Barring an earth-shattering decision in the coming days, Erik ten Hag will welcome Brentford’s arrival in the North West – although his Manchester United future remains undefined.
Sitting 14th in the table, the Reds have struggled to kick on from their Wembley triumph over Manchester City, collecting eight points from seven outings in their worst-ever start to a Premier League calendar.
An embarrassing eighth-placed finish in 2023-24 has eclipsed his impressive debut campaign, with many convinced he cannot lead this Ineos revolution.
As a result, there are ample calls for a change in the hot seat, with another appointment becoming the sixth permanent transformation post-Sir Alex Ferguson.
People want action – many happy with anyone – without contemplating the reset and timeframe for an expected return to perennial competitiveness.
Without question, Ten Hag should be scrutinised and held accountable for the undeniable issues, but should he be the scapegoat for every orifice of this downfall?
Furthermore, does a change guarantee an immediate turnaround, and if not, how long is an acceptable period for his replacement to underwhelm?
These are not defensive actions towards the manager; they are valid questions that promote plenty of talking points – many of which people are unwilling to consider.
A calculated decision following prolonged discussions
As I said in May, it has become common practice for media and supporters to rewrite history to vindicate their agenda, with a necessity to pick and claw for another transparent click.
A third-placed finish and progression to both domestic cup finals was the most positive platform to begin, with a recognised agreement that the former Ajax man was an ideal leader for this new United.
A little over twelve months later, many of his previous supporters have deemed him clueless and lacking the general requirements to retain his position.
Sir Jim Ratcliffe and his Ineos backroom team arrived to much fanfare, with some expecting an immediate rectification of nearly two decades of mismanagement.
A calculated summer window saw the departure of several first-team players alongside the arrival of an exciting contingent of names.
However, like everything else associated with Manchester United, a bedding-in period is not allowed, and success must occur immediately. Otherwise, that particular individual is deemed unsuitable for Old Trafford.
Just ask Joshua Zirkzee about that particular topic.
Unfortunately, for United supporters around the globe, we live in a world of media disparity for the 20-time English champions – negativity sells!
I am not professing that the Theatre of Dreams has its next Fergie at the helm – let me be clear about that. But I am also unwilling to label Ten Hag incapable of fulfilling his duties.
Should we see better than what we have this season? Most certainly.
Have we had ample time for a new hierarchy and management team to adjust to life as a group? No.
Ruud van Nistelrooy would likely step into his shoes if Ten Hag departed. The nostalgia and sense of possibility would undoubtedly set pulses racing, but what is the expectation under the former fan favourite?
It is easy to dream of a better conclusion with a different leader, but as recent history has highlighted – that is not always the solution at Old Trafford.
People choose to believe what they want, and it is easy to be convinced by any of the two dozen exclusives released every other week.
But factually, what do we know? Forget social media personalities declaring simplistic lines like ‘that is telling’ and focus on the words of the people that matter.
“We created a togetherness in the summer with the ownership and the leadership,” Ten Hag told Sky Sports before the international break.
“We made this agreement, and we were all behind it. We know the strategy [is to bring in] young players in a transition period.
“They also know in May in all my last six seasons there were always trophies and that is what we are aiming for.”
Contrary to this endless agenda which pokes its head daily, does this sound like a man who is not privy to the goals this season?
Regardless of perceived public opinion and what the manager labels as ‘external noise’, his sentiment is echoed by the individuals above him – all new to their surroundings.
“Erik has our full backing,” Omar Berrada [CEO] said in an interview on September 1st.
“We’re going to continue working very closely with him to help him get the best results.”
I know it’s easy to speculate and take the word of a faceless individual on Twitter over genuine comments from the individuals themselves – but perspective is a far easier pill to swallow.
Sir Jim has remained candid when pressed by members of the media. Say what you will about a man blindsided beside a marina, but his tone has never changed.
“It’s a two-to-three-season challenge to get the organisation and environment right, to get the performances on the field right and win football matches,” he said during his Bloomberg interview in June.
“That involves the design and structure of the organisation being correct. In the last 11 years, Manchester United have had a lot of coaches and nobody has been very successful in that environment.
“That says to me there is something wrong with the environment. It’s not constructive for me to blame anyone, it’s just a fact. My focus is on how I change that environment to get the best out of the coach and squad.”
I’ve referenced the Marina encounter with Dan Roan at the beginning of the month.
Individuals have attempted to manufacture a variety of amusing takes from this. But, as has been the case with his public conversations, a similar sentiment has reigned supreme.
“That team that’s running Manchester United has only been together since June or July,” he said yachtside.
“They weren’t there in January, February, March or April – they have only arrived, [CEO] Omar [Berrada], [Sporting Director] Dan Ashworth, they only arrived in July.
“They’ve only been there, you know, you can count it in weeks almost – they’ve not been there a long time, so they need to take stock and make some sensible decisions.”
Regardless of this ongoing situation, I share your frustration about the current standing at the club.
That said, I also recognise the task at hand for Ineos and the time taken to stick with Ten Hag during the summer.
They opted to bind to their man and attempt to create a platform where the former Ajax chief could recreate his glories under a footballing hierarchy.
That has returned anything but an ideal start, but a six-point gap from the top four is hardly unassailable, and winning breeds undeniable momentum.
It would appear a decision to back the culmination of an end-of-season review remains. With that, I assure you – it is far easier to support the manager while he is here and do your part to back your football club.
The Glazer family have managed to help people forget, but it has always been us against everybody else – not ourselves.
Let us know how you feel about Erik ten Hag ahead of Saturday’s Brentford visit in the comments or across our social channel.
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