Antonio Conte (Getty Images)
Manchester United struggled to make an impact in the new season but they got their campaign back on track after some powerful performances against Burnley, Watford and Young Boys. However, two uninspiring draws at Old Trafford, followed by a shock penalty shootout loss to Derby County in the Carabao Cup and a timid 3-1 hammering by West Ham United in London sent the United fanbase into a meltdown.
Some serious concerns were raised about Jose Mourinho’s future at the club and one of the names that were thrown around as a possible replacement was Antonio Conte.
A recent report from The Metro has claimed that the Manchester United hierarchy is keeping track of Conte as a possible replacement for Mourinho. There is no doubt that Conte is one of the best coaches in the world. He has won three Serie A titles with Juventus and more recently won the Premier League with Chelsea in the 2016/17 season.
Along with these trophies, he has won several individual honours too, both in England and in Italy. He was awarded the prize for the Serie A Coach of the Year in three successive seasons, from 2011/12 to 2013/2014. Even in England, he won the prestigious LMA Manager of the Year and the Premier League Manager of the Season awards in his first season in England as his Chelsea side romped on to the league title with 93 points.
Despite all these awards and achievements, replacing Mourinho with Conte might not be a good move for Manchester United.
There are several reasons for this. For starters, both Mourinho and Conte play a similar style of football that most pundits refer to as pragmatic. One of the biggest complains from United fans right now is the unattractive brand of football.
Conte’s Chelsea were also set up to defend with three centre-backs and then hit the opposition on the break. If Conte does join the Red Devils, there would be hardly any reason for the supporters to jump in joy as far as the style of football is concerned.
Another reason to not appoint Conte is the fact that he prefers having full autonomy over the transfer business. A report by The Metro from 2017 claims that the Italian was quite unhappy with the transfers conducted by the Blues. He wanted to bring in suitable reinforcements that he deemed necessary to defend the title but wasn’t backed by Chelsea (h/t Metro).
Conte, with a Premier League title and an FA Cup winners medal from his two years at Chelsea, might seem like a safer bet than someone like Zinedine Zidane since he has zero Premier League experience. But this move will not be good for the club and the fans.
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If Manchester United do sack Mourinho, they should go for a coach who has a philosophy that aligns with the traditions at United. A young, vibrant coach with fresh ideas, who is open to playing an expansive style of football and provide his attackers with the freedom to express themselves, will be welcomed by open arms for sure.
