Next Man Utd Manager Odds: Could Southgate be the one?

We’re all struggling with the first Monday back at work after Christmas, but Ruben Amorim has been handed a brutal start to 2026 as Manchester United presented him with his P45. 

It means that United are once again searching for a new manager, with Amorim joining a long list of failures since Sir Alex Ferguson retired. So who is next? Below I’ve taken a quick look at the Next Man Utd Manager Odds and made a case for former England boss Gareth Southgate to be given the gig.

Gareth Southgate has been linked with the Manchester United job ever since Jim Ratcliffe acquired a minority stake in the club in early 2024. Nearly two years on, and with the Amorim experiment now over, could Ratcliffe go back to a manager he is clearly fond of?

"I won't coach in the next year, for sure. I'm certain of that," Southgate said in September 2024, having left his role with England after the final of Euro 2024.

"I need to give myself time to make good decisions. When you come out of a really big role you need to give your body time, you need to give your mind time."

He’s now had that opportunity to rest, and despite it looking like he wouldn’t return to management - the Manchester United job is surely too big for him to turn down. What Manchester United need now more than ever, is long-term stability, and somebody who can change the trajectory of the football club.

When Southgate was promoted to England manager from the under 21s, England were at their lowest ebb. They’d been beaten by minnows Iceland at Euro 2016 and then Sam Allardyce had resigned after just one game in charge. 

What Southgate did for the country’s national team was simply spectacular, as after decades of failure and pressure, he brought a feel-good feeling back to the team. The pressure that had haunted the Golden generation evaporated and the relationship with the media - who had been on witch-hunt during most major tournaments, was transformed. 

A weak England team reached the semi-finals of the World Cup in 2018 to everyone’s surprise, and although the Three Lions were disappointed to lose to a strong Croatia outfit - but Southgate had changed the trajectory of the national team, and led them on the start of the right path. 

Young players started to come through and England then reached two Euros finals and a World Cup quarter-final. They could have beaten France in Qatar and should have beaten Italy at Wembley, but still, the progress England made under Southgate was staggering. 

Next Man Utd Manager Odds

They went from overhyped pretenders to serious contenders - and the calmness he personified when dealing with the media should not be undersold. Despite the negative press he recieved towards the end of his tenure, he has major experience managing in the most stressful of situations. 

The England job is one of the most scrutinised in world football. The Manchester United job is right up there with it. I think the failure of most recent United managers has been in part due to the way they have dealt with the pressure and the media - and Southgate would not buckle under that pressure.

He takes a lot of it on himself, and lets young players flourish - which is something that United are craving. The Red Devils also have a decent number of England players including Luke Shaw, Kobbie Mainoo and Harry Maguire, all of whom have performed well under Southgate for their country. 

Premier League Odds

Playing a simple 4-3-3 would solve a lot of United’s issues, while who is to say Southgate couldn’t tempt Marcus Rashford to reignite his Old Trafford career? The sticking points comes as he would be an unpopular appointment (wrongly in my eyes) from a fan perspective and he would want a long-term contract of four or five years. 

Southgate needs time to change things around and would need at least a couple of years in charge. But if United are serious about stopping the slump, the unpopular choice might actually bring about genuine change. 

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