Fabrizio Romano delivers bad Erik ten Hag sack news

Carlo Garganese

• 16 Oct 2024 12:30 BST
• 4 min read

Fabrizio Romano delivered some bad news for Manchester United fans as he revealed that the club were not even close to sacking Erik ten Hag during this international break.

Ten Hag survived this international break and the much-anticipated executive summit held in London on Tuesday last week by United chiefs.

The United board held a six-hour meeting at INEOS’ offices in London where it was believed that the Dutchman risked the axe.

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The meeting was chaired by Sir Jim Ratcliffe, the Ineos owner and United’s largest single minority shareholder. Also present were Ineos head of sport, Sir Dave Brailsford, United CEO Omar Berrada, sporting director Dan Ashworth, the sporting director, and technical director Jason Wilcox.

But Romano says that Ten Hag was never even close to being fired despite a disastrous start to the season for Man Utd.

What did Romano say?

“They are preparing for the Brentford game. Ten Hag didn’t receive any formal communication from the Man Utd board telling him he could continue in the job,” Romano said.

“Man Utd board never felt they had to tell the manager anything. They discussed the situation, the problems they have at the club, and the slow start in the Premier League and Europa League but they never had to tell something directly to Ten Hag.

“The club insists that he was never really close to getting fired this week or the last. So, this is the feeling- they have problems, and they are discussing the position of Ten Hag for sure, but was never something close to being resolved in recent days.

“This is why Erik ten Hag has always been focused on the Brentford game to improve the situation in terms of results and performances.” [Relevant comments near 3.34 minute mark].

Man United currently find themselves languishing down in 14th position in the Premier League with a minus-three goal difference after seven games.

United have failed to win either of their Europa League games, drawing with Twente and Porto.

Ten Hag survives again

Ten Hag had been initially expected to be sacked this summer after a generally miserable 2023-24 campaign in which - despite winning the FA Cup - Man Utd finished eighth in the Premier League and were dumped out of Europe at the Champions League group stage.

United held an internal review on Ten Hag’s future and even spoke to a number of potential managerial replacements, but in a shock development decided that the Dutchman would be staying at Old Trafford.

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A number of top names have been waiting in the wings to replace Ten Hag, including former England manager Gareth Southgate, ex-Chelsea bosses Thomas Tuchel and Graham Potter.

Tuchel has now taken the England manager job so is out of the race.

Ruud van Nistelrooy is an internal choice after impressing the club since arriving as assistant manager.