- Ten Hag has stated that if he is given the job, he wants “freedom with his management of players” so that he may remake the team in his image
- The Interim United manager Ralf Rangnick believes United could be rebuilt in 18 months
- Sancho will undoubtedly be a crucial part of the club’s long-term future, given incoming manager Ten Hag’s track record of nurturing young players
- Ten Hag will need the complete support of the board and owners to take control of the dressing room, just as Pep Guardiola
Erik ten Hag has emerged as Manchester United’s preferred candidate to lead the club into the future, and the Dutchman must act quickly to address the club’s immediate challenges.
After impressing in his interview, sources from Ajax and the Dutchman’s camp told Sky Sports News last week that conversations about compensation and how to make a formal statement had taken place.
Ralf Rangnick believes United could be rebuilt in 18 months, and with the club on the verge of appointing a new manager, Sportsleo looks at some of the key issues he’ll have to address.
Does Ronaldo have a future at Old Trafford?
Christiano Ronaldo is the top scorer at Old Trafford. Photo: Eurosport
When the Dutchman is announced as United’s new manager, this will be the burning question on everyone’s lips, and it will be fascinating to see how he handles Ronaldo.
The Portugal striker is now 37 years old, but he is still United’s most effective No 9, evidenced by his spectacular hat-trick in the club’s recent 3-2 triumph over Tottenham.
In fact, with Edinson Cavani, Marcus Rashford, and Mason Greenwood all failing to make an impact upfront this season for various reasons, Ronaldo is the club’s only viable alternative.
This season, a healthy 18 goals and three assists in 32 games in all competitions underline that fact. The veteran is easily United’s leading scorer and his minutes-per-goal ratio dwarfing that of his teammates.
Ten Hag has stated that if he is given the job, he wants “freedom with his management of players” so that he may remake the team and its style in his image, focusing on younger and more hungry players.
All of this may mean the end for Ronaldo at Old Trafford, especially if Ten Hag wants Manchester United to play more like the team in the blue half of the city.
Ronaldo just signed a two-year deal to rejoin the club last August, with the option of an additional 12 months.
Build a team around Sancho? What about Rashford?
Rashford is struggling at Old Trafford while Sancho seems to be doing well. Photo: Getty Images
Last summer, when Manchester United finally acquired Jadon Sancho, the idea of him and Marcus Rashford dazzling on both wings was exciting.
Millions of United fans believed the club had unearthed two wide forwards worthy of playing on the Old Trafford surface for the next decade.
However, neither Rashford nor Sancho was included in Gareth Southgate’s latest 25-man England team.
The absence of Rashford was expected, but Sancho’s came as a shock to many.
After starting just four Premier League games before previous United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was sacked, the 22-year-old has made a notable comeback under interim manager Ralf Rangnick.
Sancho started six league games five weeks before the last international break, scoring twice and assisting three times. Last Saturday, he also played the entire 90 minutes in Leicester’s 1-1 tie.
He has turned into a rare bright spot for United in what has been a dismal season after an uninspiring start at Old Trafford.
Sancho will undoubtedly be a crucial part of the club’s long-term future, given incoming manager Ten Hag’s track record of nurturing young players and his status as one of Europe’s most progressive managers.
It wouldn’t surprise me if he became the central focus of the Dutchman’s team.
In the case of Rashford, Ten Hag must decide whether to cash in or try to resurrect the career of a player with undeniable world-class talent.
Despite the absence of Cristiano Ronaldo and Edinson Cavani, his season reached a new low when he was selected on the bench against Leicester.
Rushford has struggled in recent months, scoring only twice since the end of October.
With his current contract, which contains a one-year extension clause, set to expire in 2023, there have been speculations that he is considering his future with the club.
United is set to announce Erik Ten Hag as their new manager. Photo: Eurosport
He needs a new manager with new ideas, someone who will be there for the long haul and can help him find the player he was as a courageous 18-year-old in 2016.
That is something Ten Hag is more than capable of.
How does Ten Hag control the dressing room?
The apparent increase in attention that the Dutchman will receive when he moves to Manchester has been widely discussed, but his most challenging task will be managing the egos in the dressing room.
These players have let down Jose Mourinho, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, and now Ralf Rangnick due to a lack of accountability on and off the field.
At United, the players have had more authority than the management for a long time. With Ten Ha, that needs to change.
There has been talking of integrating a United ‘DNA’ assistant to Ten Hag’s backroom crew. Steve McClaren, Sir Alex Ferguson’s former assistant during the 1999 treble-winning season, and Robin van Persie have both been mentioned.
Ten Hag would benefit from this position since it would allow him to understand English football better and possibly strengthen his relationship with the team’s dressing room.
Ten Hag will need the complete support of the board and owners to take control of the dressing room, just as Pep Guardiola did at Manchester City and Jurgen Klopp did at Liverpool.
Whether those in power at the moment are capable of doing so is a different matter.
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