Time is what Ten Hag needs, and time is exactly what he doesn't have.
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Watching Manchester United this season has been a massive chore. One minute we are playing out of our skin, and the next, we are playing like a relegation side. Some are quick to blame the manager for these problems, but anybody who has watched us over the years will come to the same conclusion: It is more than the manager!
There is no way you can go through 5 managers [Moyes, Van Gaal, Mourinho, Ole, Ragnick] and now Ten Hag and experience the exact same scenario, where players play well for a patch and suddenly cannot put two good performances together back-to-back.
It must be something else. The one constant has always been the ownership. However, people always question why we weren't as bad under Ferguson even with the same ownership. They forget, Ferguson was a larger than life personality at the club, both figuratively and factually. He had far-reaching authority at the club and had a fantastic team to work with, and the owners were smart enough to keep of.
After he retired, that entire weight, the huge responsibility of running the behemoth that Ferguson had created, was placed on the feeble shoulders of one David Moyes.
No wonder he failed. The managers who would come after him similarly couldn't match-up to the expectations of the fans who were accustomed to regular success.
While the instability caused by the Glazer ownership and their unwillingness to evolve the club played a crucial role in why most of the managers struggled, it would be foolish to ignore one other issue.
No other club in the top leagues in the world have had the amount of success under a single manager comparable to the length of time [26 years!] Alex Ferguson was at United.
Now, in this modern Era of football, it is virtually impossible for managers to even get 5 years, let alone 20. Most managers who have come to Manchester United have felt the weight of that legacy. Ole, for example, tried to match up to it but expectedly failed.
The unfortunate truth is that no manager will ever match-up to Ferguson because they will never get the time to fail. Also, other clubs have since become more competitive in the transfer market.
So, what can Ten Hag do?
Two things...
First, despite the poor start to the season, Ten Hag is fortunate that for the first time in years, he is likely to be working under a competent football structure, assuming he is not sacked on day one.
Names like Jean-Claude Blanc, and Paul Mitchel have been touted as significant incomings for Sir Jim Ratcliffe's rebuild. These are some of the most competent professionals in the world of football and they would make such a huge difference to how Manchester United is run.
Secondly, unlike the other managers who have come before him, Ten Hag has sought to rebuild the club in his own image, rather than try and be another Ferguson.
The way he handled the Ronaldo situation, Rashford when he was late for a team meeting last season, Garnacho in pre-season, and currently the Sancho situation speaks of a manager who is trying to solve the ill-discipline problem that has dogged the club since 2013.
While positive results and performances have been missing this season, it would be a massive mistake to sack the only manager who has broken the mold since Ferguson.
Do you know a third thing he can do!! Sign a good player for once!!! 🤣 Banter club!
It must be great to support a club where you can complain about the manager not being backed after he gets to sign the players he wants!
What did the Glazers ever do for us?
Well there was the billion pound on players ,
Bringing Ronaldo back for bucket loads of money
Signing whoever the manager desired
Backed every manager to get in his own players.
Aqueducts.....😃
If I speak....
Has scored more goals in the Premiership than the player you rate over Harry Kane. Rasmus Hovland. Hahahahaha. Even though he was injured as well. You will never ever get away from that line about Kane.
Lol...I knew that would be your comeback. As if you wouldn't sell him in a heart beat. Also, I am definitely getting away with my Kane comments. That is why he in the BundAssLiga.
If the Budesliga was so bad , United would be still in Europe. Just saying!! Keep digging a hole for yourself with your silly comments. You are at @ogeewitty levels of delirium at this stage and that is bad. B.A.D.
Ogee is in the pits. I am not there yet. We went into the CL without our regular back four, and went toe to toe with a talent heavy Bayern. 4-3 away and 0-1 at home. I wonder how it would have gone if our squad was in a much better shape.
I dunno Denis. @ogeewitty wouldn't never come out and say on record that "United are better off with Hojland than Kane." Not in a million years. He is an Arsenal fan, granted , we all have our crosses to bear and they are indeed bottle jobs which he got wrong last November , December , January , February and March but its looks like he has a better understanding of football than you do.
I'm glad teams like this have helped me sustain my onslaught on the Spanish league. Tottenham wasn't missed at all.
Spain is in trouble!
Meanwhile–
THIS IS ARSENAL
~~~ embed:1735765249100259405?t=2TUfFDMTCvYIueGd5XLpkw&s=19 twitter metadata:SG90c3B1clJlbGF0ZWR8fGh0dHBzOi8vdHdpdHRlci5jb20vSG90c3B1clJlbGF0ZWQvc3RhdHVzLzE3MzU3NjUyNDkxMDAyNTk0MDV8 ~~~
The current circumstances at United mean that ETH probably has until the end of the season to keep his job.
It’s worth remembering though that he only has a 3 year contract which expires in 2025 so it would be a surprise if United didn’t take action in the summer to either end that contract or extend it. Having a manager with less than a year on his contract would not really be a statement of confidence from the club and by the summer you’ll have a new senior structure above him who might well have their own ideas on a way forward.
Interesting thought. I wonder if INEOS think that way. There is no point sacking Ten Hag when he only has a year left. I think INEOS backs Ten Hag especially now he has the time to coach.
RICHY SCORED TONIGHT DENIS ! THATS 4 NOW. HOW MANY DOES THE KID HAVE ? HE MIGHT NAB ONE AGAINST LIVERPOOL THE WEEKEND 😄😄😄
Have you seen Hojlund's Premier League highlights real? Damn good watch
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=fx2Z5ZD_Rbo&pp=ygUQdmlkZW8gb2Ygbm90aGluZw%3D%3D
hahaha @ogeewitty is gonna sit through that and do a bit of analysis after it.
I guess you won't be needing another striker this summer? 👀😏😏