Exclusive: Ten Hag situation is one to watch says Romano
It’s not been the best time of Erik ten Hag’s career, and if the Man United boss were to see his side lose heavily in the FA Cup final, it could hasten his departure from Old Trafford.
The Dutchman has been under pressure for what seems like an age after a poor campaign for the Red Devils.
Knocked out of Europe completely after finishing bottom of their Champions League group, they conceded the most goals ever by an English team in the group stage of the competition (15).
That they’ve ended the 2023/24 Premier League season with a minus goal difference tells you all you need to know about where United’s problems lay.
Ten Hag situation one to watch in the next days
A very public spat with Jadon Sancho at the start of the season won’t have helped the manager’s cause either, particularly given how well the England ace has played since re-joining Borussia Dortmund.
Despite everything, United’s hierarchy have never come out publicly and said that ten Hag is at risk of losing his job.
Reading between the lines, one could also take the view that nor have they come out in support of their man, and it appears that the reason for the same is because they were always looking to replace him.
It seems that the axe could fall even if United end up lifting the FA Cup on Saturday afternoon.
“On Erik ten Hag, Manchester United will wait until after the FA Cup final, obviously, but in general the possibility of saying the club and ten Hag could part ways afterwards remains concrete,” Fabrizio Romano said to CaughtOffside for his exclusive Daily Briefing.
“It’s true that Manchester United have now started discussing options to replace ten Hag internally, and they’ve also made some contacts with agents of managers so that they’re ready in case United fire the Dutchman. There’s no expectation on the timing of the announcement because Man United have still not told anything to Erik ten Hag.
“The situation will absolutely be one to watch in the next days and there are several candidates interested. Some of them would love to take the job like Tuchel, but Man United are still reviewing that internally.”
Given how the season just gone has played out, it would be difficult to see a future for ten Hag at United, regardless of the result at Wembley.
He just doesn’t seem to have the commanding nature required of a manager at one of the world’s most storied football clubs.
It could hardly be described as a knee-jerk reaction by the club either, as the Dutchman has been allowed to see out the season.
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