Where Erik ten Hag ranks among Manchester United’s post-Ferguson managers
During a period of unprecedented success under Sir Alex Ferguson, the high standard at Manchester United meant that even a one-game losing streak was considered a crisis, according to influential captain Roy Keane.
Since the legendary manager stepped down in 2013, the Red Devils have gone through five permanent head coaches. For some, it is time for a sixth to take over.
Erik ten Hag was reportedly set to be sacked after the FA Cup final last season but was given a new deal having led Man United to glory. Just a few months on, the decision is looking to be a bad one.
Man United are struggling in the Premier League this season, having lost three of their seven games so far. They sit 14th and go into the October international break winless in three. The Red Devils are also winless in the Champions League after two matches, with two draws to date.
Ten Hag is odds-on favourite to be the next Premier League manager to leave this season, at 4/9 with Sky Bet.
The question is: Which manager has performed the best for Man United in their post-Ferguson era? Before concluding, we analyzed their performance based on points per game, win percentage, and transfer spending.
Points per game
- Jose Mourinho – 1.97
- Erik ten Hag – 1.86
- Louis van Gaal – 1.81
- Ole Gunnar Solskjaer – 1.79
- David Moyes – 1.73
- Ralf Rangnick – 1.45
Ten Hag may feel unfairly treated since he is only behind Jose Mourinho in terms of points accumulated per game. But football is about more than just statistics; not all wins hold the same value, even though winning is the ultimate goal. Man United’s style of football hasn’t been the most thrilling to watch under Ten Hag, and the same could be said for his predecessors, including Louis van Gaal. Van Gaal tried to implement his unique philosophy, but it wasn’t the most attractive, even though former captain Wayne Rooney acknowledged Van Gaal’s efforts.
“I remember Louis van Gaal when he came in – I thought tactically he was the best I’ve worked with,” he told the Stick to Football podcast. “It was the stuff off the pitch that was difficult for the players in how he worked, but I remember him coming in and saying he wants his centre forward to have 15, 20 touches a game – that’s exactly what [Erling] Haaland does. I always wanted to play and enjoy the game – and score goals.”
Rooney’s former teammate, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, began his stint on the Old Trafford hot seat on an interim basis. He posted some incredible wins, including away to Paris Saint-Germain. He’s slightly behind Van Gaal, with David Moyes and Rangnick bringing up the rear. Rangnick was never full-time and took charge of the fewest games (29), with Moyes second from last (51 matches).
Win percentage
- Jose Mourinho – 58.33%
- Erik ten Hag – 56.8%
- Ole Gunnar Solskjaer – 54.17%
- David Moyes – 52.94%
- Louis van Gaal – 52.43%
- Ralf Rangnick – 37.93%
After Ferguson left, every full-time manager following him, except for Moyes, was able to complete at least one season. Despite this, Moyes had a respectable 52.94% win percentage, which is only surpassed by Solskjaer (54.17%), Ten Hag (56.8%), and Mourinho (58.33%).
Solskjaer managed in three different seasons, one more than Mourinho was offered, and Ten Hag is into his third campaign. Solskjaer and Mourinho both achieved runners-up finishes, with the much-travelled Portuguese tactician describing that achievement in glowing fashion.
“If I tell you, for example, that I consider one of the best jobs of my career was to finish second with Man United in the Premier League, you will say, ‘this guy is crazy,'” Mourinho said. “‘He won 25 titles and he is saying that a second position was one of his best achievements?'”
“I keep saying this because people don’t know what is going on behind the scenes. And sometimes we, in this side of the cameras, analyse things with a different perspective.”
Rangnick, unsurprisingly, finishes last in this regard. One can sympathize with the “godfather of gegenpressing” as he was brought in to do a stabilization job before moving upstairs. However, things changed with Ten Hag’s appointment, with the former Ajax manager feeling no need for the Austrian, who has since taken charge of his national team.
Transfer spend
- Erik ten Hag – £593m
- Ole Gunnar Solskjaer – £441m
- Jose Mourinho – £392m
- Louis van Gaal – £259m
- David Moyes – £65m
Okay, this is where things get contentious and complicated. In his farewell speech at Old Trafford, Ferguson famously asked fans to “stand by our new manager,” reminding them of the patience he was given during tough times. Since then, Man United have had five permanent managers who between them spent over £1.5 billion on transfers with no Premier League crown to show for it.
Rangnick’s tenure began weeks before the 2022 winter transfer window, and no business was conducted on his watch. The same cannot be said for those who came before him and Ten Hag since.
