Erik ten Hag - Manchester United manager

Should ETH be kept on or fired by INEOS


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WaltJabsco

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18-24 months from now they’ll be a new thread, [INSERT NAME] - Manchester United manager and it’ll be the same because he’s not the only thing that would have to go for things to change.

Ratcliffe and Co have a huge fecking job.
One of the biggest issues is the expectation of us as fans, not accepting the reality of where we are currently. Instead, we hang on to past memories of what we once were, which causes us to dissect every piss poor performance and apportion blame. We are a midtable team with midtable players who have a midtable mentality, which produces midtable performances and results.

I'm not defending Ten Hag, he has to shoulder his portion of blame because I can't honestly say that any single one of his signings has been a major success, or improved us as a team. But does anyone genuinely believe that any of our current squad would be regular starters for City, Arsenal or Liverpool? You could argue that our so called top players would only be squad players at Tottenham, Villa and Newcastle as well. A new manager might get more out of this squad but we're a long way from competing at the top level.

We're basically the equivalent of a once famous movie star who's now reduced to appearing in commercials in order to remain relevant, but nobody under a certain age really knows who they are. Accepting and understanding this will greatly benefit your mental health and reduce anxiety when we inevitably put in another shit performance, and lose to yet another team that in the past were already beaten in the tunnel.
 

spiriticon

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Graham Potter is the English Erik ten Hag. You're getting the same level of big club cluelessness in a different nationality.

But whatever, if the club wants to try it, let's see what changes.
 

Kaizane

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I was one of those firm believers when he arrived, and for a time, that was vindicated during that run up to the league cup final were he had us playing some good stuff. I was holding out hope we could rediscover some of that form, but too much has happened for us to get back to that.

Out of all his transgressions, for me, the one that broke my trust is the fact that last summer he wanted rid of Maguire and McTominay, only for them now to be his plan A and most important starters. Injuries or no injuries. That says to me, he's abandoned his principles and has resorted to throwing shit at a wall and hoping it sticks, and the team knows it too.
 

Loon

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They have a huge job picking the right manager if Eth can't turn things around.

I know this club isn't familiar with change because of having one man in charge for such a period of time but how many competitive clubs across Europe have had one coach in charge in excess of five years ? It's a very minimal figure. I think where fans look at LVG, Jose, Ole and Ragnick as a negative impetus on the club, I see a scenario where it's going to take a special manager to rejuvenate United.

I think everyone including SAF underestimated what it takes to manage a club of this magnitude.
It’s going to take a special manager working in synergy with a special football team above him and even then it will need a touch of lightning in a bottle.

It’s such a huge task to avoid going on the way United are, or turning into a runaway train like Chelsea.
 

crossy1686

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Graham Potter is the English Erik ten Hag. You're getting the same level of big club cluelessness in a different nationality.

But whatever, if the club wants to try it, let's see what changes.
The only condition Potter should step foot in OT is on an interim basis, apart from that, making him full time would be an absolute disaster.
 

HookedOnAPhelan

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They were good enough for a cup win last season. 'These players' aren't as bad as they're being made to look.
That was mostly down to Martinez, Casemiro, and in-form Rashford, Bruno, Varane and Shaw. Take that away and this is a piss poor team loaded with average to shite players.
 

crossy1686

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They have a huge job picking the right manager if Eth can't turn things around.

I know this club isn't familiar with change because of having one man in charge for such a period of time but how many competitive clubs across Europe have had one coach in charge in excess of five years ? It's a very minimal figure. I think where fans look at LVG, Jose, Ole and Ragnick as a negative impetus on the club, I see a scenario where it's going to take a special manager to rejuvenate United.

I think everyone including SAF underestimated what it takes to manage a club of this magnitude.
That's the thing though isn't it? We don't have to hire a manager that will rejuvenate the club, just hire a manager that will get the team back on track then fire him and hire someone else when the team is at a point where it is ready to compete for major honours. It doesn't matter if you have to cycle through multiple managers to get there, just have a plan that isn't "We need you to carry the entire club for the next 25 years"
 

Revan

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So, Ancelotti’s success is purely down to those above him? Right. And former B team manager and player Pep Guardiola should never have been given the chance then as he was’t good enough?
No. He is a good coach and a master tactician. Which is his job.

