The dust has barely settled on Manchester United’s momentous FA Cup final victory over rivals Manchester City – but Erik ten Hag’s future at the club is still a live debate amongst fans and media alike.
Sir Jim Ratcliffe, Jason Wilcox, Sir Dave Brailsford, and co are conducting an end-of-season review – which reportedly includes whether the Dutch tactician will remain in the Old Trafford hot seat next season.
As a strong backer of the man, I believe that keeping him in charge for at least another season would be the best thing to do for the short term – rather than ripping things up and starting again with someone else.
Back the Gaffer
I feel the manager built up quite a bit of credit with the United faithful in his debut season in charge – finishing in a creditable third place and conjuring up a victorious Carabao Cup run.
This season, of course, our form dropped off significantly. The team lurched from one poor performance to another – in Europe and domestically.
But, despite it all, I still found a few green shoots of hope sprinkled in throughout the year – making me inclined to stick with the Dutchman moving forward.
Injury Hell
There were many mitigating circumstances for United’s poor season – in which the Red Devils finished a lowly 8th in the Premier League.
None more so than the endless list of injuries suffered by the players – with the Manchester club sustaining over 60 separate cases across 2023/24 – with 15 different Centre-Back pairings and proceeding through much of the campaign without a recognised left-sided defender.
When you factor this alone – how can sympathy not come into the equation for the manager and coaching staff? It can’t be easy trying to gain consistency on the training ground with so many players absent, let alone attempting to earn a proper rhythm on the pitch on any given matchday!
Endless off-the-field turmoil
There is no denying it was a turbulent season off the field for everyone associated with the club – players and manager included.
Not only was there the long-running takeover saga trundling along in the background for the first few months of the season but there were also plenty of other off-field issues with the playing staff.
Jadon Sancho and Mason Greenwood supplied a continuous barrage of scrutiny beyond the field. Inevitably, this led to an acceleration in intense scrutiny in the media and online channels.
The managerial Merry-Go-Round
Many names have surfaced for the Dutch man’s position should Ineos decide to install their leader this summer.
Kieran McKenna of Ipswich Town – who previously worked at the club as a coach – was strongly linked before being offered a new deal to keep him at Portman Road.
Argentine coach Mauricio Pochettino – recently sacked by Chelsea – is also hotly tipped to be on the shortlist to take over – but isn’t he always?
Other names include a former Champions League-winning supremo, Thomas Tuchel, who is leaving the German giants Bayern Munich.
Then there’s another Thomas…. Thomas Frank of Brentford, whose name has also cropped up.
Brighton’s departing manager, Roberto De Zerbi, is also an outside bet to take charge at Old Trafford, although talk of the Italian tactician has cooled recently.
A magical Cup-Run
The Reds knocked out arch-rivals Liverpool in a dramatic Old Trafford encounter on St. Patrick’s Day.
That came after a late win at Nottingham Forest – and then a topsy-turvy victory over Coventry City (on penalties) in the semi-final – to add to the rollercoaster ride!
Victory over Pep Guardiola’s Premier League champions proved that this United squad is still hungry.
There was a willingness to fight for a manager who has led them to three Cup finals in his two seasons at the helm – cementing the club’s current status as something of a ‘Cup team’.
Youth, Courage…. And Success?
The young guns of Kobbie Mainoo, Alejandro Garnacho, Rasmus Højlund and – to a lesser extent – Amad Diallo – left an undeniable mark on the campaign.
The quartet was a breath of fresh air in an otherwise suffocatingly stale season and offered hope and excitement for the future – and should play a big part no matter who is in charge in the dugout.
However, our 54-year-old is the man who gave them their chance – and he will rightfully feel like they can lead the way next season – both domestically and in Europe.
Final Thoughts
With better luck with injuries – and more advancements on the medical side of things, I feel that season three can be a positive one for the Ten Hag project at Old Trafford.
I hope Ineos allows him to build on what he has already started; after all, he has delivered two trophies during a challenging two years in charge.
So, with the FA Cup added to the trophy cabinet, the man has already proved he’s a winner.
Let’s see if he can lead us to greater heights next season, and give him another chance.
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