“Manchester United manager in 18 months”

Former Tottenham and Aston Villa coach Tim Sherwood firmly believes that superstar Cristiano Ronaldo will eventually coach Manchester United – possibly sooner than many think.

“This kid is going to be a 100 percent coach. I would bet he’ll be the manager of Manchester United in 18 months,” Sherwood told the betting company Ladbrokes.

According to the 52-year-old, there is no question that Ronaldo has the qualities to be successful as a coach. “We saw him on the international stage, for example at the European Championships, giving instructions,” says Sherwood. In the 2016 European Championship triumph, Ronaldo even acted as assistant coach in the final after being substituted on the sidelines due to injury.

The Norwegian Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is currently the trainer of the Red Devils. But Sherwood believes Solskjaer is doomed to win a title this season if he wants to keep his job. “If they win the Premier League, the Champions League, the FA Cup or any of those titles, Solskjaer will keep his job, but if they don’t win I think they have a coach on board,” he said.

Sherwood can well imagine that the situation with Ronaldo in the dressing room is not easy for Solskjaer as the Portuguese himself is opinionated and likes to give instructions. But the 48-year-old has to endure this. “If he brings him into his club, you have to know what you are doing with it. If he feels like he has to stand next to the coach and give instructions, then you have to let him do it,” said Sherwood.