Manchester United head coach Erik ten Hag is still in limbo at the club and has yet to make a decision about his future. It looked like the Dutchman would be sacked towards the end of the season, but the stunning FA Cup final defeat to Manchester City might have spared the former Ajax boss the sack.
It is understood United investor Sir Jim Ratcliffe, who controls football operations at Old Trafford, could move from Ten Hag as Ineos Group began reviewing the club’s strategy last week. The Manchester Evening News understands Ineos has been analyzing potential replacements, with a well-placed source telling the MEN in February that Ratcliffe is ‘not completely sold’ on Ten Hag.
Despite the FA Cup victory, it was a bitterly disappointing season overall for United, finishing eighth after a Champions League group stage finish that ended with the club bottom of Group A.
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Here, the men has had his say with writers debating whether Ten Hag should stay at United or leave the club…
Kieran King
Despite winning the FA Cup, ending a miserable season on a high, United should sack Ten Hag. Although the Dutchman has faced off-field concerns including Jadon Sancho, Cristiano Ronaldo and uncertainty over a takeover, finishing eighth with a club record Premier League loss (14) is inexcusable.
United would be better off sacking Ten Hag and rebuilding with someone like Mauricio Pochettino, who has experience of working with young players and improving a club’s fortunes, as he did with Chelsea. That, together with Sir Jim Ratcliffe and INEOS overhauling their football operations, would give United a huge boost.
Isaac Johnson
The fact that a decision has yet to be made about Erik ten Hag’s future shows that this is a close call. There are other options, including Mauricio Pochettino, who was one of the candidates before Ten Hag was given the nod in 2022.
Comments that will not have helped the current manager’s case include his blaming the former hierarchy for overpaying for transfers. It hardly paints an all-in-it-together picture, which is the atmosphere Sir Jim Ratcliffe is trying to create.
Two trophy wins have to count for something, as do two victories over Manchester City and Liverpool during his tenure – but United lost to Bournemouth and Nottingham Forest in their worst Premier League season, and were almost embarrassed by Championship side Coventry in the FA Cup semi-finals. Ratcliffe has thrown down the gauntlet and replaced the board with a long-term elite force. It does not appear that Ten Hag is at that level after two years of evidence.
Olivier Jones
Sir Jim Ratcliffe and his INEOS team really have a big decision to make. This isn’t just about the future of Erik ten Hag, it’s about the future of Manchester United.
I think it would be a great shame to let the Dutchman go after a strong two-year spell in the Old Trafford dugout. Despite last season’s shaky results, Europa League football was secured with the dramatic FA Cup final win over rivals Manchester City and for many it was a lifeline for Ten Hag.
But his impressive results the previous season, a successful Carabao Cup run and a third-place finish in the Premier League, showed he can get results with the right players at his disposal. The transfer ideology may need to be rethought, but Ten Hag has already proven to be a great manager when needed, and firing him for the unknown could be the wrong decision.
Keifer McDonald
Barcelona, Bayern Munich and Chelsea have all made their choices, but Manchester United appear to be in limbo when it comes to Erik ten Hag’s future as manager. The Dutchman has had a complicated two-year reign at Old Trafford and before last month’s FA Cup final against Manchester City it appeared that regardless of the outcome, he would part ways with the club shortly after the final whistle.
However, that has not been the case and in the days following that impressive 2-1 win over Pep Guardiola’s side, the radio silence from new Old Trafford chiefs INEOS seems to indicate that Ten Hag could be given one last chance to impress dealing with a third season at the helm. And judging by United’s performance against Wembley, which was led by youngsters Alejandro Garnacho and Kobbie Mainoo – two youngsters who have done well under Ten Hag – the Dutchman may deserve one last chance to tackle the managerial hoodoo of Old Trafford. breaking through.
Tom Coley
The fact that no decision has yet been made about Ten Hag’s future seems to say a lot, and is honestly quite refreshing. While no one can argue that he has done a good job for the team, there are also questions hanging over his head.
