that’s exactly what Sir Alex Ferguson had. Whether it’s a young manager like Carrick or someone older, those qualities are the bare minimum." 
 

I'd rather watch the SPL 

Stachan, who both played and managed in the Premier League, has also admitted he's not a fan of the current product. 

When asked about the latest round of games, the ex-Scotland star, bemoaned the style of the league and believes the SPL is much more exciting to watch.

Adding, "The Premier League has overcomplicated football to an extent, because the priority for both teams is just never giving the ball away.

“The Scottish games over last weekend had much more to them in terms of shots, tackles and chances – it was breathless at times! The Arsenal game on the other hand just felt cerebral, it’s not as enjoyable or exciting to watch.”

 

How to watch the Premier League in Canada

Soccer fans in Canada can watch every Premier League match during the 2025-26 season on DAZN.

With Fubo Sports on DAZN, Canadians can catch Premier League action as well as Serie A. Additionally, DAZN is the home of the UEFA Champions League, UEFA Europa League, UEFA Conference League, Bundesliga and more.

For pricing information and to sign up to watch, click here.