FORMER Manchester United forward Dimitar Berbatov believes Antonio Conte could ‘handle’ replacing under-fire boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.
The Red Devils are winless in their last four Premier League games, putting Solskjaer at risk of losing his job.
And Serie A and Premier League-winning manager Conte is one of the favourites to take over at Old Trafford should the Norwegian get sacked.
An Red Devils legend Berbatov reckons Conte could be exactly what United need.
The Bulgarian told Betfair: “The latest reports are saying that Antonio Conte is open to taking the United job if it becomes available.
“He made Inter champions and he made Chelsea champions. Conte has the record and the reputation of working hard, I heard that a lot of times.
“He has been to England and done it, winning the Premier League.
“He is the name that everybody is talking about at the moment and maybe some people are saying that United need this disciplinarian approach, to tell them exactly what the manager expects of you, if they’re not doing it, bench. Maybe they need that from time to time?
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“Louis Van Gaal was similar to Conte in this way, discipline is the number one priority, but he was also successful and won the FA Cup.
“Conte has all the results and reputation behind him to know how to handle things at a big club in England. He’s probably number one on their list.”
Conte’s strict approach could leave stars like Cristiano Ronaldo at risk of being benched.
Speaking on talkSPORT, Gabriel Agbonlahor revealed his ex-Aston Villa team-mate Ashley Young had lifted the lid on what it is like playing under Conte.
Young, who won the Serie A title at Inter Milan last season, told the Villans icon that Conte demands his players to run non-stop, and will drop anyone who refuses.
Agbonlahor said: “I like Conte. I saw an interview he did with Thierry Henry. Henry said, ‘What would you do if a player didn’t obey your tactics?’ And Conte said, ‘I’d probably kill them’.
“Henry is laughing but Conte is deadly serious. He says, ‘You have to respect the manager, you have to respect the tactics, you have to work hard’.
“Ashley Young, I spoke to him about Conte, he played with him at Inter. He said, ‘Non-stop running, every day in training, run run run’.
“If you can’t run, you’re not going to play in his teams. So I think he’s what that team needs.
“Someone going in there and saying, if you’re not doing what I want and you’re not doing as you’re told, you’re out.
“I don’t care if it’s [Cristiano] Ronaldo, if it’s [Mason] Greenwood, if it’s [Paul] Pogba. If you’re not doing what I want and working hard, you’re coming to sit with me.”
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Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
