Erik ten Hag | 2022/23 & 2023/24

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Is the poll going to flip before a decision is announced? Seems like it

Just in time for him to get sacked, hopefully.

Given how delighted we've all been by club decisions over the last 11 years. Including all the sackings, all the hirings (except Moyes), pretty much all the signings including all the biggest disasters from Di Maria and Pogba to Antony and Sanchez.

The more a club decision pisses off the fanbase the better. Unless it's hiring Southgate
 
The analysis comes down to whether there is another manager who is available right now who can take United further in terms of competitiveness on the pitch than the current manager, who by any reasonable assessment failed in all metrics this season bar the FA Cup triumph.

The names on offer present one significant concern after another: McKenna's lack of experience at the top level, Tuchel's shambolic management of Chelsea, Potter's shambolic management of Chelsea, Jose's mania, De Zerbi's short track record with Brighton, and Southgate's underperformance with a highly talented England side (plus the fact that he wouldn't be available until mid-July) leave us no obviously superior alternative. Maybe all of them would be superior alternatives to ten Hag but it's clearly a gamble on any of them and none of them are sure to be an upgrade.

I'd still let ten Hag go as his stubborness in his tactics is a serious worry as well as his inability to identify the right targets to address the holes in the squad but I'm not sure who I'd go with.
 
Probably not....70m for a 30 yr old was obviously a risky decision though he was quite good the first year but his legs have gone this season at 32

EtH was never, and will never, be in charge of what we pay for players. He has no history of managing club finances and never will do. Had the club paid £50m or £70m would have nothing to do with him.
 
If we'd have lost on Saturday, the poll would have been 80% + for sack.

One game and the majority forget about the shitshow of a season :wenger:

Even looking past finishing 8th, a minus goal difference, bottom of our champions league group...
We've seen his ideal set up/tactics, thought nothing was wrong with all the shots faced and been far too stubborn with his "way of play" and player selection.

That's all going to suddenly change next season is it?
 
No, but again depends on a lot of factors. I think without another trophy that result wouldn't be good enough after this.

Fair enough, I don't think it would be a good enough performance in the league. Neither was this season either though.
 
The sudden change in the poll suggests exactly what I said. About 80% wanted the guy out and suddenly it's all good again and he can stay for another season? I don't get it. I also don't buy the lack of alternatives as a reason to keep him. Give Tuchel a shot.

Tuchel I’m 50/50 on. What would be a good season for him?

Top 4 and a Europa League win, plus a domestic cup too?

Ten Hag could potentially do the same. Plus he’d be a better fit for owners that want a pliable manager that doesn’t demand loads of cash.
 
Well I wanted all those managers gone (except ETH) so I must be dumb too. None of them had a coherent plan and the club had lost its way under the Glazers. Sacking him puts us right back there.

We all are sometimes mate.

I think Ten Hag had a plan, it didn't work, don't know if he'll try to or will even be allowed to resurrect it should he stay.

Whether they sack Ten Hag or keep him I don't think much changes to be honest. Ineos, Berrada, Ashworth and Wilcox are taking over. They'll be conducting transfer business and setting the style of play.

From that point of view Ten Hag would arguably starting from a similar position as a new coach would.
 
I’m still in the ETH team. It just seems crazy to me that he was so pig headed in terms of formation all season (no defensive cover in midfield) game after game the whole of our fan base could see we needed a change. For the last three games he solidified the midfield and lo and behold we start getting decent results. A decent manager works that out a lot sooner and is far more pragmatic.
 
We’ve won two trophies in as many seasons. We've been in 3 finals. That is a validation of the work he is doing, in difficult circumstances.
We also lost more games than we did at any point in the last 30 years in one season. That is some winning mentality being instilled.

What happened this season is actually the opposite of what you are suggesting. Instead of being this massive, serial winners who treat every game as it’s a cup final, we actually only raised our performance for select few games and were horrible on average otherwise.
 
So, I've just joined this forum, and this is my first post. I felt compelled to join, as I needed to get my view across on Erik Ten Hag, for however little it is worth. He has got to stay, please. I fear he will be shown the door, but think it will be a huge mistake.

Since Sir Alex left, he was the first manager I truly felt could fit the profile of what Manchester United needs. A manager who wants to play good football, is likely to commit himself to the club for the long terms and build something. When he walked through the door, we all know the club was an absolute mess. If we were being truthful, we knew it would take several years to even dream of challenging at the top of the table. Yet, two years into the job, Man Utd have played in 4 domestic cups, got to the final 3 times and won twice. We had a really encouraging time in the Premier league last season, and were looking pretty good in Europa League until Martinez got injured, and then our vulnerabilities came to the forefront again.

