Manchester United Remain Silent On Erik Ten Hag’s Future as the underperforming manager prepares for the match against Brentford.
After the Board meeting on Tuesday, Manchester United’s Management have remained taciturn−unwilling to give any detail regarding the future of their manager.
On Tuesday, the club’s hierarchy held their once-a-month board meeting in London, which various sports outlets believed to have reported that the future of the Dutch Tactician would be deliberated upon and might just catalyze his dismissal.
The boarding meeting lasted six hours and was believed to be centred around their worst-ever start to a new football season and a way forward.
Many eyebrows have been raised and many are expressing their disgust over the silence coming out of Old Trafford because the outcome of the meeting is not known to the outsiders.
REPORTS OF OTHER MANAGERS REPLACING ERIK TEN HAG
We can recall that, over the summer, Manchester United took two weeks to decide Ten Hag’s future after their FA Cup final victory over their arch-rivals and neighbours, Manchester City.
Following wide consultations with other managers like former Chelsea manager Thomas Tuchel, Roberto Di Zerbi, and Antonio Conte, among others, the Red Devils appears stuck with the Dutchman after several days of rumour-mongering that he would be axed.
Manchester United Remain Silent On Erik Ten Hag’s Future
Erik Ten Hag joined United in the summer of 2022 from Ajax and has been vocal but under pressure since arrival.
It was highly speculated during the summer that the INEOS would part ways with their manager.
Still, instead, due to his FA Cup final triumph over Manchester City, his contract was extended for a further year till 2026.
A decision which was sighted pivotal to the change of the manager’s backroom staff, occasioning the exits of his assistant, Mitchell Van Der Gaag and famous football coach Steve McClaren.
Photo Credit: Old Trafford
In July, the “change” drive also led to the appointment of Dan Ashworth and Omar Berrada as the club’s new sporting director and chief executive, respectively.
The new shake-up brought about a feeling of promising and solid structure which the Ineos believed that club had lacked for many years before Sir Jim Ratcliffe emerged as the co-owner of the club−a deal which was already announced before the start of the year (24th December, 2023)
Last season, United finished 8th in the Premier League worst-ever finish United would have recorded- but in this current campaign, expectations are so high due to changes, new player recruitment and significant improvement around the Old Trafford outfit.
Just about two weeks ago, Manchester United were humiliated 3-0 by Tottenham, right before their home fans loss which has begun to cast major doubt on Ten Hag’s managerial role at the club.
A day after the match, executives of the club would not back down on the backing of their underperforming manager by reiterating that the Dutchman would continue to lead and manage the team.
On Friday, answering questions during an interview with BBC Sports Editor Dan Roan, Ratcliffe was asked if he still retained his faith in the manager, he replied:
“I don’t want to answer that question. I like Erik. I think he’s a very good coach but at the end of the day, it’s not my call, it’s the management team that’s running Manchester United that has to decide how best we run the team in many different respects.”
“They’ve not been there a long time, so they need to take stock and make some sensible decisions.
“Our objective is very clear – we want to take Manchester United back to where it should be, and it’s not there yet, obviously – that’s very clear.”
His response to the question made various tabloids’ headlines which led some to misinterpret it as the “the manager would be sacked if United lost their last weekend’s fixture against Aston Villa, at the Villa Park.
Longest serving and former United manager Sir Alex Ferguson, Ratcliffe, Ashworth and Berrada were all pictured together on Sunday at Villa Park, assessing the situation of things and the performance of the team but fortunately enough for Ten Hag, the team got a goalless draw which took their clean sheet tally to five this season.
Manchester United have managed to secure eight points from their first seven EPL games which is the worst start since the 1989-90 seasons.
Manchester United Remain Silent On Erik Ten Hag’s Future
Questions are being asked:
- Could Man United be among the top-four teams this season?
- Are they in the right direction?
- Do they need to continue backing their under-fire manager?
- Will Ten Hag turn this situation around?
- Does he have what it takes?
- Is Ten Hag the right man for the job?
In a frustrating week of two disappointing draws from a calamitous and devastating 3-3 draw against Porto and a boring goalless draw against Aston Villa, Ten Hag was asked during a post-match news conference if he loved the noise coming in during the match and secondly, if he still felt the support of the owners.
He said: “You said it very good, external noise,” he replied. “Internally we are disappointed and we know we have to do better.”
And on ownership backing: “I don’t have any idea, it is different because they should have told me. We communicate very open and very transparent.”
A Manchester United Board Member.
Photo Credit: ESPN
Before the Board meeting on Tuesday, some clarification, of any sort, was expected from the club’s hierarchy.
Manchester United Remain Silent On Erik Ten Hag’s Future
On Monday, co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe and the co-chairman of the club Joel Glazer were seen heading to Old Trafford following the abysmal display by the team against Aston Villa on Sunday, reportedly for a brief meeting.
On Tuesday, the Board meeting was held in central London as planned, attendants were pictured moving in and out of the venue but nothing or no update on their managerial position has since then been released.
Still now, no official statement has been released regarding Ten Hag’s future
Do Sports chief executive and a member of the United Board Jean-Claude Blanc, when asked about the club’s stands on the manager, refused to give any updates but insisted that Ten Hag would remain in his position.
“For now, Ten Hag remains in his job and he is having a few days away from the club as is customary during an international break. So unless the situation changes, he will return to begin preparations for the Premier League game with Brentford at Old Trafford on 19 October.”
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/articles/c62dl40z4y6o
Manchester United Remain Silent On Erik Ten Hag’s Future