He is not a scout though, why he should be? The coach not being a scout has been the default scenario outside of England for many decades.
 

Jeffthered

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Utter BS source and complete nonsense but first article of its kind is out.

Too much sh*** on X. People claiming to 'break news'.

I can't see any change in manager until the takeover takes place and the new owners have a good, good, good look at things. Unfortunately, I don't think ETH will do much in the meantime. His job, until the end of this season should be to develop the youngsters. Coach them and improve their respective games. Garnacho, for example, is getting more exposure, which is great, but for Garnacho to get better, he needs coaching.. add Pellestri, Mainoo, Hannibal etc. Sadly, I can't see ETH doing that, because I don't think he is a good coach at all.
 

astracrazy

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Utter BS source and complete nonsense but first article of its kind is out.

Obviously BS clickbait.

Zidane has turned us down before, why would he say yes now? He has been out of management for over two years as well, so either he is waiting for the right job or has little interest.

Potter and Lopetegui....come on :lol:

Zerbi is the only one, but I fail see in a month of Sundays why he'd be interested.
 

KiD MoYeS

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Ups and downs are acceptable when a team is in transition. Problem is, a lot of the downs are because of him right now.
 

lsd

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Yeah but did Neville beat Villa, Burnley, Charlton, Nottingham Forest and Newcastle to win a league cup?
You said that like it was an achievement. It's a cup competition the lesser of the cups although a cup is a cup and airways good to win.

Newcastle were on their third choice keeper and have clearly shown they are better than us when we have faced them under Ten Hag but on the day they were worse than us and Casemiro stood up and made the difference like players of his kind are supposed to do.

Take away that and his record since that is absolutely dreadful.

I can't believe he would have survived this long at any other club with his record, his non existent style of play, his horrible man management and his disaster signings which are all on him.
 

Marwood

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Obviously BS clickbait.

Zidane has turned us down before, why would he say yes now? He has been out of management for over two years as well, so either he is waiting for the right job or has little interest.

Potter and Lopetegui....come on :lol:

Zerbi is the only one, but I fail see in a month of Sundays why he'd be interested.
A load of money and the chance to manage United.

People said this about ETH.

99% of managers will jump at the chance to manage us. No matter how bad we are.
 

KeanoMagicHat

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Obviously BS clickbait.

Zidane has turned us down before, why would he say yes now? He has been out of management for over two years as well, so either he is waiting for the right job or has little interest.

Potter and Lopetegui....come on :lol:

Zerbi is the only one, but I fail see in a month of Sundays why he'd be interested.
It says 'considered' to be fair... just because United have considered Zidane doesn't mean Zidane has considered United!
 

berbatrick

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The starting 11 last season.
DDG- left sold by ETH personally, not the club
AWB- been injured sometimes, dropped sometimes
Varane- constantly injured sometimes, dropped sometimes, possibly fell out with the manager
Martinez- been injured most of the season.
Shaw- been injured most of season sometimes
Casemiro- injured most of the season, asked to play an impossible role at his age, possibly fell out with the manager
Eriksen- constantly injured and ETH decided he's no longer first choice in this new style
Bruno- always available and off form
Antony- he’s had off field issues and had a short break and horribly poor
Martial- constantly injured and just poor
Rashford- not himself and out of form

people wonder why we’re struggling this season and gone backwards. ETH needs his players back.
...
 

Loon

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No. He is a good coach and a master tactician. Which is his job.

He is not a scout though, why he should be? The coach not being a scout has been the default scenario outside of England for many decades.
Why are you talking about scout? A manager should be able to identify a player‘s qualities and use him for the team he’s building or he’s not being a manager. Players are not foisted upon a manager by the scouting network. I urge you to read any biography of a manager with a modicum of success.
 

Longshanks

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Bayern were not out off form last night. They were proving to their fan's they can be proffessional, after the Frankfurt debacle. The dead rubber argument is bollocks. Thus if you seriously believe a Bayern team being proffesional can break a sweat vs a United team starting without 10 first teamers and in current form. You have serious issues. End of story.
10 first teamers!? That really is clutching! Bayern were nothing special last night. Noone in particular stood out there best players had quiet games. They were solid defensively and efficient when they attacked but they did nothing particularly outstanding. Essentially they brushed us aside. We offered almost nothing, no threat in a game we had to win at home. We never tested them we never stretched we never put them under any kind of pressure.

