Manchester United finally zero in on right managerial target
Manchester United is chasing PSG manager Laurent Blanc
Neither Louis van Gaal or Jose Mourinho is the right man to lead Manchester United at this point in th club’s history. Fortunately for fans of the Red Devils, the club may have finally identified a good chance in the form of PSG boss Laurent Blanc.
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The Daily Star carried the exclusive story that United is in the early stages of gauging Blanc’s interest in their job. Known as “Le Presidente” in France, Blanc has the perfect demeanor to step into the cauldron that is Old Trafford and be successful. He has the right balance of tactical talent and distinguished gravitas to lead Manchester United.
In many ways Blanc is the perfect combination of what’s good about van Gaal and Mourinho. If you could take the best qualities from both and combine them into one manager, you’d get a leader a lot like the PSG boss.
Like van Gaal, Blanc is an accomplished football statesmen. He knows how to handle the media well and understands the pressure of managing a league’s top club. He has a very distinguished presence and wouldn’t say or do anything to embarrass the club. He’d be a great fit for the conservative mindset that prevails at Old Trafford.
Perhaps unlike van Gaal, he’s shown the ability to successfully navigated the media pitfalls in Paris and should be able to do the same in England. It would require an adjustment due to the voracity of the British press, but he seems well equipped for the challenge.
Blanc’s advantage over van Gaal is that he knows how to manage massive egos. While van Gaal needs to be the biggest star at the club, Blanc has shown a terrific ability to meld big egos into a reasonably cohesive unit. He could succeed in buying big players and allowing them to express themselves whereas van Gaal has failed to cram those high-level talents into his tight tactical system.
It’s Blanc’s pragmatism as a manager that compares favorably to Jose Mourinho. Neither manager is doggedly tied to a formation or playing style. Both can adjust on the fly given the strengths and weaknesses of their squad.
Given the talent infusion needed at Manchester United, that is a vital skill for their next manager. Even with their substantial resources, they may not be able to buy the perfect team for a new manager’s system. They’ll need a logically driven manager who can adapt to the personnel available to him. Blanc would not be so dogmatic as to tie the hands of United’s transfer officials.
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Manchester United may decide to stick with Louis van Gaal next season or to bring Mourinho back to the Premier League. They’d be wise to take a long, hard look at Laurent Blanc first though. He’s proven to be a distinguished, competent manager who is well equipped to handle the unique pressures of managing at Old Trafford.