Erik Ten Hag was told to quit Man Utd in summer but ignored plea
Erik ten Hag has remained defiant amid questions over the sack at Manchester United with a long-time friend urging him to walk away from the job back in the summer
by Samuel Meade · The MirrorOne of Erik ten Hag's closest friends urged him to quit Manchester United after delivering the FA Cup last season.
The Dutchman is, once again, under pressure with questions being asked regarding how much longer he may last at Old Trafford. He oversaw United's worst ever Premier League campaign last term as they finished eighth, but he survived a summer review to remain in his post.
The new INEOS hierarchy opted to give Ten Hag a one-year extension but, after a poor start to the current season, their judgement is being questioned. The ex-Ajax boss was given more money to spend in the summer but familiar flaws remain in Manchester. Leon Ten Voorde, who grew up in the Netherlands with Ten Hag and has been friends with him for more than 40 years, urged him to leave the club following his shock Wembley triumph, but the United boss was adamant he could be a success.
He told the De Ballen Verstand of TC Tubantia podcast: "I advised him to leave last summer. He won the FA Cup, so you leave through the front door. He's had a lot of injuries this past year. But then trainers think: 'I can turn things around'". Ten Hag's long-time friend also added: "How long does United think this can go on? That question is now hanging over United and Ten Hag again. In general, he is calm and relaxed. But I can't imagine that this leaves you completely unaffected."
Already this season United have suffered three losses in six games. Two of those were 3-0 defeats at home to Liverpool and Tottenham boss running riot. In midweek they let a 2-0 lead slip in Porto to draw 3-3 as their defensive issues were continuously exposed.
Despite that Ten Hag has maintained that his team are heading in the right direction, urging patience as his new recruits look to settle into their new environment. The Dutchman has also continued to lean on his trophy-winning CV.
He said: "We will get there. Don't judge us in this moment, judge us at the end of the season. We are in the process, we will improve. We have two seasons now where we achieve finals, (so) just wait. We have to develop and progress this team. We will work and continue and we will fight."
INEOS chief Sir Jim Ratcliffe has stopped short of making a statement on Ten Hag's future, dodging the possibility of axing the Dutchman. He said: “I don’t want to answer that question…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."
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