Erik Ten Hag Admits Being Warned off ‘Impossible’ Man Utd Job

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Assuming the role in May 2022, Ten Hag became the fifth permanent manager for Manchester United in nine years since Sir Alex Ferguson’s retirement – a tenure three times longer than the iconic figure’s reign.

Following Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s departure in late 2021, interim manager Ralf Rangnick had emphasized the need for “open heart surgery” to restore United’s former glory.

Undeterred by skepticism, Ten Hag, in an interview with the renowned fanzine United We Stand, shared his determination, stating, “Everyone was telling me ‘You can’t succeed in that job.

‘ They said it was impossible. Me? I wanted the challenge. I knew it wouldn’t be easy, but it was such a great club with such a great fanbase. People love Man Utd, or they are against Man Utd. I like clubs like this. Ajax was like this.”

Ten Hag, renowned for guiding Ajax to the brink of the 2019 Champions League final and managing Bayern Munich II during Pep Guardiola’s tenure, experienced a successful debut season with Manchester United.

Overcoming a challenging start, he steered the team back to the Premier League top four, ending a six-year trophy drought.

However, his second year has presented greater challenges, with United losing ten out of 22 games across all competitions – a pace unmatched since Sir Alex Ferguson’s era. The team’s Champions League fate hangs precariously after securing just one win in five matches.

Despite the setbacks, United remains competitive in the Premier League, securing victory over Chelsea and winning five of the last seven league games.

Despite six losses in the competition, Ten Hag’s side sits only three points away from the top four and nine points behind the leaders.

Addressing reports of squad disunity, Ten Hag vehemently denied the claims and enjoys full backing from United’s hierarchy and incoming minority investor Sir Jim Ratcliffe.

The focus is on establishing stability and reshaping the club’s approach to transfer dealings.

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