Premier League
Why Manchester United chose Erik ten Hag as their next manager
Manchester United have announced Erik ten Hag will take charge at the end of the season, replacing Ralf Rangnick as manager.
Although Manchester United gave the impression they cast the net as wide as four candidates to become the club’s 12th permanent post-war manager, it was always between two: Erik ten Hag and Mauricio Pochettino.
Ultimately, United decided Ten Hag was the manager most closely aligned with the club’s identity and strategy. United sources say they have hired a proven winner who preaches an attractive, attacking style of play and is committed to youth. Ten Hag, although already 52, is viewed by figures at United as one of the most exciting, consistent managers in European football.
High-level sources highlighted Ten Hag improves players and has developed two exciting and successful teams at Ajax. During conversations with the United football director John Murtough and technical director Darren Fletcher, Ten Hag outlined his long-term vision to build a successful and exciting team. United were struck by his passion, energy and enthusiasm for a momentous challenge.
Those at United who have spoken to Ten Hag insist he is determined to prove himself in a major league and ready to manage world sport’s most scrutinised institution. Ten Hag coached Bayern Munich II between 2013-15 and sources at United believe his big-club experience in Germany and Holland stands him in good stead.
The United chief executive Richard Arnold has taken a hands-off role in the running of the football side but engaged in the final stages of the managerial process. Arnold, Murtough and Fletcher unanimously agreed Ten Hag was the best candidate.
Six months ago, Brendan Rodgers appealed to the United hierarchy in what were Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s final weeks. United held exploratory talks over the Leicester manager yet Leicester’s downward spiral lengthened Rodgers’s odds and eventually, the bookies rubbed his name off their chalkboards.
Rodgers’ sound bites were as unhelpful to his chances as Leicester’s injury record. In France, Pochettino kept his powder dry when Solskjaer was sacked and that was a mistake. United wanted Pochettino in the wake of Solskjaer’s sacking and approached Paris Saint-Germain, who abhorred the prospect of yielding to one of European football’s traditional elite.
Had Pochettino agitated for the job he has had his eyes on for six years then PSG might have relented. Zinedine Zidane was available, just as he is now, and remains the frontrunner to replace Pochettino at the Parc des Princes in the summer.
Perhaps Zidane, a three-times Champions League-winning coach with Real Madrid, would have prevented the collapse at the Bernabeu in February. PSG were 2-0 up on aggregate with 29 minutes remaining in their round-of-16 tie before capitulating again in a 3-2 defeat. PSG’s propensity for collapses is legendary, but that was another nail in Pochettino’s coffin.
Ten Hag and Luis Enrique had their admirers at United early in the season, albeit at a time where there was no contingency plan in the event Solskjaer was sacked. United were so invested in Solskjaer, gifted a three-year contract in July, it was not until the 5-0 evisceration by Liverpool on October 24 that they started drafting a battle plan to replace him.
United’s refusal to flex their muscles and pay £15million to release Pochettino from his contract was the turning point. Enrique was never a remotely realistic option as he was committed to coaching Spain at the World Cup, which commences in November.
The choice of Ralf Rangnick as interim manager, with a two-year consultancy role tagged onto it, was also to Pochettino’s detriment. Ten Hag was always more aligned with Rangnick and the momentum behind Ten Hag started to build in January, with United confident of releasing him from his Ajax contract a year early if they opted for the Dutchman.
It was in January the Manchester Evening News revealed United’s aim to appoint their next manager before the end of the season. Sevilla coach Julen Lopetegui received a cursory mention yet it was as much to make up the numbers and give the impression the process was thorough and considerate. Lopetegui was recommended to United by Jorge Mendes, empowered by hastening Solskjaer’s departure in November and eager to appease his client, Cristiano Ronaldo.
There was growing support for Pochettino in the United dressing room in early February yet the club has defied the most uncaring United squad in anyone’s lifetime. Some are ‘underwhelmed by Ten Hag. The players were wisely not consulted on Ten Hag after Ronaldo’s view on Solskjaer (and Antonio Conte) was gauged in October and November.
-MEN
Liverpool beat Crystal Palace 1-0 to remain top of the Premier League as Arsenal and Manchester City came from behind to win on Saturday.
City were 3-2 victors over Fulham to stay one point behind Liverpool, alongside Arsenal who saw off Southampton 3-1.
Arne Slot has now won nine of his first 10 games since succeeding Jurgen Klopp as Liverpool manager, but was frustrated that the visitors invited a late onslaught from the winless Eagles.
Jota prodded the Reds into the lead from Cody Gakpo’s cross on nine minutes.
The Portuguese international was then guilty of missing two big chances to extend Liverpool’s advantage.
