Who can cure Man United’s ills: A former great or a seasoned manager?

Do great footballers necessarily make good managers? Historically speaking, there have been no clear-cut answers to this. While you have a Johan Cruyff and Zinedine Zidane riding the crest, there are several examples ranging from modest success to failures at the other end of the spectrum.

The latest big name to join the bandwagon is Ruud van Nistelrooy, the lethal Dutch No. 9 of the turn of the millennium, who took charge of Manchester United on an interim basis after the departure of compatriot Erik ten Hag on Monday, 28 October. The shaven-headed Dutchman had the axe hanging on him for most of the past two seasons, but the proverbial last straw was the current streak of only one win in the past eight games across all competitions — not to speak of the multiple champions languishing at 14^th place on the Premier League table.

It’s been 11 years since the Red Devils last won the Premier League under Sir Alex Ferguson, and the best that Van Nistelrooy — 11^th on the club’s all-time scorers’ list, with 150 goals across all competitions — can hope to do is to bring a turnaround to their performance graph.

Mind you, he was not thrust into the role overnight. Van Nistelrooy was wooed from his position of head coach at PSV Eindhoven last summer as the assistant manager to Ten Hag. A little Dutch connection was created with Rene Hake, a former head coach of Eredivisie side Go Ahead Eagles, also being roped in as a deputy; but it failed to stem the rot for one of the most widely followed clubs in the world.

Zidane, Xavi linked

Given his own stature as a United legend, it should be easier for the 48-year-old van Nistelrooy to earn the respect of Bruno Fernandes & Co. — but then, he is reportedly not keen to take over Ten Hag’s position as a permanent manager, as he feels it would be tantamount to a betrayal of his friend.

It’s still early days, but then going by the English media, a cluster of big names — ranging from some of the legends to seasoned coaches — are now doing the rounds as Man U seeks out a permanent replacement for Ten Hag.

A report in the Manchester Evening News has thrown up options like Zidane, who could be the dream choice, and former Barcelona coach Xaviamong the footballing greats, as well as the likes of Massimiliano Allegri (formerly of Juventus) or Edin Terzic, who guided Borussia Dortmund to the UEFA Champions League final last season.

Allegri apparently has the endorsement of Sir Alex, which gives him a headstart, though one has to wait and watch to see who gets United management’s seal of approval. The name of Portuguese Ruben Amorim, the young manager of Sporting, is also in the running as a surprise choice.

It will be extremely difficult to find another Pep Guardiola, the most successful club football manager in recent history. He is that rare combination of a quality footballer who graduated from being a member of Cruyff’s dream team in Barcelona to a larger-than-life coach with great tactical nous and man-management skills in star-laden clubs like Barcelona, Bayern Munich and now Manchester City.

What then makes for an ideal choice to script a turnaround for a club in crisis?

Sports broadcaster Adriano Del Monte summed up the dilemma in an interview: ‘’We’ve seen the likes of Jose Mourinho, a legendary manager. He forever will be, but he is perhaps someone who has fallen out of touch with the demands of modern day football. So, I do think that coaching badges can only take you so far.”

The search continues

“I think that having that insight and that extra knowledge from a playing career can give you a leg up and give you that advantage,” he continued. “But again, (there is) no guarantee that that translates into success.

“Some recent examples, such as Ole Gunnar Solskjaer at Manchester United... a legendary player, one of the best individuals who I’ve dealt with in football, just an absolute gentleman, but obviously lacked something from the tactical side, from perhaps a leadership side as well to bring out the very best in his players.’’

The task before the new incumbent at United, then, promises to be Herculean.

For one thing, he will be the ninth manager in 11 years after Sir Alex’s 26-year-old reign and unbeatable legacy ended in 2013.

The ownership has tried every trick in the book — from a proven customer like Mourinho, to a master tactician like Louis van Gaal, to a former star like Solskjaer.

Nothing worked in the long term — and this is what makes the next choice so tricky!