Glasner's Dream Appeal Undermined by United's Chaos; Southgate Would Be "Terrible" - Parker

Manchester United are expected to announce an interim manager within days, with Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and Michael Carrick leading the race to step in temporarily following Ruben Amorim's departure. Come summer, the club will pursue a permanent replacement to spearhead their rebuild.

Crystal Palace boss Oliver Glasner has emerged as a frontrunner for that long-term role, set to become available when his contract expires at season's end. Yet former United defender Paul Parker has cast doubt on whether the ambitious Palace chief could flourish under INEOS's stewardship.

"Oliver Glasner would be my dream choice as a new Manchester United manager in an ideal world, but the situation around Man United just isn't ideal at the moment," Parker explained to MyBettingSites.com.

The fundamental problem, Parker argues, lies in a mismatch between Glasner's exacting standards and the dysfunction at Old Trafford. "The reason why I am not leaning towards Oliver Glasner is that he wants to achieve something. He is demanding a lot and wants success. That doesn't correlate very well with Manchester United," Parker said.

Glasner's track record at Selhurst Park demonstrates his commitment to genuine progress. He has delivered two trophies and European football to a club unaccustomed to either, implementing a fresh tactical identity throughout the organisation. His strength of character and willingness to challenge players sets him apart—qualities that would likely prove problematic in United's current environment.

"He wants to work with who he wants, not what other people want. Glasner is improving clubs and players," Parker noted. "But he wouldn't be given the chance to do that at Man United. He wants to get involved and he has a lot of opinions. He wants a final say and the manager at Man United is being controlled by a puppet master."

Such a clash seems inevitable. Glasner's no-nonsense approach would alienate squad members resistant to his methods, and the structural limitations at United would frustrate a manager accustomed to autonomy.

"I think he would have a go at a lot of players who wouldn't like to work under him. He would tell them what is right and wrong, because he is very strong minded. He is still my number one choice, but I would be seriously worried. Not because of him but because of the club," Parker added.

The alternative—Gareth Southgate—represents far worse territory. Parker pulled no punches regarding the former England manager's potential appeal to the hierarchy.

"If Gareth Southgate's name gets mentioned, it will only be because he is a yes-man. Actually, that could be a very good reason why they would hire him," Parker said, highlighting the uncomfortable truth: Southgate's willingness to comply with boardroom interference may be precisely what INEOS desires.

"Maybe the other managers around the world doesn't stand a chance, actually, because he is exactly what the club wants. It would be a terrible solution, so I am definitely saying no to him."