June 12 – If numerous reports were anything to go by, it was one of football’s open secrets. Yet the secret has suddenly been turned on its head.
Erik ten Hag will, after all, remain as manager of Manchester United following a post-season review. The club are now apparently even considering extending his contract.
Despite winning the FA Cup against league champions Manchester City, it was widely reported that the Dutchman would be losing his job.
United finished eighth in the table – their lowest position in the Premier League era – and failed to qualify for Europe, seemingly ending Ten Hag’s tenure. But the new hierarchy have clearly had a change of heart.
Former Bayern Munich and Chelsea boss Thomas Tuchel is reported to have spoken to new United co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe but ruled himself out of the running while the club’s interest in Mauricio Pochettino cooled even though he was available after his exit from Chelsea.
In his debut season Ten Hag, who took over in the summer of 2022, led the club to third place in the Premier League. He won his first trophy as United boss in February 2023 when they lifted the League Cup.
Last season proved more difficult, including an early exit from the Champions League and various highly publicised off-the-field spats with individual players.
But more silverware was added to the trophy cabinet at the end of the campaign with the FA Cup which seems to have ultimately saved Ten Hag’s bacon.
But only just. Football is a game of fine margins and throwing away a three-goal lead in the semi-final against Championship side Coventry almost made it impossible for him to continue. Had what would have been a last-gasp winner for Coventry not been ruled out by a marginal video assistant referee decision, he would almost certainly have been toast.
Instead he has been given a stay of execution, one reason surely being he is one of only four United managers to win trophies in successive seasons – a point not lost on the club’s new board who presumably also recognise United’s horrendous injury list last season and the fact that Ten Hag has developed key young players such as Alejandro Garnacho and Kobbie Mainoo, who will be on international duty at the Copa America and Euro 2024 for Argentina and England, respectively, this summer.
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