Nicky Butt believes Manchester United should speak to former teammate Roy Keane about the club’s vacant managerial position.
Manchester United sacked Ruben Amorim has head coach on Monday after just 14 months in charge. The club have now had 10 coaches, interim and permanent, since the retirement of Sir Alex Ferguson in 2013.
Butt has watched the plight of his former club closely and worked in the academy under former teammate Ole Gunnar Solskjaer as head of first-team development.
The former Manchester United midfielder believes the club could do far worse than hold talks with another ex-player about taking the reins. Speaking on The Good, The Bad and The Football podcast, he said he is amazed that no one has contacted Keane about the position.
Keane has been out of management since 2011, but has regularly discussed a desire to return. The 54-year-old became the most decorated captain in Manchester United’s history during his playing career before leaving suddenly in 2005 after a fall-out with Ferguson.
“You know the one I can never get my head around, is why Roy Keane never got a chance at Man United” Butt said.
“He’s a mate, so it’s a bit biased, but if you look at his personality, and his player career, and his character… and what he did in his management career. He did unbelievable at Sunderland.
“If you look at all the troubles they’ve (Manchester United) had, he still lives local. I can’t for the life of me fathom how no one has had a discussion with him, and sat down, and said ‘would you be interested in the job?’”.
Paul Scholes agreed with Butt’s assessment: “Or even just as an assistant,” Scholes added.
“Think about it with how he did with Martin O’Neill and these people. If David Moyes had brought Roy in…”
Butt reiterated his disbelief at the continued overlooking of Keane for a role at Old Trafford.
“I just think that when it’s been going bad, if they’d got Roy in. Roy’s a very astute person, he’s a clever bloke. He’d then go and get a good coach in to do the stuff that he might not think he’s the best at.
“I think Roy is very much a Sir Alex Ferguson manager. He manages people, he comes alive on match days. He’s not stupid enough to think ‘I can do everything’. I just can’t for the life of me think how the powers that be at that football club have not spoke to him over the last five years.
“You’re looking all over the world for the right person and the right person might be on your doorstep.”
