Erik ten Hag | 2024/25

Erik ten Hag

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He makes a good point, but it leaves a bitter taste.
If we won everything playing absolute shit would it be better than winning nothing playing the most entertaining football ever seen?
Does glory trump entertainment?
Is football just about living vicariously?
 
AjaxCunian said:
Spouting nonsense that we've been the best performing team after City since his tenure, no team has won more trophies. Style of football is subjective, trophies is what's important.

This doesn't follow his ambition he came here with, he wanted to get United to play attractive, attacking football.

He's in his Ole-stage, speaking all sort of nonsense to protect himself. An United manager shouldn't speak in this way, should be sacked very soon.





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Just heard his press conference. He comes across as someone very defensive in his answers. The question was about league position and he blabbered about the trophy. Reminded me a lot of Jose. I feel there is a big rant coming from him if things start moving south.

I still don't think he is the guy to take us forward and doubt the board also are a big fan of him.
 
I really hope he stops using the cups as evidence of any progress or success, it's great that we've won them, but we haven't progressed as a team at all, and we are definitely not the 2nd best team in England in the past couple of years.

We finished 3rd in his 1st season, and we were supposed to close the gap in his second. If we accept that injuries were to blame for last season, it doesn't mean that for this one 4th would be progress. In theory we should be looking at getting closer to City and Arsenal, because he has now a much better squad than the one he had in his first year.

Anyway this is his last shot, he knows it, we know it, and no amount of injuries will change that this season. Either we start making significant improvements, or he's gone. In fact, I believe even top 4 might not be enough to save him if an opportunity to hire a top manager presents itself.

I'm ETH in, but I'm in no mood to entertain any bs excuses this season.
 
He needs to win tomorrow for me.

It'd just do a world of good going forward for everyone associated with the club. A loss and this season might be over before it started.

Even a draw is a disappointing result(unless we battered them and got very unlucky).
 
Art said:
A bit of a broken record isn’t he
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My hope is that he is just trying to shut the media up because he's realised the UK football media are awful.

There is no way he's oblivious to what a disaster last season was, surely.
 
I can't believe some of the comments I'm reading. People do realise this is EtH's third season right? We didn't just hire him? When is it OK to start judging him?
 
AjaxCunian said:
Spouting nonsense that we've been the best performing team after City since his tenure, no team has won more trophies. Style of football is subjective, trophies is what's important.

This doesn't follow his ambition he came here with, he wanted to get United to play attractive, attacking football.

He's in his Ole-stage, speaking all sort of nonsense to protect himself. An United manager shouldn't speak in this way, should be sacked very soon.





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The performances and progress has been crap so of course he’s going to ask everyone to focus on the two trophies as he’s accomplished nothing in terms of developing the collective.

Honestly I can’t take him too seriously anymore. I wanted him to succeed, badly, but just see him as an interim manager now. We’ll have someone else in charge next year.
 
We really goofed by keeping ten hag and his overinflated ego and low quality football. The only thing that will be sad about his sacking is the impact on Ruud.
 
I apologise if this comes off as a bit of a rant and I want to clarify I respect everyone's opinion, and I've been reading the caf for years and decided to join a few weeks back but this thread sometimes boils my blood.

What I don't understand is, so many seem to be looking at the short term. United, right now, under INEOS are playing the LONG GAME. Something every United fan agrees with; The Glazers. They have been the worst thing to happen to United. For TWO years, Ten Hag was operating under the Glazers.

Let's start from the beginning.

Season 1) Ten Hag becomes United manager. Inherits a squad of players that was made up of what, 4 previous managers? All who have different styles of playing. Ten Hag overachieved. He made an immediate impact. Won a cup. Everyone is delighted.
Season 2) Ronaldo creates a stir. Perhaps he was right and brave to speak out against the club so he could have his contract terminated. Ten Hag had to deal with the media turmoil and the dressing room turmoil of footballs biggest start causing drama. That issue is resolved, Ronaldo leaves. A few weeks later, United are up for sale. For months nobody knew what was going on. Every week he had to deal with and be careful in how he handled the media. He did not lose his head. United do awful in the League. We get to the FA Cup final and that week things get leaked. Talks he is going to get sacked. Imagine being in his shoes that week trying to win a cup final and thinking he could be sacked after winning it. On top of all this, he had an injury nightmare.

What did he do? He kept calm. He did not lose his head. Now tell me, is that a characteristic you want in a United manager? He wasn't sacked. Why? INEOS came to the conclusion there was nobody out there to replace him with that was any better.

Season 3) INEOS's first season where they have control. They backed Ten Hag with assistants he wanted. They rid of players he didn't want. They back him with signings he agreed with and/or wanted. Players he is familiar with. They evaluated their very own assessment of the entire football club. INEOS are building for the future. Yoro - a player that is quality but we can make better. Like Rooney, like Ronaldo. The UNITED WAY. INEOS did great business, 5 new quality signings and a clear-out of deadwood.

