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Erik ten Hag has come again firing after a painful few weeks of ready to listen to if he nonetheless has a job as Manchester United supervisor.
Having interviewed not less than six potential replacements for the Dutchman, part-owners Ineos determined to stay with him, not less than in the meanwhile.
This has resulted in discussions over a brand new contract, one thing Ten Hag confirmed himself when showing on Dutch TV as a pundit yesterday.
There was little humility or reduction evident within the supervisor’s method as he provided his professional views on England’s opening match towards Serbia, the truth is, bumptious might be one of the best phrase to explain it.
His feedback in regards to the new contract, the interviews with different candidates and Luke Shaw’s health are covered elsewhere, however one fascinating line of dialog got here after the sport when he was requested to touch upon England’s dour efficiency.
“It’s the imaginative and prescient of the supervisor [Gareth Southgate],” he stated (by way of The Telegraph). “England will take a 1-0 lead, then he decides to begin playing with making his staff compact and counting on moments for the remaining minutes of the sport.”
The irony and pointedness of the feedback weren’t misplaced on United followers.
When it comes to irony, one factor that led Ten Hag to the brink of dismissal was his lack of ability to make his United facet compact all through the 2023/24 season. His midfield had extra holes than a colander and his facet had the worst targets towards report, averaged per recreation, in membership historical past.
The “counting on moments” a part of the remark was additionally ironic, given Ten Hag’s persistent use of a transitions-based system, the place United ceded possession for huge intervals of the sport even towards lower-ranked opposition, ready for an opportunity to counter.
When it comes to the pointedness of his feedback, it was broadly reported that Southgate was one of the frontrunners to take over from Ten Hag at Previous Trafford. Actually, the England supervisor’s refusal to enter into discussions with United till after the Euros would be the one factor that saved the Dutchman’s bacon, with Ineos needing to decide sooner.
Ten Hag’s scathing feedback in regards to the tactical acumen of his adversary subsequently had fairly an edge.
Does Ten Hag nonetheless really feel threatened by the spectre of Southgate looming over his shoulder? Or was it simply bitterness and indignation on the very thought he got here near being changed by such an inferior being? We can’t inform.
His affirmation that settlement over a brand new contract “isn’t simply performed,” and that “we’re nonetheless going to have to speak about this”, coupled along with his common manner, made it plain for all to see that his relationship along with his employers is now frosty to say the least.
The Dutchman is demanding a two-year take care of loads of different stipulations, whereas Ineos will probably be trying to wrest varied levels of management from him and construct in escape hatches in his contract, so an excessive amount of compromise will probably be wanted to keep away from an deadlock.
If an settlement can’t be reached, with the Euros over, Southgate might as soon as once more grow to be the most important menace to Ten Hag’s future.
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