Gareth Bale has joined forces with Manchester United icon Paul Scholes in endorsing Carlo Ancelotti as the perfect candidate for the Red Devils’ next managerial position.
Bale, who played under Ancelotti at Real Madrid from 2013 to 2015 and briefly again between 2021 and 2022, is well-acquainted with the Italian’s expertise and leadership style on the sideline.
During their collaboration, Bale scored 40 goals and notched up an additional 31 assists, clinching prestigious titles like the Champions League and the Spanish Cup while at the Bernabeu.
In a discussion on The Overlap, the retired forward showered his former manager with praise, offering a glimpse into Ancelotti’s daily coaching approach and his effective management techniques.
“I think he would do great,” Bale remarked. “He’s more than just a manager; he’s also a coach. He’s capable of handling the tactical aspects.”
Gareth Bale (pictured) has suggested that Carlo Ancelotti would be ‘great’ as Man United’s next manager
Bale played 99 times under Ancelotti (right) for Madrid and gave an insight into how he works
Bale further elaborated, “During his second stint as head coach at Real Madrid, he focused much more on tactics compared to his first tenure. But I believe we had a stronger team initially. Regardless of where Carlo goes, he excels because he knows how to rally everyone together.”
‘If you go into a big club, you’ve got good players, whether they’re performing at the time or not. Like Man United, they have been the last few weeks, but, prior to that, they hadn’t been performing, but they’ve got good players. He’ll get the best out of players and will just simplify things, which you see now with Michael Carrick.
‘He’s simplifying a lot of things that the previous manager was doing, and you’re getting results. So that’s Carlo’s genius, getting the best out of the players and just making it simple.’
United are set to appoint a long-term boss in the summer after Carrick took over from Ruben Amorim as interim manager earlier this year, and the former midfielder has put his name in the running with an impressive start to his tenure.
He had the joint-best record of any manager in Premier League history over their first seven games, winning six of those matches and drawing one, before losing to Newcastle on Wednesday.
Former Real Madrid boss Ancelotti will lead Brazil at the World Cup this summer, but United could try and tempt him away from that role with an offer for next season.
And that’s a great idea, according to Scholes.
‘The perfect one out there – I say perfect – Ancelotti is still out there,’ Scholes said on The Good, The Bad & The Football Podcast. ‘I know he is coach of Brazil… he is the perfect one for Manchester United where you think he will make players feel a million dollars.
Paul Scholes (right) previously described Ancelotti as the ‘perfect’ option, despite his former team-mate Michael Carrick (left) being in interim charge
Ancelotti is currently the manager of Brazil and expected to lead the side at the World Cup
‘And he has the experience of winning stuff. But the question is, is he too old now? That’s the only thing. Is there anyone else of that ilk, with more experience? They need presence as a leader.’
Carrick has previous experience as a head coach, leading Championship side Middlesbrough between 2022 and 2025 before stepping into his role at Old Trafford.
But Scholes, who played alongside Carrick 160 times for both United and England, doubts his former team-mate’s experience in terms of winning trophies for the club – while he also appeared to take a jibe at him after the Newcastle loss.
‘The question is, has Michael got the experience?’ Scholes continued. ‘I know it’s a big question, I know he has managed in the Championship, but this is different.
‘Can we see Michael winning the Premier League? I don’t know yet, and I think the biggest thing is, what type of manager will they look for? A tactician or a man manager who looks after people?
‘Ole Gunnar (Solskjaer) was that. But all the people who are man managers, they always have a brilliant coach next to them, which Michael has got (Steve Holland).
‘The club have to decide, do they want a master tactician, which has failed… Ole Gunnar had the man management skills, but did he have the experience to go on and win a trophy? The same questions will be asked of Michael.’
