Football: Carlo is the man for United

When I arrived at Manchester United in 1991, Ryan Giggs was just about to embark on his first full season as a member of the first-team squad.

The Welsh wizard was only 18 at the time and we called him "Norman Bates" (the character from the film 'Psycho') - because he had crazy eyes.

He was a typical "Mancunian scally" - sharp with his tongue and quick-witted.

Twenty-three years later, he is now manager of one of the biggest clubs in football.

It has been a turbulent week at Old Trafford with the dismissal of David Moyes and all the fuss and drama over who will succeed him.

My former teammate Giggs has been tasked to manage the team for the last four Premier League games of a chaotic season for the Red Devils and no less than Sir Alex Ferguson has thrown his support behind the Welshman to be given the role on a permanent basis.

I hope Giggs enjoys his four games in charge but, right after that, United must find a new man for the job.

The 40-year-old is not ready to manage United.

United are in desperate need of experience at the moment as they look to rebuild next season and get back into the top tier of English football.

Louis van Gaal is the favourite but Carlo Ancelotti would be my pick for the job.

The Real Madrid coach (above) has done well at every club he's led, whether it was AC Milan, Chelsea, PSG or now with the Spanish giants.

Real have already beaten Barcelona to lift the Copa del Rey and are in with a chance of landing a treble, as they press for the La Liga title and the Champions League crown.

He came to the English Premier League and Chelsea in 2009 and won the double. He got the sack after that, but that was under bizarre, unbelievable circumstances.

I remember playing against Ancelotti when he was at Milan. He was tough opponent; versatile and uncompromising.

As a manager, he commands respect from everyone. Players all over the world want to play for him.

The 54-year-old has ruled himself out of the United job but, in the current football climate, I believe there is every chance he could be let go by Real at the end of the season - especially if they fail to win the league title and the European Cup.

YOUNGER MANAGER

I think United need a younger manager and appointing 62-year-old van Gaal would suggest him leading the club for two or three years before Giggs probably takes over.

Van Gaal, who won the Champions League with Ajax in 1995 with a young dynamic team, has his critics.

They say he struggles to vary his tactics and, at his age, he is set in his ways, which might not make him the right fit at Old Trafford.

One intriguing prospect is Everton's Roberto Martinez.

The Spaniard has done a fantastic job in his first season at Goodison Park, but you have to remember how much Moyes had to do with that.

Moyes provided Martinez with a solid backbone and the Spaniard adopted that and added pieces to the puzzle.

I think it's better to pass judgment on Martinez after his second season at the club.

Whether it's van Gaal, Ancelotti or Martinez, they will have to bring in top talent.

The likes of Luke Shaw, Adam Lallana, Edison Cavani, Seamus Coleman have all been linked with United. Lallana strikes me as a must-buy.

He's a United player through and through; the way he seems to glide on the pitch, he's versatile, comfortable on the ball, he can score and create.

As United rebuild, one thing I'm sure about is that the Red Devils will at least finish in the top four next season.

The players who come in will be hungry for success.

A change in manager will revitalise the current group as well.

When things are going right, there's no better club to be at than Manchester United.

Paul Parker is an ex-England and Man United defender who won two EPL titles and earned 19 caps for his country. He is now a football pundit with Fox Sports.

This article was published on April 27 in The New Paper.

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