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Sir Jim Ratcliffe requested Manchester United’s executive team put forward “forensic cases for all potential scenarios” over Erik ten Hag’s future at Old Trafford during this week’s board meeting, the Independent reveals.
The Dutch manager is under intense pressure following his side’s poor start to the season – a continuation of last year’s dismal campaign.
United languish 14th in the Premier League with eight points from their opening seven games. Only newly-promoted Southampton have scored fewer goals than the Red Devils who are already ten points adrift of the top of the table, just two months into the calendar.
It constitutes the club’s worst start to a Premier League season in history; and there are no more excuses for Ten Hag to fall back on, as he often did last year with United’s unrelenting injury crisis.
Ratcliffe was in attendance for last weekend’s trip to Villa Park where United battled to a a drab 0-0 draw against top four rivals Aston Villa. While the Red Devils defended diligently, they offered absolutely nothing in attack, outside of a Bruno Fernandes free-kick from distance.
And it was the same result – but a complete reverse of the type of performance – four days prior against Porto in the Europa League, which saw United equalise late on to rescue a point against the Portuguese giant. A chaotic match finished 3-3 after Ten Hag saw his side go 2-0 up after twenty minutes, only to concede three unanswered goals to wipe out this early advantage.
Ten Hag’s inability to be able to extract a performance from his players which sees them effectively defend and attack in equal measure is a damning reflection of the progress, or lack thereof, in the Dutchman’s third season in charge at Old Trafford. He appears able to only get his side to do one or the other, while United’s traditional ‘rivals’ are able to do both effortlessly.
Tuesday’s meeting in London was attended by Ratcliffe and Joel Glazer, as well as the club’s recently formed executive team, comprising Omar Berrada, Dan Ashworth and Jason Wilcox. Sir Dave Brailsford and Jean-Claude Blanc, two pivotal figures within INEOS Sport and United, were also present.
The meeting was a scheduled one for the international break, planned prior to the pressure ramping up on Ten Hag in recent weeks. However, the 54-year-old’s position was high on the agenda, with Ratcliffe requesting his executive team consider every possible scenario for the club moving forward, including Ten Hag’s dismissal.
Miguel Delaney (The Independent) describes there being “considerable differences in positions” during these discussions. The reporter suggests the “most debated” conversation centred around “what comes next” should Ten Hag be removed as manager, with Thomas Tuchel considered the “most likely successor” should this happen.
This corroborates a report relayed by The Peoples Person which revealed the German manager was being “lined up” as a replacement for Ten Hag, though Delaney contends sources close to Tuchel “insist there has of yet been no contact.”
United are believed to have approached the former Chelsea manager in the summer while INEOS were conducting an ‘end-of-season’ review. It’s even suggested Tuchel was Ratcliffe’s favoured choice but negotiations stalled, and the club eventually chose to back Ten Hag.
During Tuesday’s meeting, Delaney reveals, an argument was presented which was “strongly in favour of a change now” in manager. However, this was “countered by the familiar caveats about how early in the new era it is, as well as the potential disruption from a change.”
Furthermore, there are “concerns” amongst executives over the “suitability of potential candidates”, suggesting not all in the board room share Ratcliffe’s appreciation for Tuchel. There is also the “primary question” over whether a “replacement would be just for this season or for something longer term.”
And this draws a striking similarity to the aforementioned review which saw Ten Hag receive a one-year extension in the summer, despite INEOS’ obvious reservations. It may simply be a lack of viable alternatives which sees the Dutchman survive once again.
Featured image Michael Regan via Getty Images
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