This season has been poor. Really horrific. I won't lie and say I haven't cursed a lot while watching many games, and questioned decisions ETH has made. But, no manager gets everything perfect, right? So many pundits, especially those not associated with Utd, are quick to stick the knife in any chance they get. They don't know and feel the club deep down, they just know that sensationalizing Man Utd problems gets clicks. I've heard people like Shearer continue to say things like "Injuries are no excuse, all clubs have them". However, I'd love someone to ask Shearer "OK then, Newcastle have fallen down the table this year compared to last, is Howe taking them backwards and should he be sacked?". I am certain Shearer would then start telling us about the injury problems Newcastle have had to face. Arsenal have pretty much had all their key players available all season. Liverpool had a spell after Xmas where they had injuries, but apart from Robertson had their key players for first half of season, and also had them at the end of the season.

Dalot has been our only defender that has been fit through the vast majority of the season. Not only are so many of our best defenders missed games, our second string players have often been out injured as well. So, we end up playing 3rd, 4th, 5th string players, players out of position, etc. When injured, our better players simply cannot train, cannot be developed. When they do put their injury behind them, their only training is to try and get fit and stronger, and then they are thrown into the side as they are the only option. Do people really expect that this fragmented squad should be able to compete consistently against well drilled, Premier league sides? Finishing 8th this season is such a disappointment. Yet, then again, given how shocking we have been, it is almost amazing we've finished that high, and beat a number of sides who get a lot of praise over the season. If Utd hadn't suffered so many injuries (say, no more than 2 or even 3 key players out), then I'm sure ETH could have coached the available players to become more consistent, and we'd have at least pushed for the Top 4.

Cast your mind back to the era Sir Alex came to Utd. Before he joined, they finished the 5 previous campaigns in the Top 5. In his first season, they finished 11th, but then did well the following year and ended up 2nd. However, in his third season they finished 12th, and the season after 13th. It wasn't until his 7th season that they won the league, and the rest is history. For many of those that insists ETH should leave, they'd also have sacked Alex Ferguson long before the Premier League began.

For me, ETH has done more than enough to indicate he is a good manager, is committed to building a side and giving youth a chance, and would be there for the long haul. Not just looking for a nice 3 or 4 year pay day, before going off to some other big club. But, as a fan, I want to be loyal to this "project". Continue to believe, even when things get tough. I'm sure ETH will have learnt much more from the tough periods than he does when things are going well. If anyone knows what mistakes have been made, and where the club needs to be improved, it will be ETH. And, if INEOS can just bring in good people above him, who can sort out the scouting system, transfer policy and negotiations, then together I'm sure they can all take the club forward sooner rather than later.

So, come on Man Utd. Support your people, support your manager. Please tell us he is staying, and get moving on how you are going to develop the squad for next season. And, please don't sack the manager, and bring in some of the managers that have been rumored. Honestly, I think some of them are going to present a whole world of problems.
 
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Tuchel I’m 50/50 on. What would be a good season for him?

Top 4 and a Europa League win, plus a domestic cup too?

Ten Hag could potentially do the same. Plus he’d be a better fit for owners that want a pliable manager that doesn’t demand loads of cash.

I question if Ten Hag could achieve top four. Arsenal and City guaranteed to be there. Pool (new manager), Spurs (Ange-ball figured out), Villa (European fixtures and injuries), Chelsea (new manager) will be in the mix but a case can be made for each one that they'll finish top four.

I don't know the 5th place / coefficient drama for next year. If the PL have a good year in Europe, are they favorites for the spot?

I think he can get us the EL but cup games, who knows? Overall I'd back Tuchel to do better than Ten Hag in basically all competitions.
 
We need to consider what our priorities as a club are. For some of us, a successful season means competing for the PL trophy and at least making it to the QF in the CL. Domestic cups are nice but are a vastly inferior goal to aspire to winning.

Each of us has every right to decide what a successful season means but for some us what we lived through for the 9 months prior to the FA Cup final was dreadful, almost hideous, to watch and nowhere close to being successful.
 
We’ve won two trophies in as many seasons. We've been in 3 finals. That is a validation of the work he is doing, in difficult circumstances.

If we were Spurs it would. We want to compete for the two major trophies in club football and embarrassed ourselves in both comps.
 
The only downside to EtH decision not been made so far is the whiners claiming INEOS are Glazers 2.0 - They are nothing alike but eh whatever makes you lot happy.
 
