The Dutchman won two trophies in two seasons but guided United to their lowest Premier League finish last term. He was kept on by the new board this summer following an end-of-season review.”
However, having won just three of his first nine league games this campaign, Ten Hag has been relieved of his duties after 128 games as manager. Step-in caretaker Ruud van Nistelrooy takes charge while a permanent successor is sourced.
Van Nistelrooy becomes the ninth different figure – temporary or permanent – to lead the club since Sir Alex Ferguson’s retirement in 2013. He follows Ryan Giggs, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and Michael Carrick in being among the Scot’s former players to take charge of United.
Earlier this month, Sir Jim Ratcliffe informed Ferguson that he would be relinquishing his role of club ambassador at the end of the season. It is thought the move is part of his cost-cutting exercises at the club, having already sanctioned the redundancies of 250 staff members this year.
However, the 72-year-old – who wishes to see United build a new 100,000-seater Old Trafford – has made clear that decisions regarding the first-team manager are not within his remit.
Asked about the future of Ten Hag earlier this month, Ratcliffe deflected: “I like Erik. I think he’s a very good coach but at the end of the day it’s not my call, it’s the management team that’s running Manchester United that have to decide how we best run the team in many different respects.”
Ratcliffe oversaw a revamp of the United boardroom this summer, with old figures ushered out and new top brass headhunted. Former Manchester City chief Omar Berrada was announced as the club’s new CEO in January while technical director Jason Wilcox was pinched from Southampton.
United had to fork out compensation to Newcastle United when acquiring sporting director Dan Ashworth, who insisted that the decision to keep Ten Hag was made before his summer arrival. United will lose around £17million in sacking compensation to Ten Hag.
Ineos sporting chief Sir Dave Brailsford and Ineos CEO Jean-Claude Blanc are also on the board while Christopher Vivell sits as director of global talent.
While clarifying his role in the managerial turnover process, Ratcliffe urged the boardroom to “to take stock and make some sensible decisions,” having “not been there a long time.”
He underscored: “Our objective is very clear – we want to take Manchester United back to where it should be, and it’s not there yet, obviously – that’s very clear.”
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