Ferguson's brutal putdown to Man Utd's 'Ted Lasso' coach amid revenge mission

08 February 2023 , 07:00

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Ferguson's brutal putdown to Man Utd's 'Ted Lasso' coach amid revenge mission

Sir Alex Ferguson didn't think much of Chris Armas' CV when he arrived at Manchester United - but the American will get a chance to settle old scores this week.

Armas was hired by Ralf Rangnick last term, shortly after being sacked by Toronto FC. His arrival did little to impress the United dressing room, who likened him to fictional character Ted Lasso, with Ferguson also rather unenthused by 50-year-old's experience.

He and the Scot met after a Champions League draw with Young Boys last term, at which point Armas detailed his experience. Ferguson, who remains the last man to win a league title at Old Trafford, said to the American: "'You'll need more than that here, son" - according to the Athletic.

Armas' time in Manchester was short-lived, much like Rangnick's tenure. They both departed after a poor period that saw United's flaws greatly exposed as the coaching staff failed to arrest their slide. Armas has since found work at Elland Road with Leeds.

Hired under Jesse Marsch, Armas will be part of a coaching group that will lead the Whites against the Red Devils this week following the sacking of Marsch. Leeds are in need of a win to steer them clear of the relegation zone and, due to rescheduled fixtures, will take on the Manchester outfit twice in the space of a week.

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Leeds have confirmed that Michael Skubala, Paco Gallardo and Armas will take training on Tuesday and will be in the dugout for Wednesday’s Premier League fixture at Old Trafford. Skubala was appointed as the club’s Under-21 head coach last summer whilst Gallardo is a development coach.

Chris Armas endured a difficult period in Manchester

Marsch had spoken highly of Armas upon his arrival, stating: "He will be a fantastic addition to the staff. He brings a wealth of experience from across the world and having worked closely with him previously, I am sure he will help us to improve every day.”

Gary Neville previously slammed the United squad for their reported comments about Armas, telling Sky Sports : "I thought that was downright disrespectful – I did not find it funny at all. Not only was it disrespectful, but I found it disgusting. That never happened in my time, but we had the greatest level of stability."

Leeds are looking for a first league win since November, when they beat Bournemouth. Defeat at Nottingham Forest on Sunday proved to be the last straw for Marsch, who was shown the door after less than a year in the role, having kept the Whites in the top flight last term.

Samuel Meade