Louis van Gaal fires dig at Manchester United in Erik ten Hag discussion

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Evening Standard

·8 June 2024

Louis van Gaal fires dig at Manchester United in Erik ten Hag discussion

Dutchman was sacked after winning FA Cup in 2016

Ten Hag’s future at Old Trafford has been the subject of much debate. No decision has yet been confirmed following reports before last month’s FA Cup final that the ex-Ajax coach was set to be sacked.

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It remains to be seen whether or not winning the trophy – his second in as many years with the club – is enough to keep the 54-year-old in the job.

United’s lowly finish of eighth while amassing a negative goal difference was their worst ever performance in the Premier League era.

Ten Hag still has another year to run on his contract and warned the club’s hierarchy after winning beating Manchester City at Wembley: “When I came to United it was a mess. If they don’t want me anymore, I’ll go somewhere else and do what I’ve done my whole managerial career, winning matches and trophies.”

Standard Sport understands former Brighton manager Roberto De Zerbi has emerged as one of the frontrunners should the job become available, while Mauricio Pochettino is believed to be of long-standing interest.

Thomas Tuchel has previously hinted he would be open to a return to English football after leaving Bayern Munich, with the German having lifted the Champions League while in charge of Chelsea in 2021.

Louis van Gaal was sacked after winning the FA Cup

Matthew Peters/Man Utd via Getty Images

Van Gaal was ruthlessly sacked after winning the FA Cup in 2016, making way for Jose Mourinho only hours after ending their 12-year wait for the world’s oldest cup competition.

Speaking to Sky Sports, the 72-year-old said Ten Hag was worthy of more time before adding that he should have been afforded the same luxury.

“Yes, of course,” he said when asked if Ten Hag should be kept on.

“But I also needed more time. I also won the FA Cup and before me for [almost] twenty years, nobody had won the FA Cup.

“Erik won the FA Cup and in the first year [reached] the Champions League. I don’t think you have to sack him.

“He needs more time but I can also be more critical. He has not done it fantastically. You can be with a lot of criticism but he has also shown that he’s a good manager.”