Imagine. It’s August 13, the first Manchester derby of next season at Old Trafford, and Pep Guardiola is heading for his seat in the City dugout.
The world’s media are watching as the biggest club in England takes on its closest rival, and the Sky Blue pretender to their throne.
The tension, the nerves, the excitement – they are all palpable.
And who is there leading out United? Louis van Gaal?
No chance! It’s Fergie himself. Back from retirement for the sake of the club he loves.
Can you picture it? I can, and it’s incredible, a fantasy everyone would love to see come true.
Not least Manchester United fans, bored to tears by the Class of 2016 and terrified of a future in which their city is ruled by a club Sir Alex once dismissed as mere “noisy neighbours”.
Of course, there’s next to no chance of it happening – but United have to do something.
Make no mistake, Guardiola’s appointment at Manchester City should have everyone at Old Trafford shaking in their boots.
Had City continued on the solid but unspectacular path being laid by Manuel Pellegrini, the Old Trafford hierarchy might have been able to stick with what they’ve got.
Now, they simply can’t afford to. And it’s not just the boisterous lot next door they’ve got to watch out for.
Let’s not beat about the bush here. Guardiola is the best manager in the world at the moment.
He will do amazing things at the Etihad, I’ve no doubt about that whatsoever. But he will also do amazing things for the Premier League.
The best players in the world will want to play for him. All of the rest will want to play against him.
And with the TV cash boost all 20 clubs will get from next season, England is about to become the destination of choice for anyone who’s anyone in world football.
Arsenal, Chelsea, Tottenham – City, of course – all of them will improve. So will everyone else.
And while Manchester United have got the money to do the same, they need the right manager to make sure their cash is being put to good use.
For me, Van Gaal is not the man for the job.
From his seat in the directors’ box, Sir Alex will surely have spotted that himself by now.
He must sit there wondering what on earth is going on at times.
That’s where the temptation will come in because United wouldn’t be struggling the way they are on his watch.
But to expect a heroic return from the man responsible for United’s dominance over the past 30 years is hopeful to the point of delusion.
And when you’ve got Jose Mourinho apparently banging out a 10-page letter asking to take the reins, and there’s talk of United meeting his advisors, there’s no need to fantasise because the reality of the situation is a dream just waiting to come true.
Guardiola is a genius – there’s no doubt about that. But so is Jose.
They’ve tangled before as managerial rivals, at Barcelona and Real Madrid, and Pep came out on top.
From their 15 matches in opposite dugouts, Guardiola has won seven, while Mourinho is lagging behind on three.
Off the field too, things were always tasty between two managers who share an almost pathological commitment to being the best.
The two fell out big style in Spain, with Mourinho even managing to coax a rare outburst of anger out of the normally unflappable Pep.
“I try to learn from Jose on the pitch, but I prefer to learn as little as possible from him off the pitch,” said Guardiola before the explosive 2011 Champions League semi-final between his team and Jose’s.
Barcelona triumphed 3-1 on aggregate over their deadly rivals before beating Sir Alex’s Manchester United in the Final at Wembley.
For Guardiola, it must have been deeply satisfying. For Mourinho, it’s a defeat that will still rankle.
Like Sir Alex, Jose is not the type to let sleeping dogs lie, especially when he believes waking them could gain him an advantage.
Guardiola knocked him to the canvas the last time they tussled, but Mourinho got to his feet quickly.
Now, a few years down the line, he will be more desperate than ever for a re-match. For him, it’s personal.
And for Manchester United, who face falling embarrassingly behind their nearest and dearest, that is exactly the approach needed.
Sir Alex won’t stand for anything else.
READ MORE
Adam Lanigan: We all know Pep Guardiola’s good, but since when does that guarantee anything?
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