Michael Owen on Ruben Amorim, Man Utd next manager candidates and what's needed to bring glory days back

Following that fixture, Amorim had sensationally erupted. He suggested that he wasn't getting enough support from his superiors, Sir Jim Ratcliffe, Jason Wilcox and Omar Berrada. When you speak out against your bosses, there's only going to be one outcome.

Some fans feel sympathy for the Portuguese coach. Interference from above has, of course, contributed to their woes since Ferguson's retirement. Others, however, believe he effectively shot himself in the foot.

Owen was at United when Ferguson ruled the roost. They were successful then, the most-dominant force in the country.

He feels Amorim's exit wasn't surprising given how bad results were - and also believes the 40-year-old left Ratcliffe and Co no other choice.

“I think both scenarios, Enzo Maresca at Chelsea and Amorim at Manchester United, almost happened very quickly. A week before, there was nothing," he exclusively told GB News via Casino.org, which helps players find the best casino online options in Britain.

"In the lead-up to the game against Leeds, I was doing the game on TV and all the chat behind the scenes was, ‘Amorim – there’s been a big bust-up.’

"So I knew before the game that this could escalate, rather like it did with Maresca. And, of course, in many ways it was a very similar scenario.

“There are plenty of different departments that all need to be happy. So yes, it did happen quickly, but I wasn’t surprised at all.

"I was a little bit surprised by what he said after the game, but I knew there was trouble behind the scenes.

"But as soon as he said it, I wasn’t surprised it ended quickly. You simply can’t say things like that about your team, your employers, or anything like that and expect to last.

“When you look back at his reign, there are so many points where you can say it went wrong for him.”

Now, it'll be interesting to see who United go for.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer or Michael Carrick will likely be in the dugout soon, with both men in talks over being interim manager until the end of the campaign.

Darren Fletcher, who will oversee Sunday's FA Cup showdown with Brighton, is also in contention.

United appear to be looking to their past to save their future. Owen isn't sure that's the right approach.

"It’s obviously going to take a certain type of manager to work under that system they have at the club,” he continued.

“They’ve tried the younger coaches. It probably means someone more experienced now, someone who has Manchester United in their DNA. They can’t keep going through this cycle.

“When all is said and done, I think a lot of fans like the idea of going back to basics, going back to their roots, going back to an ex-player, someone who knows the club.

“You go through that cycle. You want the new, foreign, sexy, tactical manager with the accent, and everyone’s excited.

"Then reality kicks in and you think, ‘Do you know what? Let’s go back to a Roy Keane, a Paul Scholes, a Gary Neville, that generation.’

“I think emotionally a lot of people feel that way right now. But the owner and the board are experienced in business, and I think they’ll cut through that and think straight about what’s best for the team.

“You want experience, you want someone who understands the club, you want attacking football, aggressive football – you want so many things.

"But is there really a manager out there who offers all of that?”

Several names have been linked with the job.

Thomas Tuchel, Roberto De Zerbi, Xavi Hernandez, Marco Silva and Andoni Iraola have all emerged as potential candidates.

One name that keeps being mentioned, however, is Sir Gareth Southgate.

His defensive football with England often sparked criticism yet he transformed the national side, turning them into a juggernaut - even if they ultimately failed to win a trophy.

Owen acknowledges that any potential appointment would be controversial. However, he certainly thinks Southgate is up for the job.

“There are lots of good managers out there," he said.

"There are managers in jobs who might be ready for a change at the end of the season, and there are people who are out of work.

“Gareth Southgate is a name that’s been mentioned. What he did with England was very successful, but his club record goes back a long way now with Middlesbrough, so we don’t really know what manager he would be.

“I don’t think Southgate would be a popular appointment with the fans, and that has to be taken into consideration. That’s the big negative.

“On the flip side, he’s a very smart guy. He could be exactly the type of person who could run a club of that size, work exceptionally well with the hierarchy, and get them back on the straight and narrow.

“It could be slick, extremely professional, and even the best appointment out there. But it’s a massive ‘if’, and the feeling among the fans would be a big issue.”