Dwight Yorke Interview with OLBG

Dwight Eversley Yorke CM has an impressive background in the realm of football. He is a professional coach and former player from Trinidad & Tobago, and his most recent stint was as head coach for Australia's A-League side at Macarthur FC. With decades of experience under his belt, it will be intriguing to hear what this accomplished figure can bring to the table in terms of coaching tactics! Here he answers some question we put to him around the Aberdeen Job among other subjects.

You have been linked with the Aberdeen job lately. Do you want this job?

As a manager, you can't disregard any kind of job. Aberdeen are obviously a big club with a great history, they had arguably the greatest manager in English history, Sir Alex Ferguson. It's a privilege to be linked to such a club like Aberdeen, whether anything will materialise then that's a different story. 

At the time of writing, UK betting sites have Dwight York at odds of 33/1 for the next Aberdeen manager job.

Mark Bosnich recently said you could win Aberdeen the Europa Conference League. What did you make of his comments?

Mark Bosnich is a good friend, I promise I haven't paid him to say I can win the Europa Conference League with Aberdeen! We know that Celtic and Rangers have had a strangle hold over the league for years and no one has been able to break that hold. There is a good opportunity for me to break that hold in the right setting with the right backing. I can understand the high expectation because that is how I am as an individual, things aren't impossible. Before anything happens, I have to get the job first, this is just based on what Bosnich has said.

Latest Europa Conference League Betting Odds

The current betting for the Europa Conference League looks like this - Will Aberdeen indeed take the trophy? Could they? Our Europa Conference betting guide will give your more information on the contenders, betting tips and history of the competition.

UEFA Europa Conference League 2022/23 01 Jun @ 03:46 - Win Tournament
West Ham	1.80
Fiorentina	1.95

Man Utd are playing Leeds just days after sacking Jesse Marsch. What’s your prediction?

Usually, you get a reaction from the players when a manager leaves the club and when a new manager comes in, Sean Dyche was a good example of how quickly things can change with a different voice in the changing room. I don't think that will affect Manchester United because they're in such good form at the moment, but they'll be wary of a wounded team like Leeds.

Manchester United will win 2-0.

Is this the best Man Utd side you’ve seen since Sir Alex Ferguson retired?

In terms of consistency, this is the best Manchester United side since Sir Alex Ferguson retired. On paper, we've probably had a stronger team but not the consistency and balance. Casemiro has helped with that massively, Manchester United have also improved a lot defensively.

To win any competition, you need some sort of consistency like when Jose Mourinho had when they won the Europa League in 2017.

You played with Paul Scholes and Roy Keane. Considering his huge impact, can Casemiro be considered in the same bracket?

When you look at Casemiro's resume as a player, he's done it all. But is he as prolific as Paul Scholes? No. Does he have as good of a passing range as Scholesy? No. But he has taken on the role at Manchester United and has boosted the energy in the team. Casemiro has come with a great pedigree, so is it surprising what he's doing at the moment? Not for me. I'd pick Scholesy every day of the week over Casemiro, as good as he's been for Manchester United recently, he's not in the same league as Scholes. I would not swap anyone in my 99 treble team for Casemiro.

Should Harry Maguire leave in the summer?

It's difficult to tell Harry Maguire what he should do. Manchester United are obviously playing well without him in the team, and at his age, he needs to be playing regularly. Maguire either has to stay and fight for his place or move on and play more football. It will be his choice, no one can make it for him. Manchester United is such a big and wonderful club, but you don't want to be there doing nothing and letting your career fade away. I'm sure another top four or five team would take him.

From your era, who do you think Manchester United would need most? 

Roy Keane is the player Manchester United need in the team now, because of his leadership quality, he would give everyone a kick. He would get everyone moving in the team and raise the standards. 

Editorial credit: Influential Photography / Shutterstock.com

Conversely, who from this current Manchester United squad do you think would make the sides from your era, particularly the 99 squad?

Most players I played with would get into this current Manchester United team, but no player would make it into my 99 team. Even Marcus Rashford would have no chance, he would not get over the likes Ryan Giggs and David Beckham, no chance. We were treble winners, you don't become treble winners if you're not proper players. Rashford would have to sit on the bench behind me and Andy Cole.

Can Marcus Rashford reach the levels to play in the 99 treble team?

Marcus Rashford still has the potential to be that quality of player to play in my treble team, I've said for the last two years that he's the best Manchester United player by a mile. In terms of natural ability, he is top draw.

Are you excited for the return of Jadon Sancho and how well do you expect him to do?

