Dutch coach Erik ten Hag has been dismissed from Manchester United after a poor start to the season that has left the team far from the top spots in the Premier League. Ten Hag arrived from Ajax with the mission of restoring glory to a club that has been in decline since Alex Ferguson retired in 2013. Despite winning the EFL Cup in 2023 and the FA Cup this year, United has failed to improve its league performance, finishing in eighth place last season and trailing 12 points behind leader Manchester City in the Premier League.
Ten Hag managed to survive in his position after an unexpected victory in the FA Cup final in May, but after an unfavorable start to the season, losing four of the first nine league matches and positioning himself in 14th place. Key defeats against Liverpool and Tottenham at home left the Dutch coach in a precarious situation, and ultimately, the 2-1 loss to West Ham marked his last game in charge of the team.
The club announced that Ruud van Nistelrooy, one of Ten Hag's assistants and a former player of the club, would take on the role of interim coach while a permanent replacement is sought. Among the possible successors are names like Graham Potter, Xavi Hernández, and Gareth Southgate. United, which has had five permanent coaches since Ferguson's departure, has seen its results and play fall short of expectations, leading to Ten Hag's dismissal.
Although Ten Hag negotiated an extension of his contract until 2026, the new leadership led by minority owner Jim Ratcliffe expressed their dissatisfaction with the team’s performance under his direction. Despite spending £615 million on signings since his arrival, Ratcliffe and the board have decided to take drastic measures to try to steer the club back on track, appointing new executive positions in recent months.
