Erik ten Hag | 2022/23 & 2023/24

[Winrar]

People are so petrified at the mere suggestion of player power that they're prepared to see us sleepwalk into obscurity to protect a manager who has done nothing to earn the respect of the fans this season. It's actually sad to see, our standards as a football club have completely eroded.

I was just thinking about the bolded when I saw a thread on the front page saying "Why I'm happy with 6th place."

All sorts of excuses made under the sun for a badly underperforming team and manager. It's not like we're playing pretty football and losing out like late 00s-early 10s Arsenal either, we're absolutely atrocious to watch.

Leverkusen was fighting relegation last season before Alonso came in and completely turned things around in less time than ETH had.

I don't understand why there's so much desire for parts of the fanbase to defend ETH, a man with no previous connection to the club, to the absolute hilt.

 

[BenitoSTARR]

I was just thinking about the bolded when I saw a thread on the front page saying "Why I'm happy with 6th place."

All sorts of excuses made under the sun for a badly underperforming team and manager.

Leverkusen was fighting relegation last season before Alonso came in and completely turned things around in less time than ETH had.

I don't understand why there's so much desire for parts of the fanbase to defend ETH, a man with no previous connection to the club, to the absolute hilt.

Out of interest did you read the thread?

 

[Blood Mage]

I was just thinking about the bolded when I saw a thread on the front page saying "Why I'm happy with 6th place."

All sorts of excuses made under the sun for a badly underperforming team and manager. It's not like we're playing pretty football and losing out like late 00s-early 10s Arsenal either, we're absolutely atrocious to watch.

Leverkusen was fighting relegation last season before Alonso came in and completely turned things around in less time than ETH had.

I don't understand why there's so much desire for parts of the fanbase to defend ETH, a man with no previous connection to the club, to the absolute hilt.

It's a symptom of having one legendary manager at the helm for such a long time. A lot of our supporters still think the manager of Manchester United should have untouchable status. I remember when it all started to fall apart for Moyes and so many refused to entertain the idea of sacking him purely because we don't sack managers apparently.

 

[Herschel Krustofsky]

Southgate jesus fecking christ

Fanbase would turn on him extremely quickly more so than any other previous manager IMO

I’m already ‘Southgate out’

 

[Mr Pigeon]

It's a symptom of having one legendary manager at the helm for such a long time. A lot of our supporters still think the manager of Manchester United should have untouchable status. I remember when it all started to fall apart for Moyes and so many refused to entertain the idea of sacking him purely because we don't sack managers apparently.

Ah, those were the days. We were all still filled with so much hope. "Tis but a scratch" on our path back to winning titles, we all said.

 

[Winrar]

It's a symptom of having one legendary manager at the helm for such a long time. A lot of our supporters still think the manager of Manchester United should have untouchable status. I remember when it all started to fall apart for Moyes and so many refused to entertain the idea of sacking him purely because we don't sack managers apparently.

I agree. It doesn't really help that SAF didn't start hauling in trophies until couple years into his tenure, either.

 

[kouroux]

Watch some of our highlights from last year again - some of the footy we played was great.

Highlights can make any team and any player look fantastic. I remember very well last season

 

[Leftback99]

Funny because the manager seems to get all the credit for last season's miraculous 3rd finish and a trophy. Rarely do we ever hear about how great rashford and bruno were and all that

My thought about us last season was "where would we be without Rashford hitting a freak run of form?".

I've certainly found out.

 

[Bobski]

One of the most irritating things about this midfield nonsense is how predictable it was. Mount as a transfer target inevitability mean a 1 DM, 2 attacking midfielders pushed on formation, and half the forum pointed out it couldn't work while that transfer was being discussed.

 

[Desert Eagle]

Highlights can make any team and any player look fantastic. I remember very well last season

Last season especially up until the league cup final at least felt like we were building something. This season turns out we were building a crack/whore house with illegal fireworks in the basement.

 

[miliebrowndivorceattorney]

Rashford, Bruno and Garnacho are key to his tactics. We'd look worse without Bruno, yet everyone wants him dropped and doesn't realise this. He's the brains of the team, not Ten Hag. It's literally 'give the ball to Bruno. Bruno, you create to the best of your abilities, don't worry if you lose the ball'.

I get your point but our attack starts at the wings. Then Bruno receives and should score from a perfect 10 position he often is - because of eth tactics - or make through ball to other attacker. But he just misses so many good opportunities and with the miss, often gives opposition the bal and starts the attack from them. But I agree, we don't have anyone else, or even fit.

I think Bruno been Meh to awful this season but I don’t want him gone, he’s clearly playing through injuries and hasn’t had a proper rest for a long time, he needs to be told that he will be an important part of the club going forward but he will be demoted to Vice Captain and United will be buying a young Attacking midfielder to learn from him, helping him with his playing time.

