When the “Best football manager of all time” is discussed, most Man Utd fans will have only one answer, but Sir Alex Ferguson could be dislodged if one player at the club has his way.
Not many managers will have the success of Sir Alex Ferguson, and those who come close won’t have the longevity of the legendary figure.
Even those who have the success and longevity won’t have both at a single club for so long, which presents a challenge unlike any other in modern football.
Sir Alex Ferguson won 3-1 with only one defender against Wolfsburg in 2009! Do you remember who scored for Man United? 👀
However, all things considered, former Premier League referee Mark Clattenburg says that one manager will dislodge him from “GOAT” status if his team wins the World Cup. Interestingly, a Man Utd player is involved.
Casemiro can help dislodge Sir Alex Ferguson
Casemiro has engineered a remarkable career turnaround this season by becoming one of Ruben Amorim’s key players at Old Trafford.
That turnaround has not gone unnoticed at the international level, as a combination of factors has thrust him into a crucial status for Brazil, too.
Firstly, his club form makes him a no-brainer selection under any manager, but to help matters further, Carlo Ancelotti was appointed as Brazil’s boss.
Ancelotti shares a good relationship with Casemiro from his Real Madrid days and values him highly, as evidenced by Casemiro being named captain of Brazil recently.
If Brazil win the World Cup with Casemiro, Mark Clattenburg believes Carlo Ancelotti will go down in history as the best football manager of all time.
Speaking on GRV Media’s Beyond the Back Four podcast, he said, “I think this season is going to define a lot of things. For me, he is one of the greatest managers of all time. If he were to win the World Cup in Brazil, with Brazil, it would be incredible.
After his latest performances, do you want Casemiro to sign a one-year contract extension?
“Carlo Ancelotti, for me, will be the greatest manager ever because of what he’s achieved. To succeed at the international level and win the World Cup would be the ultimate achievement.”
Casemiro could punctuate a generational comeback at World Cup
It’s unlikely that many United fans resonate with Clattenburg’s theory of a World Cup putting Ancelotti over Sir Alex, but they can agree on Casemiro.
As Ruben Amorim likes to remind everyone often, the Brazilian was behind Toby Collyer in the pecking order at Man Utd as recently as this time last year.
Today, he’s the first name on the teamsheet for club and country, achieving this feat when he was widely written off as finished at the top level.
Regardless of what a World Cup win does for Ancelotti’s legacy and his “GOAT” rivalry with Sir Alex, Casemiro can punctuate a generational comeback tour with the ultimate prize in football next summer.
His future at Man Utd remains uncertain because of his high wages, but he will have no shortage of suitors if he manages to achieve that feat.
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