Let's be honest, we all know the end is nigh.

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Erik ten Hag looks likely to take charge of his final two games for Man Utd as his side travel to Porto in the Europa League and Villa in match 7 of the Premier League.

Him surviving beyond those two matches is less likely than seeing pigs fly not because it's nailed on that no matter what happens in those games he will be sacked but more that I don't see him and his team doing what's necessary for him to survive.

Despite the recent news that the board are "calm" about the manager situation, everyone knows that should the next two results go wrong, he will be gone.

As it looks that that will happen no matter what, who will be in charge after ten Hag's departure?

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Ruud van Nistelrooy

He is candidate number 1. In fact, there is a good chance that he will take over from ten Hag if his fellow Dutchman is sacked.

The news is that it will be on an original short-term basis for van Nistelrooy but who knows what can happen after that.

The former striker was assistant for the Dutch national team in 2021 before he became PSV's U18 coach. He then moved up to U21 coach and eventually made his way to first-team manager in 2022.

He left to join United this season as assistant to Erik ten Hag despite having several offers of becoming a head coach at the likes of Burnley.

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Thomas Tuchel

He is one of the more suitable candidates in terms of what his CV.

Compared to Ruud, Tuchel has been around as a head coach for many years and has done so at the top level.

The German managed Dortmund, PSG - whom he led to their first-ever Champions League final, Chelsea - whom he won the Champions League with in 2021, before his more recent job at Bayern Munich.

He's won the CL, CWC, Bundesliga, 2x Ligue 1, Super Cup and many other cups during his time as a manager.

However, there is a problem with him in that he can be a bit of a hot head coach. He can get quite angry at times which causes rifts between him and club hierarchies.

Not sure whether INEOS will go for someone like him based on that even if his credentials are top.

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Graham Potter

His is also a name that has been floating around MUFC since rumors came out that ten Hag could lose his job last season.

Potter is a well-known and respected coach in modern times after his superb work at Brighton. Then came his nightmare at Chelsea which showcased that maybe he isn't cut out for the big jobs, yet.

He tried to implement his style from Brighton at Chelsea but it never worked and I don't think he ever had the respect of the Chelsea players, board and fans.

That could be a problem.

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Gareth Southgate

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The former England boss is still a heavy candidate to come in as replacement for ten Hag.

Southgate has close ties with Sir Dave Brailsford and Dan Ashworth, the INEOS Sporting Director and MUFC Sporting Director, through their (Ashworth and Southgate) time at the FA.

Both Southgate and Potter have won nothing in their managerial careers.

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Other names that have been thrown into the hat by fans or otherwise are Zinedine Zidane, Julian Nagelsmann, Simone Inzaghi and I'm sure many others as well.

We must also add that Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is perhaps a candidate too given his recent comments about how he would come back to United if the club ever asked him to return.

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Final Thoughts

Who is the best candidate for me?

Erik ten Hag.

It's not just because I like him and have a bit of a soft spot for him but also that we've done this before where we sack the manager, replace him, and end up in this position some time in the future again before the cycle starts over.

ten Hag has also been here for two-and-a-bit seasons and has an understanding of what's going on at the club both in a positive and negative sense. He's brought in several players that he's wanted, brought in youngsters and knows what's required to get to where he wants to be.

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I also find that there are no proper candidates to replace him whether realistic or not. Potter and Southgate are both absolute no's as I think they're both shite and don't have that big character needed to be MUFC manager.

I would back all the others especially Ruud because of what he did at the club and that he's my fav striker of all time. Much like ten Hag, as he is his assistant, he too knows what's going on at the club and has been part of this new era under INEOS. Ruud has workd with these players for a little while and has quite a respectable reputation at the club if reports can be believed.

The problem with van Nistelrooy is that I can see another Solskjaer situation. An ex-legend who has a bounce for a bit, they give him the contract and eventually, he'll have the same problem as Ole.

Ruud doesn't have the credentials either of being a top coach which is what I believe we need.

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A return for Ole? HELL NAH!

It's in the past and I don't think Solskjaer was that good a coach. He too was thrown under the bus like Mourinho before him and Rangnick and ten Hag after. I don't see what would change this time around.

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Thomas Tuchel is the best of a bad bunch in my opinion. Having watched a lot of what he did at Chelsea, I was very impressed especially because I wasn't a fan of his before coming to the Blues.

He has won more than the others combined and is a lot more experienced than them as well.

His only issue is his disagreements with the club hierarchies and player fallouts, which is why he lost his job everywhere he's been. That isn't a great sign.

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As for Zidane, Inzaghi and Nagelsmann, I think unless you're offering Inzaghi and Nagelsmann a hell of a lot of money on top of having to pay the reported £17.5m to ten Hag if he's sacked, neither of those will be the Dutchman's replacement.

Zidane is one that I don't think will ever come to the Premier League. He just gives off that vibe. And even if he did, I doubt it will be at United.

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Who would be your ideal ten Hag replacement?

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Background Image: Ruud van Nistelrooy is a candidate to replace Erik ten Hag | Creator: Stu Forster | Credit: Getty Images Copyright: 2024 Getty Images via Man Utd News