‘Phenomenal’ manager with no club is one of the best Nicky Butt has ever seen yet Man United chose Amorim

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Manchester United moved quickly for Ruben Amorim after sacking Erik ten Hag, but the decision hasn’t exactly paid off.

Ten Hag was dismissed last October after winning just three of his opening nine Premier League games, and United compiled a shortlist of potential replacements.

In the end, Amorim got the nod, largely thanks to a recommendation from CEO Omar Berrada, leaving a host of talented managers by the wayside.

However, one of the candidates impressed United legend Nicky Butt so much that he called him “phenomenal” and one of the best he’d ever seen.

Nicky Butt praises Edin Terzic after Man United links

Edin Terzic was rumoured to be among three coaches vying for the job at Old Trafford, while Thomas Frank and Thomas Tuchel were also heavily linked.

Terzic had been out of work when United pulled the trigger on Ten Hag, having left Borussia Dortmund the previous summer despite leading them to the Champions League final.

Crucially, he also had experience working in the Premier League after assisting Slaven Bilic at West Ham. Sources had even told The Sun that he was eager to manage the Red Devils.

Butt appears to believe Terzic was unfairly overlooked by the club after being blown away by his work on the UEFA Pro Licence course he conducted alongside him.

Speaking on The Good, The Bad & The Football podcast, Butt said: “So, Graham Potter, Edin Terzic, it’s me and another guy. And, by the way, you know, you see that people get what they deserve in life. Those two are by far the best on the course. They were unbelievable.

“But it was not so much Graham, but certainly Edin had that analytical way of coaching.

“They were both phenomenal. I remember sitting and watching them – I think it was the semi-final of the Champions League, Dortmund versus Chelsea.

“They were both managers of the club, and you’re thinking, that’s why they’re the managers of a Champions League semi-finalist, because they were both very, very good at it.”

Edin Terzic’s managerial record

Terzic was once compared to Jurgen Klopp by David James when he gave his verdict on the race to become the next Liverpool head coach.

“I’ve already said that Edin Terzic, who I know personally, should be in the mix because of his Borussia Dortmund links,” said James. “(He) is similar to Jurgen Klopp.”

High praise, indeed, and if his coaching record is anything to go by, United certainly missed out on a promising, up-and-coming manager to build a new project around.

Often using his preferred 4-3-3 formation, a favourite of the Old Trafford faithful, Terzic racked up 75 wins and suffered just 29 defeats during his 128 games in charge of Dortmund.

Ruben Amorim’s own success rate at United pales in comparison.