Antonio Conte is being linked to the managerial job at Manchester United, with Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's position seeming untenable.
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Manchester United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is under intense scrutiny after his side’s alarming 5-0 defeat to Liverpool. And, amid the feeling that his reign is coming to an end, a name is being linked to the job – Antonio Conte.
The former Juventus, Chelsea and Inter Milan manager is understood to be keen on the job. Or, at least, keen enough to try and ‘understand the project’ at United.
It is a big deal that the Italian is interested. Conte, who once described himself as a ‘serial winner’, is indeed just that. He only deals in silverware; anything else is simply not good enough.
In therory, that makes him the perfect candidate for the job. United are in need of a firm hand, someone who is tactically strong and knows how to win.
United’s transfer outlay in recent years has been massive, but the last trophy the won was in 2017. That is, to put it mildly, not good enough for a club their size.
However, it is worth noting that Conte himself is no silver bullet. He will be an instant improvement over the beleaguered Solskjaer, that much is certain. But he brings with him his own pros and cons – both of which are substantial.
His appointment is a risk, but it could – and most likely would – bring rewards. Whether or not it brings anything else? Well, that’s the part which is up for debate.
Before we delve into the cons of appointing Conte, it would be pertinent to look at the pros – and get an understanding of why certain United fans would welcome the move if it happened.
He is someone who focuses almost solely on winning trophies. In that sense, he is something of a modern-day Jose Mourinho. Trophies matter above all else to Conte, and it is easy to see that with a cursory glance over his resume.
After all, he is the man who, in the 2011-12, started Juventus’ incredible run of winning nine straight Serie A titles. And he was the man to break that streak in 2020-21 – this time with Inter Milan.
Nothing says serial winner moreso than starting a club’s winning streak and then breaking it yourself – with their bitter rivals, no less.
His time at Chelsea also saw him win one Premier League title and one FA Cup in two seasons in charge. At Inter, he won Serie A and came close to winning the Europa League too.
Conte’s pedigree as a coach is also worth noting. He not only gets the best out of players, but his tactical acumen is well-documented.
Notably he also takes a keen interest in aspects of the game beyond the field; his focus on player diets, sports nutrition and even controlling aspects of their private life are well known.
If viewed simply from this prism, there is no reason why United should not be going out of their way to hire the Italian. But – there’s always a but – things are never quite this simple.
Remember that comparison between Antonio Conte and Jose Mourinho? Well, that doesn’t just boil down to their winning mentality as managers.
Like ‘The Special One’, Conte too is someone who demands investment in a squad – and lots of it. He departed Inter Milan after winning Serie A mainly because the club were under financial constraints.
Similarly, his second season at Chelsea is best remembered for fraught relations with the board due to a lack of investment after their 2016-17 Premier League win.
At Juventus too he repeatedly clashed with the heirarchy when it came to player transfers. It meant that, by the time he was set to depart, few were sad to finally see him go.
His obsession for winning and winning now also leaves little space for developing younger players. Both at Chelsea and Inter, he leaned on younger players only when absolutely necessary.
There’s also the fact that Conte is an intense character, not just as a manager but as a person. And he is not afraid to make his grievances public. This can be good in some cases – but bad in others.
Mind you, the investment part would not be an issue for Manchester United. They are fairly solvent financially; even Solskjaer has been given plenty to work with in his three seasons.
However, would they be okay with having a manager who’s willing to question them publicly – especially given how well Solskjaer has managed relations in his time?
Bringing in Antonio Conte can work well for United – especially in the short term. However, the board will need to handle him with care.
Conte, despite demanding plenty of transfers, doesn’t always get it right. He famously pushed Chelsea to sign Tiemoue Bakayoko from Monaco, only to barely play the French midfielder.
It didn’t help matters that Bakayoko stunk up the joint when he did get a chance, but Conte notably showed little faith in a player who was still young and raw.
There’s also the fact that signing Conte, much like signing Mourinho, is done for short-term gains. Are the board okay to prioritise a few quick trophies over long-term gains?
It’s worth remembering they famously hired Mourinho for that very reason. Yet the mess he left behind took Solskjaer three whole seasons to clean out – indeed, many feel there is still too much deadwood from those days still in the squad.
It doesn’t help that United often dither in sacking managers. David Moyes, Louis van Gaal, Mourinho were kept on long after their sell-by dates. The same is currently happening with Solskjaer.
Will those in charge act swiftly if (or when) the situation with Conte implodes? History doesn’t suggest they can. And it is something the might want to keep in mind when approaching Conte.
With him, when things are going well, they will go swimmingly well. But when things go downhill it can only end in tears. As such, how well – or badly – he does will be dependant on those above him.
Conte’s managerial style requires a good structure around the club. At present, United’s structure is anything but. In short, the Italian is a viable option only if they can bring about structural changes first.
