Erik ten Hag memorably vowed that “eras come to an end” in his unveiling press conference at Manchester United. Of course, he dropped that quote in reference to Pep Guardiola and Jurgen Klopp. However, his era at Old Trafford came to an end on Monday. Sacked after two-and-a-half years at the helm.
United chief executive Omar Berrada and sporting director Dan Ashworth were INEOS’ harbingers of doom.
The executive pairing broke the news to Ten Hag the morning after a 2-1 defeat at West Ham United that left his side 14th in the Premier League.
But it was part-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe who would have had the ultimate say in axing the Dutchman weeks after refusing to publicly back him. He was reportedly never convinced.
There has understandably been radio silence on Ten Hag’s end since his sacking. He was pictured boarding a private jet at Manchester Airport on the same day as his dismissal.
The 54-year-old is believed to be spending some time with his family in his homeland, the Netherlands, before deciding his next steps.
He maintained a strong public stance until the very end, though, regularly reminding his critics of his two “successful” seasons as boss.
Glory in the Carabao Cup in February 2023 – which ended United’s six-year trophy drought – and the FA Cup earlier this year were his measurements of success.
Ten Hag chose to ignore the club’s record-low eighth-place Premier League finish and worst-ever Champions League campaign in his naive assessment.
But to his credit, the man knows how to win silverware. And Ten Hag sent INEOS a direct message shortly after the FA Cup triumph at Wembley in May.
Following a masterclass against Manchester City, Ten Hag told Ratcliffe and United’s other power brokers that he would go and win elsewhere if he no longer fit into the project in M16.
“Two trophies in two years is not bad, three finals in two years is not bad,” the then-United manager defiantly reflected.
“We have to keep going. I’m not satisfied with it, we have to do better, and if they don’t want me any more, then I go somewhere else to win trophies because that is what I did my whole career.
“When I started here I said I am here to win and also I want to build a team, and both [of those things] I am doing.
“But if they don’t want me any more, I go somewhere else and, as I’ve done in my whole managerial career, win games and win trophies.”
That task, as well as drastically improving United’s fortunes in the Premier League and Europe, now falls at the feet of Ruben Amorim.
