- Louis Van Gaal has told Ten Hag to consider turning down the manager’s job at Old Trafford since Manchester United is a commercial club
- Van Gaal was angered by the way his departure was handled by the former executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward.
- Ten Hag is the most potential candidate being considered by Manchester United as Rangnick’s successor
Louis van Gaal has advised Erik ten Hag to decline the manager’s position at Old Trafford because Manchester United is a “commercial club”. He would be “better off moving to a football club.”
Manchester United has held talks with Ten Hag as part of their manager’s hunt.
Van Gaal thinks it’s better for Ten Hag to choose a football club over a commercial club. Photo: Eurosport
The Ajax head coach is one of the possibilities of being considered succeeding interim manager Ralf Rangnick in the summer.
Mauricio Pochettino, the current manager of Paris Saint-Germain, Spain’s Luis Enrique, and Sevilla’s Julen Lopetegui, have all been connected with the vacant position.
Van Gaal, who is now the Netherlands’ coach, has issued a shocking warning to his fellow Dutchman, advising him to join a “football club” instead of taking up the Old Trafford post.
Between 2014 and 2016, Van Gaal coached United for two seasons.
Putting them back into the top four in his first season and then winning the FA Cup the following season – the club’s first trophy since Sir Alex Ferguson’s departure.
However, after winning the trophy, he was fired by United’s management and replaced by Jose Mourinho.
Van Gaal’s time at United is not remembered warmly by fans.
But the Netherlands coach thinks is not sure a move to Old Trafford would not be a wise one for Ten Hag.
“Erik Ten Hag is a great coach, and that is always good for Manchester United,” Van Gaal said at a press conference to preview Tuesday’s friendly between Netherlands and Germany.
“But Manchester United are a commercial club, so it’s a difficult choice for a coach.
“He would be better going to a football club. I will not advise him; he’ll call me himself. But he must choose a football club and not a commercial club.”
When asked where he believed Ten Hag should go, Van Gaal added: “I will not advise him, he’ll call me himself, but he must choose a football club and not a commercial club.”
Ajax coach Erik Ten Hag. Photo: Eurosport
However, the Netherlands boss then criticised how those above the management ran United.
In a BBC Sport interview in 2019, van Gaal provided a sarcastic evaluation of United’s then-CEO Ed Woodward,
“Winning a trophy despite having a rope around my neck for six months,” the Dutchman said of his cup victory, believing Woodward had deceived him.
Former executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward’s handling of the senior Dutch coach’s departure from Old Trafford angered the veteran Dutch coach.
“The Glazers [the club’s owners] and Ed Woodward [executive vice-chairman] requested me,” the boss said three years after he was fired.
“That is why I am still enraged by how they handled the situation. Ed Woodward knew well that Manchester United would be my final club.
Meanwhile, Ten Hag has been the manager of Ajax for five seasons, winning the Eredivisie twice and guiding the team to the 2019 Champions League semi-finals.
While dominating possession in both legs of the last-16 encounter, Ajax was knocked out of the Champions League by Benfica this month, despite leading the Eredivisie by two points.
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