No one wants Jadon Sancho to fail. I'm sure he'll get the morale support and everything he needs, but I think it will take a while for him to get anywhere near the level he should be at. It will have to be a process.

Eric Ten Hag would have to make the call to replace Sancho if he does not reach the level he should be at, he is a £70 million player. He needs to get over the mental side of the game, he will be tested, and if he does then he has no reason to be great for Manchester United.

David Moyes recently said it would take a British record to sign Declan Rice. Do you think it’s worth Man Utd paying that for him?

Fars Media Corporation, CC BY 4.0 , via Wikimedia Commons

David Moyes has said Declan Rice would break the transfer record because he's seen how much Chelsea have signed Enzo Fernandez for. Rice is an English product so Moyes has to big him up, you can't let all the foreigners come and take the limelight! Rice is a good player but he does not influence the game enough at a top level for me, I would not say he is as tremendous as everyone makes him out to be. With the market we're in, Rice will have a similar fee to Fernandez, we've seen prices like that on English players like Jack Grealish.

What signings would you like to see Man Utd make in the summer?

Manchester United need a striker. They've just brought in Wout Weghorst, he gives us a different dimension but he's not explosive enough. Weghorst is a Peter Crouch type of player, Manchester United need a striker who will get them 25 goals a season. We missed the opportunity to sign Erling Haaland, Manchester United should have broken the transfer record for him.

With Chelsea spending £107m on the likes of Enzo Fernandez, how much do you think the likes of yourself, Andy Cole and David Beckham would be worth in today’s market?

I like to think I'd be worth more than Enzo Fernandez in today's market. Andy Cole, David Beckham and I were goal scorers, creators, fast and all the ingredients in a player that you would want. It's easy to say that, but when I watch football nowadays and see how much players are sold for, I can't help but think about what I would be worth. I like to think that I would be up there with the biggest transfers, Becks and Cole would be the same.

If you had Cristiano Ronaldo as a strike partner, would you have been frustrated with him?

If I played in a strike partnership with Cristiano Ronaldo, I would have had a lot more space. I always created a lot of goals and was never the one who focused on the headlines. Having a partner like Cristiano Ronaldo would have been an absolute privilege.

What are you predicting for the Barcelona vs Manchester United game? 

Barcelona is a very good test for Manchester United. They're playing very well and are top of La Liga, and that's for a reason. I expect a very entertaining game.

Image: JaflaumS05/Wikimedia Commons

Players that Manchester United will have to look out for are Robert Lewandowski, Ousmane Dembele, Pedri and Gavi. They will worry us and they are at Barcelona for a reason. It will be an open game with very good players on either side of the team. Barcelona like to keep the ball and Manchester United are good on the counter-attack so it will be a very exciting game to watch.

You can't rule Arsenal out, but I'd say the winner of Manchester United vs Barcelona will be in the Europa League final. To win it is another thing, but one of those teams will be in the final.

Current Odds for the Champions League Winner.

Here are the current odds for the Champions League outright winner market. For more information on the contenders and history take a look at our Champions League Betting Guide.

UEFA Champions League 2022/23 01 Jun @ 03:46 - Win Tournament
Man City	1.22
Inter Milan	4.33

Who has the better academy, Man Utd or Barcelona?

The class of 92 was incredible, with the likes of David Beckham, Paul Scholes and Ryan Giggs. But I think Barcelona edge it in having the better academy. Scholes and Beckham are guaranteed to get into any team, but Barcelona has produced so many players that you can't leave out. I do prefer the style that Barcelona teach. We have to remember that Barcelona produced Lionel Messi too.

Do you think the 99 comeback against Barcelona was bigger than Manchester City’s famous Aguero moment?

The Aguero moment is not comparable to winning the treble. Manchester City were doing it to win the Premier League for the first time, whereas Manchester United were doing something historic that no other club has been able to achieve. In terms of status, there is no comparison, only the last minute winners you can compare.

Where does the 99 treble rank among the best achievements from a Premier League side?

To be domestic, European and FA Cup champions is the best achievement. We never played in the Carabao cup, Sir Alex Ferguson did not allow his first-team players to play in that competition, I never played in it while I was at Manchester United, it was the Under-23s. We also won the Club World Cup too and no-one mentions that. No other English team is anywhere close to our treble-winning side.

Chelsea spent a whopping £325m in January. Do you think football has lost its way a bit?

