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Edwin van der Sar believes there was an inevitability to Erik ten Hag’s dismissal as Manchester United manager after INEOS assumed control at Old Trafford.
The Petrochemical giant was granted full autonomy of the football operation at United after Sir Jim Ratcliffe was ratified as the club’s new co-owner last year.
The first major hurdle INEOS faced was the decision over Ten Hag’s future after a dismal season, which ultimately ended with the thrilling 2-1 FA Cup win over Manchester City.
There is a sense that the outpouring of positivity amongst the club’s fanbase after this success may have influenced INEOS’ decision on the Dutch manager, who was granted a one-year contract extension after a comprehensive ‘end-of-season’ review which saw the club talk to multiple other managers.
But fast-forward five months and any residual goodwill from the FA Cup victory had dissipated with United languished in 14th in the Premier League table without having won a game in the Europa League.
After a disappointing 2-0 defeat away to West Ham at the end of October, the club’s executive branch pulled the trigger on a decision that had appeared a foregone conclusion at the end of the last campaign and Ten Hag was let go.
Van der Sar – United’s legendary goalkeeper who formed the spine of one of the club’s greatest ever sides – believes there was an inevitability to this decision.
The 54-year-old contends INEOS were always likely to want their own choice in the dugout at Old Trafford, rather than an inherited one, as a “new CEO and a new technical director came, who often want to appoint a manager in their own line.”
Van der Sar contends the chaos which has engulfed United in the post-Sir Alex Ferguson malaise stems from a lack of coherency amongst the club’s hierarchy.
“Everything stands or falls with a policy that is simply supported by everyone,” he told Viaplay (as relayed by the Manchester Evening News). “I think that has not always been the case in all those years (since Sir Alex).”
“It was the same in the early period at Ajax (for Ten Hag). Erik also had a difficult period then. He overcame that with the people around him. I actually expected that at United too. Only because, I think, there was another power vacuum…
“The club was put up for sale or partially sold, which gave James Ratcliffe 50 per cent of the shares and the sporting part. In addition, a new CEO and a new technical director came, who often want to appoint a manager in their own line.”
“So yes. It was actually almost written in the stars that it would happen like this.”
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