8 months ago
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ERIK TEN HAG will be under the microscope of Manchester United’s new technical director Jason Wilcox over the coming weeks.
Pressure continues to mount on Ten Hag after his side stumbled into the FA Cup final on penalties after blowing a 3-0 lead against Championship side Coventry on Sunday.
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GettyThe Red Devils boss has been widely criticised this season with the club battling through a turbulent campaign that sees them sat in seventh place in the Premier League.
And with the dawn of new era under the stewardship of minority owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe on the horizon there is doubt over the future of Ten Hag at Old Trafford.
According to the Telegraph, new chief Wilcox is the man who is being tasked with keeping a keen eye on the Dutch boss who is said to effectively be “on trial”.
Wilcox has reportedly been asked to assess Ratcliffe’s strengths and weaknesses to find out if a change of manager is needed heading into next season.
It’s claimed that the former Southampton bigwig will be watching Ten Hag’s training sessions as well as conducting interviews with staff and players to best analyse the manager’s future.
After public dressing room issues with both Jadon Sancho and Alejandro Garnacho, it is also reported that Wilcox will be trying to establish if there has been a breakdown in Ten Hag’s relationship with the squad.
There will also be a focus on trying to understand if the root of United’s poor season can be put down to the manager’s “inflexibility” or if injuries and personnel issues are to blame.
The internal investigation comes after Ratcliffe and his Ineos team already launched a financial review, with the help of consultancy firm Interpath, into how the club can better manage their money.
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AlamyThe billionaire Brit already cut off the credit cards of a number of heads of department while senior staff members also lost their access to private chauffeur-driven cars.
The new beginnings in the Red side of Manchester have seen Omar Berrada announced as the club’s new CEO while Dan Ashworth is expected to arrive as sporting director in the near future.
The Telegraph report that Ashworth and Wilcox are hoping to implement a “game model” at the Manchester giants which would see a cohesive playing style and identity replicated across all age groups at the club.
For now most fans are more concerned about what is happening on the pitch with the Red Devils already on the receiving end of 12 league defeats this term.
Up next for United is a clash with seemingly Championship bound Sheffield United at Old Trafford on Wednesday night.
Bruno Fernandes should be embarrassed by this… United fans were, says Neil Custis
By Neil Custis
BRUNO FERNANDES ended the FA Cup semi-final a man bemused as to what he had been a part of.
No doubt knowing it would be he would have to try and explain it all again.
Rarely have a team slunk away from this stadium with a feeling of embarrassment having just reach an FA Cup Final.
The next time Fernandes turns up at the home of football he wants to be heading up those metal steps and picking up silverware.
Nothing less will do for the captain of Manchester United.
But he knows they have not got a hope of gaining revenge on this cross town rivals Manchester City if this is what they are going to deliver.
This was an embarrassment, plain and simple, for Ten Hag, for Fernandes, for every player in red.
After the skipper finished his TV interview he turned around to the end that had housed the United fans to clap them in thanks.
There was barely anyone left.
Read Neil Custis’ opinion in full here.
Or click here to read all of Neil’s article.
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