The Dutch tactician was appointed at Old Trafford from May 2022 and after a positive first season, which included a League Cup win, Champions League qualification and reaching the FA Cup final, Ten’s prestige Hag has climbed very high. However, this season has started miserably, with the Red Devils losing five of their opening 10 Premier League matches.
That run includes defeats to all three of the Big Six teams they have faced so far, with losses to Tottenham and Arsenal followed by a particularly disappointing 0-3 defeat. at home against cross-town rival Manchester City. People have begun to speculate about how long Ten Hag will remain in the hot seat at Old Trafford if he cannot bring about change.
Ten Hag’s future is still guaranteed at MU
Amid countless rumors, comments by club legend Paul Scholes in 2022 resurfaced, with the former Man United midfielder clarifying the name he believes should have succeeded Solskjaer. The ideal candidate in the eyes of both Scholes and his BT Sport colleague Glenn Hoddle is former Southampton manager Ralph Hasenhuttl.
It’s a reasonable view given that at the time, Ralf Rangnick was in charge of the team but was expected to move into a behind-the-scenes role once that 2021/2022 season ended. Hasenhuttl worked as a coach at RB Leipzig at the time Rangnick took on the role of sporting director at the German team.
Ahead of the meeting between Southampton and Man United that season, Hoddle explained why he felt Hasenhuttl would be the right appointment for the Red Devils: “Would it be right? For me, if they were [Rangnick và Hasenhuttl] Working together will be very effective. Of course, Southampton will want to keep him, because he is doing a very good job with the players he has. He is doing an excellent job. If he wants it, it makes sense.”
Scholes was quick to echo Hoddle’s views, explaining: “Watching that interview, there was a closeness between them. He was the right choice at the right time for Leipzig – he did brilliantly.” – and I always liked him. I always thought about the football he played at Southampton even though it wasn’t the best team.”
Hasenhuttl was once considered a candidate for the MU hot seat
“I think people around this club, and especially the fans, are thinking more about maybe Pochettino or Antonio Conte, what they have done at bigger clubs. But the way Hasenhuttl progresses doing his job, he looks good.”
Of course, Man United chiefs eventually went in a different direction and replaced Ole with Ten Hag. Meanwhile, Hasenhuttl is still without a job since being fired by Southampton in November 2022. There will be no information about Ten Hag’s dismissal in the coming weeks as Man United wants to show trust in the coach but if the patience of the bosses continues to be tested, no one knows what could happen before the end of the season.
Thanh Vu | 10:44 November 1, 2023
