Erik ten Hag sacked by Man Utd: Where did it go wrong for him at Old Trafford? | Football News
Erik ten Hag’s makes an attempt to type himself because the second-most profitable supervisor in English soccer throughout his time at Manchester United have been daring. Ultimately, no one was listening. The dismal shows stored coming. His sacking grew to become inevitable.
United’s match-going supporters confirmed admirable persistence, decided to imagine when he preached of course of and progress however many may not ignore the proof of their very own eyes. A disjointed workforce, one seemingly ever sinking to new depths.
Ten Hag was into his third season when the axe fell, however this workforce was getting worse – even after their worst Premier League end and being indulged within the switch market. 4 of his first-choice again 5 weren’t solely signed by him however had performed for him earlier than.
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Highlights from the Premier League conflict between West Ham and Manchester United
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And but, they have been determined in defence, dropping deep to guard their lack of tempo, whereas the midfield have been unable to cowl wide-open areas and the assault boasted a press so haphazard that it made a mockery of the time period. His pleas for time ultimately fell flat.
Ten Hag had his admirers among the many United help. Many have been impressed by his defiance. The FA Cup ultimate win over Manchester Metropolis was an emotional excessive for everybody concerned, with two teenage goalscorers and one tactically-astute workforce efficiency.
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Ten Hag was left very annoyed after his facet misplaced 2-1 to West Ham in controversial style as Jarrod Bowen’s late penalty condemned the Purple Devils to a defeat in what proved to be the Dutchman’s ultimate recreation in cost
That swallow made the summer time however misplaced its lustre come the autumn. Any sober evaluation of Ten Hag’s tenure couldn’t escape the truth that in the future at Wembley doesn’t wipe clear humiliation in Europe and being to this point off the tempo within the Premier League.
Ten Hag will go away with head held excessive, nonetheless believing that he has set United on a greater path. His sturdy defence of his reign, citing accidents and youth improvement, will guarantee some supporters are sympathetic, whereas others will likely be uneasy at what comes subsequent.
Perception in Ten Hag had been eroded
Some had began to lift issues even in his first season. The FA Cup ultimate might need been his finest second however it is maybe extra pertinent to look again to the earlier season’s Carabao Cup win, the final time momentum was actually with him. He couldn’t construct on it.
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Gary Neville advised Ten Hag was ‘asking for hassle’ with current outcomes
Ten Hag’s workforce have been solely 4 factors off high spot going into that Wembley weekend in February of final 12 months, three behind eventual winners Manchester Metropolis, having overwhelmed them within the earlier month. A primary trophy in six years had introduced discuss of recent beginnings.
“We can get a lot of inspiration from this and more confidence that we can do it,” mentioned Ten Hag within the aftermath of that win over Newcastle. “We are still at the start of restoring Manchester United to where we belong – winning trophies. We are together.”
The very subsequent week got here that 7-0 humiliation at Liverpool.
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There may be an ungainly irony to the truth that perception in Ten Hag first started to fray simply as he had appeared to ascertain himself. The ability battle with Cristiano Ronaldo had been overcome with United even profitable 9 in a row after the participant’s final United look.
All of the discuss with Ten Hag had been of how the primary few months in his earlier jobs had been a little bit fraught however as soon as gamers understood his concepts, it had clicked. At United, it went the opposite manner. The second season introduced larger strife. The third introduced calamity.
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Coping with the Ronaldo downside
These first few weeks had been about placing the constructing blocks in place – the 83 rules of play, as his file described them. A fortnight of video periods outlining his imaginative and prescient quickly set him on a collision course with Ronaldo, to whom all this was anathema.
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Jamie Carragher felt the weekly scrutiny of Ten Hag was ‘truthful’
Employees at the Carrington coaching floor painstakingly went by the element with him, trying to simplify his duties in Ten Hag’s urgent construction. They spoke of the necessity to make a second run to shut down the goalkeeper and a 3rd when he handed it out.
