Erik ten Hag | 2022/23 & 2023/24

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Joke if it's true.


The only joke is the level of excuses people have to go for this guy.

And for the record, does this guy even think of any other possible recruitment than from Netherlands or Ajax ? The club were right to turn him down.
 
This. It's completely normal to have a manager for a season or two, and then replace him when results start to go south.

Of course, when you have our manager-driven structure that relies on the manager to de facto lead all football operations, switching managers becomes significantly more complicated because it always results in a massive rebuild.

And don't forget a fanbase with huge daddy issues.
 
There's absolutely no evidence whatsoever that would point to that, and suggesting it is really quite shallow.

De Zerbi took over a team with a clear identity, already playing similar football to his, and has built on that. If he'd joined us, you're suggesting he'd have handled Ronaldo's coup attempt, had the various egos (who were very close to mutinying on ETH early on) under control, identified better targets (without any structure above him), handled the extreme pressure, and had a squad built for low block counter attacking playing Brighton style football? This is a manager who got fired after 2 months with Palermo, and got Benevento relegated. He's far from infallible, he's just in a position with relatively low risk that allows him to excel, as it did Potter.
Well, I think Potter built that foundation of play.
 
Are we really so short sighted as a fan base that we are going to keep singling someone out to be scapegoated every time something goes wrong? This man worked absolute MIRACLES last season, if anything the start of this season only highlights that further. Firstly, even if Ten Hag WAS the problem, I don't think our owners care enough to do anything about it, and he is not the problem. They are. Manchester United is the biggest job in world football, and the one with the most pressure. Consider the amount of excess baggage Ten Hag has had to deal with on top of his coaching since he started his tenure. The Ronaldo saga, Maguire, Sancho, Greenwood, Antony...the man must be stressed beyond belief. In my opinion we should be getting behind him now more than ever. If he is capable of what he achieved last season under the circumstances, imagine what this guy can achieve with PROPER backing and without all this background noise. This is only the beginning of his second season and already there are talks of sacking. It makes me sick as a United fan. The problems at this club run deep, and those problems affect everything including our performances, inevitably. Pinning it on Ten Hag is stupid and short sighted. What, we sack Ten Hag and someone else comes in and waves a magic wand? Who?

Ridiculous.

Ten Hag in. Glazers out.

Back the manager.

This. 100% this.
 
In reality, what difference does it make? All that matters is getting the right players, and getting the best out of them. Do players suddenly become good/better signings because a DoF wanted them and not a manager? DoF, scouts, manager - makes no difference at all. Your job title doesn’t guarantee you of competence, and in reality, the manager/coach is the one that needs to work with them to make a squad, so I imagine all of the aforementioned parties will have a say in any signing anyway.

Teams with DoFs make terrible signings all the time. Ten Hag has no excuses for not doing a better job. He’s just a charlatan.
It makes huge difference. With that approach, you are not stuck with "wrong" players. Players like maguire and AWB who can play only in defensive setup, you are not stuck with winger whos only trait is ball retention, you are not stuck with gk who can't save a shot but plays from behind etc....
In short; you don't need to "rebuild" every time when you sack a manager.
In our way, new manager wants/needs to get rid bunch of players from previous manager because they don't fit in his formation/style.
 
The only joke is the level of excuses people have to go for this guy.

And for the record, does this guy even think of any other possible recruitment than from Netherlands or Ajax ? The club were right to turn him down.
Unless we bring his entire Ajax team and staff here you can’t judge him, he is amazing and beautiful but we have let him down.
 
Winter 2026 :eek: wtf ? You're ready to wait that long ?

It's worth noting, he's still actually learning how to count to 10 on his fingers. Things tend to come slowly for people with limited processing capacity.
 
Wow we didn't keep De Zerbi long then
Tbf Nagelsmann is the available one so will be easiest to get and that's what they will do. Do you see the Glazers parting with the £20m or so Brighton would demand for his signature? I don't.
 
