ANALYSIS: Julian Nagelsmann has an advocate in the Manchester United hierarchy, but the 39-year-old's time as Bayern Munich boss highlights why he wouldn't be a good fit at Old Trafford

There was a time when Julian Nagelsmann was the hottest managerial property in world football. Those times are long gone.

Nagelsmann has come into contention for the Manchester United job during a time when his star has faded. That in itself says something about United's current situation, where Michael Carrick is clinging onto his job after a shambolic performance in Como.

Nagelsmann is still only 39 years old, but he is already on the other side of stints in two dream jobs: Bayern Munich and Germany. He was surprisingly sacked from the first job amid plenty of discontent in the dressing room. He resigned from the latter after a historic defeat by Paraguay at the World Cup.

Now he could be thrust into another spotlight and given a job of epic proportions. Well, that is if United's director of recruitment Christopher Vivell gets his way. Vivell is reportedly at odds with director of football Jason Wilcox over the way forward if Carrick doesn't last. Wilcox is above Vivell in the chain of command at Old Trafford, so it could be that someone with Premier League experience - Eddie Howe, Antonio Conte or Fabian Hurzeler are also on the shortlist - gets the job ahead of him.

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If United do turn to Nagelsmann then it will be a bold choice. Carrick was the unifying choice: an ex-United player with a great deal of goodwill in the bank after a strong interim period. Nagelsmann would undoubtedly be divisive.

Like many managers, Nagelsmann is a football obsessive. And like many German coaches, he was heavily influenced by Ralf Rangnick, a man who doesn't have the best reputation at Old Trafford.

But it is Nagelsmann's approach to management which would ruffle feathers at United. If the club chiefs were to ask Matthijs de Ligt about his time at Bayern during their due diligence they would discover a fairly compelling reason against the appointment.

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Nagelsmann's time at Bayern Munich brought a Bundesliga title, yet that is considered the bare minimum in Bavaria. His average of 2.31 points per game is comparable to those who came before him. But it was the way he went about the job which resulted in his downfall.

"Thirty per cent of coaching is tactics, 70 per cent social competence,” Nagelsmann has said of his approach. "Every player is motivated by different things and needs to be addressed accordingly."

The problem is how a manager who is only slightly older than many of his players goes about motivating his players. "I try to explain things thoroughly and keep people informed," he said while Germany boss. "Sometimes I’m not as successful as I’d like to be, and sometimes I am."

After being sacked by Bayern in March 2023, The Athletic laid bare the extent of the issues in a dressing room packed full of egos. We already knew the stir Nagelsmann's decision to axe goalkeeper coach and Manuel Neuer ally Toni Tapalovic had made, but that was just the tip of the iceberg.

Players had been confused by Nagelsmann's ever-evolving and highly-demanding tactics. They were irritated by his personal intensity and tendency to micro-manage. They were annoyed to be constantly moved in and out of the starting line-up, often with little explanation. He struggled to connect with his players - and that cost him.

That Bayern squad was packed full of elite and experienced players; United's is listless and way short of such quality. His complex methods don't look well suited to a mid-season rescue mission.