June 8th 2024.
Louis van Gaal believes that Erik ten Hag should not be fired from his position as Manchester United manager. While van Gaal admits that ten Hag has not performed exceptionally well, he thinks that his fellow Dutchman deserves more time to prove himself and should not be dismissed.
Despite leading United to victory in the FA Cup final just two weeks ago, ten Hag's future at the club is uncertain. Before the final, there were reports that Sir Jim Ratcliffe, the club's owner, had already made up his mind to let go of ten Hag regardless of the result against Manchester City. However, United's unexpected win has improved ten Hag's chances of staying for a third season.
Van Gaal understands the pressure that ten Hag is under, as he himself was let go by United in 2016 after winning the FA Cup. He sympathizes with his fellow manager and believes that he should not suffer the same fate.
In an interview with Sky Sports, van Gaal expressed his support for ten Hag, saying, "Yes, of course. But I needed more time at Manchester United. I also won the FA Cup and before me, nobody had won it for 20 years. Now Erik is winning the FA Cup and has also qualified for the Champions League in his first year, so I don't think he should be sacked."
Van Gaal also acknowledges that ten Hag has room for improvement and can be critical of his performance. However, he believes that ten Hag has shown that he is a good manager and deserves more time to continue developing the team.
Apart from the ongoing season review, United's pursuit of Gareth Southgate as their top choice for manager is also causing a delay in making a decision on ten Hag's future. Southgate, who is currently the manager of the England national team, has expressed interest in the position but will not discuss his future until after the Euros.
In a recent interview, Southgate addressed the speculation surrounding his potential move to United, saying, "I'm not a big gambling man, and bookies can make their odds, but I haven't had any conversations about it. I have one thing to focus on, and that's having a successful tournament with England. Anything else is irrelevant to me."
While United is still considering other options, such as Brentford's Thomas Frank, former Chelsea and Bayern Munich manager Thomas Tuchel has fallen down their list of potential candidates.
In conclusion, van Gaal believes that ten Hag should not be sacked and should be given more time to prove himself as United's manager. He also understands the uncertainty surrounding ten Hag's future and the delay in making a decision due to United's pursuit of Southgate.
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