Erik ten Hag | 2022/23 & 2023/24

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Whilst I don't really support him staying, there was also no manager that we were linked to that makes me disappointed he staying either, in fact almost relieved at this point as McKenna and Poch were the only ones that you could convince yourself might workout had already been ruled out.

At least Ten Hag will have better people running things next season, knows that he needs to up it massively, and is clearly backs himself to do it.
 
We need to back the manager now, not the outcome a lot wanted, I was on the fence, but with a stable environment and proper support structure I'm hoping for better things.
 
Nicoseth said:
But you understand that having him start the season with one year left on his contract doesn't work, right? It would be like INEOS saying "we're sticking with you but we're not convinced". ETH would be working under almost impossible circumstances. He loses a couple of games and the knives will be out. This contract gives him and the club security.
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Because nobody already thinks that considering the club held talks with multiple managers and all.
 
The fact he beat Liverpool (who had assumed they were dead certs to go through) and then City in the final (who had assumed they were guaranteed to win) sealed the deal for me. Very rare to beat both of them in one cup run nowadays.
 
Kag said:
The mythical manager doesn’t exist.

These guys we’re discussing, and I include Ten Hag, will carousel around the tops clubs and have ups and downs. In another world, we sack Ten Hag in April, he takes the Bayern job and wins a Bundesliga in the next twelve months. Tuchel may well have come here and had a good spell, probably followed by a bad one.

Ultimately, I think INEOS have looked at the options and, in the absence of clarity, have decided to follow the path of it’s the better the devil you know. All quite undignified, mind you.

I think what they do to overhaul the playing squad over the next year is going to have a far greater impact on our fortunes than the manager they choose.
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I agree - he doesn't exist, and that's largely my point. Succesful clubs navigate this all the time yet still act decisively. They settle on a new manager who they think has potential and if he doesn't, they move on.

If they've looked at him, evaluated his performance and think he's going to take us forward, fair enough. I might not agree but I'll support that decision. My concern is that if (as seems to be being alleged) they've previously concluded he's not good enough, nothing substantial has (or should have) changed that. It smacks of inability to make a proper decision and commit to it. That doesn't bode well at all.

Recruitment is obviously massively important but this is where the questions come again. Ten Hag clearly wants to play a certain way. As such he must be having a say on who comes in, and there's a risk he brings in players the next manager doesn't want. If he's not and he's going to get what he's given then he's not going to succeed anyway and the decision becomes all the more baffling.

INEOS had a free hit here if they'd sacked him because nobody would have criticised them. Now, if he fails, he's their mess. Interesting to see how it pans out.
 
croadyman said:
Yeah I wouldn't give him a contract extension unless he proves able to meet certain conditions
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Only a new contract with a hugely performance incentivized pay would make sense.

He loses 20% of his salary for every position he finishes below 3rd. Gains 20% for every position above. Option to sack if he's ever more than 5 points away from top 4 with no payout.

Those would be the sort of terms I'd be looking to get him into.
 
croadyman said:
Wish we could have got the balance right between manager and owners involvement, presumably you wanted Qatari's to take over if you are calling INEOS stupid then
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I just wanted an owner who was 1. competent and 2. invested in the club and in developing all aspects of the club.

Since the Qataris couldnt put their money where their mouths were, and Glazers put off any competent bidders with their asking price, we were left with Ineos Sport. Who are shite, as evidenced by everything they've not achieved till now.
 
RedRover said:
INEOS had a free hit here if they'd sacked him because nobody would have criticised them. Now, if he fails, he's their mess. Interesting to see how it pans out.
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Seeing as our fans view domestic cups as amazing achievements, probably not true. I'm still 100% convinced he would not have stayed had we lost this one game of football.
 
Rista said:
I'm still 100% convinced he would not have stayed had we lost this one game of football.
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I'm 100% sure he would not have stayed had Tuchel been willing to accept whatever terms Ineos put in front of him.
 
Well, so be it. I would have to assume it's on a short leash. If they're losing EL group stage games and not performing in the PL, I think he'll be gone by the end of October. If they're top of the group and in the top 4 conversation, he'll be given an extension by Boxing Day.
 
