Teddy Sheringham has claimed Manchester United’s top brass should forget about Jose Mourinho’s chequered past and make him their new boss, writes Steve Bates in the Sunday People.
Some senior Old Trafford figures have reservations about Mourinho’s erratic behaviour when in charge at Chelsea and Real Madrid, with influential directors Sir Bobby Charlton and David Gill, in particular, believing his antics do not fit with the club’s expectations of their managers.
But Treble winner Sheringham thinks time has run out for Louis van Gaal and he’s convinced Mourinho would make Man United winners again – even if that means overlooking his former team-mate Ryan Giggs.
Former United and England star Sheringham reckons the United job is too big for Giggs without the experience of managing another club first.
And Sheringham reckons installing Mourinho this summer would be all but guarantee trophy success for United.
He said: “You have to try and get the best. For me, Manchester United are still in among the top two or three clubs in the world. So you have to go for the top two or three managers.
“I’d go for Mourinho, although maybe he doesn’t quite fit right for the kind of club United are. But if it was him, he would make it happen, that’s for sure.
“It’s time to make the change.
"If Van Gaal stayed, he’d be going into his third season and they still aren’t quite firing on all cylinders.
“After two years in charge, you would think they would be close to being where you would want United to be, but it’s hard to see the progress.”
Read more: Alex Ferguson urges Man United fans to lay off Louis van Gaal
Sheringham won three Premier League titles, the Champions League and an FA Cup alongside Giggs.
But, after his own managerial failure this season at League Two side Stevenage, he’s convinced it’s not the right time for the Welshman to step up from being Van Gaal’s No.2 and take over the hot seat in his own right.
“I think, after my eight months in management at Stevenage, I would say it’s not the right time for Ryan right now to take over such a big club.
“Having said that, Pep Guardiola took over Barcelona with no experience and did the job, so it all depends whether people at the club would see Ryan having as much influence as Guardiola had.
"The downside to that is I don’t think United have anything like the squad Barcelona had when Pep took over. I would say Giggsy needs a bit of experience somewhere else to learn about the management side actually as a manager in his own right, not a No.2.
“As I found out at Stevenage, it’s an eye-opener for someone who has been a player to then become a manager, making all the decisions.
Read more: Axed boss Sheringham went to Stevenage's next match in disguise
"I know Ryan has been in and around as the No.2 for a couple of years and had his little four-game spell as manager before Van Gaal took charge.
In pictures — United win the Manchester derby to keep their top 4 hopes alive:
“But it really is a big difference, going from that to being manager of Manchester United, and I think he needs a bit of experience, without a doubt, to help him cope with that jump.”
Sheringham, who was speaking at the Wembley leg of Carlsberg’s UEFA EURO 2016 trophy tour, is confident Mourinho would re-ignite United with new signings attracted by his reputation as a winning manager.
And he feels Mourinho would change the current policy of overloading the United team with young players in favour of a stronger, more experienced core.
“United have too many youngsters coming in. Too many players who might be there for one or two years and have the limelight for a little spell playing for United, but who won’t be there long-term.
Read more: Van Gaal gives more hints he'll STAY with pre-season and transfer plans
“For me, being a United player means knowing what the club is about, the history and not just wanting to be a United player for a long time, but demanding to be a United player for a long time. That’s what has made United great over the last 20 years.
“The present United squad needs a lot of work doing because I see it lacking an experienced core of English mentality that understands the football club.”
Sheringham believes that an exception to that is Marcus Rashford – the 18-year-old striking sensation, who has helped lift an otherwise mediocre United season.
“I can see Rashford’s rise continuing at Old Trafford. Of course, he will have his ups and downs, but he is not quite the finished article yet.
“He’s not like Michael Owen bursting on the scene years ago and he doesn’t
really know his game yet like a Harry Kane.
"But there is enough cause for optimism. He’s come on and been comfortable in an arena that has killed many players before him.
“He has already shown he has the knack of scoring goals, so it’s a great start to his United career. Long may that continue.”
* WAYNE ROONEY’S natural desire to be England’s top dog will see him rise to the challenge presented by Spurs duo Harry Kane and Dele Alli.
That’s the view of Teddy Sheringham, who is convinced the competition Rooney now faces for his place at Euro 2016 will bring out the best in the England captain.
“Confidence makes or breaks a player and I think Wayne’s confidence may have been a little bit low at times this season,” said Sheringham.
“But I don’t think it will take long once he gets back in the England fold for him to be firing on all cylinders.
"The confidence and mentality of Kane and Dele Alli means Wayne won’t want to be undermined.
Read more: Rooney looks CERTAIN to start at the Euros after fresh Hodgson backing
"He will want to respond to them, follow them and play alongside them. Then he will realise he is the capain. And he will want to be bigger and more of a leader than them because that’s his role.
"So I have no worries about Wayne fitting back into the fold.”
* Teddy Sheringham met fans on Wembley Way as part of Carlsberg's Euro 2016 UK trophy tour.
Follow @CarlsbergUK on Twitter to discover how Carlsberg will be substituting the ordinary for the extraordinary for England fans in the build-up to the tournament.