Ten Hag Frustrates Manchester United’s Bosses. The Coach is Out, and Ronaldo Was Right

Revolutionary changes are coming for the Red Devils.

Manchester United has finally dismissed Erik ten Hag from his role as head coach. At the start of the season, fans still believed the Dutchman deserved another chance. Still, those devoted supporters have all but disappeared just a few months in. The team has fallen short in every way possible, even though the season has barely begun.

United had its worst-ever start in Premier League history, and things continue to worsen with each game. Currently in 14th place, it feels like they haven’t hit rock bottom yet. Despite this, Ten Hag found positives in the team’s poor performance. After losing to West Ham, he claimed they should have won, blaming poor finishing, and even counted seven (!) clear scoring chances for United.

Even stranger was his comments after the Europa League matches against Porto and Fenerbahçe, both of which ended in draws. According to Ten Hag, these results were part of his plan, demonstrating that United is hard to beat. His pride didn’t stem from victories but rather from the fact that teams of Europa League caliber struggled to overcome them. It was, to say the least, a theatrical performance.

Ten Hag had laid the groundwork for these excuses long ago. After the initial setbacks, he routinely reminded everyone that the objective measure of success comes in spring, implying that it was too early to judge his performance. It’s now unclear when exactly he planned for United to turn the corner and start dominating. We’ll never know.

Journalist Piers Morgan also weighed in, recalling his support for Cristiano Ronaldo in the 2022 Ten Hag-Ronaldo conflict. Ronaldo gave Morgan the interview (part 1, part 2) in which he criticized Ten Hag’s methods, ultimately leaving him without a club before the World Cup in Qatar. At the time, few sided with Ronaldo, but as time passed, many experts came around to his perspective. Recently, Gary Neville admitted that Ronaldo was right two years ago and that drastic action should have been taken then.

«Every word Ronaldo said was proven true,» Morgan wrote, and it’s hard to disagree.

What’s next for United? Ruud van Nistelrooy has stepped in for now. This is meaningful for fans, as he played successfully for United, though he wasn’t a product of their youth academy. He remembers Sir Alex Ferguson's winning traditions and will likely try incorporating some of his methods. However, it’s up to the new coach to work with the current roster. Does van Nistelrooy have a chance of staying on? Yes, but he needs to deliver results immediately.

After the recent thrashing by Barcelona, there’s a strong possibility that Carlo Ancelotti could arrive at Old Trafford. Real Madrid is already questioning the Italian’s future in Madrid, and a better mid-season option would be hard to find. The primary goal for United is to stabilize their performance and win at least two consecutive matches, even if they’re in different competitions.

Published by Patrick Jane
29.10.2024