They mentioned the significance of being ball-side and fed his ego by explaining that his positioning would set the patterns for these behind. However Ronaldo was by no means prone to make such an adjustment so late in his profession. He had succeeded by trusting his instincts.
Acts of defiance, personal and public, micro and macro, examined Ten Hag’s authority. Makes an attempt to have him take away his diamond earrings for coaching fell on costly however deaf ears. The message was that he was no robotic and would proceed to do issues his personal manner.
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Wayne Rooney mentioned it was ‘troublesome’ to see his former membership sit 14th within the Premier League after a difficult begin to the season
In some respects, this problem was a welcome one for Ten Hag, not as delicate because the Mason Greenwood state of affairs or as nuanced because the troubles that he would later face with Jadon Sancho. It was a possibility to train his authority, bolster his place.
The difficulties got here afterwards. A 3rd-placed end and a cup win represented a good first season, shopping for time even when there was the frustration of an FA Cup ultimate defeat to Manchester Metropolis permitting their rivals to attain a treble of their very own.
Switch window struggles
That second summer time switch window was key. Mason Mount was anticipated to carry a lot wanted vitality to the midfield, facilitating a urgent recreation, whereas Andre Onana supplied hope that United may play out from the again higher than with David de Gea.
However Mount missed a lot of the marketing campaign by damage and Onana initially endured blended kind. Elsewhere, the re-signing of Jonny Evans coupled with the arrivals of Sergio Reguilon and Sofyan Amrabat on deadline day made the recruitment seem determined.
Ten video games that value Ten Hag
Brentford 4-0 Man Utd, Aug 13 2022
After dropping at residence to Brighton in his first recreation in cost, Ten Hag’s four-goal thrashing at Brentford meant scrutiny right away and compelled him to compromise his enjoying type.
Liverpool 7-0 Man Utd, Mar 5 2023
The excessive level of Ten Hag’s time at United was profitable the Carabao Cup the earlier weekend so this beating at the fingers of their nice rivals shortly ended any momentum.
Sevilla 3-0 Man Utd, Apr 13 2023
This quarter-final defeat ended United’s run within the Europa League, the closest Ten Hag got here to continental silverware. His workforce had misplaced a two-goal lead late on within the first leg.
Man Metropolis 2-1 Man Utd, Jun 3 2023
The possibility of a second piece of silverware for the season to ship supporters into the summer time with some optimism. Ilkay Gundogan opened the scoring for Metropolis after 12 seconds.
Man Utd 2-3 Galatasaray, Oct 3 2023
A dream Champions League draw would flip right into a nightmare with this residence reverse. United led after 70 minutes however contrived to lose to the Turkish facet at Old Trafford.
Copenhagen 4-3 Man Utd, Nov 8 2023
Worse was to comply with within the Danish capital when one other profitable place was misplaced. United led by two targets at one stage however conceded twice late on to endure a depressing defeat.
Man Utd 0-3 Bournemouth, Dec 9 2023
Later Premier League losses to Fulham and Chelsea have been extra dramatic however this was emphatic. A seventh defeat of the season to go away United with a damaging purpose distinction.
Coventry 3-3 Man Utd, Apr 21 2024
United gained this FA Cup semi-final in essentially the most humiliating manner attainable, surrendering a three-goal result in Championship opposition earlier than limping by on penalties.
Crystal Palace 4-0 Man Utd, Might 6 2024
A humbling defeat at Selhurst Park by which Casemiro was hopelessly uncovered. This was a document thirteenth Premier League defeat of the season as perception in Ten Hag light.
Man Utd 0-3 Tottenham, Sep 29 2024
The primary half of United’s three-goal residence defeat to Spurs may nicely have been their most alarming efficiency of the lot throughout Ten Hag’s time in cost, performed off the pitch even earlier than taking place to 10 gamers.
Was this the following section of an overarching technique or have been cracks being papered over? The choice to entrust Rasmus Hojlund, a 20-year-old striker from Atalanta to steer the road, purchased for a price in extra of £60m, advised a longer-term strategy.
