Why didn’t Sir Jim Ratcliffe pick up the phone to Roy Keene about his job as manager at Manchester United? Oh well. How much did you get?
Mann UTD head coach Reuben Amorim is under severe pressure to turn the shape on his side after another defeat at Brentford on Saturday.
The results at GTECH Community Stadium are the Red Devils’ third Premier League loss in six games this season, finishing 14th at the table.
Their only victory in 2025/26 came at the 10-man Chelsea home via a 97-minute penalty over newly declared Burnley.
They were also knocked out of the Carabao Cup in the second round by Grimsby Town in League 2.
It was a disastrous appointment. Amorim had been eager to stay at Sports CP until the end of 2024/25 before taking over to Old Trafford before 25/26, but Man UTD Hierarchy told him in November last year that he was now or never.
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In plundering Erik Ten Hag and appointing Amorim, Man Utd spent about £20 million on compensation.
Amorim lost 21 of his 49 matches. This is a vicious return for not only the head coach of Man UTD, but for any club’s head coach.
Rumors about a potential alternative have swirled around, with Crystal Palace’s Oliver Grasner among the main candidates, and former Barcelona boss Xavi Hernandez also linked.
But what about Roy Keene? He’ll sort out this low-performing team, right?
good…
The former Man UTD captain has been in charge since leaving Ipswichtown in 2011 after two years of service.
Keene achieved more success at Sunderland between 2006 and 2008 and was also an assistant manager for the Irish national team, Aston Villa and Nottingham Forest.
He was in the forest for only six months in 2019, five years after the game (not a critic), but has since become one of the leading experts in British soccer.
But he says what it is, and most importantly, he knows the club and the criteria he must meet.
Former Premier League midfielder Jamie O’Hara oddly suggests that Keene should be returned to the club by Ratcliffe, and is surprised that the co-owners have not considered it.
“I’m surprised no one has called Roy Keene because he’s definitely the biggest captain of a guy,” O’Hara told Sky Sports.
“He’s the leader. He’s incredible. He’s savage when you see him. He hears him as he steps into the dressing room.
“He’s going to lead by example. He’s not going to allow poor standards. I can’t believe Manchester United hasn’t called Roy Keene.”
O’Hara doesn’t say it explicitly that Roy Keene should be Man UTD manager. But that’s still a pretty proposition.
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