Everything Is Stale at Man United. A Replacement for Ten Hag Has Been Found

It seems the Red Devils head coach position may soon be vacant.

For over a year, Manchester United fans have waited for a resolution to the relationship between the club’s management and Erik ten Hag, where the latter might leave his post due to the team’s poor results.

Fans indeed have reasons to criticize the Dutch specialist. Despite the trust he earned by winning the FA Cup, this clearly doesn’t meet the expectations of Man United’s bosses and the team's dedicated supporters.

While last season was salvaged by one trophy that secured them a place in European competitions, this season’s string of failures continues. The team ranks 13th, with only five points and two victories over less threatening opponents, Fulham and Southampton. Things aren’t going much better in the Europa League either. United drew at home in their opening match against Twente and, in their second game, allowed Porto to make a comeback from 0–2 and take the lead. Luckily, Harry Maguire rescued a point for the team at the end.

Even regarding transfers and player management, Ten Hag’s tenure has been uneven. Under his tenure, the club spent over €600 million on acquiring 15 players, yielding only two trophies: the FA Cup and the EFL Cup. Interaction with some of United’s existing players also didn’t go well.

Take Jadon Sancho, for example. First loaned back to Borussia Dortmund (where he initially joined the Red Devils), he now plays for Chelsea. Chelsea legend John Obi-Mikel humorously “praised” the Dutch coach for allowing Sancho to join the London club. Under Enzo Maresca, he has become a key player, progressing with each match.

But all things come to an end, right? The well-known insider Fabrizio Romano recently reported that Ten Hag’s job is “not unstable” and that United’s owners generally support him. However, there is still pressure on Erik. Romano also stated that critical matches for Ten Hag’s future will be against Porto and Aston Villa – and, as we know, the performance in Portugal was far from impressive.

The response came swiftly. According to TEAMtalk, Manchester United has already identified a candidate to replace Ten Hag: the club is reportedly interested in Thomas Tuchel, currently without a job. Tuchel has expressed his willingness to return to the Premier League, admiring English football's style, which aligns with his coaching approach.

As for Tuchel, he left Bayern Munich at the end of the 2023/24 season, partly due to a fractured relationship with the team. Neither the players nor Tuchel were satisfied with each other, and Bayern’s results left much to be desired. The gap with Xabi Alonso’s Bayer Leverkusen kept widening, and while Bayern remained in the Champions League, a loss to Lazio cast a darker shadow. In the end, Bayern finished only third in the league, a disappointing result for the German powerhouse, with dreams of the Champions League final shattered after a loss to Real Madrid.

For now, Erik ten Hag remains Manchester United's head coach, and it is unknown whether Tuchel will take over. Perhaps the matter will be decided in the match against Aston Villa on October 6 at Villa Park.

Published by Patrick Jane
04.10.2024