Dwight Yorke offers to replace Erik ten Hag amid Manchester United sack rumours: ‘I’ve proved I can manage’

Erik ten Hag could be sacked after the FA Cup final (Picture: Getty)

Dwight Yorke has backed himself to turn things around at Manchester United if Erik ten Hag loses his job at Old Trafford.

United’s preparations for the FA Cup final against Manchester City on Saturday have been overshadowed by rumours Ten Hag is set to be sacked.

The Premier League giants have endured a dismal season – finishing just eighth – and reports say Ten Hag will be axed regardless of the outcome of Saturday’s FA Cup final.

As they consider replacing Ten Hag, Manchester United have shown interest in Thomas Tuchel, Kieran McKenna and Mauricio Pochettino, who surprisingly left his role with Chelsea last week.

But Yorke also fancies a crack at the United job and insists he has what it takes to make a difference at his former club, who have struggled since Sir Alex Ferguson’s departure over a decade ago.

‘The kind of character, the way I come across, know how to coach, the little learning experience I’ve got, the people I’m going to bring in to make that football club better in my backroom staff is very important,’ Yorke told Mail Sport on behalf of Fastest Payout Online Casinos.

‘Manchester United is a job you can’t turn down. It’s too big a job. The DNA of football has been there. I’ve proved that I can manage in a short space of time in winning that [the Australia Cup].

Dwight Yorke fancies a crack at the United job (Picture: Getty)

‘Every time I’ve done what they’ve asked me, they seem to be moving the goal posts. Other people who have done far less in the game in the management department are getting three, four, five chances. It’s crazy.

‘There is not a job that’s going that I’m not trying to get. These are things that have been posed to me: “You don’t have your licence. You don’t have any experience” – went and got my experience, won a cup.

‘Now they say, “You don’t know the league, you’ve never managed in the league.” That’s the next thing.

‘My first managerial experience, which a lot of people don’t know, I managed in front of 75,000 people in Sydney against a Barcelona all-star team. 

More Trending

Read More Stories

‘So I was thrown in at the deep end and shown straight away… that game ended up 3-2, a game we could easily have won that night.  

‘It shows what you can do and bring to the team, but until you’ve got those chances, you never know, right? People are always going to put questions marks over you.’ 

Despite revealing his interest in the Manchester United job, Yorke – who won the treble under Fergie in 1999 – believes Ten Hag should stay if he wins the FA Cup.

United finished 31 points behind Manchester City in the Premier League this season and City are aiming to become the first team to win back-to-back domestic doubles following their title triumph.

‘In my opinion, the FA Cup final is the make or break game for him,’ Yorke added.

‘If he wins then I think it would be very harsh on a manager who has had two seasons at the club, winning two major competitions, not too many managers have been able to do that.

‘If you were to win two cups in two years, I think that should buy you another year. But I do believe if he doesn’t, where we are as a football club, he hasn’t really advanced us.

‘From a football standpoint, he hasn’t produced what we expected him to produce.  With United, the fundamentals in the game, which are structure, balance, and a system that everybody works with, I don’t see that.  

United face Manchester City in the FA Cup final (Picture: Getty)

‘I don’t see the pattern of play week in, week out. When people come in, they [should] have a clear identity and idea of the way the team is playing. I don’t see that. 

‘I just see 11 players going out and it’s kind of a hit and miss. If something happens, brilliant, we win a game. But there’s no togetherness, no structure. I find it very disappointing from that standpoint. 

‘Getting knocked out of the Champions League like we did, where we are in the league, you can look at all these things and realistically if you were to win two competitions in two years, that would buy him a little more time in my opinion.’ 

Yorke lifted five major trophies during his spell at Manchester United but has only managed Australian side Macarthur since retiring in 2009.

For more stories like this, check our sport page.

Follow Metro Sport for the latest news on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.