When one becomes the manager of Man Utd, there are quite a few criteria they need to have.
As we are one of the biggest clubs in the world, the manager will need to handle basically the world as a lot of eyes will be on them all the time.
Since we're now in the market for a new boss, I thought this would be a good time to look at some of the criteria I believe they need to have in order to succeed at United.
This is what I believe the next boss will need to do in order to win the fans and everyone else over.
Character
This was one of the factors that Erik ten Hag failed at during his time at MUFC. He didn't have that character and personality of one needed to be the United boss.
He was very flat on the touchline, didn't really show much personality during interviews, and was just overall a little boring.
In his first season, I felt that he showed something even if he was no maverick like a Jose Mourinho or Jurgen Klopp. As time went by though, the little charisma he had faded into something that nobody could truly connect with.
The manager MUST have a connection with the supporters.
Pedigree
The history of the next manager has to be one that is eye opening and shows that he has the credentials to take United to the next level.
He doesn't need to be a 3x Champions League winner or multiple league and cup winner (although that would be great) but if they have a history where they've done something amazing that we can all get behind, then we have something.
Amorim for example has revolutionized Sporting Lisbon in terms of style of play and becoming a championship winning team. Sporting hadn't won the league since 01/02 before Amorim's triumph in 20/21.
That is pedigree.
It makes you feel more confident that we are going for the right man and that he can turn things around at United.
Style of Play
We don't simply want to win at Man Utd. We want to win in style.
For too long, we've done neither but at least if you're going to lose, do it in a way that's entertaining and one that we fans can still see what the manager is trying to do.
This is what we all thought we were getting with Erik ten Hag as his Ajax sides were incredible in terms of how they played football. It was the main reason I wanted him at the club and why I was so excited about his appointment.
Unfortunately, things didn't turn out to be as we wanted and his style became inconsistent and unclear to a point where we didn't know what we were.
United need an identity as quite often, we hear the term 'the United way' which is a style that is a high-octane, entertaining and exciting brand of football, one that sees a lot of chances created and a hell of a lot of goals scored. We've been nowhere near that.
And of course a style that leads us to titles. Winning is obviously important too.
Authoritative
We need someone with balls.
We need a man.
United have to have a manager who is demanding and a figure that strike a bit of fear into his players. The manager needs to be one who doesn't take any shit and punishes those who step out of line. This lets the rest of the squad know he means business and isn't here to be messed about with.
For too long, we've had player power at the club as it was the players who ruled the dressing room. Some would say that that is still the case, to some extent at least.
This has resulted in multiple falling outs with players and managers eventually leading to one or both of their departures.
"The moment the manager loses his authority, you don’t have a club. The players will be running it, and then you’re in trouble" - the words of Sir Alex Ferguson from his autobiography.
The manager cannot be spineless and be taken advantage of otherwise he might as well not come.
He has to be strong.
No Favoritism
This was a big no-no with Erik ten Hag.
In his first campaign, the favoritism was there but wasn't as clear to see given how well the team performed. It was overlooked.
But it was still something that annoyed me and felt he needed to change last season. Which he didn't.
He failed to drop and rotate certain players who were underperforming yet was okay with doing it to others. This was a problem with Ole Gunnar Solskjaer as well.
This favoritism could cause disruption in the dressing room as players will feel angered at why others are getting game time despite poor performances while they have to park on the bench.
You don't want to have that problem as a new manager.
I believe that this favoritism is a part of the reason as to what led to ten Hag's downfall. That stubbornness was not always a good thing.
Brilliant with the press
If the manager has that personality and character, I believe he will perform well in front of the media.
Again, an area where ten Hag lacked was his communication with the press and communication in general for a lot of the time. I felt that much like him, his press conferences could be quite boring and flat and that whenever the press threw something at him, he didn't really bite back as often as I would've liked
He appeared as one who is small and somewhat weak and I would've liked to have seen a bit more fire to him. But that wasn't his character. That is why this matters.
Sir Alex Ferguson was a master when it came to handling the press. He came off as confident and strong and knew how to handle whatever they threw at him. ten Hag and Solskjaer didn't do this at all and let the press walk all over them at times. They were in control rather than the managers.
At United, the media are even more on you and will try their utmost to get at you. You have to be strong enough to hold them at bay and give them a taste of their own medicine.
They must feel your presence to a point where they know they can't get at this guy.
This is where good communication skills from the manager comes into it as well. ten Hag never had a grasp of the English language as well as he could've resulting in that poor conveying of his message.
When asked questions about his tactics or the football in general, he was unclear whereas Arne Slot for example, gave a complete breakdown of Man Utd's tactics in a couple of minutes after Liverpool's 3-0 win at Old Trafford earlier in the season. I would like to see such tactical insight from my manager.
The manager must speak the language pretty well.
Stick to principles
I know that a manager needs certain players to be able to play his style. Not everyone is going to have that upon arriving at a new club.
But what he can do is instill his ideal to the players he does have, try to implement it as much as possible and see who can and can't do what he wants.
In this case, we will get a better idea of what he's trying to do and can see for ourselves which players aren't good enough for this system.
Erik ten Hag very quickly changed his tactics after his first two losses at United (2-1 at home to Brighton, 4-0 away to Brentford) in favor of a more pragmatic game in order to stem the goals, get some wins and build confidence.
It worked for a bit but a style like that isn't sustainable for a club like United and something more expansive needed to be played. We never really did and the Dutchman appeared to abandon his principles completely whilst at United. He didn't even play his favorite formation of 4-3-3 which won him much success in the Netherlands.
He adapted to his players rather than the other way round.
We need a manager who will continue his way of playing regardless of whether the performances and results are that great because in this way, it shows that he believes that what he's doing, is right. He believes in himself.
I don't like this whole chopping and changing to suit the players you have. If we want to succeed at MUFC, we need to play an exciting and attacking brand of football and remove those players who cannot play this style.
This could also be seen as a bit of player power.
But these are some of the criteria I believe any manager of Man Utd needs to have. If they tick these boxes, then we perhaps have a real gem and the one who could take us back to where we belong.
What else would you add to this list?
Background Image: Ruben Amorim | Image credit: Getty Images via Eurosport