Owen calls on Man Utd to appoint ex-Derby boss to take over from Ten Hag before City ’embarrassment’
Michael Owen thinks Steve McClaren should take over at Old Trafford
Michael Owen reckons Man Utd should give Steve McClaren the manager’s job at Old Trafford after Erik ten Hag’s side were embarrassed at Crystal Palace.
The Red Devils were humiliated on Monday night by the Eagles with Michael Olise starring for Oliver Glasner’s side as the Frenchman scored twice in a 4-0 rout.
Jean-Philippe Mateta and Tyrick Mitchell also scored as the result sees Man Utd stay in eighth position with Ten Hag’s side facing the club’s lowest ever Premier League finish unless results improve.
Owen has insisted that there is no way McClaren’s “fingerprints are anywhere near” the current Man Utd team and reckons the 63-year-old should take over from Ten Hag with immediate effect.
When put to him that Ten Hag’s assistant, McClaren, could take over, Owen replied on Premier League Productions: “They’ve got to try something different. Anything. Yes.”
Owen added: “We’ve played under Steve McClaren, he’s coached us, there’s no way that his fingerprints are anywhere near that team.
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“He is a brilliant, brilliant coach and that team is not being coached at all. No way Steve McClaren is the first-team coach.”
Before Man Utd legend Paul Scholes chipped in: “It suggests to me he’s not touching that team. The manager [Ten Hag] must not be letting him touch that team, I don’t think.
“Everyone thinks we were a great team that attacked everyone and went at people, sometimes we played against better teams and Steve McClaren put better sessions on to make sure you stopped other teams, getting the distances right, getting your angles right, especially in centre midfield, across all midfield.
“And he has got no impression on that [Ten Hag] team whatsoever. He’s the best coach I ever had.”
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On former Derby County manager McClaren, Owen continued: “He’s a brilliant, brilliant coach. There’s no way on earth he’s got anything to do with coaching that team. It’s impossible. Because that team is absolutely clueless, right the way through it. There’s not one thing I think works in that team. I don’t rate anything about it.
“Steve McClaren is a top operator and I can only think he’s there and there’s other people are coaching the first team and he’s just a bystander.”
When asked if he would be happy to see McClaren manage Man Utd for their final four matches of the season, including the FA Cup final against Man City, Owen responded: “For four games, yeah… anything.
“They’re going to get smashed out of the ball park by every team playing like that today.
“Manchester City are going to demoralise them at Wembley in front of millions of people, it’s just embarrassing how they’re playing, something’s got to change, I know it’s going to change in the summer but I think it’s got to change now. There’s European football next year, this is a trophy.”
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