Ashley Young has warned Manchester United against appointing Antonio Conte, saying the Italian’s demanding methods could prove disastrous for the club if he replaces Michael Carrick.
Conte has emerged as a prominent target for the INEOS hierarchy as it considers a change in the dugout following an eight-match winless run. Young, who worked under Conte at Inter Milan, believes the manager’s expectations would clash with the current squad.
Ashley Young’s warning over Antonio Conte
Speaking on The Overlap, Young questioned whether United’s players would be able to meet Conte’s physical demands, particularly after concerns have already been raised about their work rate.
“I’ve worked underneath him at Inter. He’s crazy by the way, crazy,” Young said.
“A lot of talk has been about Man United’s running stats. If they’re not going to run and Antonio Conte goes in there, it’s going to be a disaster I think.”
Young, who won a Serie A title under Conte at Inter, also described the manager’s lengthy training sessions and post-match meetings. He said Conte would sometimes use extensive video and tactical discussions to challenge both his players and those above him at the club.
“There was a lot that he’d done, the training sessions were a lot of 11 vs 11, at times a little bit boring. Meetings were long,” Young said.
“When I say long, I’m talking: If we lost a game, we could go in for the meeting and he’d stop literally everything. And you could be in there for three or four hours. It was like ‘come on now, let’s be serious’.”
Young suggested Conte’s intensity could eventually create tension with club executives as well as players.
“I think that’s one of the reasons why he doesn’t last long at places because it’s not just the players he tries to test mentally, but the board as well, and the owners,” he added. “I think that people get annoyed with him and think ‘it’s time for you to go’.”
Conte’s record offers Manchester United a counterpoint
Despite the warning, Conte’s record of winning trophies could make him an attractive option for a Manchester United hierarchy seeking an immediate improvement in results.
The Italian has won five Serie A titles during spells with Juventus, Inter Milan and Napoli. He also guided Chelsea to the Premier League title and the FA Cup.
His reputation for delivering domestic success would offer a contrast to concerns about his demanding approach, although Young believes imposing those standards on United’s current squad could worsen the situation.
The former United player’s comments came after Carrick raised similar concerns about the team’s effort following a 4-1 Champions League defeat by Como.
Carrick said no tactical system could work “if you don’t run forward and don’t run back”. United are currently 14th in the Premier League, adding to the pressure surrounding the club’s next managerial decision.
