27 May 2024 22:41:41
Hello Ed, do you think EtH is going to stay for one more season?
{Ed002's Note - I doubt it.}
28 May 2024 08:36:31
I’m still very comfortable with my flutter on Tuchel here. He’s a show in surely?
{Ed002's Note - Or Pochettino, or De Zerbi ....}
28 May 2024 09:42:56
Hard to really know what is going on and the decision the club will make. I do think that the new ownership are right to review both keeping EtH and getting rid and bringing new manager in.
I do not think that a decision should be made based on one game, should they have already been wanting to give him another season then they would have been given confidence based on what they saw. Should they be wanting to get rid they can question whether he is a cup manager that does not work in the league. Depending on the angle there is a line to take.
For many clubs at the minute it looks like the press are just guessing. One minute Chelsea were in on McKenna, then DeZerbi and now Maresca looks nailed on. We had about 10 managers being discussed, a couple were definitely happening, McKenna looks like he is staying at Ipswich for another year, Ten Hag was definitely gone and now we don't know
The silence after the game does not look good, even though the club say they are finalising the review. I thought if he was staying there would have been an imediate statement after the win. Maybe they want to make it look not like a knee jerk reaction.
Interesting Ed002 has DeZerbi, there was talk that his buy out was negotiated down when he left as a club were ready to pay it but were waiting. That sounds like a club with a game still to play at the time.
We will find out soon.
28 May 2024 11:26:09
Great post Brad. I agree wholeheartedly.
28 May 2024 12:25:25
To me the review is BS. It's either a cover to mask what may be an unpopular decision to get rid of ETH immediately after winning a trophy, a stalling tactic before they have a contract with the "right" someone else in place, and/ or similarly before they walk back a decision they had basically made to fire him. They've had months now to "review" the season. We all know it was bad, except the final game, we all know the extenuating circumstances, and we all know the decision should not be based on one game.
The problem they have is that having won two trophies in two years despite all the problems he inherited, having brought on some excellent young players, having shown what he might achieve with the right backing, and there being no outstanding replacement available, they probably know they should keep him. That will require some negotiations with Ten Hag himself, not just with regard to transfer procedures and authority, but also with respect to extending his contract.
28 May 2024 12:37:01
How have they had 'months' @Shawthing? It's only just finished! They just can't win. Moan when they wait and you would have moaned if they didn't.
28 May 2024 13:04:33
It is taking time because they want the new DoF opinion but he can't be trusted to email his response on the right email account.
Once he's picked up the encrypted phone from the brown bag dropped in the tree in the park they can move this forward.
28 May 2024 13:47:00
3 months of watching from the sidelines, letting various people go, hiring people, etc etc. As people have been saying you don't make a decision based on one game.
The EPL and ECL campaigns were inadequate to say the least. Were there extenuating circumstances? Yes. How much that let's Ten Hag off the hook is a matter of opinion. I'm not campaigning for or against ETH with this comment, even though I think we should keep him. I just think the season review excuse is corporate gobbledegook. The question is not the past but the future.
28 May 2024 14:48:42
Excellent post Shaw.
28 May 2024 14:57:55
Who’s conducting this review?
The new CEO doesn’t start until July and Dan Ashworth was last seen potting his geraniums?!
Jason Wilcox only started two weeks ago?
If they sack EtH before either are in post who has made this decision?
The cyclist enthusiast, the petrol chemical billionaire or Joel Glazer maybe?
28 May 2024 15:58:48
Joel glazer…. god I hope not! ?.
28 May 2024 16:11:30
Why do you think they should keep him Shaw?
28 May 2024 16:47:56
Thanks Ed. Who in your opinion is the best option?
{Ed002's Note - Tuchel.}
28 May 2024 18:04:58
Oakbark
Brilliant made me chuckle. Keep it up this site needs some good humor.
Shaw I agree with your post. Said same thing its bit of a window dressing exercise.
I believe eth saying they had told him they want to go forward with him, his demeanor and telling reply in terms of going elsewhere to win trophies if they don't want him spoke of a guy who thinks he has been messed around.