Yes, demote to vice captain is the perfect solution imo too.

I don't see Nagelsman going for a conference league or UEFA league bound club when he can get a champions league job. Or maybe he likes it as German coach. It's actually my main argument now against sacking ETH: there is no world class coach available and interested to step in, not when other big jobs are tempting.

Every player in the squad will tell you in interviews and social media posts they want to win trophies and play in the CL. But I wonder how many of them actually believe they are good enough to do it as they rarely show it on the pitch.

I hope EtH is just desperately trying to avoid the next Ronaldo/Sancho saga with Rashford.

This is very true. Actually didn't he keep praising Ronaldo to bits and then bench him or sub him and infuriating him? He played that very smooth.

And what is he going to say now: we are shit, we will not win, we will stop going for wins or for champions league, my players are just the worst? That's how Lampard 'motivated' his players.

And let's face it. We only have a first choice right back in Dalot, who is now forced to play left back. The rest of the defence is being changed every game, even during the game.
We should be getting slaughtered every game and have no business being top 6 at all. Yesterday's game was much better than the Brentford beating - we scored some outstanding goals with a top 3 performing Antony but finally every punter could wheel out their 'see how bad ETH/Man United is'' article out. I don''t want him to play Bruno at all but there is nobody else and in fact, him playing 30 odd games even if I want him out he should get a statue.

We just have to put up, pray that we keep P6 (I see Newcastle overtaking us with their program, even Chelsea is now seeing us) and get some big operation like @Woziak presented. Then see how the nationals go and who knows, we spot a decent replacement coach and if not, give ETH a good summer and let's see how he starts next season.

Last but not least: maybe we should also give ETH some slack on Onana. It took a few months but at the moment he is also an outstanding player for us. The vision that de Gea needed replacement for Onana type was and is spot on

 

[Stig]

We must walk to the right solution, not run to incorrect one. Sir JR

 

[Zlatan 7]

Highlights can make any team and any player look fantastic. I remember very well last season

Yep, same as the post I quote from myself this time last year moaning how we haven’t played well for ages and it looked a mess. It was excused more last year as we were playing so often and just trying to get through games, I didn’t think it’d still be going on a year later

 

[croadyman]

Still much wrong and many players need to leave and clearly don't have the mindset to fight for trophies and play in a big club with immense pressure and or don't have the work ethic but ETH also needs to go, sad, was excited last season and really hoped he'd work out but it's clear it won't

Yeah you have it absolutely spot on,I may be on the Erik out train but the players with a weak mentality and poor work ethic simply have to be cleared out too for this team to progress

 

[Godfather]

Not often you get a decent caller on a TalkSport show, but this guy came with the facts....

Yeah agree with everything there. Apart from the it doesn't matter who the next manager is part although I reckon that was more tongue in cheek with regards to the point he was making that the club is not going into a marriage with managers.

 

[croadyman]

It's a symptom of having one legendary manager at the helm for such a long time. A lot of our supporters still think the manager of Manchester United should have untouchable status. I remember when it all started to fall apart for Moyes and so many refused to entertain the idea of sacking him purely because we don't sack managers apparently.

That's exactly why people back managers far too much,also Fergie has to take blame for his post match speech against Swansea too

 

[LawCharltonBest]

Saw a good point on Twitter that if Ten Hag is here come August that he’ll be in the last 10 months of his contract.

Certainly not ideal for anybody. But it would be extremely bold of Ineos to give him a new deal off the back of this season

 

[Who's Kissing Cameras?]

The dreaded vote of confidence. He is finished.

 

[BenitoSTARR]

Saw a good point on Twitter that if Ten Hag is here come August that he’ll be in the last 10 months of his contract.

Certainly not ideal for anybody. But it would be extremely bold of Ineos to give him a new deal off the back of this season

Absolutely should not be given a new contract offer until we see results on the pitch.

I don’t mind giving him time but next season he’s essentially got maybe 6-8 games to show improvement.

 

[bosnian_red]

But we can do this and still clearly let go a manager who is offering a net negative to the club.

If you think we need to wait until every piece of the puzzle is perfectly aligned in terms of back room senior staff, why don’t we sack the underperforming manager and sign a very clearly illustrated interim manager to take charge until Wilcox and Ashworth are in place to make the decisions you want them to make?

I just don’t get why in your hypothetical perfect process, ten Hag still walks around scot free doing absolutely nothing of value.

He provides some value. He's not a cancer to the dressing room, the players clearly still like him. What use is a random interim manager, essentially someone like Ole, over Ten Hag just staying? It's spending a lot of money to achieve nothing. This interim won't be the guy anyway, you just hurt our FFP position further by doing this change which gets us no closer to the top 3.

