National Television Awards - Show - Source: Getty
National Television Awards - Show - Source: Getty
Gary Lineker and Alan Shearer have warned Cesc Fabregas against becoming Manchester United's next head coach, with Lineker saying the Como manager would be “mad” to take the job and calling Old Trafford “a graveyard”.
The pair were speaking on The Rest is Football, with Fabregas' stock rising after Como beat United 4-1 in the Champions League on Wednesday, a result that intensified scrutiny on Michael Carrick.
United have won once in seven Premier League games and twice in 11 in all competitions, leaving them 13th and without a win in seven. Carrick is expected to take charge of Sunday's home game against Bournemouth while the club assesses possible replacements including Eddie Howe, Julian Nagelsmann, Antonio Conte and Fabian Hürzeler.
Fabregas, who took Como from Serie B to the Champions League, is also in the frame.
“Mentioning up-and-coming managers, Cesc Fabregas is the next one on the block,” Shearer said (via Metro UK). “I love his attitude, I love how calm he is, how balanced he is and the job he's doing there is remarkable.”
Lineker said a major club would eventually come for the former Arsenal, Barcelona and Chelsea midfielder, but urged him to reject Manchester United.
“He's going to have a big decision at some point because if he continues to have even moderate success with Como [a big club will come in for him],” he said. “It might be Man United. If he takes that job, he'd be mad! It's a graveyard really.”
Shearer agreed and added:
“I know it's a huge football club, but it's not an attractive job at the minute, because of how many [managers] have been in there and how many have been sacked,” he said. “The only thing attractive about it is he might get a great pay-off in 12 or 18 months' time.”
Fabregas responded when asked if he'd like to become the Manchester United head coach in the future
Asked before the match about possibly becoming Manchester United's head coach, Fabregas declined to engage. He said (via Metro):
“As you can understand, I won't answer that question because I think that's not a very nice question,” he said. “I don't think that shows enough respect to a great footballer and manager like Michael Carrick at the helm of a wonderful Manchester United side.”
He also rejected the idea that United were in crisis and called hosting them for the first time in Como's history “a big honour”. Fabregas, whose contract at Como runs to June 2028, added:
“We have so much respect for who they are, for what they do, because they have incredible players, good staff.”
Como president Mirwan Suwarso said in the summer that the club would not block Fabregas from leaving if a bigger job came up.