A club icon has called Erik ten Hag’s style of play “kamikaze,” and Manchester United have reportedly narrowed their managerial search down to two candidates this summer. Speculation is heating up that ten Hag will be let go this summer.
In the first season under the Dutchman’s leadership, Manchester United achieved great achievements, returning to the Champions League after missing out on the previous two seasons, and making it to two cup finals. However, following a rather lacklustre campaign, their prospects of replicating that victory this time are rapidly diminishing.
United presently sit eleven points behind Tottenham, who hold the fourth and last (as of this writing) spot in the Champions League, after 12 losses in 31 Premier League matches played this season. Even though Ten Hag has a chance to make it to the FA Cup final for the second year in a row if they beat Championship team Coventry at Wembley next Sunday, rumours that the Dutchman is on his way out are growing.
In fact, back in March, TEAMtalk was the first to report that many senior players at Old Trafford think the Dutchman will be fired after the current season ends.
Numerous newspapers have replicated our work since then, with the Daily Mail and Manchester Evening News (the latter of which must be more circumspect) both reiterating those assertions in the days that followed.
After Sunday’s 2-2 draw with Liverpool at Old Trafford, in which they claimed a draw but were heavily criticised for their performance, those claims have now seemed to reach a fever pitch.
United star pulls no punches as rumours of Ten Hag’s sack escalate.
Gary Neville characterised Sunday’s performance as the kind of showing that may lead to a manager’s dismissal, as United have outrageously let in 90 shots in their three matches against their Merseyside rivals this season.
Rio Ferdinand, another famous United alum, has spoken up about the risky methods Ten Hag used on Sunday, expressing concern that this strategy would not last.
“The manager came out before and was saying ‘if anyone can’t see the style of play then I don’t know what you’re looking at,’ and basically ‘we have got a style of play,'” Ferdinand remarked on his Vibe with Five broadcast. I can’t help but stare at him and wonder, “What is it?” every time he acts suspiciously, but I always choose to believe him.
After the game, I told him that if kamikaze, open sesame, no control over the game football is our style, he’s got it beat and is playing an excellent game.
You might say that’s because of the injuries we’ve suffered; nevertheless, many teams deal with similar situations and continue to play the kind of football they were aiming for. This kind of frantic, unpredictable football isn’t Ten Hag’s style, in my opinion.
Ferdinand thinks Ten Hag’s tactics with Casemiro and Kobbie Mainoo, his centre midfielders, while the ball is out of play have only made matters worse, and he is adamant that it reflects poorly on the manager.
“When the tactics are that way, it’s like watching Casemiro play his worst game—for all his wins and greatness, he’ll look like a different player,” he continued.
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At times, another midfielder is twenty yards distant in that middle, and the game is open transitional play with large gaps surrounding him. Just like Kobbie Mainoo, whose mobility is one of his poorest attributes, that never happened at Real Madrid, so you do things with structure, so you don’t see it.
“Sometimes, it makes them look worse because we’re doing things that show you their worst trait.”
Reports indicate that United’s minority shareholder Sir Jim Ratcliffe has had many in-depth discussions on potential successors to Ten Hag in the event that he is really let go. As a result, speculation around Ten Hag’s future is gaining significant momentum.
Reporter Ben Jacobs claims that two men—Gareth Southgate and Julian Nagelsmann—will be the targets of that investigation.
Zinedine Zidane is a third potential candidate, but Jacobs told Givemesport that he does not believe the legendary Frenchman would be handed the position.
The fact that Dan Ashworth was Southgate’s assistant at the FA is where the ties to Gareth Southgate originate. According to him, Julian Nagelsmann is among the candidates who aspires to return to club football.
While Zinedine Zidane’s name will almost surely appear on the succession planning list, it is no guarantee that she will receive any kind of communication or job offer from the organisation. It only signifies that you are a member of a list of names that may be explored.
“Then, that list will be reduced in the event that a modification is implemented.”
It would be intriguing to watch which one they choose, but TEAMtalk insiders have confirmed that Southgate would be interested in the position if given the chance.
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