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Manchester United manager Erik ten Haag has opened up about the club’s efforts to secure a replacement for him before it was ultimately decided that he would continue at Old Trafford.
Ten Haag has come under the most intense criticism as United endured a hugely disappointing 2023/24 season. The team finished in eighth position, their lowest finish since 1989/90.
For much of the torrid campaign, Ten Haag and his players were criticized for their inconsistent results and performances.
However, there was some light at the end of the tunnel for the Dutchman as he masterminded a brilliant 2-1 win against Manchester City in the FA Cup final. Shortly after that game, INEOS launched an end-of-season review that lasted more than two weeks. It said the results of the audit will determine whether Ten Haag will keep his job or not.
While INEOS’s detailed review was ongoing, they are believed to have remained in contact with potential replacements for Ten Haag. United have been in contact with representatives of other managers such as Thomas Tuchel, Kieran McKenna, Roberto De Zerbi, Gareth Southgate, Thomas Frank and Marco Silva.
It was claimed that Ratcliffe met Tuchel in person in Monaco to discuss the German manager’s bid for the United manager’s job. Tuchel ended up ruling himself out of the running.
The lack of viable options and other factors such as his youth promotion combined to convince INEOS and United’s top brass to allow Ten Haag more time.
In fact, the 54-year-old is in line to be handed a new two-year deal that will keep him on contract with the Red Devils for the foreseeable future.
Ahead of England’s first group stage match against Serbia, Ten Haag appeared on Dutch TV NOS Studio Football and gave an insight into what was really going on behind the scenes.
He confirmed that INEOS had indeed held discussions with his potential successors, but in the end they decided to keep him because they informed him that he was the best fit for the role.
He explained that United “disrupted his holiday” and “suddenly appeared on his doorstep” in Ibiza to explain that he wanted to continue working with him.
Ten Haag also said that United took him to Ibiza for his well-deserved holiday.
He added: “Manchester United told me that they had spoken to Tuchel, but in the end they came to the conclusion that they already had the best manager.”
“Manchester United and I still have to find an agreement for a new contract. This is not easy to do, we will still have to talk about this…”
On the end-of-season review process and how it worked out, Ten Haag commented: “INEOS took their time. They are new to football, it is normal to think about the season. It’s no secret that they talked to several candidates.”
When asked how it felt to learn that the club was talking to other candidates, he replied: “Here in the Netherlands it is ‘not done’, in fact it is not even allowed here.” But in England they have different rules and laws.”
Ten Hag also spoke about one of his players, Marcus Rashford, and his exclusion from Gareth Southgate’s Euro 2024 squad.
United insisted that, similar to Jack Grealish, Rashford had not had a good season and his inadequate performances resulted in him not being selected.
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