Manchester United fans are a passionate bunch of people who have gone through years of frustration. Consistency in winning major trophies seems like a distant memory. However, under Erik ten Hag, there are still reasons to be optimistic.
Last season’s performance hints at Erik ten Hag’s impact. A third-place finish and a Carabao Cup triumph are signs of progress. Even the humiliating defeat to Liverpool was followed by a period of strong results, demonstrating the team’s resilience under the Dutchman.
Those @ManUtd full-time celebrations! 🙌#EFL | #CarabaoCupFinal pic.twitter.com/mRNwv9krOF
— Carabao Cup (@Carabao_Cup) February 27, 2023
This season, however, has been horrific. United ended up last in their Champions League group stage and were defeated early in their Carabao Cup defense. The top 4 seems a distant dream this season with only the FA Cup left to salvage something.
I would still somehow defend this season’s performances with the injury crisis. United barely have any world-class players in their starting line-up. Their squad, as of now, does not possess any depth. The injury crisis was terrible. Johnny Evans had to play big games for United – something that was never meant to happen again so many years later – but that was the only choice for Ten Hag.
🏥𝗘𝗿𝗶𝗸 𝘁𝗲𝗻 𝗛𝗮𝗴 & 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗶𝗻𝗷𝘂𝗿𝘆 𝗰𝗿𝗶𝘀𝗶𝘀🏥
Here is a list that proves that the injury crisis at MUFC has been real. Many of the #TenhagOut movement have claimed that clubs like Newcastle United have had similar numbers of injuries, but when you compare the… pic.twitter.com/GNITB4hrq0
— Man United Fan Club (@manufcnow) March 12, 2024
Here are a few more reasons why United fans should trust the process and believe Ten Hag is the best man to take the club forward.
A Proven Track Record of Success
Ten Hag isn’t a novice. He arrives with a decorated trophy cabinet from his time in the Eredivisie with Ajax. He won two Eredivisie titles, two KNVB Cups, and famously reached the 2019 Champions League semi-final. Ten Hag’s Ajax knocked out Real Madrid on the way in the most confident fashion. This success demonstrates his ability to build a winning team and compete at the highest level.
Building a Strong Foundation
United have lacked a clear identity in recent seasons. Erik ten Hag’s attacking and possession-based soccer could become United’s identity again. While this style takes time to implement, glimpses were evident last season, particularly in the FA Cup win over Liverpool. Until last season, everyone would agree that there were telling signs of an identity coming back at United. The identity crisis was finally looking like it would be abolished.
This season, as a United fan, has been traumatic. But, it is probably even more difficult for Ten Hag to look at his team and create a starting line-up out of some of those players. Many of them are not United level. They will not be playing for the club in the coming seasons. That identity is lacking in them and it is visible.
Developing Young Talent
Ten Hag has a reputation for nurturing young talent. At Ajax, he transformed players like Frenkie de Jong and Donny van de Beek into stars. Unfortunately, VDB could not recreate his Ajax magic at United.
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At United already, Erik ten Hag has done a great job with the youngsters. Alejandro Garnacho is enjoying a great run, Kobbie Mainoo is absolute class and he is going to take the club to new heights, and there have been debuts for Willy Kambwala and Omari Forson. United and its academy has continuously been producing solid talents and ETH is the go-to man for that factory to continue producing.
Ruthless and Demanding
A lot of the times, the problem at United has been the attitude of the players. After showing up for long for managers, players just stop showing up. Very evidently this happened to Jose Mourinho. Some of the players just did not want to play for him anymore and wanted him out. The players have created a sort of monopoly because of a lack of discipline.
This is who Erik ten Hag is. He’s direct with his demands for hard work and discipline.
Now imagine him saying this to our ‘superstar’ players. Wouldn’t sit well with most of them because of their egos.
This is the manager I want at my club. ❤️pic.twitter.com/U6UVVklV4I
— UF (@UtdFaithfuls) December 15, 2023
Erik ten Hag isn’t afraid to make tough decisions – Jadon Sancho and Cristiano Ronaldo are prime examples. He dropped established players at Ajax as well. This sends a clear message that performances, not reputations, matter. United need a manager who demands the best and instills a winning mentality.
Erik ten Hag isn’t a miracle worker. But his proven track record, focus on youth development, and demanding nature make him the ideal manager to take Manchester United forward. United fans should be patient with Erik ten Hag.
