Sean Dyche is the latest name to be tipped as Ruben Amorim’s successor at Manchester United, and the former Burnley and Everton boss’ comments about him make for an interesting read. Amorim has now been calling the shots at Old Trafford for 10 months, yet progress remains at a standstill.
Last season, he oversaw the Red Devils’ lowest-ever finish in the Premier League after taking over from Erik ten Hag in November, and this season has so far seen them go winless in three outings across all competitions. The latest low point came in a penalty shootout defeat to Grimsby Town in the second round of the League Cup - the first time the club had ever lost to a fourth-tier side.
Amorim’s reluctance to deviate from his 3-4-2-1 system, coupled with a worrying pessimism about his own ability to steer the club back on track, could soon cost him his post. The INEOS-led hierarchy may then be tempted to opt for the safer, less glamorous route of Dyche-style pragmatism in what would be United’s eighth attempt to reclaim their glory days since Ferguson’s retirement in 2013.
Sean Dyche Tipped To Succeed Ruben Amorim At Man United
Sean Dyche
Interestingly - and perhaps rather peculiarly - it was Charlie Austin who recently tipped Dyche to take the reins at the Theatre of Dreams. The former England international was Dyche’s key man at the start of his decade-long tenure at Burnley, during which the 54-year-old earned a reputation for his direct, no-nonsense approach to the game.
While he may not be the flashiest or most high-profile name on the managerial market right now, Austin believes Dyche’s style is precisely what United need as the club continues to spiral uncontrollably. He said (watch the full segment below):
"I know that Manchester United fans would look at me and say 'oh, you said we need Sean Dyche', but no, you need structure. That's a man that will come in and make the team a lot better than what we are all seeing at the moment. 'Last night we didn't see a team. We see players just go out there and do what they want."
During a recent appearance on Market Madness, Austin added: “Sean Dyche would come in and it would be structured. It would be a direction of play of what Man Utd are trying to do.
“Because at the moment, the manager is saying, ‘I'm going to play 3-4-3,’ but the players can’t play the 3-4-3, and he looks like he’s not going to change anything. The structure on the pitch and off the pitch… it’s all over the place.”
Dyche Claimed He Could Have Done A Better Job Than Amorim
ruben amorim-2
Dyche himself criticised Amorim back in May during a segment on a podcast while he was taking a break from management, claiming he could do better than him with the same money at his disposal. "I may get hammered for it, but I bet I could win more games with that squad playing a 4-4-2," he told ex-England manager Sam Allardyce on the No Tippy Tappy Football podcast.
"People keep talking about his [Amorim's] philosophy, and it isn't working. It's fine getting to five or 10 games, but once you get to 20 games, it clearly isn't working."
He was, however, also quick to take note that he appreciated the United hierarchy were affording him time to correct his mistakes as opposed to hitting the panic button. "I like the fact they're sticking with it, and it is Man United," he continued, "You're under massive pressure to get it right. But on the other hand, you wouldn't normally survive that situation. Amorim's been given more time than most.
"People forget that in Pep's [Guardiola's] first season, he made so many changes to the squad and played so many formations and finished 13 points off the top. Nobody blinked. If he was at Real Madrid, he would have been sacked. But he learned and won the Premier League the next season."
Everton manager Sean Dyche
Dyche's record in the Premier League demonstrates his ability to overperform with limited resources. At Burnley, he consistently transformed modest squads into disciplined, competitive teams, steering them clear of relegation and even flirting with European qualification when they finished seventh in the 2017/18 campaign.
Managers like him and Sam Allardyce are often viewed as emergency options - brought in to stabilise a club and steady the ship until the board can attempt a more attacking, entertainment-first approach. Yet, as the case of Jose Mourinho has shown, these pragmatic managers can sometimes reap incredible rewards. It would certainly be fascinating to see what a Dyche-style coach could achieve if given the same resources and backing as those in the Big Six.