Ten Hag quotes hint that he's unsuited for the Man Utd job
Robin Bairner
- 3 Apr 2022 04:00 BST
- 4 min read
Erik ten Hag may well become Manchester United’s next manager, but the Ajax head coach should ask himself if it is a job that he really wants.
Respected figures have warned him about becoming the permanent replacement for Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, who was sacked in late 2021 for Ralf Rangnick to fill in until the end of the season.
Louis van Gaal has counselled that Man Utd are more concerned by their image than on-field success, while Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola advised that the club’s problems are simply too great for a manager to solve.
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The reasons Ten Hag would be attracted by the job are obvious. Manchester United are one of the biggest and most glamorous clubs in the world, despite their years in the doldrums. In terms of stature, the leap is enormous and equally that will be matched by the renumeration he would receive for the job.
This should, however, be offset by the wretch it will be for him to leave Ajax, a club where the whole culture is geared towards the success of the first team.
Is Man Utd the right club for Ten Hag?
In an interview published by German outlet Sport1 last week, Ten Hag said: “I love being here at Ajax. I work with very good players that we can develop further. If they implement the match plan, I'll be happy. My players are very clever. It's just fun to work with them.”
It’s hard to imagine – Paris Saint-Germain aside – a ground of players who are less ‘fun’ to work with than those at Old Trafford. Indeed, it’s widely accepted that the dressing room is riven by multiple splits and clashes of personality.
While a summer clear out is on the cards, it will have to be shrewdly conducted if there is not a hangover for months ahead.
Similarly, he added: “For me it's important that a club presents me with a concrete plan with an idea. What is the goal of the association? Where is he going? Why do they want me as a coach? If all of that fits, I think we can come together.”
Direction is one thing that Man Utd have been hopelessly lacking in recent seasons, and even if Rangnick is successful from his consultancy role overseeing first-team developments in giving the team a much-needed identity, Ten Hag will require patience in order to implement these strategies.
For a club in Man Utd’s position, that may mean getting worse before getting better, and just how much of a stomach supporters have for that is questionable. Rangnick’s mediocre tenure in the dugout could deflect some of the problems he will doubtless face but years of failure have left the fanbase hungry for success.
Ten Hag certainly has their support for now, but how long before they turn hostile if things don’t go as smoothly as the fans expect?
Whenever Ten Hag leaves Ajax, he will be taking a step out of his comfort zone after five years with the club, yet the glitz and glamour of Man Utd comes with a severe degree of uncertainty and he must weigh up whether it is one that he really feels is worth gambling his clear happiness over.
