Erik ten Hag may have taken United further down the path than they expected after a year in charge. Photo: Getty Images/Gareth Copley Even some of those who were close to Erik ten Hag weren't sure if he would succeed at Manchester United. No one doubted Ten Hag's coaching skills, but despite being in charge of a giant like Ajax, it was a step forward.
It was also a step into the relative unknown. The key questions that needed to be answered were not only whether Ten Hag could manage, whether he had the language and skills to manage personnel, but more importantly, whether United had enough support and a strong enough structure to give him a chance to succeed?
Was there enough experience and leadership on the board with new chief executive Richard Arnold and in the football department under football director John Murtow?
A year has passed and Ten Hag has resolutely steered United in the right direction. Indeed, they may have gone further down the road than expected under the 53-year-old Dutchman, but there is a fork ahead ahead of the FA Cup final against Manchester City.
The crossroads and how United react this summer may well determine whether Ten Hag has simply made them relevant again or can become a bigger part of the conversation when it comes to big prizes: the Premier League and the Champions League.
The question for United is do they have the ambition and resources to move forward, or do they consider what they have achieved a success?
«You have to invest, otherwise you have no chance»< p>Certainly preventing City from repeating United's unique achievement of winning the treble in 1999, with the 142nd but first-ever FA Cup final between two neighbors, Ten Hag's name will forever be written into folklore, regardless of whether he wins is it another football match or not.
“This is the one,” as Stone Rose wrote and how it sounds at Old Trafford before the match, and it will hit the heart of United and their fans if they can't stop City's ruthless force. In fact, they may have more fun stopping City than winning a trophy.
But there is a bigger picture, and the most revealing comments in recent months from Ten Hag came after the league season ended last Sunday. “The club knows that if you want to play in the top four, compete for trophies in this tough league. then you have to invest, otherwise you won't stand a chance because other clubs will do it,» he said. «We saw it in the winter: all the clubs around us invested huge amounts, and we didn't, but we still did it.»
It indicated simmering frustration, especially with the inability to sign Cody Gakpo, whom he wanted and bought by Liverpool when they were trying to chase United in the Champions League race.
Instead, Ten Hug was told he would have to settle for loan deals in January — Wout Weghorst and Marcel Sabitzer — although, to be fair, United spent a lot more last summer supporting the manager than they expected.
Ten Hag celebrates Manchester United's victory in the League Cup final with Lisandro Martinez and Anthony (right). Photo: Getty Images/Andrew Kearns
The club was not budgeted for £210m and of course they had to put forward a £60m offer of Casemiro as they were unable to convince Frenkie de Jong and were close to signing Adrien Rabiot who again could be an option. as his contract expires at Juventus. In addition, they paid far more for Anthony (£85.5m) than they or anyone else expected. But Ten Hag demanded it.
Ten Hag is pushing again and also wants deals to be made as soon as possible. Last year Casemiro only signed on 27 August and Anthony closed the window. Consequently, United are leading the race for Chelsea's Mason Mount. Personal terms aren't an issue, but a fee has yet to be agreed and if United miss out, it will be interesting to see how the manager reacts.
Similarly, he wants a goalkeeper and a top striker, and potentially another striker, and While signing Harry Kane's dream may not be possible, Ten Hag is asking United to be ambitious in their pursuit of the England captain.
There is a bigger picture, and that is the takeover or sale of a majority stake in United, which also muddied the waters, not least for the manager. Publicly, of course, he will choose his words carefully, like any sane employee, but privately there should be irritation that the process has now dragged on for six months, and the lack of information.
Hopefully a decision will come quickly and perhaps the Glazer family has been postponing the FA Cup final that was due to take place. However, there is little logic in this — after all, they put the club up for sale in the middle of the season — and so the world is waiting to see who it is — the Qataris and Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad Al Thani or, more likely, Sir Jim Ratcliffe . which risks angering fans by allowing the Glazers to remain shareholders for at least another three years.
It's a multi-billion dollar deal, but one has to wonder which one is the Glazers or the Raine Group. who handle the sale give the club the best chance to be competitive with the way they did it.
The longer it takes, the greater the uncertainty, and the transfer window will open on June 14th. Of course, United and Ten Hag are already working on the budget and selling players is crucial to that if he wants to strengthen the team the way he wants to.
He has restored the club's faith and identity
United still owes £307m in transfer fees and must be mindful of UEFA's new financial soundness rules, but Ten Haag will feel he has done his part deals. by qualifying for the Champions League and unlocking that income, and he will need proof that he is supported.
The ledger is clearly in his favor: third place, a League Cup win, an FA Cup final and a return to the faith and identity at the club that had been lost since Sir Alex Ferguson's retirement in 2013.
Ten Hag was confident and impressive in the way he did his job on and off the pitch. He is both straightforward and fair and has no side to him, which is a blessed relief after most recently Jose Mourinho and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, who for opposite reasons never really matched.
Ten Hag did a great job with the departure of Cristiano Ronaldo, and it was a prime example of how well he did. Likewise, there was no attempt to humiliate Harry Maguire, even if he is not wanted, or to be anything other than frank with David de Gea and Anthony Martial. Marcus Rashford was transformed, Luke Shaw was outstanding, and the return of Victor Lindelof is in some ways the best example of Ten Hag's honest and persuasive leadership and coaching.
Ten Hag believes in one-on-one conversations and clarity, which is why he supported Bruno Fernandes when his behavior was questioned, but also called him to his office several times to tell him what he thought. But he did not reveal it publicly.
There were hits, big hits and, last but not least, a disturbingly poor away result, exacerbated by an embarrassing 7-0 defeat at Anfield and relegation from the Europa League to Sevilla. . United won the last derby, for the ninth consecutive win, and it brought them closer to City and possibly the title race, but then they immediately retreated.
Their fans will be afraid. what can happen at Wembley against City — not only if their team loses and Pep Guardiola takes another step towards the treble, but the manner of it. If United win, then Ten Hag's strength will be further strengthened. If they lose, it cannot be weakened.
In any case, approaching this intersection, the club must make the right choice.
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