Man United’s dilemma Southgate or Ten Hag?
Whether it’s his inexperience as a manager in club football, his unwavering faith in Harry Maguire or his unsuccessful spell in the Premier League years back; many struggle to imagine Gareth Southgate at the helm of one of world football’s biggest clubs. The England manager has reportedly been identified as a potential successor to Erik ten Hag by Manchester United’s new billionaire co-owner, Sir Jim Ratcliffe. But would his appointment really inspire the change United fans long for? Join Soccer Laduma’s Kurt Buckerfield in trying to find balance amid the extreme reactions to the latest news surrounding Old Trafford.
Before exploring whether Gareth Southgate is an appropriate fit for Manchester United, a conversation on Erik ten Hag’s future at Carrington is required. The Dutchman enjoyed an objectively successful debut campaign in England as he guided United to a third-place finish in the Premier League, to glory in the Carabao Cup and to an FA Cup final. But he has so far failed to replicate last season’s form this time out. With only 10 league games left to be played, the Red Devils find themselves nine points adrift from a guaranteed UEFA Champions League place, and six points behind fifth – which is currently expected to also be a qualifying position for Europe’s biggest club competition. This season, United embarrassingly crashed out of the tournament before the turn of the year after finishing fourth in Group A, in which they claimed only a single win and conceded 15 goals – more than any other Premier League team has in the group stage of the Champions League. It is, therefore, perhaps understandable that Ten Hag has seen his credentials questioned by fans and by the club’s new co-owner, Sir Jim Ratcliffe. But is it fair to analyse his tenure in Manchester without taking the broken structure under the Glazer ownership he has worked in into account?
New structure under Ratcliffe
When negotiating his stake in the 20-time English champions, it was Ratcliffe’s intention to assume full control of all footballing matters at United. The 71-year-old INEOS chief is a lifelong supporter of the Red Devils and has already identified key figures to help him restore the club’s status among the world’s elite, such as Sir Dave Brailsford, who’ll be working closely with Ratcliffe in identifying exactly where the Manchester-based giants have fallen short since Sir Alex Ferguson’s retirement in 2013. The 60-year-old has expertise in cycling, after coaching the INEOS Grenadiers cycling team to seven Tour de France titles (six under the name of Team Sky) and is considered meticulous in his preparation. At United, the hope will be that he can pinpoint the source of the club’s shortcomings over the past decade and, along with the rest of the board, aid in not only stopping the rot, but rebuilding its reputation. A new CEO has also been appointed in Omar Berrada, who has resigned from his role as the chief of football operations at the City Football Group, the organisation which owns Manchester City, and will likely start at the end of this campaign. Also working closely with Ratcliffe will be INEOS sporting chief Jean-Claude Blanc, whom Berrada is expected to report to, while it is widely believed the sporting director role at the Red Devils has been reserved for Newcastle United’s Dan Ashworth, who has previously done impressive work with Brighton & Hove Albion and the English FA. The 53-year-old’s experience in the English game made him an early favourite for the job following the confirmation of Ratcliffe’s minority stake, with it also said that he has a good relationship with Southgate. Brailsford, meanwhile, attended the 2019 Super Bowl with the England boss, along with other well-known coaches Roberto Martinez and David Moyes. In the meantime, Southgate has insisted he has never discussed the possibility of taking another job while in his role as England manager, stating in a press conference ahead of the Three Lions’ 1-0 friendly defeat to Brazil this past weekend that his focus is solely on the 2024 UEFA European Championship.
Is Southgate good enough?
Considered an underwhelming appointment at the time in 2016 when he penned his first deal to become England boss, Southgate’s back was against the wall from the get-go. He hasn’t necessarily silenced all his critics, having not yet won any silverware with the Three Lions, but he has stabilised a once-toxic environment. Former England internationals such as Frank Lampard, Gary Neville and even former captain John Terry have talked openly about their respective experiences representing their country, with many of them admitting their club allegiances hindered the squad’s chemistry. Southgate and his staff have overseen a complete culture shift, which, helped by the talented youngsters being produced on a yearly basis in England, has led to improved performances, particularly in major tournaments. After inheriting a group that got knocked out of Euro 2016 to Iceland at the round of 16, while still not adored by all England supporters, Southgate took the Three Lions to the semi-final stage of the 2018 FIFA World Cup, the final of Euro 2020 and the quarter-final stage of the 2022 World Cup. Prior to his arrival, England’s last participation in a major tournament semifinal came in 1996, when the Three Lions were defeated by Germany on penalties, coincidentally after Southgate, who was spectacular for his national team throughout the competition, infamously squandered his effort from 12 yards. His last club job, meanwhile, dates back to 2009. Southgate spent just over three seasons in charge of Middlesbrough, finishing 12th in his first campaign, 13th in his second before the Boro’s relegation in the 2008/09 season, a stick his doubters still beat him with today, perhaps forgetting he assumed the role immediately after retirement as a player at just 35 years old. Does his failed spell in the Premier League 15 years ago mean he can’t lead a club like United? No, he has grown enormously as a manager since then, but one question still lingers; would he really be a step up from Ten Hag? And does Ten Hag deserve to go?
Ten Hag’s deal expires in 2025
As Ratcliffe and his colleagues continue to plan for their first full season at United, there will be plenty of attention on Ten Hag and the team’s results from now until the end of May. It is normal for new owners, co-owners in this case, to consider their options. The Dutchman, who has the best win percentage (60.8%) of all United managers post-second World War, shouldn’t feel threatened by the reports linking the Red Devils with other managers, but his departure will be a real possibility if the 54-year-old doesn’t qualify for a place in next season’s Champions League. There might’ve been more patience had United showed signs of progression in their weekly performances, but, apart from one or two strong showings this term, it could be easily argued that there has been a regression since last season. Ten Hag, however, does have one year left on his deal in England, and has been adamant that his work has been disrupted by the injuries to key players. Some will view the Dutchman’s persistence that this is the root cause of his side’s problems as an excuse, but a staggering 50 separate cases of injury or illness have been recorded at the club this season alone. Ten Hag will also feel he deserves to work in an environment that isn’t controlled by the Glazers, with no manager since Ferguson’s retirement having succeeded at Old Trafford. Furthermore, both incoming CEO Berrada and possible incoming sporting director Ashworth are expected to only begin their respective roles later this year, and they’ll surely be key figures in deciding whether Ten Hag continues. Still, with only the FA Cup realistically left to play for, United’s boss must finish the campaign with his team in good shape because even if there isn’t enough time for the club’s chiefs to sit down with Southgate, who is adamant he will not discuss his future with any interested party until after the Euros, Ratcliffe could turn his attention to other available managers.