I think the next guy is in for a rude reception from match going fans and social media if things start poorly, they will need to back him with a massive transfer kitty. If its a cosmetic facelift of the squad none of these guys will do better imo.
I like how poch gets a free pass for years and seems to have this credit for winning nothing. A billion pound spend in transfers in two summers and he scraps 6th place. Tuchel and de Zerbi if they get half the treatment of what eth has gotten will burn every bridge there is given their characters.
Ineos are in a pickle as they say.
28 May 2024 18:52:32
I can’t believe de zerbi is being considered. I don't get the hype.
{Ed025's Note - nor me Eric..
28 May 2024 18:53:17
There's no right answer, can see both sides. but sacking ten hag now this week seems nuts. especially if its for the Brighton fella, no thank you. But if its poch or tuchel I can see it but at least wait til next week. my gut feeling that ten hag will leave and poch will come in.
29 May 2024 01:32:44
Tom, here's my reasons for keeping him:
1) He had a good first season considering he had to deal with no striker and the Ronaldo situation, the general incompetence of those connected with recruitment, and the club's inability to land a long term CM. He did at least land a trophy.
2) In the second season while the ECL and EPL were very poor overall, he did land a trophy at the end. He also had to deal with a plethora of injuries, particularly to defenders, so that he never had a settle back line. Last year Arsenal fell apart defensively losing just Saliba. Before that Liverpool declined disastrously losing just Van Dijk. So, yes, other teams had plenty injuries. Brighton, for example, who ended up being 17th in the 2nd half of the season, and yet De Zerbi is considered the next savior by some. It's essential to have pretty much 2 full teams of quality players to be able to maintain top level performances for 65 games a season. United, for various reasons, including FFP simply haven't had that luxury.
3) He seems to have done pretty well with the younger players, and indeed United gave teenagers 3600 playing minutes compared to 1250 for City, Villa, Arsenal, Spurs and Liverpool combined, which is exactly what many United fans have wanted to see. Bringing on young stars is supposed to be part of our DNA. Of course you could make the case that he only did it because he had to because of lack of options.
4) As Ratcliffe himself said, if every manager keeps failing then maybe the problem isn't the manager.
On the negative side, many of us including me became somewhat exasperated by his failure to change his tactics when it was clear that our midfield was too porous. His argument would probably have been that he was not hired to play LVG style negative football. He also seemed to persist with Antony when it was clear that he was a one and not very impressive trick pony. And of course there was the fallout with Sancho, which different people have different opinions about.
With 2 trophies already, with the bringing on of young players, having had to deal with an absent or incompetent management structure behind him, all the injuries to key players, and the enormous drop off in form for Rashford, the Ronaldo, Sancho, Antony and Greenwood distractions and the press pressure, I don't see the point in firing him UNLESS the club is pretty much certain there's a better option. And without the new DOF even hired yet who's to say what the new direction will be? How can a professional review take place without key personnel hired and a Glazer as one of the principle arbiters?
29 May 2024 01:53:11
I don’t live either choice Nick. That being said, I like ETH but don’t love him staying on either. The mess he made of his second season is a crazy fall from grace compared to how well he did in his first. So which one was the anomaly?
29 May 2024 09:11:14
Good post Shaw llets see what happens in the coming days.
29 May 2024 18:16:16
I'm torn Shaw.
He has had a lot to deal with, but how much is on him? He wanted and has to much control of things. He apparently sets the recovery schedules for players so are some of the injuries not on him? He doesn't rotate his team a great deal when everyone is fit. The 1st season fizzled out after the league Cup victory. The players were dead on their feet.
His recruitment has been poor.
This season has been woeful and an fa Cup victory although brilliant shouldn't mask a very poor campaign.
The problem for me is, is exactly what you have said. Can they review the season with the people doing the review only seeing a fraction of it.
If ten hag is willing to relinquish controll and be put into a coaching role maybe this would be the best solution.
I think with mkenna signing a contract with Ipswich that may have put a spanner into what utd want to do. My worry is Southgate may be more available next year.