5 reasons Manchester United should keep Erik Ten Hag

5 reaons Manchester United should keep Erik Ten Hag for at least the final year of his contract.

Erik Ten Hag’s future at Manchester United remains a bone of contention after an unconvincing season, which sees the club miss out on a UEFA Champions League place.

However, despite the underwhelming performances, there are plentiful reasons for the club to retain trust in the Dutchman.

With a year left on his contract, here are 5 reasons Manchester United should keep Erik Ten Hag and give him the benefit of doubt, because he could in the end come good for the club.

This article is based on 5 reasons Manchester United should keep Erik Ten Hag ahead of next season.

5 reasons Manchester United should keep Erik Ten Hag

1. Continuity of the club’s transition

Winning a football match might not take much time but doing so consistently definitely takes much more time and patience. A very important one of the 5 reasons Manchester United should keep Erik Ten Hag.

While there is no denying that United struggle for consistency under Erik Ten Hag, the fans also have to accept that these are characteristics of a team in transition, and sustainable success often requires time. Plenty of it.

Had it been that positive results can be easily sustained, there is no way Erik Ten Hag will be on the seat, when the likes of Jose Mourinho, Louis van Gaal and even Ole Gunnar Solskjaer got them playing like champions at some point.

Manchester United might be one of the greatest clubs but this is a team in transition and accepting that fact will make fans realize expectations can not be too high, and sacking Ten Hag will mean starting over, again, thus disrupting the process.

2. Gruesome injury record and players past their prime

One of the 5 reasons Manchester United should keep Erik Ten Hag is the fact that his time at the club has been hampered by injuries.

Many of the reliable players are barely available for run of games. Lisandro Martinez was one of the best performers in the Dutchman’s first season but the Argentine has been limited to just 12 games across all competitions this season.

Raphael Varane, Harry Maguire, Luke Shaw and almost every member of the defence spent lengthy periods on the sideline during the course of the season, leaving the manager having to field different back four week in and out.

The lack of consistency and continuity of the set-up made it difficult for the team to settle together, and their balance was never really a feat achievable.

In a season without so much injuries to condone with, Erik Ten Hag will most likely have a better success rate. Afterall he was responsible for their third place finish in his debut season.

Many of the players have also past their prime. The likes of Casemiro is visibly struggling in the midfield while Christian Eriksen has rarely been available for selection. Fresh legs and minds will be needed, and so is Erik Ten Hag to put things right.

5 reasons Manchester United should keep Erik Ten Hag

3. Impressive Cup records

Since his appointment as the Manchester United boss, Erik Ten Hag has only lost twice in both the Carabao and Emirates FA Cups combined.

The only FA Cup defeat so far came in the final last season, where an Ilkay Gundogan’s second half goal condemned them to a 2-1 loss in Wembley.

The other came in the Carabao Cup, where Newcastle United ran out 3-0 winners in Old Trafford, on a night where the players have a lot of self questioning to do.

So far, Erik Ten Hag has led United to three of four domestic finals, leading them to victory over Newcastle United in the final of the Carabao Cup last season, and in doing so, ends the club’s five year trophy drought.

His latest final is still to come, against their city rivals in the Emirates FA Cup in Wembley. The result of that match will take nothing away from how impressive he has been in domestic cup competitions.

4. Trust in youth

If Manchester United’s process is to become a success, the youth will have a huge role to play and his trust in the future is one of the 5 reasons Manchester United should keep Erik Ten Hag beyond the summer.

He arrived at Manchester United with that reputation, evident from his time at Ajax where he developed players like Matthijs de Ligt and Frenkie de Jong into world-class performers.

At the theater of Dreams, he has helped players like Kobbie Mainoo, Alejandro Garnacho, Rasmus Hojlund and most recently Amad Diallo become some of the most important players at the club.

Given that the process can take a couple of years, these are the category of players that can remain faithful to the cause. The talented and commitment is there and with a manager that believes in youth, the combination couldn’t be any better.

5. Trust the process

‘Trust the process’ is a sentence that has a lot attached to it because undertaking a rebuild project in the first place means a club is down to its lowest possible.

It took two-and-a-half-year before Mikel Arteta could take Arsenal out of the trenches, whereas the Spaniard had a lot of downs en route to getting here. What if Arsenal had sacked him ?

Success will not come of a sudden. Not a chance given how competitive the league is at the moment. Trusting in the manager and his rebuild philosophy will go a long way in achieving a sustainable team.

With the change in football administration at the club, the new management should ensure more effort is directed into scouting the proper players, with physically fit to reduce injuries and mentally to withstand the pressure.

5 reasons Manchester United should keep Erik Ten Hag

Manchester United may be facing challenges on the field, but parting ways with Erik Ten Hag is not the solution. The club should demonstrate patience and faith in his abilities, as he enters the final year of his contract, which runs out next summer.

Allowing the former Ajax boss the time and support needed to implement his vision and steer the team towards a brighter future.

Releasing the seasoned players in the summer will be a bright start to that. Raphael Varane and Anthony Martial have said their goodbyes to the fans but there are several other players who need to be shown the exit.

Cutting the squad and bringing in the right players to create a more positive environment will help bring out the best in the manager, as well as the players.

5 reasons Manchester United should keep Erik Ten Hag.

Hassan Afolabi