He could be the one out-and-out striker within the senior squad in his first season. It was an enormous duty for a participant who had scored 9 targets in Serie A, his identify, background and magnificence drawing unfair comparisons with the prolific Metropolis ahead Erling Haaland.
Hojlund has potential, his endeavour endearing him to supporters who recognised that. However the incapacity to attain a Premier League purpose earlier than Christmas, by which level United have been eighth, undoubtedly heaped strain on Ten Hag with others unable to step up.
Relationship issues with gamers
The decline in Marcus Rashford’s kind was a priority, placing pressure on his relationship with the supervisor. He did not rating a purpose at Old Trafford in any competitors till mid-January. Rashford’s desire for a large function was stylistic, however maybe psychological too.
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Ten Hag commented on Marcus Rashford’s flip of kind this season
A comparatively delicate character, Rashford as soon as took umbrage at Steve McClaren’s phrases of encouragement throughout a five-a-side recreation in coaching. The assistant had advised him he was the person to attain the winner however was urged by the participant to not put such strain on him.
McClaren, who had labored with strikers similar to Dwight Yorke and Andy Cole in his first spell at the membership, in addition to Alen Boksic and Mark Viduka elsewhere, is thought to have been shocked by the response, having supposed that his jocular remarks would encourage.
It was indicative of a battle to attach. The Sancho state of affairs was much more sophisticated with some supportive of administration and others suspecting that accusations of tardiness and coaching dedication may equally be interpreted as a failure of management.
Ten Hag and Jadon Sancho fell out at the beginning of final season
Some characters at United did revel within the duty for some time. Bruno Fernandes was criticised externally for his physique language however was virtually at all times obtainable for choice and at all times wished the ball. Obsessive concerning the recreation, he would focus on ways for hours.
However Fernandes, with Raphael Varane and Casemiro struggling for health, Lisandro Martinez lacking and Harry Maguire’s function diminished, was unable to take many with him, his personal kind dipping ultimately. Diogo Dalot was an outlier in enhancing his standing.
Placing religion in younger gamers
Ten Hag had wager on younger gamers – however his personal future was depending on them delivering shortly. Kobbie Mainoo did that after recovering from an damage of his personal, rising as an astute midfielder with a calmness to his play that belied his inexperience.
Mainoo’s rise have to be thought to be one of many triumphs of Ten Hag’s time, a participant who was in a position to tackle directions with exceptional velocity. Others have been extra typical of youngsters.
Alejandro Garnacho produced particular moments however was unable to ship the constant kind required of a daily starter. He was nonetheless studying the sport, as Ten Hag was typically eager to remind him.
Antony, his £85m price nonetheless the topic of consternation at Old Trafford and past, wanted common instruction on every part from his primary positioning to his obligations at set-plays. It was symptomatic of a bunch of gamers who did not seem able to win.
The physicality of the Premier League additionally proved difficult, his incapacity to beat his direct opponent that means it was a battle to justify his place within the workforce not to mention his price ticket. It mirrored badly on Ten Hag provided that he had labored with him up shut at Ajax.
Fashion of play was by no means clear
Younger gamers are presupposed to be extra malleable however questions remained relating to exactly what Ten Hag was moulding. Debate surrounding the type of play was a recurring theme all through his tenure, the solutions by no means absolutely satisfying.
He was adamant that the intention had by no means been to repeat the Ajax mannequin even when that was what had earned him this chance. Sebastien Haller had been a goal man who may carry others into play however the signing of Hojlund advised a unique plan.
Ten Hag, when challenged, would discuss of United’s DNA’s demanding a unique strategy. Placing this query to him, he advised Sky Sports activities: “It has to do with the nature of the players, definitely. With the speed of our attacking players we can play very direct.”