Injuries yes we have some, but the starting XI last night Martinez for one of the CB's, Casemerio for one of the CM'S aside was pretty much our best XI. As it was losing Maguire and Shaw at half time didn't really make much difference to the performance it was Rubbish in the first half and equally rubbish in the second half.

A 1-0 defeat to a very good Bayern side isn't a horrific result but add it to the performance, the context and the fact Bayern didn't even play that well, it really is awful.
 

crossy1686

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You said that like it was an achievement. It's a cup competition the lesser of the cups although a cup is a cup and airways good to win.

Newcastle were on their third choice keeper and have clearly shown they are better than us when we have faced them under Ten Hag but on the day they were worse than us and Casemiro stood up and made the difference like players of his kind are supposed to do.

Take away that and his record since that is absolutely dreadful.

I can't believe he would have survived this long at any other club with his record, his non existent style of play, his horrible man management and his disaster signings which are all on him.
It's the softest run I've seen in a long time. We'd have rightly taken the piss out of City if they won the cup with that level of competition.
 

Trigg

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We stop losing games?

Sorry, but this is such a shortsighted viewpoint. So the players suddenly become good do they?

Ten Hag was the correct appointment, I still think that and changing after 18 months is crazy to me.

If and when Ratcliffe joins they feel he’s not going to work in their plans then I would understand.

But I’d hope then whoever they gave the job to would have longer then 18 months.
 

Revan

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Why are you talking about scout? A manager should be able to identify a player‘s qualities and use him for the team he’s building or he’s not being a manager. Players are not foisted upon a manager by the scouting network. I urge you to read any biography of a manager with a modicum of success.
No. A manager should be able to coach the squad, make tactics, adjust the tactics based on the opponents and develop players. He might also identify weaknesses in the team.

A footballing structure which employs dozens of squads, a director of football, some technical directors and a CEO should then find the players and sign them. They are independent of the manager's wishes or requests, because it is understood that they will outlast the manager. It is also understood that coaching is a full time job, thus, the manager has no time on scouting players from all over the world*. As no coincidence, you do not see managers of other big clubs signing 'their own' players. Pep wanted Neymar, Bayern brought him Gotze. He only signed Alcantara who was somehow related to him. And no one else from Spain. When he joined City, he did not sign anyone from his past players (compare to EtH who signed Onana, Antony, Martinez, Amrabat and wanted Timber).

Why on Earth a manager should have a say on whom the club signs or does not sign. I mean, why LVG should have had a say in Shaw who then played for another 4 (soon to be 5) managers. It does not work like this in any other big club except Man United. And actually, it is not football related, in American sports is the same, the coach often hears from media whom the club signed.

* Maybe that is why our squads tend to be severely out-coached compared to almost every other team. I guess the manager is spending time scouting players instead of coaching players.
 

Zlatan 7

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ETH took over a broken club and over achieved last season. I think that’s really worked against him as people expect an upward trajectory and can’t manage road bumps like this season.

I don’t dispute the poor performances and the awful season, you can’t argue with what we see. But I really do feel that there’s been plenty of reasons why things were going to be harder this season. I think there’s plenty of non ETH reasons why things have been sh8t and with everything going on any mistake by the manager is causing more problems then A mistake at a club that maybe just has one problem.

Replacimg the manager to me is small fries. It’s looking for short term gain at a club that doesn’t even have a plan at this stage. Nobody can probably even make that call because the ownership situation. How can anybody think that sacking a manager and replacing them with such turmoil and uncertainty would be a good thing.

Id rather they focus in January in offloading martial and anybody, everybdog else who has been a problem. Discount down to get rid and fill the first team with youth and maybe some loanees. Mid table target, no fa cup but go into the summer with an actual plan and a proper blank slate.

Part of our issue I feel has been this pathetic top 4 target that the owners have. When we match it , their spending always stopped. I think ETH has changed tactics, as every United manager has done, because this is the one thing thing that was demanded , top 4. And as such, we see short term changes to the team , short term signings and there’s no long term cohesion.