We also lost more games than we did at any point in the last 30 years in one season. That is some winning mentality being instilled.

What happened this season is actually the opposite of what you are suggesting. Instead of being this massive, serial winners who treat every game as it’s a cup final, we actually only raised our performance for select few games and were horrible on average otherwise.
I didn’t know there was a trophy on offer every week. In that case, we’ve done horribly - we’ve only won one!
 
I question if Ten Hag could achieve top four. Arsenal and City guaranteed to be there. Pool (new manager), Spurs (Ange-ball figured out), Villa (European fixtures and injuries), Chelsea (new manager) will be in the mix but a case can be made for each one that they'll finish top four.

I don't know the 5th place / coefficient drama for next year. If the PL have a good year in Europe, are they favorites for the spot?

I think he can get us the EL but cup games, who knows? Overall I'd back Tuchel to do better than Ten Hag in basically all competitions.
It’ll be 50/50. There are 2 locks in top 4 and then a host of 5-6 clubs who will aspire to get there. Don’t forget 5th could also get us CL as next season there won’t be United and Newcastle in CL to bring PL coefficient down.


I think he’s well capable of delivering 4th to 6th place consistently with little to no injuries, or even 3rd in a season when another team doesn’t step up. We will never get close to City or Arsenal but it doesn’t seem to really be the ambition of anyone to be fair, a top 4 challenge and some cup runs will be enough.
 
I didn’t know there was a trophy on offer every week. In that case, we’ve done horribly - we’ve only won one!
There was, it’s called Premier League and all the points that you win in that league count towards your league finish. The higher, the better.

‘Unbelievable winning mentality’ is not about raising your game only for moments that win you trophies on that particular occasion or playing well in big games, it’s about turning up week after week. Disregarding league games because ‘there is no cup to be won’ is not winning mentality.
 
Ole kept us up in the league, but won no trophies. Ole outers claimed the first was luck (and still not good enough because points!) and use the second to beat him over the head.

EtH kept us up in the first season, had a bad second season due to injuries, and won two trophies anyway. EtH outers ignore the first, discount the injuries on the second, and ignore the trophies (oh, but thanks for the memories of those trophies!).

But hey, we can start a new project with a new manager, and things will get better, right?

If we dump EtH now, we'll be starting over for the 6th time since SAF. Somehow, it will be different this time, though. Because the available managers are better than EtH. And the football-controlling ownership is better now. And we have lots of players to sell so we can replace all of our holes. Did I miss anything?
 
If we were Spurs it would. We want to compete for the two major trophies in club football and embarrassed ourselves in both comps.
What does that say to you?

To me, it says that as a team, as a squad, as a club we are not at that level and must strive to improve. To others it’s says the manager is rubbish. It doesn’t mean that lifting a trophy is in anyway diminished.
 
Sky sports just said they have a “developing story” about Southgate and the links to Utd coming up shortly. I’m scared.
 
There was, it’s called Premier League and all the points that you win in that league count towards your league finish. The higher, the better.

‘Unbelievable winning mentality’ is not about raising your game only for moments that win you trophies on that particular occasion or playing well in big games, it’s about turning up week after week. Disregarding league games because ‘there is no cup to be won’ is not winning mentality.
Hard to do that when you are on the treatment bench week after week! And we know already this squad has a very fragile mentality. That’s precisely why winning cups is important to build them up.
 
If we were Spurs it would. We want to compete for the two major trophies in club football and embarrassed ourselves in both comps.
Spurs is about where we are at the moment. We're hopefully at the start of recovering from years of neglect. Most of our Champions League results were down to ridiculous errors and losing composure. Our general structure in the CL was pretty decent other than that. We were mostly decent against Bayern and clearly better than Galatasary. The CL highlighted the need for a bit of mental fortitude in the team, which is something I hope we're looking for in whoever we sign.
 
Ofcourse it makes a difference. A massive one actually.

1. If they sack him end of June, then they need to get a new manager in, its not instant.
2. Transfers - how can you plan your transfer strategy without knowing the manager
3. When going for players, they will want to know the manager for the season
4. Pre season prep

There is a massive difference if its left for another month.
But all of that is being done already, isn't it?
1. It has been reported we have been talking to managers. Most likely, with McKenna also staying put, Tuchel is already lined up as our next manager.
2. Haven't we established that our new way of going about it is supposed to be having a structure that allows squad planning independent of the manager?

