Gary Neville begged Man United to hire 'brutal' manager in 2022 but the club didn't listen and fans think they made a huge mistake

It's easy to appoint the right manager in hindsight but Gary Neville made a sturdy recommendation to Manchester United three years ago.

The Red Devils went a different way and are now coming to the end of an abysmal Premier League season, having also been unable to take the sweetener of a Champions League place through the Europa League.

Wednesday's final in Bilbao sent league rivals Tottenham Hotspur back into European football's premier club competition and left Man Utd to finish in the Premier League's bottom seven at best with nothing to take the edge off the ignominy.

Ralf Rangnick's months as interim manager preceded the appointment of Erik ten Hag, who delivered the FA Cup but oversaw the latest stage of United's decline before Ruben Amorim replaced him this season.

Though he ranked the Dutchman as one of his top realistic options, former United right-back and Sky Sports pundit Neville wouldn't have given Ten Hag the job in the first place in a perfect world.

And when it comes to disciplinarian gaffers, Neville clearly likes to aim for the best.

The club's ability to actually tempt Diego Simeone is another matter altogether. Neville knows it.

"Diego Simeone should be a candidate, but it’s never been achievable to get him out of Atletico Madrid," the Man Utd legend admitted.

"He is wedded in there, he is tied. But it would be brilliant to see him in the Premier League.

"I’ve seen it many times – I got beaten 2-0 in Valencia by his brilliant Atletico Madrid team that [Antoine] Griezmann was in before he went to Barcelona."

Simeone's managerial and coaching abilities are often underestimated because of his tendency towards gritty teams with a willingness to engage with the dark arts.

Neville isn't blind to that fact but it was Simeone's 'brutal' approach that attracts him to the Atletico Madrid manager and probably still does.

Diego Simeone (Image: Getty)

"Fantastic coach, brutal in how he approaches the game, I think in every single way. He’s tough, and Manchester United need a tough manager.

"Manchester United need a manager who can compete with Jurgen Klopp and Pep Guardiola – they’re the best, so they need someone who can stand on that touchline and feel equal to them and I think Simeone could."

Buenos Aires-born Simeone has been in charge at Atletico since 2011 and has turned them into a formidable force.

Under the former Argentina international, the Rojiblancos have won La Liga and the Europa League twice each.

Despite a mismatch in style, there's little doubt Simeone and United would be a successful match. He might be exactly what they need but the chances of getting him are vanishingly small.