Palace failed to make them pay, but victory came at a cost for Slot as goalkeeper Alisson Becker limped off with a hamstring injury.
“If you score the second you break them mentally,” said Slot. “All the fans kept believing in a result because it was only 1-0, even though in my opinion we were the dominant team.”
Fresh from a dominant win over Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League, Arsenal were expected to sweep aside winless Southampton.
But the Saints shocked the Emirates 10 minutes into the second half when Cameron Archer fired in his first Premier League goal since a summer move from Aston Villa.
The lead only lasted three minutes before Kai Havertz scored for the seventh consecutive home game.
Gabriel Martinelli was introduced after an hour and took just eight minutes to make his mark with a finish on the volley from Bukayo Saka’s cross.
Having set up Arsenal’s first two goals, Saka pounced on a loose ball to score the third himself.
Fulham’s outrageous opener
Rodri’s season-long absence due to a serious knee injury is expected to be a major blow to City’s chances of retaining the title for a fifth consecutive season.
But it was the Spaniard’s deputy Mateo Kovacic who scored twice to turn the game around for the champions at the Etihad.
The visitors had not lost since the opening night of the season at Manchester United and led thanks to Andreas Pereira’s finish from an outrageous backheel assist by Raul Jimenez.
Kovacic’s deflected effort quickly brought City level before a cleaner strike less than two minutes into the second half made it 2-1.
Jeremy Doku then smashed into the top corner from outside the box to give City a two-goal cushion, which they needed.
Rodrigo Muniz gave Fulham hope on 88 minutes, but City held out for a 17th consecutive win against the Cottagers.
West Ham eased the pressure on new boss Julen Lopetegui by ending a run of three home defeats to start the new season.
Michail Antonio, Mohammed Kudus, Jarrod Bowen and Lucas Paqueta struck for the Hammers in a 4-1 win over Ipswich, who are still waiting for their first Premier League win 22 years.
There were six goals before half-time as Brentford beat Wolves 5-3 to leave the visitors still rooted to the foot of the table.
Leicester secured their first league win of the season as Facundo Buonanotte’s strike beat Bournemouth 1-0.
Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag faces a huge match if he is to remain in charge when the Red Devils visit Aston Villa in the pick of Sunday’s action.
-AFP
Premier League
Premier League rejects City request to delay next season’s games after Club World Cup
The Premier League has rejected Manchester City’s request to postpone the first two games of the 2025-26 season to help the players recover after their FIFA Club World Cup campaign in the U.S., the club’s manager Pep Guardiola said on Friday.
City and Chelsea are the two English clubs who have qualified for the expanded month-long Club World Cup set to start on June 15. The Premier League’s season will begin in August.
An increasingly packed soccer calendar has been a concern among a growing number of players and managers. A report by global players’ union FIFPRO said some players get only 12% of the year to rest.
The Premier League did not immediately respond to a request for comment outside regular business hours.
City midfielder Rodri said in September that players could be close to strike action over the time they are required to play. A knee ligament injury has since put him out for the season.
“I don’t know if we will play more games than the treble year (2022-23)… maybe we’ll play less games,” Guardiola told reporters.
“The Premier League has not allowed us to postpone the first two games for our recovery. Thank you so much. They don’t postpone these games so that will be the moment of, oh, what do we have to do?”
He said the Club World Cup will make it even more difficult for clubs to manage player workload.
-Reuters
Manchester United co-owner Jim Ratcliffe said a decision about under-fire manager Erik ten Hag is not his call, and was reticent about whether he still has faith in the team’s boss amid their worst start to the Premier League season since 1986-87.
“I don’t want to answer that question,” Ratcliffe told the BBC. “I like Erik. I think he’s a very good coach but at the end of the day it’s not my call, it’s the management team that’s running Manchester United that have to decide how we best run the team in many different respects.
“That team that’s running Manchester United has only been together since June or July. They weren’t there in January, February, March or April — Omar (Berrada, CEO), (Sporting Director) Dan Ashworth — they only arrived in July.
“They’ve only been there . . . you can count it in weeks almost — they’ve not been there a long time so they need to take stock and make some sensible decisions.”
Ten Hag’s job was the subject of speculation for much of last season en route to the team’s lowest Premier League finish of eighth. After an FA Cup final victory over Manchester City and an end-of-season review, however, Ten Hag signed a new contract to extend his stay at Old Trafford until 2026.
“Our objective is very clear, we want to take Manchester United back to where it should be, and it’s not there yet, obviously, that’s very clear,” Ratcliffe said.
Ten Hag continues to plead for patience from fans with the team languishing 13th in the Premier League table, having lost three of their six opening games. They were headed towards defeat by Porto in the Europa League on Thursday before Harry Maguire scored a last-gasp goal to salvage a 3-3 draw.
-Reuters
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