Jamie O’Hara was left stunned when Jason Cundy’s suggested Gareth Southgate should replace Erik ten Hag as Manchester United manager.
Ten Hag is continuing to draw criticism after United’s stuttering start to the season, which has seen them slip into the bottom half and fall six-points adrift of leaders Manchester City already.
GettyWednesday’s draw with FC Twente only added to the growing unrest around Old Trafford[/caption]
It didn’t get any better for the United boss on Wednesday as his side’s drab performance could only muster up a 1-1 draw against FC Twente in the Europa League.
Much has been made about the club’s surprising decision to offer the Dutchman a one-year contract extension despite incoming minority shareholders INEOS having openly made contact with Thomas Tuchel over the Old Trafford job this summer.
Another name linked with the OId Trafford hotseat is ex-England boss Gareth Southgate who is admired by new owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe and appears destined for a return to club football.
But not everyone is convinced by the former Three Lions manager, not least O’Hara.
The talkSPORT host discussed the idea of Southgate replacing Ten Hag with co-host Jason Cundy who gave a contrasting stance on the suggestion.
“If Man United bring in Southgate then I’m sorry, that’s a bad decision,” O’Hara said on Wednesday night’s Sports Bar.
The notion was immediately challenged by Cundy who implied it could be a good move for both parties.
“Oh come on Jase, what’s he proven?” O’Hara replied, to which Cundy responded, “He’s the most successful England manager ever, since Sir Alf Ramsay.”
Former Tottenham midfielder O’Hara questioned whether Southgate’s achievements with England were enough to be labelled ‘proven’.
Cundy then doubled down on his stance by claiming he believes Southgate would be a successful Manchester United manager.
Southgate was linked with the Old Trafford post this summer before Man United offered Ten Hag a contract extensionGetty
There was a different viewpoint from Cundy who believes the ex-England boss could be a success at Old Trafford
O’Hara does not believe Southgate presents a step up to current boss Ten HagtalkSPORT
But O’Hara was having none of it and when asked who would be the better fit out of Southgate and Ten Hag, he opted for the Dutchman due to his trophy-winning exploits since arriving at the club.
The pair did finally agree on matters before bringing the discussion to a close in that Tuchel would have been the best candidate to take United to the next level.
Cundy signed off with a scathing assessment of the club’s decision to offer Ten Hag an one-year extension and says the 54-year-old is unlikely to remain in the job by this time next year.
“Manchester United are going through a tricky period as they have for the last 18 months,” Cundy said. “Then you get the result at Palace at the weekend which I felt they should have won. Then they are at home to FC Twente and they put in that kind of bang-average performance.
“I don’t see a world where Ten Hag is manager of Manchester United next season, I just don’t see it.
“The fact they’ve given him a one-year extension, all they’ve done is kick the can down the road. They’ve only delayed the inevitable.
“If they really fancied him, they’d have given him a two or three [year extension].”
