Man United Target Hurzeler: Pressure Mounts on Carrick, Coaching Seat Up for Grabs
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- Manchester United dilaporkan sangat tertarik pada pelatih Brighton, Fabian Hurzeler, sebagai kandidat pengganti Michael Carrick.
- Carrick berada di bawah tekanan setelah United hanya meraih lima poin dari lima laga dan tersingkir dari Piala Liga, memicu spekulasi pergantian pelatih.
- Hurzeler, yang membawa Brighton ke posisi ketiga, dianggap sebagai salah satu pelatih muda paling menjanjikan di Premier League saat ini.
Manchester United are reportedly giving increasingly serious consideration to Fabian Hurzeler as a candidate for their new manager, following a string of poor results that have kept Michael Carrick's position at Old Trafford under scrutiny. According to former United head of scouting Mick Brown, the club's hierarchy greatly admires the Brighton coach and believes he could be tempted to leave the Amex Stadium if an offer arrives from a big club.
Pressure on Carrick peaked after United collected just five points from five Premier League matches, most recently held to a 1-1 draw by Fulham at home last weekend. Despite creating 25 chances, his side failed to make the most of their dominance and now sit 12th, ten points behind league leaders Manchester City. Defeat to a City side that played with ten men in the Manchester derby, plus the failure to hold on to a two-goal lead against Brighton in the League Cup, have worsened the situation.
United legend Gary Neville launched scathing criticism of the team's performance, calling a 15-minute spell in the second half the worst he had ever witnessed and describing the players' efforts as "absolutely pathetic". Carrick responded by rejecting the suggestion that his team lacked fitness or intensity, pointing to Matheus Cunha's equaliser as evidence that the players performed strongly until the end. He also said he was not offended when supporters jeered his decision to take off Kobbie Mainoo late on.
Brown, who previously served as United's head of scouting, revealed that Hurzeler has caught the attention of many top clubs. "Every top club in the Premier League, or in the world, that needs a new manager will surely look at Hurzeler," he told Football Insider. "He has done a fantastic job with Brighton and now they are in third place. I believe several big clubs want him badly, including Manchester United and Tottenham."
Even so, Brown believes a coaching change is unlikely in the near future. "I would be surprised if they made a change any time soon. I don't think any club wants to change manager this early. But if they decide to pull the trigger, Hurzeler will be at the top of the list," he added. Brighton themselves are reportedly very pleased with Hurzeler's work and are likely to fight hard to keep him.
"He has his own principles and his own style, and we keep developing. Last Saturday his ideas were clear: the way we won second balls, the way we pressed the opponent, the way we won duels, and how we controlled the game. That is the DNA of this team, and that is what the coach brings."
— Bart Verbruggen, Brighton goalkeeper
If Hurzeler does move to Old Trafford, United fans could hope to see a playing identity that has long been missing. Brighton goalkeeper Bart Verbruggen praised the German coach for instilling intensity and a clear style of play, something United lacked against Fulham. Brighton's 3-0 win over Arsenal last week was clear evidence of that, further cementing Hurzeler's reputation as one of the most promising young coaches in the Premier League.
The win over Arsenal also carried extra meaning given Hurzeler's feud with Mikel Arteta last season, when he stated that only one team tried to play football. Arteta himself admitted before the most recent match that Hurzeler had done an "outstanding" job at Brighton, praise further reinforced by the result on the pitch.
For Carrick, the threat of dismissal may not yet be entirely real. But with a tough schedule awaiting after the international break—facing a Tottenham side under pressure, then trips to Atletico Madrid and Leeds—the situation could change quickly. United's management appear to be preparing a long-term scenario, and Hurzeler's name is one of the options being most seriously considered.
The final decision will depend heavily on the results of the next few matches. If Carrick fails to bring significant change, the pressure to bring in a new coach will become increasingly hard to hold back. Will Old Trafford be Hurzeler's next port of call, or will Carrick manage to turn things around and keep his seat?