And you want to know something - it is going to take at least one more transfer window to clear out the shite of the last 4 managers.

Has Ten Hag made mistakes? Absolutely. He needs to work on his substitutions. I am not saying he is perfect.

My whole point of all this is - look at the long term. Forget about this is his third season. This is the first season without Glazer influence. Ten Hag has a style and this season it will be properly implanted.

The Glazer's we ALL gave out about, they have far less control of the football aspect of the club now. So treat this as Ten Hag's first season working under the structure of a proper run football club. Get behind him, get behind the team. United will be back on top at some point and hopefully it is sooner than we think but don't expect it too soon.
 
I wonder what would he do tomorrow?

I can see him going with 4231 but a defensive one, front 3 of Amad, Rashford and Garnacho with Bruno behind them, and Mainoo plus Cas as holding mids, with low or mid block, I see him keeping the same back 4 he started his first 2 games with, unless he goes for it and presses high up and all, let's see what he does tomorrow
 
ForeverRed1 said:
Sorting this shite show of a club out will take much much much longer than 3 years. Sorry there isn’t a magic wand that can be waved where we suddenly compete with a peak Man City and Real Madrid.. but it’s going to take a long time.

The club has been at one of its worst spots in its history, run into the ground and it’s been progressively getting worse and worse behind the scenes for long before fergie left.


ETH has had to deal with more than any manager I can remember in recent history. He’s over every back page this morning for a comment he made.. managing man united is pressure! Managing a struggling man united is beyond pressure. It’s a bloody difficult job that everyone thinks they can do better. They can’t, they haven’t yet, have they? (since fergie) he’s won two trophies. He’s working on it.



Saying that, he has to do much much better this season. We have to be in the mix for longer, we have to be competitive, play some nice football and be a champions league side by the end of the season. These should be the realistic measures.


this club won’t be winning major honours for a while yet, regardless of the manager.
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What are you talking about? I didn't expect a magic wand solution. I didn't expect a miracle. You're arguing against things that I didn't say.

Philosopher Ten Hag is not up to the task. That is the issue, not us being far away from challenging, winning and dominating.
 
AjaxCunian said:
Spouting nonsense that we've been the best performing team after City since his tenure, no team has won more trophies. Style of football is subjective, trophies is what's important.

This doesn't follow his ambition he came here with, he wanted to get United to play attractive, attacking football.

He's in his Ole-stage, speaking all sort of nonsense to protect himself. An United manager shouldn't speak in this way, should be sacked very soon.





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Agent ETH? I am sure this will provide extra motivation to the Scousers today.
 
Garnacho Libre said:
I apologise if this comes off as a bit of a rant and I want to clarify I respect everyone's opinion, and I've been reading the caf for years and decided to join a few weeks back but this thread sometimes boils my blood.

What I don't understand is, so many seem to be looking at the short term. United, right now, under INEOS are playing the LONG GAME. Something every United fan agrees with; The Glazers. They have been the worst thing to happen to United. For TWO years, Ten Hag was operating under the Glazers.

Let's start from the beginning.

Season 1) Ten Hag becomes United manager. Inherits a squad of players that was made up of what, 4 previous managers? All who have different styles of playing. Ten Hag overachieved. He made an immediate impact. Won a cup. Everyone is delighted.
Season 2) Ronaldo creates a stir. Perhaps he was right and brave to speak out against the club so he could have his contract terminated. Ten Hag had to deal with the media turmoil and the dressing room turmoil of footballs biggest start causing drama. That issue is resolved, Ronaldo leaves. A few weeks later, United are up for sale. For months nobody knew what was going on. Every week he had to deal with and be careful in how he handled the media. He did not lose his head. United do awful in the League. We get to the FA Cup final and that week things get leaked. Talks he is going to get sacked. Imagine being in his shoes that week trying to win a cup final and thinking he could be sacked after winning it. On top of all this, he had an injury nightmare.

What did he do? He kept calm. He did not lose his head. Now tell me, is that a characteristic you want in a United manager? He wasn't sacked. Why? INEOS came to the conclusion there was nobody out there to replace him with that was any better.

Season 3) INEOS's first season where they have control. They backed Ten Hag with assistants he wanted. They rid of players he didn't want. They back him with signings he agreed with and/or wanted. Players he is familiar with. They evaluated their very own assessment of the entire football club. INEOS are building for the future. Yoro - a player that is quality but we can make better. Like Rooney, like Ronaldo. The UNITED WAY. INEOS did great business, 5 new quality signings and a clear-out of deadwood.

And you want to know something - it is going to take at least one more transfer window to clear out the shite of the last 4 managers.

Has Ten Hag made mistakes? Absolutely. He needs to work on his substitutions. I am not saying he is perfect.

