Manchester United legends Gary Neville and Rio Ferdinand have backed their former membership for sacking supervisor Erik ten Hag – whereas Bruno Fernandes has thanked him and broadcaster Piers Morgan has reminded supporters about Cristiano Ronaldo’s warning over the Dutchman.
Ten Hag was sacked on Monday after a dreadful begin to the third season of his underachieving tenure at Previous Trafford, leaving the 20-time champions 14th within the desk with 4 wins in 14 video games in all competitions.
Jim Ratcliffe’s Ineos Group, who took over the footballing operations of the membership in February, triggered a one-year extension in Ten Hag’s contract in July regardless of the 54-year-old overseeing a lowly eighth-placed end in 2023-24.
Ten Hag sacked 😱😱😱😱
— Rio Ferdinand (@rioferdy5) October 28, 2024
Man Like Ruud 🔥
— Rio Ferdinand (@rioferdy5) October 28, 2024
Ferdinand: Ineos ‘backed into nook’
“It’s mad,” mentioned former Pink Devils centre-back Ferdinand, including that United’s shock FA Cup ultimate win over Manchester Metropolis final season had delayed Ten Hag’s destiny.
“Ineos have are available to manage the soccer operations and that is their second large choice. The primary they needed to make was whether or not to maintain Ten Hag after the season was completed.
“The FA Cup win clearly modified their judgement, as a result of they have been interviewing managers. Now they’ve made the decision {that a} new supervisor is required.
“Did they again themselves right into a nook with the best way they dealt with stuff in the summertime? They’ll look again and say they may have dealt with it higher.”
“I might be asking questions on that, as an proprietor.”
Gary Neville says that Manchester United have ‘lacked’ id and elegance over the past two seasons 😮 pic.twitter.com/CiRsTWFrMD
— Sky Sports activities Premier League (@SkySportsPL) October 28, 2024
Neville: Ten Hag ‘wrestle’
Neville has been an outspoken critic of Ten Hag in his position as a Sky Sports activities pundit, savaging United’s show of their humiliating 3-0 house defeat to Tottenham on September 29.
The outcome ramped up the stress on Ten Hag, who has overseen one win in 5 video games since and led United to attracts in every of their opening three Europa League matches.
The previous Ajax supervisor reiterated his perception that accidents and refereeing selections have been costing his facet after their 2-1 defeat at West Ham on Sunday.
Eight completely different folks have taken cost of Manchester United since Sir Alex Ferguson’s departure 😲 pic.twitter.com/aopOGDrXxc
— ESPN UK (@ESPNUK) October 28, 2024
“The shortage of id and elegance is one thing that’s been a thriller for the final two-and-a-half seasons,” Neville mentioned of Ten Hag’s reign, chatting with Sky Sports activities Information.
“I do consider there are a bunch of gamers there who can play lots higher. I used to be shocked to see Erik play Casemiro in midfield with [£42.1m August signing Manuel] Ugarte on the bench.
“Ugarte was introduced in because the successor to Casemiro. He’s not began brilliantly but when I used to be an proprietor, taking a look at that… I might be asking questions.
“It’s an actual wrestle watching United, and that’s not modified over the past 18 months. Sadly, I assumed it was coming.
“In opposition to Tottenham a number of weeks in the past, it was the kind of sport the place I assumed I’d seen it earlier than and know the way it ends. It was one which shocked all people. It’s bought worse.”
Reply: on the dole queue. pic.twitter.com/4kyxI90O2R
— Piers Morgan (@piersmorgan) October 28, 2024
Piers Morgan: Ten Hag ‘delusional’
Journalist and Arsenal fan Morgan claimed that “each phrase” Ronaldo had instructed him throughout an interview after he was launched by United in 2022 had been “born out by occasions”.
A Champions League and three-time Premier League winner with United, Ronaldo had returned to the membership for a second time however was one of many first gamers to depart throughout Ten Hag’s first season.
Ronaldo instructed Morgan that Ten Hag “didn’t have respect for me” and criticised him in a separate later interview for suggesting that United couldn’t win the Champions League.
“He was an over-promoted, delusional, disrespectful and totally mediocre supervisor who couldn’t deal with world-class expertise or run a membership that measurement,” Morgan instructed his tens of millions of Twitter followers.
Ferdinand, who was a United team-mate of Ronaldo alongside Neville, agreed. “It is sensible now,” he mentioned. “Cristiano can be sitting there, having just a little cup of tea, going ‘now you perceive’.
“What Cristiano was making an attempt to inform us, in a roundabout manner – fairly instantly, at instances – was that he didn’t suppose this was the man to do the issues at United that we want.”
“I respect the belief and the moments we share collectively, I want you all the perfect for the long run 🙌”
Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes responds by way of Instagram to Erik ten Hag’s departure. pic.twitter.com/RbM9ARMo8w
— Sky Sports activities Premier League (@SkySportsPL) October 28, 2024
Bruno Fernandes thanks Ten Hag
United captain Bruno Fernandes thanked Ten Hag on Instagram. “I respect the belief and the moments we shared collectively,” mentioned the playmaker.
“Even understanding the [recent] interval hasn’t been nice from all of us, I hope you followers can hold with you the nice issues the supervisor has finished for the membership.”
Ex-United centre-back Pat McGibbon was involved by United’s instability. “Worrying instances as one other supervisor goes,” he mentioned. “Fingers crossed the possession have some readability of their imaginative and prescient.”
Worrying instances at @ManUtd as one other supervisor goes.😞 Fingers crossed the possession have some readability of their imaginative and prescient.🤞❤️🤍🖤
— Pat McGibbon (@pmgsportservic1) October 28, 2024
Rinse and repeat at Man United. Troublesome to argue with the choice however the issue is lack of high class managers round. Whoever is available in takes over a bunch of gamers purchased by a number of completely different managers as effectively. Crew has had a scarcity of id for thus lengthy because of fixed change
— Danny Higginbotham (@Higginbotham05) October 28, 2024
Danny Higginbotham, who performed for the membership between 1997 and 2000, referred to as the sacking a case of “rinse and repeat at Man United”.
“Troublesome to argue with the choice however the issue is lack of top-class managers round,” he added. “Whoever is available in takes over a bunch of gamers purchased by a number of completely different managers, as effectively. The crew has had a scarcity of id for thus lengthy because of fixed change.”
Van Nistelrooy in?
Ferdinand backed Ruud van Nistelrooy, who was introduced in as a coach throughout the summer time and has taken over on an interim foundation, to have an effect and advised that Ineos could have recruited him partly on account of their doubts about Ten Hag.
The 45-year-old additionally rued what he sees as a missed alternative to herald Thomas Tuchel earlier than the previous Bayern Munich and Chelsea supervisor was named as England’s new boss earlier this month.
“One win in eight video games isn’t nice,” mentioned Ferdinand. “I don’t suppose [Ten Hag] or anybody else can be stunned by this.
“My large factor is that it’s taken so lengthy. One of many essential greatest candidates who was sitting on the market was Thomas Tuchel, and he’s gone now.”
“I don’t suppose anyone can be actually shocked,” echoed Neville. “The massive shock, for me, is simply how dangerous they’ve been with the brand new signings.
“I felt they’d have sufficient to get an honest stage of efficiency collectively. You may’t be 14th, with the extent of spend, with out being below stress.”
