Roy Keane has called on Manchester United to ‘go and get’ Diego Simeone as he believes the Atletico Madrid manager has the ‘character’ and ‘personality’ needed to be a success at the club.
The Red Devils turned to Ralf Rangnick after dismissing Ole Gunnar Solskjaer back in November and the German has overseen a mixed run of results as interim head coach, winning just nine of his opening 17 games in charge.
A shock FA Cup fourth-round exit at the hands of Championship outfit Middlesbrough did little to convince supporters that Rangnick had what it took to manage United beyond his initial six-month contract.
But the Old Trafford giants have since returned to fourth place in the Premier League table and fought back to hold Simeone’s Atletico Madrid to a spirited 1-1 draw in their Champions League last-16 first leg on Wednesday night.
Mauricio Pochettino has long been touted as a United manager in waiting, despite the Argentinian being under contract at Paris Saint-Germain until 2023.
However, former United captain Keane feels Pochettino’s fellow countryman, Simeone, may be the ideal man to bring an end to the club’s trophy drought which stretches back to May 2017.
‘You go and get the manager you want. People say “Oh, somebody’s tied up with a club”. But if you really want a manager – and that’s what it’s like when you really want a player – you go and get him,’ the ex-United captain told The Daily Mirror.
‘Never mind making excuses saying he’s not available for two years. You pay fortunes for players, so why not a manager?
‘I don’t care who’s under contract; if you think he’s the right manager for Manchester United, well you go and get him.
‘You go and pay the money whoever it might be. They’ve got to go and get the right manager.’
Asked which manager United should consider, Keane replied: ‘Maybe Simeone, he’s the right kind of character.
‘He’s having a difficult spell with Atletico. His race has maybe run with them. Simone, go and get him, he’s a big character.
‘He’s done great things. He’s a great character, a big personality. He doesn’t mess around with players. Maybe someone like him coming into the club, could work.
‘It can soon change. I don’t think it’s all doom and gloom, there’s still good things going on at United, but they’ve got to get the manager.
‘If the manager is not right, then the rest will just fall apart.’
Keane believes United may have to prise a high-profile manager away from an elite European rival if they are to have any hope of returning to their former glory.
‘Going to back when they brought David Moyes in, his contract was up at Everton,’ the ex-Republic of Ireland midfielder went on.
‘Then they brought in [Louis] Van Gaal, who was available, he didn’t cost anything. Then they got [Jose] Mourinho, he was also available and was pretty straightforward with his club.
‘But it’s as if United won’t go and prise a top manager away from a club.
‘The great managers are gamblers. Sir Alex Ferguson was one of them and so was Brian Clough.
‘The great managers try and win football matches, they don’t settle for draws.’
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