Here Manchester United go again, taking the Two Ronnies route to hiring a new boss

Jonathan Wilson analyses Manchester United's managerial appointments, arguing they repeatedly hire managers past their peak rather than at the right moment.

Jonathan Wilson's column examines Manchester United's pattern of managerial recruitment, comparing the club's approach to a Two Ronnies sketch where contestants answer the wrong question. Wilson argues that United have consistently appointed managers who would have been better choices years earlier, rather than identifying the right fit for the present moment.

Using José Mourinho as a case study, Wilson notes that while Mourinho was first linked with the job when Sir Alex Ferguson retired in 2013, by the time he finally arrived in 2016, he was already on the decline. The article explores how difficult it is to assess whether past success will translate to a new environment, and how few managers successfully win league titles with multiple clubs.

Wilson also reflects on previous United appointments like David Moyes, Louis van Gaal, and others, suggesting the club's recruitment has repeatedly failed to identify the optimal timing for managerial changes. The piece argues that identifying warning signs and understanding the trajectory of a manager's career should be central to good recruitment strategy.