I am merely talking about communicating the decision, I am not talking about making it. I certainly hope and assume it has already been made, and the work is long since being done in the background.
If anything, the DoF and CEO are not even officially in the job yet so any work has to be done in the background anyway.
Waiting until after the season (since Ten Hag had still a job to do!) and then until some time after the Cup final to announce a managerial change is not by any standards a bad timing.

Is it helping anyone by letting it linger on? It's not respectful to the manager to let speculation run wild and hang him in a limbo. You are just adding fuel to the fire by letting the media, social media and the fans run wild with all kind of scenarios.

What is the ideal time to wait to announce the sacking, if it is indeed the way they have decided to go?
I do not see a much more ideal time to announce Ten Hag's sacking than in a few days, or a week or so. Sackings are not respectful to the manager per se, but in light of how poor this season was, Ten Hag can surely not complain since he was granted the entirety of the season and was allowed to fight, and win, for the FA Cup, and then allowed to stay in the trophy moment for a while. In that way, he paid back the leniency of not sacking him during the season with a great win and that is quite a good way of ending a tenure, isn't it?

The media constantly need clicks anyway, us fans want developments everyday, but that is not how the work is really supposed to go about, is it?
 
Ole kept us up in the league, but won no trophies. Ole outers claimed the first was luck (and still not good enough because points!) and use the second to beat him over the head.

EtH kept us up in the first season, had a bad second season due to injuries, and won two trophies anyway. EtH outers ignore the first, discount the injuries on the second, and ignore the trophies (oh, but thanks for the memories of those trophies!).

But hey, we can start a new project with a new manager, and things will get better, right?

If we dump EtH now, we'll be starting over for the 6th time since SAF. Somehow, it will be different this time, though. Because the available managers are better than EtH. And the football-controlling ownership is better now. And we have lots of players to sell so we can replace all of our holes. Did I miss anything?
How many of those managers have gone on to prove we were wrong to get rid of them?
 
Whether they sack Ten Hag or keep him I don't think much changes to be honest. Ineos, Berrada, Ashworth and Wilcox are taking over. They'll be conducting transfer business and setting the style of play.

Hopefully that rules out Tuchel and Southgate. Also means we might as well keep ETH
 
Hard to do that when you are on the treatment bench week after week! And we know already this squad has a very fragile mentality. That’s precisely why winning cups is important to build them up.
If the squad has a very fragile mentality, how did they win the cup while beating two very good teams?

So basically, the squad are a bunch of hopeless losers but the manager has incredible winning mentality. It’s once again we win because of manager, we lose because of players.
 
That’s okay. He’s perfectly valid in comparing Erik Ten Hag to Sir Alex Ferguson. What rational fan wouldn’t? The similarities are eerie.

Except you're comparing after the fact Saf to ETH .

Saf turned up here a very promising young Alec Ferguson . He'd done really well to win 2 Scottish titles and European trophy .

To say that you can't compare that guy to any that followed him is quite frankly ridiculous .

What all the hindsight experts want to do is pretend that Alec Ferguson started the job as United's greatest ever manager , Sir Alex

He wasn't that guy then and nobody knew he was that guy or was ever going to be that guy then . He was just Alec Ferguson struggling badly .

That's the guy to compare with
 
If the squad has a very fragile mentality, how did they win the cup while beating two very good teams?

So basically, the squad are a bunch of hopeless losers but the manager has incredible winning mentality. It’s once again we win because of manager, we lose because of players.

What are you trying to sell with this daft argument?

This place is getting ridiculous.
 
Hard to do that when you are on the treatment bench week after week! And we know already this squad has a very fragile mentality. That’s precisely why winning cups is important to build them up.

Winning the EFL cup last season sure did wonders to them.
 
It is not a farce. The decision was made to sack him after the season, and the end of the season has just about arrived. And since you do not want to sack your manager in the immediate days after a cup win (why would you?), they'll do it at some point in the coming days. What is the impatience?

I’m sorry but where exactly it was said that there was decision made to sack him? You’re basing this on the info from media outlets?
 
What does that say to you?

To me, it says that as a team, as a squad, as a club we are not at that level and must strive to improve. To others it’s says the manager is rubbish. It doesn’t mean that lifting a trophy is in anyway diminished.

So you are saying that squad wasn't good enough for anything better than last place in that CL group?
 
Hopefully that rules out Tuchel and Southgate. Also means we might as well keep ETH

That's the issue, and shows the names in the press are obviously made up. We are supposedly going in with a plan and a style of play yet the press are linking us with managers under every style imaginable. Ten Hag's contract is perfect for keeping him for a year whilst we sound out the next manager too.
 
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