If one says he'd want the manager sacked, it doesn't mean he isn't also acknowledging the rest of the issues (Glazers). Both things can be wished at the same time
 
It makes huge difference. With that approach, you are not stuck with "wrong" players. Players like maguire and AWB who can play only in defensive setup, you are not stuck with winger whos only trait is ball retention, you are not stuck with gk who can't save a shot but plays from behind etc....
In short; you don't need to "rebuild" every time when you sack a manager.
In our way, new manager wants/needs to get rid bunch of players from previous manager because they don't fit in his formation/style.

So what happens instead? All of your signings get much better and are successful if brought in by someone else?

Clubs with DoFs who apparently sign the same type of player of whatever are regularly doing clearouts every summer.
 
He proved himself last season. He tried to get rid of a lot of the deadwood this summer but that did not happen. Too many passengers still in the squad.

Give him time to implement what his is working on, it will take at least another 2 windows.
 
This is one of those things said but never actually seen in practice. We averaged an extremely low line last season and were around 8th or so for possession in the league last season. This season we average 51% possession — 6th highest in the league.

His only significant tactical quotes this summer were “we want to be the best transition based team in the world” — and his key signing who we’ve given no.7 and big money too is a transition based attacking midfielder.

There is nothing significant from the 70 odd matches Erik ten Hag has managed Manchester United for that suggests he’s a possession based manager. We look just as hopeless in big games and any difficult away match as we did under managers less “highly rated” than he.

If he doesn’t want to play possession (play out from the back etc.) and play a high line then he was mad to push DeGea out the door and spend all that money on a sweeper keeper like Onana eh?

Joking aside, you’re talking about last season, which is of no relevance to the points I made because you couldn’t play possession football with a high line last season because you had DeGea in goal.

The introduction of a sweeper keeper has allowed TH to start to implement his style of modern expansive football and it’s a very steep learning curve . . Hence the points I made.

You’ll have to give him time because it takes time to change the culture and playing style of a football club . . . it’s a huge task and from what I’ve seen of it he’s making good inroads.
 
Well, I think Potter built that foundation of play.

That's exactly what I'm saying - De Zerbi hasn't "got Brighton playing better football in the same amount of time" as some posters are ridiculously claiming. He was brought in to a team with strong foundations, and has built on them, but Brighton and their current success is years in the making.
 
In reality, what difference does it make? All that matters is getting the right players, and getting the best out of them. Do players suddenly become good/better signings because a DoF wanted them and not a manager? DoF, scouts, manager - makes no difference at all. Your job title doesn’t guarantee you of competence, and in reality, the manager/coach is the one that needs to work with them to make a squad, so I imagine all of the aforementioned parties will have a say in any signing anyway.

Teams with DoFs make terrible signings all the time. Ten Hag has no excuses for not doing a better job. He’s just a charlatan.
Of course it does. They are actually watching players all over the world playing, that is literally their job.

The manager's main job is coaching players, do the tactics, analyze the opponent. It is a full-time job. So asking them to do another full-time job, well, unless they never sleep, is a big ask.
 
Our problems are far bigger than the manager. I certainly would not sack him or even entertain the idea.

I would admit, however, that I am concerned. One thing that the manager has control over is the way his team players. And I just don't see the progress. Or to be precide - I've seen the progress last season, we lost it in February under difficult circumstances of having loads of matches. But we haven't regained it even now.

That's where ETH is failing. And this is the one area he can't afford to.
 
I wouldn't sack him...yet. I'd certainly be 'monitoring the situation' of available managers though.

But if he goes to the Etihad or Anfield and gets pasted again, I'd pull the trigger.
 
And don't forget a fanbase with huge daddy issues.
I've mentioned this in a few posts here, but the language used when discussing the manager here (regardless of who it is at any given moment) is something on another level. He is truly a religious figure of sorts to United fans.

If you think a player should be dropped or sold, there's plenty of healthy debate to be had - at worst, people will call you a clueless idiot.

Question the manager or think he should be sacked? To many posters, that's an immoral act that makes you a bad person, "beneath contempt" as some have stated.

