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The Manchester United board continue to firmly back Erik ten Hag despite the club’s poor start to the season.
Jamie Jackson (The Guardian) describes the Dutchman’s position as “secure for the foreseeable future” with the club’s executives continuing their support for the manager.
United’s embarrassing loss last night to Galatasaray makes it six defeats in the opening ten games, with the club sitting bottom of their Champions League group and 10th in the league.
Jackon reveals this form has not impacted the board’s opinion of Ten Hag, however, whom they see as “right manager to take the side forward in the long term.” The Dutchman retains the “firm confidence” of United’s hierarchy.
Injuries have been pervasive in their impact on the Dutchman’s squad; something which is acknowledged internally as a mitigating factor for the dismal run.
At one point there were twelve players ruled out for varying reasons, including some of the players signed in the summer to strengthen the squad. Instead, their absences have weakened it.
Ten Hag has even been forced to play without a single member of his starting defence at times, relying on Jonny Evans and a positional change for Sofyan Amrabat to compensate.
Luke Shaw and Tyrell Malacia were ruled out with long-term injuries early in the season. This forced United into the market, acquiring Sergio Reguilon on loan as an emergency signing for cover.
Reguilon played three times, impressing with his attitude and speed, before succumbing to an injury himself. The bad luck has bordered on a joke at times.
While the left-back position was ravaged by injury, the right-wing slot was impacted by off-the-field activity.
Mason Greenwood‘s attempted reintegration was spectacularly misguided and the forward was promptly dispacted to La Liga on loan. Just over a week later, Antony was then ruled unavailable due to allegations of physical violence against women, for which the club granted him an extended leave of absence to respond to the accusations.
Concurrent to this situation with Antony, Jadon Sancho decided to create a public dispute with Ten Hag over the manager’s explanation for his absence during the Arsenal game.
Sancho refused to apologise for his inappropriate tweet and has been banished from the first-team as a result, with the club’s full backing. The winger has reportedly been repeatedly late for training while his application when he is on time has even been questioned by his team mates, let alone his coaches.
In the space of three weeks Ten Hag went from three potential options on the right to none. The left-back plague spreading to the right-wing, albeit with different symptoms.
And though it would never be internally acknowledged by figures at Old Trafford, for fear of reprisals, the continuing negativity concerning the club’s takeover saga rages on in the background, creating a state of angst and frustration amongst the United faithful.
Each of these factors are ones which have negatively impacted United’s start to the season. And while they do not absolve Ten Hag of the historically poor start, they offer enough explanation to justify the board’s continued faith in him.
Ten Hag’s position is safe. For now.
