Manchester United minority owner Jim Ratcliffe refused to be drawn on the future of under-pressure boss Erik ten Hag but admitted the club’s new management team “need to take stock and make some sensible decisions.”
Ratcliffe acquired a 27.7 per cent stake in United earlier this year and has spent much of the intervening period working on a structure that has seen Omar Berrada arrive as CEO and Dan Ashworth as sporting director.
An internal review conducted over the summer concluded Ten Hag remained their first choice as manager, the Dutchman subsequently signing a new contract at Old Trafford, but results and performances have not improved despite signing the likes of Leno Yoro, Manuel Ugarte, Matthijs de Ligt, Noussair Mazraoui and Joshua Zirkzee.
EXCLUSIVE:
Man Utd co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe tells me about under-pressure manager Erik ten Hag:
“I like Eric. I think he’s a very good coach but at the end of the day it’s not my call…[club chiefs] need to take stock and make some sensible decisions.”https://t.co/xlQ4JMBwU5 pic.twitter.com/nr79nAeNln— Dan Roan (@danroan) October 4, 2024
United are 13th in the Premier League following last Sunday’s 3-0 defeat to Tottenham.
That result meant there was huge pressure on Ten Hag ahead of two tricky-looking away games, at Porto last night and Aston Villa on Sunday.
A late Harry Maguire header salvaged a 3-3 draw, after United squandered a 2-0 lead, in Portugal but much could depend on the outcome this weekend at Villa Park.
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I like Erik – Ratcliffe
Asked if he retained faith in Ten Hag, Ratcliffe told the BBC: “I don’t want to answer that question…I like Erik. I think he’s a very good coach but at the end of the day it’s not my call, it’s the management team that’s running Manchester United that have to decide how we best run the team in many different respects.
“But that team that’s running Manchester United has only been together since June or July. They weren’t there in January, February, March or April – Omar [Berrada], Dan Ashworth – they only arrived in July.
“They’ve only been there…you can count it in weeks almost – they’ve not been there a long time so they need to take stock and make some sensible decisions.
“Our objective is very clear – we want to take Manchester United back to where it should be, and it’s not there yet, obviously – that’s very clear. There’s work to be done.”
Sharpening up ahead of Sunday ⚔️#MUFC || #PL pic.twitter.com/IrClnFJ6v2
— Manchester United (@ManUtd) October 4, 2024
Ten Hag wants more time
Ten Hag has repeatedly asked for more time to mould a team at United, a message he reiterated again after last night’s game at the Estadio do Dragao.
He said: “We will get there. Don’t judge us in this moment, judge us at the end of the season. We are in the process, we will improve. We have had two seasons where we have reached finals, we will continue and fight.
“You see the spirit and the connection between the staff and the team. The players are together, they have a strong spirit and they want to achieve. We have a good mentality but in some defending parts we have to step up.”