My whole point of all this is - look at the long term. Forget about this is his third season. This is the first season without Glazer influence. Ten Hag has a style and this season it will be properly implanted.

The Glazer's we ALL gave out about, they have far less control of the football aspect of the club now. So treat this as Ten Hag's first season working under the structure of a proper run football club. Get behind him, get behind the team. United will be back on top at some point and hopefully it is sooner than we think but don't expect it too soon.
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Everybody knows it will take time to get us back to the top. But time alone won’t do it - excellence is required. ETH hasn’t shown that yet. Two cups have shown that we are a decent cup side but league football and European football has shown that his coaching isn’t producing the desired impact. He has to show some excellence as a coach this season as excuses and the odd cup win can only take you so far. To be in the hot seat of one of the big biggest clubs in the world you can’t still be making excuses by season 3.
 
He just has no charisma or people skills. I used to give him the benefit of the doubt and think he was a tactical nerd like Tuchel but seriously doubt he's even that.

I find him quite irritating these days. Never felt that way even in the final days of Ole, Jose, LvG etc. Moyes was a bit of an irritating character but it was so long ago that I can't remember clearly.
 
Dannn411 said:
Its not Ten Hag's third game is it? It's Ten Hag's 118th game not counting pre-season games. He needs to win tomorrow. It's that simple. Don't care what the club structure is or isn't. A good coach is a good coach no matter the circumstances. Can't keep making excuses.
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Exactly. It’s his third season here. We’ve spent an absolute fortune in that period and are already 3 points behind Liverpool. We NEED to win this.

No need to pretend he’s just arrived. This is a manager who survived last year much to everyone’s surprise. He has to win the fans and club back over and change their minds over his perceived lack of quality.
 
One of the things that annoy me the most about managers is when they speak with arrogance that does not have basis in reality or their own achievements. Moyes had that in spades, and was one of the primary reasons I could not stand him. ETH appears to have it in spades as well.
 
You are reasonably happy with the window, have new optimism for the season, then you hear ETH's interview and it all comes crashing down. Becomes blindingly obvious again that he is not the right man for the job. Bragging about two mickey mouse cup wins ignoring our horrible performances and positions in the league and the champions league. It's very disheartening.

The first step towards improvement is the acceptance of your mistakes. This guy has become more arrogant and more bold in his nonsensical statements.

I see a lot of people praising the "consensus building" for the signing of Ugarte, but to me it suggests that he doesn't value midfield play. How the midfield played and the team set-up last season was fine for him. Going into the season with McTom and Amrabat as two of our midfield options would have been batshit crazy. However, Ten Hag sees nothing wrong with it.

Nothing regarding the style of play is going to change. The hope is that with better players and some more luck we are able to eek out some more +ve results. Also, doubt that he is going to rotate much either. He'll again go full strength in the cup competitions and run the main players into the ground.
 
AjaxCunian said:
Spouting nonsense that we've been the best performing team after City since his tenure, no team has won more trophies. Style of football is subjective, trophies is what's important.

This doesn't follow his ambition he came here with, he wanted to get United to play attractive, attacking football.

He's in his Ole-stage, speaking all sort of nonsense to protect himself. An United manager shouldn't speak in this way, should be sacked very soon.





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Not surprised tbh. Ego the size of Everest with the ability of a Championship level manager. Will promptly be fired this season and bounce around maybe one or two other top 5 leagues before being found out over there and never coaching at the top level again.
 
According to the Athletic, he wasn't willing to let McTominay go for Ugarte, and wanted to just sign Amrabat instead. He needed convincing by the new guys.

Am I glad this guy isn't in charge of that anymore. :lol:
 
Top_Bins said:
He makes a good point, but it leaves a bitter taste.
If we won everything playing absolute shit would it be better than winning nothing playing the most entertaining football ever seen?
Does glory trump entertainment?
Is football just about living vicariously?
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Which group of football fans do you think enjoyed going to the stadium, tuning in on TV and talking about football with friends more over the past 2 years Arsenal fans or United fans? There’s your answer.

I mean the whole „football is about winning trophies“ quote might be true for players and their short careers, but you cannot transfer it to lifelong fans. A majority of the clubs don’t ever win anything and fans don’t switch them like players. Do you think Brighton supporters haven’t enjoyed themselves since 1911 when the club last won a major trophy? I’m pretty sure most Brighton fans are thrilled with the development of their club over the last years and the football on display.
 
Telsim said:
According to the Athletic, he wasn't willing to let McTominay go for Ugarte, and wanted to just sign Amrabat instead. He needed convincing by the new guys.

Am I glad this guy isn't in charge of that anymore. :lol:
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Many of us have been saying it since the start of last season but he has no idea how to construct a competitive midfield. The Athletic article only underlines that. His assessment on all 3 players was misguided and he went balls to the wall to ensure Mason Mount made it here last summer. Alarm bells should be going off.