Until, of course, said manager eventually does get sacked - at which point the Caf universally agrees that he was always shit and the new manager is the man to lead us to the promised land.
 
Unless we bring his entire Ajax team and staff here you can’t judge him, he is amazing and beautiful but we have let him down.
Even if we do that, there will be excuses. I mean, people have literally said that he is not backed in the transfer market and he should be allowed to sing his own players despite that he has burned over 400m, and has signed 12 players (plus another two last season).

The list of excuses is a never-ending one.
 
Interesting that we played with intent right until Brighton decided to use Welbeck in a deeper role. ETH’s lethargy in adapting quickly and responding to an opponent’s tactical tweaks is concerning.

Sadly we’ll have a new manager before Christmas I’m sure when we’re languishing in the bottom half and it won’t solve anything because we also have a very unbalanced squad.
 
Anyone that is leaning towards sacking EtH has not learnt anything in the last 10 years.

Unless you think a United manager should be challenging for the league with Martial up front and McFred in midfield...if you know of anyone who can do that then give them a call.

Currently the club isn't winning by any metrics...the squad on paper isn't the best, the stadium isn't the best, the training ground isn't the best, the recruitment isn't the best, the directors/owners certainly are not the best.

Liverpool have shown they can yoyo up and down the league from year to year...United are just struggling with injuries and a terrible atmosphere around the place. Plus United played more games than anyone else last year.

Give the players and manager a break. They will get Top 4!
 
I've said that a few times in here but his "open letter to the fans" after winning the famous league cup might've not been the right move. Coincided weirdly with us playing shit from then on.

Anyway, funnily enough he should be grateful Arteta is doing well, it may buy him some extra time.

Worrying times ahead though, he's on thin ice.
He is gone, I want him to stay but knowing this league and considering what has already happened he won't survive Liverpool, City, Newcastle, Bayern etc. Add in a West Ham or Aston Villa it's just a matter of time but his fate sealed.
 
People can have any opinion they want, but I think the idea of sacking ETH right now is one of the stupidest things this stupid ass Club could do. So maybe it will happen.
 
It’s like asking if the circus should sack the ringmaster. The show would still go on.

I want to see Erik manage the club under new owners. Until then I reserve judgement.
 
If one says he'd want the manager sacked, it doesn't mean he isn't also acknowledging the rest of the issues (Glazers). Both things can be wished at the same time
One saying he wants the manager sacked, its one admitting hes overlooking the actual real issues causing the managers struggles (Glazers). Nothing would change with a new manager, therefore sacking him would be completely pointless. He. is. not. the. problem
 
There's absolutely no evidence whatsoever that would point to that, and suggesting it is really quite shallow.

De Zerbi took over a team with a clear identity, already playing similar football to his, and has built on that. If he'd joined us, you're suggesting he'd have handled Ronaldo's coup attempt, had the various egos (who were very close to mutinying on ETH early on) under control, identified better targets (without any structure above him), handled the extreme pressure, and had a squad built for low block counter attacking playing Brighton style football? This is a manager who got fired after 2 months with Palermo, and got Benevento relegated. He's far from infallible, he's just in a position with relatively low risk that allows him to excel, as it did Potter.
There are no excuses for ETH this season. He has to take responibility for tactics, subs and signings. I do not believe that Murthough signs players such as Mount and Antony against ETH wishes. I did not expect a title challenge this season but based on recent results we will not reach top 5, maybe not even top 8. He should resign asap if THE STRUCTURE above him is such a huge issue and he cannot sign the players he wants. Why would anyone work under those circumstances?
 
One saying he wants the manager sacked, its one admitting hes overlooking the actual real issues causing the managers struggles (Glazers). Nothing would change with a new manager, therefore sacking him would be completely pointless. He. is. not. the. problem
OK so do you believe Moyes should still be manager?
 
