July 16th 2024.
Earlier this summer, Manchester United made a bold decision to stand by their manager, Erik ten Hag, despite a less-than-stellar season. In fact, they even considered other options, just in case things didn't go as planned. But ultimately, they gave Ten Hag another chance to lead the team for a third season, thanks to a vote of confidence from Sir Jim Ratcliffe.
Ten Hag's position was initially in question after United's poor performance in the Premier League, which was their worst in history. However, he managed to turn things around and secured a surprising victory in the FA Cup final against Manchester City. This success bought him some time, as United took their time in assessing potential replacements before ultimately deciding to stick with Ten Hag.
One name that came up as a potential replacement was Gareth Southgate, the former England manager. Although Southgate was highly regarded by Ratcliffe, it is reported that United would be unlikely to hire him if Ten Hag's fortunes were to decline. In fact, their top choice in that scenario would be Thomas Tuchel, who ironically was also a leading contender to replace Southgate as the England manager.
As United kicked off their pre-season campaign, they suffered a disappointing loss to Norwegian side Rosenborg. Ten Hag did not hold back in expressing his disappointment with the team's performance. He stressed that at a club like Manchester United, the standard is to win games and definitely not lose them. He also called for a higher level of fitness and performance from his players, stating that it was not up to the standards of top football.
Despite the setback, Ten Hag remains optimistic and understands the importance of pre-season games in preparing for the upcoming season. He believes that the team has the potential to perform better and meet the high standards expected at a club like Manchester United. As he continues to work with the team, he is determined to help them achieve their goals and elevate their performance to the level expected of a top football club.
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