Amir said:
So, either ETH wins the league or Southgate comes in and does really well. And one of the people interviewed will be going down in folklore.
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The guy calling him a clown seems like the biggest clown going. Support the team and manager or support someone els
 
Rista said:
Seeing as our fans view domestic cups as amazing achievements, probably not true. I'm still 100% convinced he would not have stayed had we lost this one game of football.
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Ye but that one game made his record look better than most managers could dream of. 2 trophy’s in 2 years when we won nothing in 6 before is big. Just need to improve the league position.
 
If Ten Hag thinks he has any negotiating power when it comes to recruitment control he's more delusional than I thought. Just be grateful you've kept your job mate.
 
Nicoseth said:
But you understand that having him start the season with one year left on his contract doesn't work, right? It would be like INEOS saying "we're sticking with you but we're not convinced". ETH would be working under almost impossible circumstances. He loses a couple of games and the knives will be out. This contract gives him and the club security.
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True. I’m happy he’s staying but on the other side if he fails this season and we decide to get rid then it’s gonna cost a lot more as he’s just extended his contract.
 
Oranges038 said:
Finally, it's settled. It was the right decision for me to keep him. Third year, let's see some progress next season.

This summers recruitment will be a big factor in determining how next season goes. More pace in rest defence and a midfielder with legs that work and I can see his crazy style working once the forwards stop giving the ball away cheaply.
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Yep, you sum it up nicely.
 
DJ_21 said:
Ye but that one game made his record look better than most managers could dream of. 2 trophy’s in 2 years when we won nothing in 6 before is big. Just need to improve the league position.
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That's not a small thing and isn't a given, considering the fact we were pretty bad for most of last season's matches.

Keeping a manager because he won two trophies in two years is the sort of thing I'd expect Woodward to do because it's very superficial. The question is whether ETH can really take us forward in terms of style and results in the bigger competitions. I hope INEOS have had the ability to look under the surface as well.
 
NLunited said:
Yep, you sum it up nicely.
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Can you imagine how much City would get hit on the break if they had slow lumps like Casemiro in midfield and Maguire/Lindelof or Evans at the back?

Recovery pace in defence and midfield is crucial to how he wants to play, for me that should be the are that is focused on solidifying. Midfielders and defenders that are technically good enough and have pace and aggression to cover the ground and stop counters.
 
RedSky said:
The new deal is ridiculous. Just let him stay on, there's no need to give him a new deal. You're just burning money we don't have.
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Any new deal would remove his power of veto over new transfers. Can't implement a new football model at the club with Dan ashworth trying to get transfers over the line only for ETH to veto them.
 
DJ_21 said:
The guy calling him a clown seems like the biggest clown going. Support the team and manager or support someone els
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I support the club. We've existed long before ETH and will continue to exist long after him.
 
Amir said:
That's not a small thing and isn't a given, considering the fact we were pretty bad for most of last season's matches.

Keeping a manager because he won two trophies in two years is the sort of thing I'd expect Woodward to do because it's very superficial. The question is whether ETH can really take us forward in terms of style and results in the bigger competitions. I hope INEOS have had the ability to look under the surface as well.
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We was crying out for trophies before ETH came in. He’s a winner. Woodward sacked managers that created a toxic dressing room/lost the players Etc. ETH still clearly has the backing of the players. That’s the big difference here. I genuinely believe with a more fully fit squad last season we’d have never finished 8th. I’d like to see the stats when we have our first choice 11 playing and how many we won/lost compared to a mixed 11 with a made up defence every game.
 
Big Ben Foster said:
I support the club. We've existed long before ETH and will continue to exist long after him.
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Still deserves the backing though after delivering an FA cup. People are thinking that trophy isn’t big in England or something. Fergie went through the same sort of season, won the FA cup got the faith and backing from the owners and went on to become successful. History will repeat itself… impatient fans are the worse.
 
Rolaholic said:
Agreed on all counts here but I just hope that the health of the squad miraculously turns around as so many seem to believe so that we can see what a fit side can do.

Given what was on show the few times the team was relatively healthy, I can't say I expect much of a difference but that's the only potential silver lining I can see here even though injuries are absolutely part of the game for everybody.

