Erik ten Hag’s Job Security at Manchester United Hangs by a Thread: Can He Survive Beyond October?
Erik ten Hag’s tenure as the manager of Manchester United is under increasing scrutiny, with the possibility of his dismissal becoming more likely if he fails to turn the team’s fortunes around. Despite a massive investment of nearly £500 million in player acquisitions, Manchester United’s performance has been disappointing, and questions about ten Hag’s future loom large.
Manchester United’s Expensive Squad:
Manchester United boasts one of the most valuable squads in European football, with a staggering estimated value of 500 million euros. Even with 11 players unavailable for various reasons, their squad value far surpasses that of many rival teams, including Brighton. Notable players like Onana (52.5 million euros), Dalot (22 million euros), Lindelof (35 million euros), Martinez (57 million euros), Casemiro (70 million euros), Bruno Fernandes (65 million euros), and Hojlund (75 million euros) underscore the club’s financial prowess. Interestingly, four of Manchester United’s key players are either homegrown, acquired for free, or on loan, namely Reguilon, Eriksen, McTominay, and Rashford…..etc…etc…
Ten Hag’s Precarious Position:
Recent poor results have dramatically increased the odds of Erik ten Hag being sacked. Manchester United finds itself in a deep crisis, languishing in 13th place in the Premier League table after just 6 points from 5 matches. The responsibility for this decline falls squarely on the shoulders of Erik Ten Hag. The issues unfolding at Old Trafford seem beyond the Dutch manager’s calculations.
According to the latest odds from bookmakers in the UK, the likelihood of Ten Hag getting sacked has surged in a short period. Before the start of the season, the odds of Ten Hag being sacked were at 1 in 100, suggesting it was unlikely to happen.
However, the current odds have plummeted to 1 in 10. This ranks as the fourth-highest likelihood of a manager being sacked among the 20 Premier League managers. Erik Ten Hag trails only Paul Heckingbottom of Sheffield United (4 in 6), Sean Dyche of Everton (2 in 5), and Rob Edwards of Luton Town (1 in 7).
Even managers like Gary O’Neil (Wolves), Steve Cooper (Nottingham Forest), and Vincent Kompany (Burnley) currently have better odds of job security than Ten Hag. This is an alarming signal for the Dutch manager and a reflection of the harsh reality.
Deteriorating Performance:
In comparison to the previous season, Manchester United’s style of play has deteriorated significantly. Andre Onana was brought in with the intention of building play from the back but has failed to make a significant impact. The attack remains wasteful as usual, and the defense continues to leak goals, whether or not Maguire is on the pitch.
After three transfer windows, Manchester United has spent over 400 million euros on Ten Hag’s signings. Unfortunately, more than half of these acquisitions have failed to yield the expected results. Casemiro’s form has declined after just one season, Malacia struggles to compete with Luke Shaw, Antony faces an indefinite suspension, Amrabat suffered an injury without playing a game, and Mason Mount finds himself in a similar predicament.
Furthermore, Ten Hag has made controversial decisions, including not starting Ronaldo, stripping Maguire of the captaincy, and most recently, a public disagreement with Sancho.
Upcoming Challenges:
In the coming weeks, Manchester United faces a grueling schedule with six matches in 17 days, averaging less than 3 days per game. If the team’s performance doesn’t improve, will Ten Hag manage to survive until the end of October, especially with the highly anticipated Manchester derby on the horizon? The answer to this question could determine his fate as the manager of Manchester United.
