Steve Bruce considered for Manchester United manager role

Manchester United’s managerial history since Sir Alex Ferguson stepped down in 2013 has been anything but straight forward.

From David Moyes to Louis van Gaal, Jose Mourinho to Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, Ralf Rangnick to Erik ten Hag, and most recently the interim return of Michael Carrick following Ruben Amorim’s departure, Old Trafford has seen constant change in the dugout.

As we covered previously, the post-Ferguson era has been defined by short-term fixes, interim appointments and big-name gambles.

Carrick’s current spell has reignited debate about whether United should look internally once again, much like they did in December 2018 when Jose Mourinho was dismissed.

It was during that that transitional period that a familiar name was quietly in the frame.

Speaking on the Sacked podcast with Neil Ashton, former United captain Steve Bruce has revealed he was considered for the managerial role before Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was handed the interim job.

Bruce said:

“I believe when Ole went in, I was in the frame a little bit, but I think the timing of it, I think the timing I had just left Aston Villa and the timing went against me.

But I believed I was in the frame then, as far as I know, I wasn’t that close, but I was led to believe that that was the case.”

At the time, Manchester United opted for Solskjaer, whose remarkable interim run – 14 wins in 19 matches – earned him the permanent position.

Bruce, meanwhile, continued his long managerial career elsewhere.

A United legend as a player, Bruce made 414 appearances for the club, scoring 51 goals as a centre-back and winning three Premier Leagues, three FA Cups and the European Cup Winners’ Cup.

While he never got the chance to return to Old Trafford in the dugout, his comments offer an interesting glimpse into what might have been during one of the club’s most pivotal moments.