 

[C'est Moi Cantona]

There's more than two managers out there. I doubt either of those names are real possibilities. Ten Hag is done, I don't see INEOS risking another season of this shite.

They're the only two I've seen us linked to, like I say if we start getting linked to anyone of note then I might get excited, but i'm not just going to shout for Ten Hag to go when our options for a replacement look so limited.

 

[Jev]

A very weak article from Whitwell, essentially a puff piece. Every sentence is worded as kindly towards ETH as possible. Have there been any other inside stories today about his future?

 

[TrebleChamp99]

They're the only two I've seen us linked to, like I say if we start getting linked to anyone of note then I might get excited, but i'm not just going to shout for Ten Hag to go when our options for a replacement look so limited.

Why are INEOS only looking at manager deemed available?

Was Wilcocks available?
Was Ashworth?
Was Berrada?

For liverpools search is Alonso, Amorim, De Zerbi “available” why are we only looking at that pool?

we can go for any one at any club.

 

[bosnian_red]

We will see. No organization waits a whole year, especially one which has been taken over by a new entity, to start the new process asap. All the painful points will be handled asap. You really think something like “gardening leave” for a couple of employees will prevent Ineos from pushing through the changes they need is necessary?

We will see, but I will be shocked if they do this. No organization, especially as big as United, will write off a whole year keeping a key personnel (in our case manager) in place even if they are not up to the mark. If Wilcox and Ashworth cannot provide official feedback, you can bet your left nut they will provide it in an unofficial capacity.

Unless Ineos believe in Eth and want to give him another year under a new structure, Eth is a goner at the end of the season.

Your last point is what I think the line will be. They'll give him another year and excuse this one down to chaos around the whole club, and it'll be an easy enough decision to make because the people who would otherwise make the hard decisions aren't yet started in their jobs. They can't lead the search for the new manager. They can't be part of the discussions. So Ineos will focus on some squad building aspects and getting us in a healthier position financially and with squad age, while ten hag sees out his last year of his contract.

Games like Brentford are those that'll push the needle toward the sack more. But comebacks like against Chelsea (ignoring the collapse) then show that the squad hasn't really abandoned him like it did to Ole. I really think they will try their hardest not to sack him this summer because of the delays, and wait it out another year.

 

[C'est Moi Cantona]

So according to you we should either shut shop or just persist with the same guy hoping for miracles, by that logic no club should ever sack their manager for who knows if given enough time, the said manager will magically transform into Sir Alex.

Eric’s credentials -

1. Winning league titles with Ajax. Even Frank De Boer has 4 titles.

2. Reaching semis of UCL. Plenty of nobody managers have done that before.

What’s the point of keeping a manager who actually can’t be blamed for anything as he is not responsible for anything at Manutd according to many, except whenever we win, he should get the applause, rest times it’s the fault of the players, the kits-man, the tea lady, and so on and so forth.

Who's not blaming him? He's been shocking this season, but there mitigating circumstances to an extent.

My point is you can't just get rid of a manager and then replace them one that has very good chance of been no better in the long term, we'd be better sticking as we are and seeing if the new setup can help Ten Hag, if it can't then we sack him and hopefully they'll be a standout candidate at that point.

 

[C'est Moi Cantona]

Why are INEOS only looking at manager deemed available?

Was Wilcocks available?
Was Ashworth?
Was Berrada?

For liverpools search is Alonso, Amorim, De Zerbi “available” why are we only looking at that pool?

we can go for any one at any club.

Who then? i am not seeing any links at all, (other than Southgate and Potter.)

 

[Woziak]

The more you think about ETH the manager, the more you see some outstanding traits and some absolutely abysmal traits.

Strengths
- He’s definitely has courage
- Promotes Youth
- Fearless
- loyal to his preferred players
- Genuinely respects the club
- Surprisingly Flexible when he’s really up against the wall
- His Domestic Cup record is excellent
- Man management skills to favoured players

Weaknesses
- Stubborn beyond reason
- Tactically inflexible most of the time
- Reeks of Nepotism and Favouritism
- Incapable of managing a complete squad
- Tactically poor in the last 20/25 mins and doesn’t know how to close out matches.
- His philosophy is very short term in his match set up and his season planning, for ETH every game is a cup final when sometimes he needs to realise, it’s ok to play for a draw in a tough away game
- Has a lot to learn especially with big club management to be considered truly Elite
- Man Management skills
- Far too rigid in team
Formation, some games require 3412 or 4232 or a flat 433 formation, Eric won’t change for no one!

The real question that only INEOS can answer is do the pros outweigh the cons to justify giving him another year to prove himself?