I don’t want ETH sacked because he’s been perfect, I don’t want him sacked because I think our issues are far higher than any manager in the world can fix. I think if a manager comes in and gets us top 4 it’s the worst thing imaginable as that’s how Ole got the Job and nothing changed.

I dont want mediocrity , I want excellence, I want the club getting the most out of our resource. I don’t see that happening while we focus on managers to make our broken club work. I see the desperation for a new manager as just that, desperation and I think that in this desperation the idea of change , any change, gives a glimmer of hope
But it’s false hope without the infrastructure changes.
You’d swear he took over a mid table or relegation team, we’d finished 2nd the year before and always hung around top 4 positions, not a league winning team but hardly this catastrophe that is being implied these days to excuse the manager
 

Smithy89

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He's a weird bloke, got no charisma, boring football, public fallouts, shocking talent ID and he's somehow the manager of the biggest club in England.
 

Ayush_reddevil

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I still can’t believe that we finished 4th in a CL group with a Danish & a Turkish team in it. Embarrassing doesn’t even begin to describe it. Hate the idea that not being in Europa is good, we are way past that point now and at least that gives you an extra chance to make the CL. Pathetic
 

UnofficialDevil

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I still can’t believe that we finished 4th in a CL group with a Danish & a Turkish team in it. Embarrassing doesn’t even begin to describe it. Hate the idea that not being in Europa is good, we are way past that point now and at least that gives you an extra chance to make the CL. Pathetic
 

Loon

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No. A manager should be able to coach the squad, make tactics, adjust the tactics based on the opponents and develop players. He might also identify weaknesses in the team.

A footballing structure which employs dozens of squads, a director of football, some technical directors and a CEO should then find the players and sign them. They are independent of the manager's wishes or requests, because it is understood that they will outlast the manager. It is also understood that coaching is a full time job, thus, the manager has no time on scouting players from all over the world*. As no coincidence, you do not see managers of other big clubs signing 'their own' players. Pep wanted Neymar, Bayern brought him Gotze. He only signed Alcantara who was somehow related to him. And no one else from Spain. When he joined City, he did not sign anyone from his past players (compare to EtH who signed Onana, Antony, Martinez, Amrabat and wanted Timber).

Why on Earth a manager should have a say on whom the club signs or does not sign. I mean, why LVG should have had a say in Shaw who then played for another 4 (soon to be 5) managers. It does not work like this in any other big club except Man United. And actually, it is not football related, in American sports is the same, the coach often hears from media whom the club signed.

* Maybe that is why our squads tend to be severely out-coached compared to almost every other team. I guess the manager is spending time scouting players instead of coaching players.
You need to read more about how a football club is managed.

https://onefootball.com/en/news/he-...nchester-city-chiefs-transfer-plans-38653096#
 
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Lay

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This season he is like an agglomeration of the worst aspects of all the managers we had. As clueless as Ole, as hopeless as Moyes, as boring as LvG, playing a wannabe suicidal gung ho as Rangnick, and falling out with players as Mourinho.

Without any of the good aspects that some of them brought (magic moments of Ole, organization of LvG, defensive form of Mourinho).
This is spot on.

But you’re forgetting, we played well for 20 minutes against Tottenham.
 

crossy1686

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Sorry, but this is such a shortsighted viewpoint. So the players suddenly become good do they?

Ten Hag was the correct appointment, I still think that and changing after 18 months is crazy to me.

If and when Ratcliffe joins they feel he’s not going to work in their plans then I would understand.

But I’d hope then whoever they gave the job to would have longer then 18 months.
They were good last season? Two cup finals and a 3rd placed finish.

You know what's really crazy? Man marking in the midfield, 12 loses in 24 games, playing 36 year old CB's even though you have good one's available to you because you want a left footed one on the left and a right footed one on the right, spending £90m on Antony, chasing Mount all summer, falling out with players, and insisting we played well when we've been shite for months.
 

