2022 has not been kind to Manchester United. To be honest, Manchester United has shifted from average, to mediocre, to terrible in the past ten years. The Red Devils haven’t won the English Premier League title since 2013 and haven’t won a title since 2017. In addition, despite all the money spent over the years on players, there’s been very little to no positive results from it.
Last November, manager Ole Gunnar Solskjær was sacked from his position. The team was briefly managed by Michael Carrick until Ralf Rangnick took over as interim manager. The whole Rangnick experience has truly exposed the squad for who it truly is. Manchester United is in sixth place in the Premier League standings and is very likely to miss out on a spot in next season’s Champions League. Furthermore, the club is also at risk of failing to secure a spot in the Europa League. The club desperately needs a new direction. Ajax manager Erik ten Hag is now set to take over the club starting next season.
Official, confirmed. Erik ten Hag has been appointed as new Manchester United manager. He’s the man for the new era. 🚨🇳🇱 #MUFC
Official statement by Manchester United & Ajax confirms the agreement completed and signed. pic.twitter.com/vIWlJOzLiE
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) April 21, 2022
What does Manchester United need?
While there’s a serious lack of passion, motivation, structure, and aggression, the team has had very little to no leadership at all since Sir Alex Ferguson retired in 2013. Manchester United needs a new direction and a new vision. Furthermore, the club needs a leader more than anything. Failing to secure a spot in the Champions League or the Europa League might be the best thing for the club. The club needs an entire rebuild. They’ll need to start at the bottom and work their way to the top. In other words, they need to re-earn a spot in the top ranks of the Premier League. Fighting their way back up can surely help the team gain some confidence and motivation.
What does ten Hag bring to the table?
Amassing a win percentage of about 74 percent as manager of Ajax, ten Hag brings a winning track record. Overall, ten Hag’s career winning percentage is 64 percent. In addition, ten Hag is close to leading Ajax to its third consecutive Eredivisie title. Furthermore, ten Hag led Ajax to the semi-finals of the 2018-19 Champions League. It’s not the first time Manchester United appointed a manager with a positive track record.
In 2016, José Mourinho took over as manager of the Red Devils, amassing a winning record of 84 wins. In addition, he led the team to a Europa League title, as well as an EFL Cup and an FA Community Shield. It all started out very well, but Mourinho’s spell at Old Trafford did not end on a positive note. Therefore, the fans are hoping that things go better this time.
Former Chelsea and current Tottenham Hotspur manager Antonio Conte warned ten Hag about the “massive pressure” of managing Manchester United. No doubt, ten Hag will have his hands full with managing and rebuilding his new club, but as far as “massive pressure” goes, any manager appointed as manager of one of the Premier League’s biggest clubs faces it. However, in ten Hag’s case, going from managing a team in the Dutch’s top-flight to the English Premier League isn’t an easy transition. The first step to a successful managing spell with a Premier League is the willingness to take on a massive challenge.
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