Don’t be fooled. When all is said and done, Sir Jim Ratcliffe and his board were left with little alternative than to back Erik ten Hag as Man United manager.
One by one the potential replacements for the Dutchman fell by the wayside, and once it became clear that, despite a yearning for a Premier League return, Thomas Tuchel wasn’t going to take up the position at this point in time, Sir Jim was backed into a corner.
What is it they say about football being a funny old game.
Ten Hag lives to fight another day at Man United
A manager that oversaw the worst Premier League finish in United’s history, ended a season with a minus goal difference and also conceded the most ever goals by a British club in the group stage of a Champions League campaign, finishing bottom of a group that included Copenhagen and Galatasaray, has been given the vote of confidence.
A manager whose side limped to FA Cup wins over the likes of Newport County and Coventry City whilst playing some of the most turgid football seen for many a year is considered the right man for the job.
Make no mistake that keeping ten Hag in situ is an uncomfortable and uneasy marriage for all concerned, and a wonderful FA Cup final win does not a brilliant manager make.
The Dutchman will surely be eager to shut a few mouths though after some incessant pressure towards the end of last season.
Almost every other question in press conferences was about his future at the club, and ten Hag always pointed to the excuse that he rarely had a settled defence and a number of players had been missing throughout the season.
If the slate has been wiped clean in many respects, he simply has to deliver this year or face the axe well before the end of the 2024/25 campaign.
What a bitter article.
The writer is clearly heartbroken at the club’s decision to continue with Erik ten Hag. His apathy toward the Dutchman is clearly evident from his words. It is clear that the article has been written in bad taste, and that makes it a ‘petty’ article. As a regular visitor to Caught Offside, I am disappointed.
Some of his points are true, it has been a forgettable season but there’s a lot more to that than just the manager. There’s no mention of injuries in there either, which is unfortunate.
It is also true that the lack of a “better” alternative has turned Manchester United back towards ETH.
Despite everything said and done, the FA Cup win cannot be taken lightly.
Sometimes you also need luck on your side and Ten Hag has persevered through the troubled waters, with a little helping hand from Lady Luck.
The upcoming season is where the Dutchman should be properly judged, with an established football system around him, with fit players and proper recruitment. Let’s see how well he does when the odds are in his favour.
You never know, he could have the qualities to makes people like Mr. Pettigrove eat their words.