Fortitude

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It should be disconcerting that there are so many things he has been dire at that there doesn't have to be universal agreement on any one point for him to be in sackable offence territory:

- Cannot set up an attack
- Cannot set up a midfield
- Cannot set up a defence
- Cannot manage in-game
- Does not make timely subs
- Rarely makes impactful decisions
- Has wedded himself to a system we are incapable of playing
- Has fallen out with numerous players *
- Has a totally confusing policy with the youngsters
- Sticks to underperforming players for so many games past due that morale of others is bound to be affected
- Cannot win away against any team that has anything about them (correlates with top 8/9)
- Is frequently battered by multiple goal defecits
- the 7-0 (this is so bad and infamous that you can put in "the 7-0" and Google refers you to the game)
- Spent a fortune on so many poor and/or undercooked players**
- Has had complete reliance on a sole goalscorer (last season) and is lost at sea this season due to the single point failure issue
- Constantly sets his #6 up for failure. (Casemiro became a lazy out on here when it was obvious that the tactical setup had him flailing; Amrabat is left with too much to do by himself and Mainoo was essentially fed to the wolves vs Newcastle's henchmen)
- Plays favourites (as much as it might be said all managers do this, the extent to which he sticks by some players and tosses others is bound to unsettle and demoralise the squad)

* the whys and wherefores can be up for discussion
** the blame for this lays on more shoulders than his

I like to be objective as a poster, but there are no redeeming qualities to the management of this season from the very start of the preseason. Alarm bells were ringing for so many of us that it wasn't funny and the product bought to the games proper has been even worse than the worst the preseason imagination could muster. There can't be a soul on here who thought we'd be where we were by November, let alone December.

If you are going to stick by or believe in what a manager is doing, there has to be some aspects to the work being done that can be honed in on as shining beacons that once the chaff is removed from will really come to the fore. What aspect of anything ten Hag is doing points towards that?
As time goes by doubt is compounding because he does not show any capacity to change, adapt, learn or even identify gaping, fundamental issues, and worse still - if he is aware of the issues, he is being so inflexible and stubborn that the capacity to fix it appears to be beyond his remit. We've now reached the point where his second season contests as our worst post-Fergie, inclusive of Moyes and Ralf. Results wise, that wouldn't be so bad if something genial and progressive was being concocted, instead, we're looking more lost and deflated, and him more than out of ideas as the season unfolds.

There's not long to go now until his position should be untenable. It's a shame because he comes across as a likeable fellow, but by now, not one you hang your hat on in belief he can turn things around. From July until now, it's been an unmitigated disaster of a season and he is more accountable for that than the players, which is damning.
 

bosnian_red

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Sorry, but this is such a shortsighted viewpoint. So the players suddenly become good do they?

Ten Hag was the correct appointment, I still think that and changing after 18 months is crazy to me.

If and when Ratcliffe joins they feel he’s not going to work in their plans then I would understand.

But I’d hope then whoever they gave the job to would have longer then 18 months.
18 months is more than enough time to show you're on the right track. After 18 months and almost half a billion spent, he's reached a point where we're losing 3-0 at home to Bournemouth (deservedly), finishing bottom of our CL group, and without an away win against a top 12 PL side since he took over. That is atrocious.
 

TsuWave

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I need people to read this paragraph over and over:

Only three teams in Europe’s five major leagues have lost more games than United’s 12 in all competitions this season (Burnley, Union Berlin and Almeria).

Untenable. He has to go.
 

Revan

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That is more whom not to sign (as a gesture of goodwill of his previous clubs, not whom to sign).

Nevertheless, he is Pep Guardiola, arguably the best manager of all time. Not everyone should have the same power as him. Lio Messi also choose some players that Barca should sign, which they did, it does not mean that Antony should get the same power as Messi had at Barca.
 

Shark

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Sorry, but this is such a shortsighted viewpoint. So the players suddenly become good do they?

Ten Hag was the correct appointment, I still think that and changing after 18 months is crazy to me.

If and when Ratcliffe joins they feel he’s not going to work in their plans then I would understand.

But I’d hope then whoever they gave the job to would have longer then 18 months.
Much smaller clubs sack their managers for less than ETH's showing this season. Clubs with far lower expectations. This idea that we should be forbidden to letting go of another manager that's stinking up the place after 18 months is borderline insane. Finishing at the bottom of a CL group that contains Galatasaray and Copenhagen, losing 0-3 to Bournemouth despite some momentum against Chelsea, failing to beat or even draw against anyone decent on the road for the entirety of the season, whilst not a single one of his signings from the summer has worked out even remotely. What has he done to keep his job?