There's such a negative atmosphere pervading the club (ownership, off-field issues, media narrative, EtH tactical inflexibility, in-game player execution) that it's hard to judge what is taking effect on the pitch. In desperate need of a clear out from top to bottom.

Indeed. The only thing that could have taken the club out of this rut is the sale. But that fell through, so we are staying as we are.
 
There's such a negative atmosphere pervading the club (ownership, off-field issues, media narrative, EtH tactical inflexibility, in-game player execution) that it's hard to judge what is taking effect on the pitch. In desperate need of a clear out from top to bottom.
At what point in the past decade haven't we needed a total clear out? Around in circles we go
 
Watching the wolves / Liverpool match followed by united / Brighton.

The one thing is how klopp gave the players five minutes after half time, then thought feck it, I'm changing this even more (think he made a chance at half time).
Brought more attacking players on.

Granted our options are not as strong (and that's another issue, really think us getting another striker over mount would have benefitted us more)
But to wait until five minutes left to bring on pellestri / garnacho was kinda pointless.

I really think Eth badly managed that game,and we've seen it quite a few times when we're behind. He seems to react rather than being proactive. And sometimes just doesn't react at all, like his subs are prepared pre game and doesn't react to what is happening in-game.
 
Keep still, but I'm losing hope.

Our improvement last season wasn't that big based on underlying metrics and we have been flat out abysmal since the cup final.

He's got to start getting results. It's unreal that we're off to a worse start this season despite spending another 150 mil.
 
One saying he wants the manager sacked, its one admitting hes overlooking the actual real issues causing the managers struggles (Glazers). Nothing would change with a new manager, therefore sacking him would be completely pointless. He. is. not. the. problem

The Glazers are the problem but if they are stuck here and ten Hag cannot adapt himself to work under their style then sadly he has to go. Past managers haven't been the core problem either but they still got chopped.

I'm starting to believe now that we need a manager who can work well despite the Glazers, until the day they decide to sell up. Then maybe we can think about a complete refresh of style and approach.
 
Worry is that the players have stopped playing for him. Yet again he’s having a tiff with a first team player with other off the field issues. That game today was not where we’ve been at under him at OT.
 
That's exactly what I'm saying - De Zerbi hasn't "got Brighton playing better football in the same amount of time" as some posters are ridiculously claiming. He was brought in to a team with strong foundations, and has built on them, but Brighton and their current success is years in the making.
I actually think Ole benefited from a combination of 'New Manager Bounce' coupled with the football ddisciplines Jose instilled in the team. Once those methods wore off his tactical naivety shone though, accompanied with an unfortunate fondness for needing to be liked. Been supporting this club since the mid 70s (Home & Away) and something inside tells me we need to stay behind this manager regardless of any short-term mistakes he might make.
 
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Sack but for who ? And why would it go any different than all the other managers post-Ferg ? And would we even commit to a bold choice with a potential takeover looming ?
 
For people who say that we have had too many managers and it cannot be their fault, there is no such a thing as too many managers.

We have had 5 managers since SAF left. And a couple of caretakers.
Real and Bayern have had 7 full-timers. And a couple of caretakers (Bayern only).
Barca had also 5 full-timers and a couple of caretakers.

Those three clubs are ultra-successful.

Btw, Chelsea has had 8 full-timers and a few caretakers. They also have won 2 league titles and 1 UCL more than us in those years.
At the same time, Milan has had 9 managers (not considering caretakers). Inter has had 9. Juventus 4.

In other words, there is absolutely nothing wrong with hiring and firing managers. Pretty much every club does that. Kind of the exceptions are City and Liverpool but even there, City has Pep, who is by far the best manager in the game. Before him, the UAE people had three other managers (and one caretaker). And until Liverpool got Klopp (second/third-best manager in the game), their current owners had 3 managers in 5 years. Atletico might be another exception who have had Simeone forever, but there are not really that big club, more like Simeone kinda made them 'relatively big'.

So yep, hiring and firing managers (even successful ones like Ancelotti whom won Madrid La Decima) is ok. Keeping underperforming managers is not ok.
 
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