Erik ten Hag told his main ‘mistake’ at Man Utd as Marco van Basten gives surprising opinion on under-fire manager’s future amid mounting sack talk

While the current season’s league finish stands as the club’s worst in over three decades, Ten Hag boasts two trophies in his two-year stint, including last season’s Carabao Cup success. Nevertheless, Van Basten was quick to point out perceived shortcomings in Ten Hag’s management, particularly in the transfer market. The Dutch legend contended that while Ten Hag possesses the ability to cultivate team strength, his recruitment decisions have been flawed, resulting in underperforming signings.

Speaking on the Rondo for Ziggo Sport, ex-Ajax and Netherlands star Van Basten said: “I know from Ajax that he [Ten Hag] is a good trainer. He did well at FC Utrecht, and at Go Ahead Eagles. He is someone who can build, who can make a team stronger. But you have to be lucky that you have a good group. He has, and that is a mistake on his part, he bought many players for a lot of money, who did not perform well. That is the job of a technical director, he took on too much.”

However, amidst the criticism, Van Basten maintains faith in Ten Hag’s capacity to elevate United’s standing. Acknowledging the challenges posed by injuries and squad composition, the Dutch icon underscored the need for patience in realising the manager’s vision for the club.

“It was not a good match, but it is great that he managed to win against City with such a limited team,” he said. “Despite few opportunities with the players, he was still able to win the FA Cup, which was very important. As a result, they play European football. I think they should give him time.

“I do think he is capable of taking Manchester to a higher level. And that takes time, especially with a year like this, in which they have had to play so often with a different composition. Then you could say that he has to take care of that himself, but there were just a lot of injuries. I think you have to take that into account.”

As the discourse surrounding Ten Hag’s future intensifies, contrasting perspectives underscore the complexities of managerial evaluation in elite football. Nonetheless, it has been reported that United have already initiated discussions with potential replacements, notably Mauricio Pochettino and Thomas Frank.