It's bad enough when you have a manager who is incompetent but it's even worse when they're arrogant. His responses to the questions rightfully being posed to him about the standards and expectations for this season were pure delusion and his attitude isn't going to endear him to anyone with any doubts. I'm astounded the new structure kept him on, he's already bleating away like a mad man.
 
Ten hag seems highly insecure, like a man who knows he is one wrong step away from everything collapsing. Clinging on to a few cup wins is not the hallmark of a successful Manchester United manager. His team still lacks cohesiveness, authority and decisiveness. There are clear holes in patterns of play and winning mentality. No matter how much he moans will change that observation.

It looks like the Manchester United job might be swallowing him up like a whirlpool. The media attention and demands are something he hasn't encountered before but that's the nature of the beast. Go out there and prove you have what it takes to construct a winning side.

They have given him the required tools and I believe if he doesn't step up, he will be sent packing. Ten Hag needs to understand, Manchester United is a revered club and repeating the club's failure isn't going to elevate his own.

His lack of charisma is also an issue. I'm not sure if it is a language barrier but he can't seen to get that extra tune out of the players. He sounds more prickly and the roof seems to be caving in. Talk less and do more on the pitch.
 
Aside from his inability to create a decent team that plays decent football, it's his pressers that really wind me up. He's like a politician who constantly spins his own narrative to deflect accountability and the truth. His standards are poor and he's generally very deluded and out of his depth. He has IMO 3-4 months to get this team playing way well, looking like top 4 contenders, and performing in the cups. He's only kept his job because of 1 result. I don't like him, I don't trust him, but I'll give him this one last chance.

However, with Safegate now out of work, I'm going to start having nightmares about what the future really might look like.
 
moses said:
Firstly it's not anything but a contractual obligation that few of them like. Also its not literal. Most of it is to distract from reality and change the talking points.
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It's part of the parcel of modern football. The best managers should be able to navigate them without cracking up at some pretty simple questions.

I would also argue that the manager of a football club of this stature should be aiming not to sound like an obstinate dickhead when asked these questions. It's not unreasonable to ask for improvement after a terrible season of football last year. He's been extremely fortunate to keep his job so a little introspection wouldn't go amiss.
 
CM said:
It's part of the parcel of modern football. The best managers should be able to navigate them without cracking up at some pretty simple questions.

I would also argue that the manager of a football club of this stature should be aiming not to sound like an obstinate dickhead when asked these questions. It's not unreasonable to ask for improvement after a terrible season of football last year. He's been extremely fortunate to keep his job so a little introspection wouldn't go amiss.
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Only you and tabloid journalists give a toss. It doesn't matter. You seem overly invested in feck all.
 
moses said:
Only you and tabloid journalists give a toss. It doesn't matter. You seem overly invested in feck all.
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I'm invested in us being a good football team. We are not.
 
Back to Ten Hag. It’s his third season. Look how quick it took Ange, Emery and Howe to implement a clear and defined attacking style of play with players that were still at the club.

He is on thin ice. If he can’t coach the ‘game model’ that Wilcox and Ashworth want, he’s gone.
 
Who's Kissing Cameras? said:
Back to Ten Hag. It’s his third season. Look how quick it took Ange, Emery and Howe to implement a clear and defined attacking style of play with players that were still at the club.

He is on thin ice. If he can’t coach the ‘game model’ that Wilcox and Ashworth want, he’s gone.
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Look at the player turnover though. Nobody is applying anything without the tools to do it. If that amount of rotation was needed it highlights the issues.

Posters here slag off the players, then slag off the manager for not not being able to make the same players into a great team.

We bemoan the Glazers and call us a joke of a club yet still expect manager to do miracles.
 
People say he's 'negotiating the interviews' but to me, he seems to actually believe his own nonsense. I think he genuinely thinks he's done really well winning the second most trophies after City. I think he's completely serious when he says that we've progressed.

I believe we'll have to endure a very tough season with some heavy defeats and awful performances in most matches. I also think we'll dither until it's mathematically impossible to get top 4 and we're out of Europe before taking any action. If we're still in any cups at that point then he'll stay longer.

Gone by next season though for sure, and many questions will be asked about why exactly he was allowed to stay so long.
 
moses said:
Only you and tabloid journalists give a toss. It doesn't matter. You seem overly invested in feck all.
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I’m with you on this. Manager interviews mean absolutely nothing in the scheme of things.

Pundits and media just love to find some story in them, managers main job is to navigate them as blandly as possible or use them to take the focus off their team.

I can’t believe many actually take everything
managers say publically as gospel , less so how media/punidts/papers twist it.

Headline could be something like : “ETH defends Anthony” but he drops him from the starting team . Some fans “oh my god, he can’t see how bad he is, he just refuses to see it.”.
 
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