Owen Urges Caution Over Southgate: United Risk Fan Backlash with Unfashionable Appointment

Michael Owen has sounded a note of caution regarding Gareth Southgate's candidacy for the Manchester United job, warning that the appointment could prove deeply unpopular among the Old Trafford faithful.

With Ruben Amorim sacked on Monday, speculation surrounding Southgate's availability has intensified. The 55-year-old, whose last club management role came with Middlesbrough in 2009, enjoys considerable backing from the INEOS decision-makers. Yet Owen believes his track record raises serious concerns that cannot be overlooked.

"I think that Gareth Southgate, in general, would not be a popular appointment with the fans that has to be taken into consideration," Owen told Football365 exclusively. "And I think that's the big negative with Southgate. I don't think he will appeal."

The former Liverpool striker acknowledges Southgate's considerable achievements with the England setup—positioning him as the nation's most successful manager in generations. However, Owen questions whether the style of football delivered to international audiences would satisfy United's demanding supporters.

"England fans have seen him do particularly well," Owen explained. "However, was the style of play attractive? Manchester United demand a certain style of play. I think there's a lot of scepticism about that appointment."

Yet Owen recognises Southgate possesses genuine managerial credentials beyond the pitch. His organisational abilities and capacity to operate effectively within a modern club structure could prove invaluable.

"He is a very smart guy. He could be the absolute type of person that could run a club of that size, get them right back on the straight and narrow, work with the hierarchy exceptionally well," Owen continued. "It could be slick and it could be extremely professional, and it could be the best appointment out there. However, there's a massive if, and that is the feeling amongst the fans. I think lots of them would not approve."

Owen's perspective aligns with sentiment among other former United players who believe the club should embrace its heritage. Rather than pursuing the latest continental coaching fashion, he suggests returning to figures who embody the institution's values—names like Roy Keane, Gary Neville, or Paul Scholes.

"Lots of fans like the idea of going back to basics, going back to their roots, going back to an ex-player, going back to someone who knows the club," Owen said. "I think you have that cycle as a fan and as a person in lots of things in life."

The emotional pull of appointing someone steeped in United tradition cannot be dismissed, Owen suggests, yet he trusts the board's business acumen to cut through sentiment and identify what genuinely serves the club's interests.

"You want a bit of everything, don't you? You want experience. You want somebody who understands the club. You want attacking football. You want aggressive football," Owen reflected. "But in reality, is there a manager out there that holds all those aces that can offer all those things?"

The interim option remains available, though Owen expressed reservations about prolonging uncertainty. With Champions League qualification and the club's future trajectory at stake, United cannot afford to drift aimlessly through the remainder of the campaign, he argued.