Ratcliffe's blunt Man Utd admission sheds light on Erik ten Hag's future as boss

21 February 2024 , 19:51

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Ratcliffe's blunt Man Utd admission sheds light on Erik ten Hag's future as boss

Sir Jim Ratcliffe and his INEOS Sports crew are now overseeing football operations at Manchester United after the billionaire purchased 25 per cent of the Red Devils.

One thing that has been up for discussion since Ratcliffe arrived at Old Trafford is the future of manager Erik ten Hag. The Dutchman has overseen an underwhelming season so far, but hopes of Champions League qualification are still alive after a recent run of fine form.

For the majority of the current campaign, Ten Hag has had to endure rumours regarding his long-term future, with some fans and pundits alike suggesting that the ex-Ajax boss is not the man to turn the tide on United's recent fortunes and restore them to their former glories.

However, it doesn't look like Ratcliffe agrees. The British billionaire has instead shone a light on the fact that no United manager since Sir Alex Ferguson's retirement in 2013 has really enjoyed a period of sustained success. He feels that must be an indictment on the culture, rather than the man in the dugout.

"What I would say, if you look at the last 11 years, Man United have had quite a few coaches," Ratcliffe explained. "Nobody has been successful in that Manchester United environment. That would say to me that there's something wrong with the environment."

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Before those remarks, he also explained that any fans hoping United can be back to their best as soon as possible are sorely mistaken. Ratcliffe added: "It has clearly been a difficult 11 years since Sir Alex Ferguson and David Gill retired.

"It's not switching a light switch. It's not just a simple short-term fix. We have to walk to the right solution, not run to the wrong one. The short-term issue is we want to get into the Champions League.

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Sir Jim Ratcliffe's comments suggest he'll give Erik ten Hag time at Man United (Manchester United/Manchester United via Getty Images)

"It's a two-to-three-season challenge to get the organisation and environment right, to get the performances on the field right and win football matches. That involves the design and structure of the organisation being correct."

Ten Hag is contracted to the club until the summer of 2025, but as shown by his predecessors, there is precious little job security whilst operating in the United hot seat.

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Josh O'Brien