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That tactic introduced some success – such because the 3-2 win over Aston Villa on Boxing Day – however it was by no means sustained. A high-tempo midweek win over Chelsea at Old Trafford was adopted up with a 3-0 residence defeat to Bournemouth in entrance of those self same supporters.
United went to Villa and gained in February however misplaced the following residence recreation to Fulham. There was that breathless 4-3 extra-time victory over Liverpool within the FA Cup quarter-finals that once more sparked discuss of turning factors. United have been promptly performed off the park by Brentford of their very subsequent recreation.
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Brentford had 31 pictures that day, a Premier League document for the membership. However that had turn out to be virtually the norm towards United. It was the sixth time in seven video games that they’d confronted 20 pictures or extra. Extremely, solely Sheffield United allowed extra pictures all season.
The person United had appointed was somebody who had as soon as talked of Jose Mourinho preferring to play chess with the black items relatively than white – a reference to his reactive strategy. However the recreation that Ten Hag described and the one others noticed was diverging.
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New house owners did not see sufficient
Upon the partial takeover by Sir Jim Ratcliffe and INEOS, he appeared more and more at pains to color a unique narrative of the job being completed in an try to persuade his new bosses. A few of it was commonplace stuff, overly-positive spins on performances and outcomes.
Different moments raised eyebrows. Ten Hag identified that back-to-back FA Cup finals was an accomplishment not achieved by United in virtually twenty years. It was an odd factor to stress provided that his facet had misplaced the primary ultimate and have been but to play the second.
When Ten Hag tried to check this rebuild to a stoop as soon as endured by Sir Alex Ferguson – United completed third, third and second over a three-year interval within the 2000s – it stretched credulity provided that United have been seventh and would go on to complete eighth.
There was his response to the penalty shoot-out win over Coventry, a recreation by which United had surrendered a three-goal result in the Championship facet. “I absolutely can’t understand the reaction. Was it embarrassing? No, the reaction from you was embarrassing.”
When challenged once more in excruciating element within the press convention that adopted the 3-0 residence defeat to Liverpool in September, a efficiency as poor as it was predictable, an more and more remoted Ten Hag may solely supply the weak retort: “I feel sorry for you.”
Was he out to persuade Ratcliffe? Supporters? Himself? Attempting to promote this as a mission that needed to be allowed to proceed was untenable when the progress was extremely debatable and the senior figures behind the scenes had been introduced in to navigate a brand new path.
In a way, he grew to become a management experiment for the brand new hierarchy. If every part else had been revamped, together with a brand new teaching construction round him, and United’s issues on the pitch continued, there was just one individual going to pay the worth for that failure.
The summer time recruitment had been broadly praised and, with two former Ten Hag gamers among the many new arrivals, his fingerprints have been nonetheless on it sufficient to argue that he had been given what he wished. And but, these gaps in midfield remained, points unaddressed.
Overwhelmed by Brighton, battered by Liverpool, the FA Cup ultimate felt a distant reminiscence simply three video games into the brand new season. It grew to become unattainable to level to progress whereas his workforce was being tactically undone. Who may do higher grew to become who may do worse.
Most settled on their reply when Tottenham got here to Old Trafford in late September and left 3-0 winners, a scoreline that flattered the hosts. Fernandes was despatched off in that recreation and once more at Porto as United gave up a two-goal lead. There was, in each sense, no defence.
However Ten Hag will at all times have Wembley. That was his second. Having inherited a rudderless operation below Ralf Rangnick, he leaves United with a trophy in every of his two seasons and having blooded a lot of younger skills for whom excessive hopes stay.
What subsequent for Ten Hag? His popularity is undamaged sufficient for him to have the ability to intensify the positives whereas bemoaning his frustrations at working inside United’s malfunctioning machine. Even so, it was undoubtedly a possibility that was not absolutely grasped.
There may be sympathy for the off-field distractions however disappointment at the dearth of on-field solutions. United might have a greater plan than when he arrived. However it is revealing that, regardless of a scarcity of choices, these in cost lastly determined he was not the person to steer it.