Erik ten Hag, the right decision by Manchester United, and the road ahead.
Apart from Pochettino, the alternatives hardly suited. Ten Hag represented the best option.
Erik ten Hag was standing on the balcony of the players’ canteen at Carrington, looking out on to the pitches. In a slightly surreal turn in the conversation with three of us present chatting to the Manchester United manager, it was mentioned to Ten Hag that if the UK was ever placed on a war footing that United had to turn over the pitches for agricultural use, to help feed the country in the event of shortages. “I’ll be able to help as my family were farmers,” ran the gist of Ten Hag’s reply, said with a smile. The Dutchman has a self-deprecating side not always noticed amidst the swirl of frenzied focus on him.
The conversation occurred last year but remains relevant today with news that he is staying on as United manager. Ten Hag does come from farming stock, both his parents’ families were involved in agriculture, and he also hails from fighting stock. His father’s business almost went bankrupt twice but Ten Hag saw how his dad worked even harder to ensure the property and financial services company survived, prospered and ultimately employed 100 people.