If Ineos and Sir Jim Radcliffe think they can provide a better foundation for Ten Hag to build on, then allowing this summer and one last chance for the manager is a decision that has been more thought through than most players have worked on at United in recent years.
Tyrone Marshall
It’s now 12 days since United lifted the FA Cup at Wembley and we still don’t know whether Erik ten Hag will stay or leave. Ineos promised a thorough end-of-season review after that surprise triumph under the arch, but this is starting to feel less like a detailed process and more like dithering.
Earlier this week it was expected that an announcement could come by the end of the week, one way or another. For now we have to wait.
Ten Hag will want a decision on his future sooner or later and transfer targets and players thinking about their future also need clarity. United need to deliver on that and plan for next season, rather than looking in the rear-view mirror.
The longer it goes on, the stronger the feeling remains that United may be leaning towards keeping Ten Hag. If he does stay, a new contract should be on the table and a change in job title is also a possibility. Whether Ten Hag is willing to agree to the conditions remains to be seen.
Either way, the clock is ticking and Ineos must look forward and not back.
George Smith
I have stood behind Erik ten Hag’s corner throughout this uncertain period and I will continue to do so on this occasion. The Dutchman battled through an unprecedented injury crisis in the 2023/24 season that directly contributed to a sub-par Premier League season.
Winning the FA Cup was an unexpected success for Ten Hag, but one that proved he is still capable of getting a tune out of this side. Ineos’ hesitation about a decision suggests that they still believe that.
If they wanted to change something, they would have done it by now, right? It’s almost two weeks since final season plans and pre-season will kick off before you know it – the start of the transfer window is also just eight days away.
Isaac Seelochan
Ten Hag deserves more respect because the success of his first season has been completely forgotten after a campaign in which he faced a huge injury crisis. Those wondering why United conceded so many shots in the 23/24 season need only look at the many centre-back combinations Ten Hag has had to field, with midfielders like Casemiuro deployed there.
However, despite the trophy-winning success, there has been no clear playing style after two seasons in charge, and injuries are no excuse for that. Ten Hag may have had to put out fires in his second season in charge, but a clearer identity on the field will have given him more room to maneuver.
United’s problems are often wrongly labeled by Ten Hag, but his biggest mistake is that he cannot let United play with a clear identity. I have serious doubts whether the Dutchman will be able to change that next season, so I think a fresh start is needed.
What the experts said
There has been so much talk about Ten Hag’s future lately, with United legends Wayne Rooney And Roy Keane have their say. Even a darts sensation Lucas Kleineran avid United fan who was recently crowned the competition’s Premier League winner has given his verdict.
“I want him to stay whatever happens, even if we lose (the FA Cup final),” Littler said. “If you look at the lineage of managers we’ve had, like Louis van Gaal, who won the FA Cup and was sacked after one season, I think Jose Mourinho is the only one who’s had two to three years. David Moyes, he only had ten months.
“So I think we should keep him because we get these managers for a year or two and they don’t do anything. So if we give them time, things can change.
“I like what he’s doing, just give him time. Give him next season and if he doesn’t do it, let him go.”
Rooney agrees and recently said that Ten Hag should stay at United and blamed the selection team. “If you lose games the way they lose games, big questions are going to be asked,” he said.
“Personally, I hope they give him time. There are a lot of problems with recruitment, things haven’t been going well for a few years. I hope he gets the time to do well.” But we saw it in 2016 when Van Gaal lost his job, so you never know.”
Keane also believes Ten Hag deserves a third year at United, adding: “The experienced players haven’t done enough, there have been too many injuries and I appreciate where he has come from. Defensively the injuries have been huge – a huge injury.” setback.
“You still process all that, but you look at the record, the number of games they’ve lost, the goals they’ve conceded, the lack of goals they’ve scored, their position in the league, minus two or three goals , all.” these things are not pretty to look at. But you hope he gets another chance in the summer.
“They need to look for four or five world-class players. They need a few centre-backs, a few strikers, someone in midfield. It’s a long way back for this football club.”