I'm content.
It's not news to celebrate over, because there is no excuse for 8th and negative goal difference, and some of his decisions, particularly surrounding selection and in game tactics or substitutions have left a huge amount to be desired.
He'll have to go a long ways to get us all back onside, but unlike some - I don't think the idea of that happening is completely impossible. For the time being, I'm going to try and focus on the positives:
The decision has been made before the transfer window opens in a couple of days. Any negotiations can now be made and finalised with complete transparency regarding who's in place for the start of the season.
We haven't identified and recruited a new head coach before the senior hierarchy are in place and settled. I was really worried about the idea of replacing such a key component before a cohesive organisational structure and vision was installed. It just felt short sighted and messy - especially when looking at the standard and characteristics of the candidates being spoken about.
It isn't Southgate, Pochettino, Tuchel or Potter - all of whom I truly believe would've just been another disaster. Any serious coaches weren't coming to us this summer, and simply replacing Ten Hag with someone equally bad to make a point just feels pointless and counterproductive. Stabilise and organise the club behind the scenes over the course of this coming season, and if we haven't progressed as far as we like on the pitch, we should at least be in a better position to attract stronger candidates next summer.
Ten Hag has developed players. Garnacho, Mainoo, Dalot and Hojlund have all come on well under his guidance. McTominay and Amad as well to lesser extents. He's shown a willingness to invest in youth and has the guts them to give them significant exposure to the first team when other coaches wouldn't have them anywhere near.
He has shown a winning instinct in the latter stages of cups and in finals. Obviously this means little if we are grossly underperforming in the league and Europe, but it does suggest that if he can hit his groove in the more important competitions, there is a winner there who can get over the line when it counts.
I would wager that a part of this review, his end of season discussions and these reported new contract discussions, have included conversations about his involvement in transfers and his stubbornness when it comes to tactics and selections. I don't believe the club would be keeping him in his role, or considering a new contract, if he was putting his foot down in regards to what powers and "veto's" he might wield. I think we began to see that evolution towards the end of the season, and I hope/think we'll see more signs of it in August and September.
Sancho won't be weaselling his way back into the squad, which would've really pissed me off.
So again - not news to celebrate in any way. He'll be starting the season on the chopping block, regardless of any new contract and will know that anything like the standards shown last year will see him gone before Christmas. On that note, the management above him will need to make it abundantly clear to any squad members who might feel that Ten Hag is on ice, so too are they and anyone not getting with the program will not simply be allowed to wait out the coach and start their cycle of dialling it in afresh again. We need to create and instil a culture wherein coaches and players are simply executers of a bigger plan and picture. Do your part and you'll get along - fail to do so and you'll be replaced with someone else who can, regardless of your status and reputation.
