Roy Keane and Gary Neville ‘can see’ England boss Gareth Southgate replacing Erik ten Hag at Manchester United.
Doubts remain over Ten Hag’s long-term future at Old Trafford despite the epic FA Cup quarter-final victory over arch-rivals Liverpool.
Even if Manchester United go on to win the FA Cup – Coventry City, Manchester City and Chelsea stand in their way – Ten Hag’s position may still not be safe as his side face an uphill battle to qualify for next season’s Champions League.
Sir Jim Ratcliffe, United’s new owner, is also thought to be keen to hire his own manager, with Ten Hag brought in under the Glazers in 2022.
Ratcliffe and Manchester United’s incoming sporting director Dan Ashworth are believed to view Southgate as a top contender should they part ways with Ten Hag.
Southgate, 53, has had mixed success with England – leading the Three Lions to the Euro 2020 final and the quarter-finals of the 2022 World Cup without clinching any silverware.
His only managerial position before taking over England in 2016 was with Middlesbrough but Keane and Neville nevertheless believe he could be the next Manchester United boss.
‘I could see that happening,’ ex-United captain Keane said on the Stick to Football podcast.
‘Well, obviously everyone’s thinking he’s probably going to be with England this summer if he has a good Euros, thinking if they could win it. And if they don’t, then maybe they’re thinking you’ve ran your race with him.
‘His connection with Dan Ashworth, who he has worked with previously. Yeah, I’m not that surprised with it.’
Neville, meanwhile, ‘never saw’ Southgate in the Old Trafford hot-seat but has changed his mind following Ashworth’s impending move to the club.
Ashworth spent several years at the FA before landing roles at Brighton and Newcastle United and admires Southgate, having endorsed his appointment as England boss.
‘I never saw Gareth Southgate as a Manchester United manager, psychologically, I never saw that,’ Neville said. ‘I can see it now, now Dan Ashworth has come in.
‘I just think, what does Erik ten Hag need to do to stay as Manchester United manager? So, for instance, is the FA Cup enough, or does he need to get top four, or top five, Champions League?”
‘I think if Gareth is leaving, I think to be honest with you, you’ll have seen this in tournaments, but it’s never been easy.
‘England will have qualifiers starting up again a couple of months after the tournament, so they’ll have to have a new manager in. And Gareth will need to sort his future out, to get a club for potentially the start of next season.
‘So, I think if it’s done maturely, I can see how it would be brought forward in terms of Gareth.
‘Forget Manchester United, England would need to appoint a new manager. So, they are going to have to appoint a new manager pre-tournament, probably.
'Gareth is going to leave after the tournament, unless he decides to leave quietly on the last day, I'm not sure.'
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