The money the Premier League generates is still number one in the world, I can't see it decreasing anytime soon. We all keep saying the spending will calm down every year but it keeps increasing. Sponsorships and TV money have helped generate all these funds. You see these Billionaires who have deep pockets, they will continue to spend money as Todd Boehly has at Chelsea.

Image: Lachlan Fearnley/Wikimedia Commons

If Pep Guardiola leaves Man City, should they turn to Mikel Arteta? 

If Pep Guardiola leaves Manchester City, I can imagine them trying to replace Guardiola with Mikel Arteta, especially if Arsenal win the league. Until all the evidence and allegations come out, Guardiola will remain at the club and make a decision once the outcome arrives. We'll have to wait and see if anything does happen to Manchester City

Are Arsenal a better prospect than Man City, given current reports?

There are some jobs you can't just turn your nose up to. Mikel Arteta has done a fantastic job with Arsenal, and if City did approach him to become the next Man City manager, I think he would have to think long and hard about the decision. Arteta can create his own legacy at Arsenal rather than going back to Manchester City and try to emulate what Pep Guardiola has done. It won't be a straightforward decision, but I like Arteta at Arsenal, and he's given himself a great platform to create a legacy. Either way, he will be at a very good club.

Latest Premier League Winners Betting Odds

Here is the current state of affairs with betting on the outright winners of the Premier League this season.

Is Jurgen Klopp's 7-year curse just down to poor luck or can he not manage past that amount of time?

The standards Jurgen Klopp has brought to Liverpool and how he won the trophies he's won in his reign there has been amazing. But seven years might be a bit too long for Klopp, whether he's getting bored, his voice is not as authoritative anymore, or maybe there was some players he shouldn't have given away, all these factors can come into play. If Klopp achieves top four, he'll be fine because Liverpool will need Champions League football to attract players. Where Liverpool are at now, maybe they are in a transition period, they've signed new players who still need to adapt to the English league. They're still good enough to reach top four, that would be my concern if I was Klopp.

What advice would you give Darwin Nunez and Cody Gakpo?

Coming to the Premier League is never easy and it's hard to adapt to. Defenders will be up to take on attackers with big names who are worth £80m-£100m because they'll want to show how good they are defensive. In the Premier League, if the defenders play hard, you have to play harder, they beat you up so you have to toughen up physically and mentally, it's a man's game and it's tough.

Where do you rank Harry Kane amongst the all-time Premier League strikers?

I was not a huge fan of Harry Kane but in the last two or three years he has really shown his class. His consistency is really good too. Kane is not the most elegant player, but he gets the job done and he's mastered the art of playing as a striker. To score the number of goals he has, he has to be applauded for it. Is Kane the best striker of all time? No, there are better all-round players but in just goal-scoring terms, he's up there with the best. Kane is not on the same level as Alan Shearer and Wayne Rooney, they have more in the locker than Kane. If I had to pick a striker for a team out of these, I would pick Shearer.

Photo: Shutterstock/Cosmin Iftode

Jaime Carragher said that Erling Haaland may have picked the wrong club in Man City, what do you make of that?

What a ludicrous statement from Jaime Carragher to say that Erling Haaland has not picked the right club in Manchester City, it's a ridiculous statement.

Everyone has their opinion I suppose and we've both played the game at a certain level, but I'd take whatever Carragher says with a pinch of salt. If Haaland is running in behind and not being passed to, it means Pep Guardiola has to tell the players on the ball to pass him the ball. It has nothing to do with Haaland choosing the 'wrong team'. Manchester City are the best team and have been for the past four years, what team would Haaland be better suited to if not Manchester City?  

Haaland does not like the ball to his feet, he's a striker whose like to run in behind. It's his first season too, so he's still getting to know the players he plays with and the other players are understanding how Haaland plays. These top strikers don't come to feet, they like to run behind, this is why I don't listen to people like Carragher. 

You look at all the top scorers in English history, they all like to run in behind, only occasionally did they come to collect the ball with their feet. Number nines is a specialist position that runs in behind, they want to face the goal, not away from it. When Haaland was scoring all his goals before, everyone was talking about how good he is at Manchester City, now he has not scored in one game, Haaland has signed for the wrong team. What a load of waffle from Carragher, you also have one of the best passers in the world in Kevin De Bruyne in the team too, they just have to see Haaland's runs more. There is a simple solution, just play the ball in the space.

We think you will enjoy these other Football related Interviews.

• Gus Poyet on the current situation with his former clubs
• Rangers hero Mark Hateley shares his thoughts
• And outside of football, we cross to F1 where Eddie Jordan tells all about F1 and Michael Schumacher.