Ashley Young has warned Manchester United against appointing Antonio Conte as their next manager, saying the Italian's intense methods would be "a disaster" for the club. The former Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur boss has been linked with the Old Trafford post, with current manager Michael Carrick under pressure.
Conte's Methods Under Scrutiny
Speaking on The Overlap, Young, who played under Conte at Inter Milan, described the manager as "crazy" and compared his touchline behaviour to that of Diego Simeone. "You hear him non-stop," he said.
Young also highlighted the length of Conte's team meetings after defeats, saying they could last three or four hours. "I think that's one of the reasons why he doesn't last long at places because not just the players, he tries to test mentally, but the board as well and the owners," he added.
United's Struggles Continue
Reports have suggested that intermediaries representing Conte have contacted United to confirm he is ready to take charge. The speculation comes as United's form has dipped sharply, with Sunday's 1-1 draw against Leeds United extending their winless run to six matches. They now sit in the bottom half of the Premier League, six points off the Champions League places.
Carrick has faced questions about his future since before the international break, despite retaining the backing of players and supporters. His caretaker spell, which saw him average 2.25 points per game with 11 wins in 16 matches after replacing Ruben Amorim, has given way to a significant downturn in results.
European Woes and Injury Crisis
United's difficulties deepened on Wednesday with a 4-1 defeat to Como in the Champions League, with goals from Nico Paz, Anastasios Douvikas and Jacobo Ramon for the hosts, and a late consolation from Joshua Zirkzee. The loss made United the first English side to concede inside two minutes in back-to-back matches.
Going into the trip to Italy, United faced a mounting injury crisis with nine players out. Carrick noted pre-match that he has the backing of the hierarchy but needs to pick up wins. After the full-time whistle, he went over to the United fanbase to apologise for the performance.
United are now seven matches without a win and face an uphill battle to keep their Champions League hopes alive. Lisandro Martinez's recent comments criticising the club's recruitment and hierarchy have added to the pressure on Carrick, with performances like the one against Como doing little to ease concerns about the season fizzling out.
