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Seventeen days after winning the FA Cup with Manchester United, manager Erik ten Hag was told that the conclusion of a thorough assessment of his season’s performances was that he should stay.
US sources say the outcome of the two-week assessment was “clear”.
But they also say all eventualities have been considered – which must mean they considered sacking the former Ajax boss. They certainly spoke to potential replacements before and after the FA Cup final.
Changes are afoot at Old Trafford. The big question after yesterday’s announcement is whether, in the long term, the manager and owners can find enough common ground to make their partnership work.
- Author, Simon Pierre
- Role, Chief Football News Reporter
Even though United and Ten Hag both feel they can move forward now, there are some glaring issues that need to be resolved – including Ten Hag’s role in a revised structure that threatens to weaken its influence, incoming summer transfers and leaving the club and a new contract.
BBC Sport examines what questions remain.
What did the exam take into account?
New co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe and his trusted ally, United manager Sir Dave Brailsford, began their own detailed assessment of the inner workings of Old Trafford in January.
It’s fair to say they weren’t impressed.
Ten Hag considered the situation he found himself in 18 months earlier as “a waste.”
In his in-depth interview with BBC sports editor Dan Roan on February 21, Ratcliffe observed: “It’s not about turning on a switch, not just a new coach or a simple solution to short term. We must find the right solution, not the wrong one. »
Weeks after Ratcliffe’s assessment, BBC Sport learned that problems with the structures in place at United had led his group Ineos to question whether it was fair to judge a manager on results achieved, as he felt the existing configuration was doomed to failure.
By then, plans were taking shape to recruit Jason Wilcox as technical director and Dan Ashworth as director of football to complement Omar Berrada, who will officially take over as general manager on July 13.
Gary O’Driscoll had already arrived from Arsenal as United’s head of sports medicine and began assessing each player’s nutrition, training and sleep in a bid to improve overall fitness and robustness against a backdrop of disastrous injuries, the worst in the Premier League.
Towards the end of the season, Ten Hag said he knew the reason for the long injury list, but was not ready to give more details. He still hasn’t done it. He said no manager could have handled that.
How close was Ten Hag to the bag?
In football, results change narratives.
The catastrophic period between March 30 and May 6 changed the perception of Ten Hag and his team. Meanwhile, United have played eight matches, dropping a number of points from their leadership position and struggling against poor teams in the relegation zone.
But worse than all that was how close United came to being humiliated in the FA Cup semi-final when they blew a 3-0 lead in the final 20 minutes against Championship side Coventry, only to qualify on penalties after a marginal VAR call in the match. The last minute of extra time deprived the underdogs of one of the most astonishing victories of the competition.
United’s humble celebrations at Wembley told their own story.
A fortnight later, United lost 4-0 at Crystal Palace.
While Ten Hag, to the disbelief of many, defended the FA Cup performance, he accepted that the debacle at Selhurst Park was not good enough and apologized to the supporters.
Sky Sports’ Jamie Carragher dissected United’s apparent lack of game plan and described them as one of the “worst-coached teams I’ve ever seen”.
It was against this backdrop that it began to emerge that Ineos had spoken to potential replacements and reports emerged stating that Ten Hag would be sacked regardless of the final FA Cup result.
History shows that these stories were false.
The result qualified United for the Europa League and also increased the compensation Ten Hag was entitled to in the event of his dismissal.
But it was United’s manner of victory over Manchester City in the FA Cup final that returned the dial to March’s position, as Ineos began its end-of-season review and Ten Hag traveled to Ibiza on vacation.
It is impossible to know exactly what proved decisive in the outcome in favor of Ten Hag, but some aspects are known.
Dedication, dignity and professionalism were three words used at Old Trafford to sum up Ten Hag’s approach to work.
Recognition of United’s injury list was a factor, although it has been argued the manager could have predicted some of last season’s absences.
The development of teenage couple Kobbie Mainoo and Alejandro Garnacho has been extremely important. And United fans too.
At Wembley and afterwards, the feeling towards Ten Hag among fans has been positive, with a feeling that sticking with the Dutchman was preferable to some of the alternatives on offer.
And the transfers?
For starters, Ratcliffe believes a manager should feed recruitment thinking to a broader leadership team, who take responsibility for final decisions.
Wilcox, Brailsford, assistant director of football Andy O’Boyle and director of football negotiations Matt Hargreaves all have significant input.
But Ten Hag currently has veto power over signatures and has had major influence on many of them.
A close look at United’s recent major purchases strengthens Ratcliffe’s position in terms of a broader approach.
Most have either been too expensive – Rasmus Hojlund and Andre Onana, too often injured – Mason Mount and Tyrell Malacia, or have desperately underperformed – Antony and Casemiro.
United have already decided to sell Mason Greenwood, who spent last season on loan at Getafe after the club reversed their decision to keep him following the dropping of serious charges against the England striker, and Jadon Sancho, who received a £40 million price tag before the transfer. The decision to stay with Ten Hag effectively signaled that the winger’s exile at Old Trafford would be extended for a second season.
But BBC Sport and others have already reported that the club is prepared to listen to offers for almost the entire first team.
In reality, most won’t leave – Hojlund, Mainoo and Garnacho will certainly stay – but big calls may need to be made regarding some senior players as the club attempts to shore up a slim transfer budget.
The potential for disagreement is enormous.
Is Ten Hag still in danger?
Add to that the fact that other managers have spoken out about Ten Hag’s work and the context in which negotiations will begin on a contract extension is not entirely favorable to the Dutchman – and that’s without clarity on the post-contract status. Euro from England boss Gareth Southgate, whose contract runs until the end of December and has a positive pre-existing relationship with Brailsford.
Indeed, some wonder why it is necessary to talk about contracts. In addition to next year, Ten Hag’s current deal also includes an option to carry it through 2026.
After his eighth place finish last season, why not see how the results pan out, as a repeat of this form in the league would cost the Dutchman his job anyway.
What happens next?
Southgate will expect to still be in full tournament mode when United return for pre-season training in the first week of July.
Even though they will travel to Norway to face Rosenborg on July 15, the day after the Euro 2024 final, and then travel to Scotland to face Rangers at Murrayfield on July 20, Ten Hag is unlikely to speak about his situation to outside media ahead of the following three-match tour of the United States.
Remarkably, in winning the FA Cup, Ten Hag became the fourth manager in United’s history to win a major trophy in successive seasons. Only Sir Alex Ferguson has managed three in a row.
Ten Hag had the chance to embark on a journey worthy of him. No one can know if he will make it to the end.