I also hope the club manage to be decisive in the market for a change and really address key needs for the club long term rather than wasting time in the summer trying to buy exactly who the manager wants.

Hope we get news of outgoings to wasn't his over soon too
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There's got to be some level of accountability here as well mate. You go in a season with Shaw, Varane, Martial, Eriksen, Mount and even Licha - hoping them to be 100% then you will of course be let down.
 
Matt851 said:
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Surely wilcox isn't going to be deciding on the tactics either
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Ye it’s clearly made up, otherwise what’s the point in having a manager/head coach. He may aswell be in charge of the team. They won’t take away the tactics and stuff from ETH it will mainly be the transfers that gets took away from him.
 
DJ_21 said:
We was crying out for trophies before ETH came in. He’s a winner. Woodward sacked managers that created a toxic dressing room/lost the players Etc. ETH still clearly has the backing of the players. That’s the big difference here. I genuinely believe with a more fully fit squad last season we’d have never finished 8th. I’d like to see the stats when we have our first choice 11 playing and how many we won/lost compared to a mixed 11 with a made up defence every game.
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We were crying out for trophies.

We were also crying out for having a clear, modern, style of play.

We were also crying out for seeing progress year by year.

Trophies are great, but the League Cup and FA Cup are only good enough if they are stepping stones to better things. And that's unlikely to happen when we play so terribly for most of the season and still have no clear style of play to build on.

That's actually my main worry. Trophies - great. League position - crap. But not having any idea of how we're supposed to play two years in...
 
MyOnlySolskjaer said:
There's got to be some level of accountability here as well mate. You go in a season with Shaw, Varane, Martial, Eriksen, Mount and even Licha - hoping them to be 100% then you will of course be let down.
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Wasn’t Martínez injury free the first season? He got a really bad injury at some point and since then he’s become injury prone. Agree with Shaw, Varane and Martial though. You expect them to miss more than half the season which should have been addressed over a year ago.
 
Amir said:
We were crying out for trophies.

We were also crying out for having a clear, modern, style of play.

We were also crying out for seeing progress year by year.

Trophies are great, but the League Cup and FA Cup are only good enough if they are stepping stones to better things. And that's unlikely to happen when we play so terribly for most of the season and still have no clear style of play to build on.

That's actually my main worry. Trophies - great. League position - crap. But not having any idea of how we're supposed to play two years in...
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Any thought on the injury’s affecting the style of play? We had a clear game plan in the FA cup final. Our 2nd goal was beautiful play from beautiful passing. We also can’t say that we’re not going to improve next season until we’re like 10 games in or something. An injury free team plus new additions and I think we’ll be in a much better place playing much better football. Just my opinion.
 
Adnan said:
Good post Bastian.

I completely agree and for me ten Hag has absolutely got to play his default strategy which is to dominate all phases of play. He's said several times about wanting to play out from the back and dominate the game. And contrary to what is being said on here, his tactical ideas will work with the correct profile of players imo. So it's imperative those players are brought to the club and it's in positions in deeper midfield and at CB that will potentially have a huge impact on creating the conditions for the type of football he wants to play.

The target next season will have to be to finish in the top 4 and take further steps towards playing a proactive brand of football where building play from the back through the thirds, and pressing high as a collective unit, whilst having a strong rest defense to thwart opposition transitions is an absolute requirement. And the positions which will have the biggest impact on creating the aforementioned dynamic are the CBs and deeper midfielders, because those positions are absolutely crucial in controlling the game in possession and also out of possession. Those positions are absolutely open for ten Hag to upgrade and we of course will expect ten Hag to deliver along with the club to deliver in bringing the 3 or 4 players which are required at CB and in midfield.

If ten Hag fails or the club fails to get him the right players, then ten Hag will be gone regardless because INEOS aren't going to sack themselves.
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Yeah, sums up my stance too. Like I said elsewhere, I hope the first acquisition this summer is RCB for the first XI. And then an aggressive process in clearing the squad. I'm doubtful as to how well that will work, with Eriksen, Maguire, Lindelof, AWB and Donny all in the last year of contract. But I'd like to see it happen. We need at least 4-5 players and wide forwards or 100m players are not really realistic at the moment, depending of course if we do make a big decision on someone like Rashford.
 
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