 

[SAF is the GOAT]

 

[croadyman]

Yeah agree with everything there. Apart from the it doesn't matter who the next manager is part although I reckon that was more tongue in cheek with regards to the point he was making that the club is not going into a marriage with managers.

Hopefully the days of marriages to managers is over even if these "top reds" back no matter

 

[BenitoSTARR]

Hopefully the days of marriages to managers is over even if these "top reds" back no matter

Does that make those who want him gone “bottom reds”?

 

[croadyman]

Germany won't have a poor tournament so that's probably him not becoming our manager

 

[Oranges038]

Why would Utd want him if Germany have a poor tournament?

I'm of the firm opinion that it doesn't matter if ETH stays or goes, most of the current squad need to feck off too before Utd will come anywhere near winning trophies consistently over a number of years.

 

[TrebleChamp99]

Who then? i am not seeing any links at all, (other than Southgate and Potter.)

Nagelsman (linked)
De Zerbi (linked)
Then there’s hipster choices like Nice and Girona managers who have links to INEOS and Berrada.

Southgate isn’t linked to United beyond tabloid nonsense, he’s already come out publically saying he’d like to stay at England.

My dream choice would be Ancelotti , maybe we can temp him, unlikely though.

I’d also be interested in Carrick and McKenna as head coaches.

If the new manager doesn’t work you sack him, simple.

the new structure is designed around the manager being a head coach and our signings etc suit the clubs philosophy not the managers.

 

[croadyman]

Why would Utd want him if Germany have a poor tournament?

I'm of the firm opinion that it doesn't matter if ETH stays or goes, most of the current squad need to feck off too before Utd will come anywhere near winning trophies consistently over a number of years.

Yeah that quote just about says it all about mentality at this club,there is no doubt many of this squad need to be fecked off too.

 

[Woziak]

Have a sneaking suspicion of that Sir Jim and Sir David, took Julian’s phone number from Ralph Ragnarik when they met him recently. The way they’ve move so far wouldn’t surprise me if this has been
Done already but struck NDA’S are being adhered to.

Obviously ETH doesn’t know yet and this might be the reason, they are trying to recruit a young up and coming English/British coach to work as his assistant so if Germany go all the way, a new number 2 will be setting everything up from Mid June.

This is why Gary O’Neil was mentioned, wouldn’t surprise me with Ashworth contacts and Berada, they have already been asked and given input.

Watch this names very closely Lee Carsley or Steve Cooper. It’s almost like they want to keep ETH and put their own man in under him which is even worse? Or get Naigelsman to have a man in doing the work in June up to mid July 2024.

 

[croadyman]

Nagelsman (linked)
De Zerbi (linked)
Then there’s hipster choices like Nice and Girona managers who have links to INEOS and Berrada.

Southgate isn’t linked to United beyond tabloid nonsense, he’s already come out publically saying he’d like to stay at England.

My dream choice would be Ancelotti , maybe we can temp him, unlikely though.

I’d also be interested in Carrick and McKenna as head coaches.

If the new manager doesn’t work you sack him, simple.

the new structure is designed around the manager being a head coach and our signings etc suit the clubs philosophy not the managers.

The step up is too big for Carrick or Mckenna yet,they both need to prove themselves somewhere in the Premier League before managing here

 

[C'est Moi Cantona]

Nagelsman (linked)
De Zerbi (linked)
Then there’s hipster choices like Nice and Girona managers who have links to INEOS and Berrada.

Southgate isn’t linked to United beyond tabloid nonsense, he’s already come out publically saying he’d like to stay at England.

My dream choice would be Ancelotti , maybe we can temp him, unlikely though.

I’d also be interested in Carrick and McKenna as head coaches.

If the new manager doesn’t work you sack him, simple.

the new structure is designed around the manager being a head coach and our signings etc suit the clubs philosophy not the managers.

Fine, when we start getting properly linked to anyone of note then I'll get interested, but it's fairly clear there is not a standout candidate out there right now.

I know people don't want hear it, but there is definitely merit in just sticking with Ten Hag for another season.

 

[Laurencio]

Fine, when we start getting properly linked to anyone of note then I'll get interested, but it's fairly clear there is not a standout candidate out there right now.

I know people don't want hear it, but there is definitely merit in just sticking with Ten Hag for another season.

Then explain the merit.

 

[Sancho99]

The dreaded vote of confidence. He is finished.

Doesn't read like a 'vote of confidence' to me.

 

[Alex99]

Then explain the merit.

Ashworth and Wilcox aren't yet in post, and they'll be the primary decision makers for hiring a new manager.

We're in the shit with FFP and it will cost us to sack Ten Hag, but he's only got a year left on his contract.

There are currently no standout candidates available to come in now or at the end of the season.

Not sure that's enough merit for me to want him to stay, but I can see the logic behind the decision if it happens.