Revealed: Man United dressing room collapse. Underperforming players no longer listen to Erik ten Hag whose authority is eroded
- Ten Hag clings to his job after humiliating defeat at Crystal Palace
Manchester United are sticking with Erik ten Hag for now, but growing uncertainty over his future at Old Trafford is eroding the Dutchman’s authority in the dressing room.
Mail Sport revealed last month that United players expected Ten Hag to be sacked at the end of the season – a scenario that came significantly closer following Monday’s crushing 4-0 defeat at Crystal Palace.
New co-owners Ineos are reluctant to make a quick decision and Ten Hag will likely remain in charge for the final three Premier League games and the FA Cup final against Manchester City.
But it looks increasingly unlikely he will survive beyond the end of the season, and insiders have spoken of how the feeling of uncertainty has seeped into the dressing room and undermined the manager’s position.
Sir Jim Ratcliffe did not give Ten Hag a vote of confidence, and face-to-face conversations between the team and its Ineos sporting director, Sir Dave Brailsford, focused on culture change at the within the club, leading players to assume that the Dutchman was not a player. no longer features in Ratcliffe’s plans.
Speculation over Erik Ten Hag’s future has created a sense of uncertainty around Man United.
Monday night’s miserable 4-0 defeat to Crystal Palace further increased the pressure on the manager
Mitchell van der Gaag (left), who is Ten Hag’s number 2, can also be abrasive with the team.
It is understood that this affects their response to his instructions during matches and training. Although Ten Hag insisted after the Palace debacle that the players were behind him, he accused them of “making big mistakes, not following the plan, the script and the rules that we have”.
So far, Ineos has kept an open mind about the future of Ten Hag, partly due to the lack of good alternatives. Ratcliffe and Brailsford have focused on building a management team, with general manager Omar Berrada and Dan Ashworth not expected to start work until the summer.
New technical director Jason Wilcox is believed to be still carrying out his first assessment of the facility at Carrington under the guidance of Ten Hag, who has been fully involved in pre-season planning.
After the 4-3 win over Liverpool in the FA Cup last month, there was a genuine belief that he could stay to be part of the new structure.
But calamitous defeats to Palace and Chelsea, disappointing draws against Burnley and Bournemouth and United’s collapse before beating Coventry on penalties in the FA Cup semi-final appear to have sealed his fate.
Ineos will let him stay in charge for the rest of the season, although there have been suggestions among staff that Steve McClaren could step in as caretaker if things break down.
Thomas Tuchel’s representatives have made it clear he wants the job as he prepares to leave Bayern Munich, but concerns remain over the former Chelsea manager’s abrasive nature.
Julian Nagelsmann and Gareth Southgate will only be available after the Euros, while other suitors include Ruben Amorim, Graham Potter, Roberto De Zerbi and Thomas Frank.
There was a suggestion within the staff that assistant coach Steve McClaren would take over immediately.
Mauricio Pochettino unlikely to be offered the seat if he leaves Chelsea this summer
Mauricio Pochettino, who was Ten Hag’s main rival for the job two years ago, is unlikely to be considered if he leaves Chelsea this summer.
The fact that there is no standout candidate could still give Ten Hag a lifeline, but his position looks increasingly untenable.
