Manchester United risk 'writing off' two seasons with interim boss appointment - Darren Fletcher

The former Manchester United midfielder Darren Fletcher says Manchester United are at the risk of "writing off" the next two seasons by appointing an interim manager.

Jose Mourinho was sacked after two and a half years in charge on Tuesday.

United appeared to confirm the club legend Ole Gunnar Solskjaer as interim boss afterwards in a website post that was later deleted.

"Manchester United should never be in this position," Fletcher told BBC Radio 5 live.

"They're almost writing off this season and next season because if they appoint a new manager in the summer he's not going to have much time to look for new players."

Darren Fletcher, who won five Premier League titles in 12 years at United, opined there had been "mismanagement from the top level" at Theatre of dream since legendary manager Sir Alex Ferguson left in 2013.

"There is a real concern that you could have two seasons of rebuilding again," he added.

United sit at the sixth position in the Premier League, 19 points behind leaders Liverpool, with Mourinho sacked because of the team's style of play, results and a poor record of developing young talents.

There has been no official statement that Ole Gunner Solskjaer is taking over from Mourinho but a page on the club's website on Tuesday referred to their ex-striker as "our interim manager" which was later deleted.

The 45-year-old Solskjaer scored 126 goals for Manchester United in 11 seasons under Sir Alex Ferguson. Solskjaer won six Premier League titles and two FA Cups with United and scored the winner in the 1999 Champions League final.

'Solskjaer, a smiling assassin'

Darren Fletcher said he would love an interim boss to "give the players freedom but also put demands on them to work harder because they are not working hard enough".

Fletcher added that former team-mate Solskjaer is a "smiling assassin" as he is a "lovely fella" but can deliver some "cutting words" in the dressing room.

"He'd let people know when they weren't doing things that were expected of them and he's been at the club with a lot of big characters," said Fletcher.

But former England and United midfielder Paul Ince, who suggested the club should look at other former players Steve Bruce and Mark Hughes, pointed out Solskjaer "struggled" at Cardiff City in 2014.

The Norwegian left Cardiff City after eight-month spell during which the Bluebirds were relegated from the Premier League and had a poor start to the season in the Championship.

"Solskjaer might be good for the fans but in Bruce and Hughes there are two experienced former players who know the club and are out of work."

Former Leicester City and Wales midfielder Robbie Savage, who was a youth player at United, shared the same thought as Ince, said it was a "shambles" that United were linked with taking Solskjaer from Norwegian side Molde.

He said: "Is this where United are really at? Solskjaer is a legend and the fans still sing his name, but, really, the biggest club in the world appointing an interim boss who manages Molde?"

Who is the next permanent manager?

The duo of Ince and Fletcher said Tottenham boss Mauricio Pochettino is United's best long-term replacement for Mourinho.

However, Pochettino said he remains "focused" on his work at Tottenham after being asked about the vacant managerial post at Old Trafford.

Fletcher said : "He ticks all the boxes for United as he has proven at Southampton and Spurs he can develop young players; he's got an attacking style and he's had confrontations with players but dealt with it fantastically.”

He added the Argentine would have the opportunity to "build a legacy, win trophies and establish himself as one of the best managers in the world" at United.

"Spurs aren't going to win the Premier League - they are moving to a new stadium and are going to lose players to pay for it but United have the backing and resources to have a plan that incorporates winning the league," he said.

"If Pochettino has ambitions of winning things then if United come calling, he'd be more than interested."

Ince suggested Pochettino may wait for his "dream move" of managing Real Madrid but could be lured to United.

"As well as Spurs have done, they have not brought a lot of players in and eventually he will get tired of not getting the players he wants and not winning trophies," he added.

No improvement since Ferguson left?

Darren Fletcher said the overall standard of Manchester United's squad has "not improved" since Ferguson left after the last of his 13 Premier League titles in 2013 because successors David Moyes, Louis van Gaal and Mourinho were given the liberty to make "here-and-now" signings.

"When Ferguson left, people said that was the worst squad ever to win the league, I don't buy that, but we did need three big hitters to come in," he said.

"That was a perfect opportunity but Moyes didn't do it - he only signed Marouane Fellaini but we needed another central defender, we needed a play-making midfielder and we could've done with a striker - that was the beginning of these problems.”

"The squad has not improved since Ferguson and it's had £700m spent on it, which is a massive concern."

The Scot added that while Ed Woodward, the chief executive had "given the managers backing with money", that has "not necessarily been the best thing for the long-term future" of the club and United should install a policy that allows them to sign players who better fit the club's mould.

Ince questioned if some of the current players have the "mental toughness" to play for United, while Savage added the players "have to look at themselves" after being "outrun by every other Premier League teams this season".

Fletcher said Paul Pogba, their £89m record signing is "a Manchester United player" but added the World Cup winner "has not conducted himself well recently and he needs a kick up the backside".

He added: "It's another concern because everyone talked about who is going to go - Pogba or Mourinho? Someone needs to get hold of Pogba and tell him this wasn't a battle between him and Mourinho and he's won.”

“A new manager has to come in and demand more of Pogba to lead the team forward."

Next Bus-stop for Mourinho?

Mourinho's sacking by Manchester United came almost three years to the day since he was relieved of his post by Chelsea, ending his second spell at Stamford Bridge.

Ince expressed his doubts on if Mourinho "will ever manage again" in the Premier League and "needs to take a break" before his next role.

"What he endured in the last two and a half years will have taken it out of him," he said.

However, Fletcher said he would like to see the "old Mourinho" return and added the former Inter Milan coach should take "at least a year" out.

"He's been fighting with his players, the relationships haven't been there like at Porto, his first spell at Chelsea and Inter Milan," he said.

"There he was tight with his players, they looked like they loved each other, there was a mutual respect but things have gone sour at Real Madrid, back at Chelsea and now at United.”

"I'm not saying that's necessarily his fault - maybe it's to do with the modern player - but I'd love to see Mourinho have a good break, come back and try to evolve a bit to bring back the old Mourinho that everyone loved."