Former Manchester United captain Rio Ferdinand has stressed the importance of the club making the correct managerial appointment in order to progress back to the heights they had achieved in the Champions League.
The Red Devils presently have Ralf Rangnick in post as interim boss until the end of the season and while the current incumbent remains a potential option beyond that period, there have been no shortage of names proffered to fill the role.
Ferdinand told talkSPORT: “Pochettino and (Erik) ten Hag are the front-runners but there’s not a ‘Pep’ out there that’s available when Manchester City were looking for a manager. A go-to guy who get 100% certainty for in terms of your own mind as being perfect.
“It’s a very difficult one but a very significant appointment that we are waiting to see made by the Manchester United hierarchy but they’ve got to get this right.
“The coach is an important part of the jigsaw that we need to get right as they are the driver of the culture as well. They’re the people that instill the discipline at the club that’s needed and have a vision but there needs to be that over-arching part that needs to be sorted out and that runs through the club.
“Obviously there’s been elements in the club that hasn’t worked up to now but the players also have to take responsibility and it’s not just about the manager and the stuff around the manager. It’s about the players being able to implement what the manager puts in place. I was fortunate I had a great manager in Sir Alex Ferguson and everything started with him.”
Ferdinand also believes that recruitment and retention of players will be important and none more so that the services of Portugese midfielder, Bruno Fernandes.
He added: “If you look at the time he’s been at the club…nobody’s been as consistent though this season he’s probably dropped off a bit. If he’s up for a deal, he’s one of the first names.”