One of the main reasons for Man United’s struggles is the fragmented nature of their squad. The players were signed by different coaches for different purposes, resulting in a lack of a unified playing style. Some players are suited to a possession-based system, while others are better suited to a counter-attacking style, which creates a lack of cohesion.
It’s possible to form a defensive lineup with players brought in by different managers: Diogo Dalot (Mourinho), Harry Maguire (Solskjaer), Lisandro Martinez (Ten Hag), and Luke Shaw (Van Gaal).
In terms of money spent, it really comes down to quality over quantity. This summer made Ten Hag the biggest spender, overtaking Solskjaer with £182m spent, most of which was on defenders. Some of Ten Hag’s other purchases were complete eyebrow-raisers, such as the club’s record signing Antony, who played under Ten Hag at Ajax but has had a miserable stint in England.
Mourinho, who infamously spoke of a lack of financial backing, sits ahead of Van Gaal and Moyes. It’s difficult to determine who got more value for their money. When we look at the current Man United team, Bruno Fernandes is undoubtedly the club’s most important player. He joined during Solskjaer’s tenure.
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Highest peak
Since their last title, Man United have finished Premier League runners-up on two occasions: in 2017-18 under Mourinho and three seasons later with Solskjaer at the helm. Mourinho’s side, though, might as well have been playing in another league, with Manchester City picking up 19 more points, the season in which Pep Guardiola’s all-conquerors became centurions.
It was the same in 2020-21, but Man United ended up a respectable eight points behind their neighbours. During the period when Solskjaer replaced Mourinho until the end of the 2020-21 season, it felt like a hopeful time in the post-Ferguson era. Despite some tough losses, such as a Europa League final on penalties, there was a sense of optimism that was later diminished. At least in the early stages of that spell, Man United played the adventurous and daring style of football they became known for.
Spring 2017 is a contender with, Man United winning two major pieces of silverware under Mourinho, first the EFL Cup before winning Man United’s first-ever Europa League title. But, speaking painfully, the Red Devils have never truly had a sustained run during which their rivals envied their football. There hasn’t been a moment in the decade-plus since Ferguson left where supporters can point to and say that was Man United in every sense of the word.
Lowest low
Every managerial sacking was a low point. Moyes, Solskjaer, and Mourinho were all dismissed while a campaign was ongoing. After the club’s final game, Van Gaal stepped away, while Rangnick saw out the remainder of the season he was parachuted into. Before 2023-24, Man United’s lowest Premier League placement was seventh, the year following Ferguson’s retirement. They finished one lower and could be on their way to worse.
Man United have scored just five goals in their opening seven Premier League games of 2024-25. Only in 1972-73 have they scored fewer in their first seven games of a top flight campaign, netting four then. This is also their worst Premier League start for points, with just eight from a possible 24.
Best overall
It’s between Solskjaer and Mourinho, with Ten Hag’s second year in charge pushing him out of contention.
Mourinho has the edge over his Norwegian rival, having accumulated three pieces of silverware. Only Van Gaal and Ten Hag can say they have won a trophy in the post-Ferguson era. The latter joined Mourinho with multiple trophies lifted. Mourinho also boasts the highest win percentage and points-per-game ratio. He’s also brought through some impactful players, such as Zlatan Ibrahimović, although the Paul Pogba experiment didn’t quite work out in the end.
As we’ve seen in his previous jobs and since his downfall can be attributed to getting in his own way. That is not to say Mourinho’s style of play was exceptional. As noted, no one has truly excelled in following Ferguson’s unparalleled legacy.
In truth, we are searching for the person who has performed the least poorly, and Mourinho, despite his faults, may have the best qualifications.
A pair of Dutchmen will compete for bronze. Van Gaal, who ironically warned Ten Hag from taking the job, had an idea of how Man United would play under him. The problem was that the squad he inherited needed an overhaul, and there was no time.
Ten Hag can present two champion’s medals to bolster his case. “Two trophies in two years is not bad,” he said after winning Man United’s 13th FA Cup. “Three finals in two years is not bad. I’m not satisfied with it. We have to do better.
“If they don’t want me, then I go somewhere else to win trophies because that is what I do.”
However, the stain of his second Premier League season cannot be erased. Ten Hag can rightfully point out that he never truly had a full squad available, with several players injured at any given time. However, this doesn’t excuse the performance on the field. Those injuries can also be attributed to coaching and training, for which Ten Hag is responsible.
If he is given a stay of execution, a potential bright future exists. Under his leadership, he has developed a strong nucleus of young, talented players such as Kobbie Mainoo, Rasmus Hojlund, and Alejandro Garnacho. If Luke Shaw, Lisandro Martinez, and Mason Mount get fit next season, and a few good signings are added while removing the troublesome deadwood, he will have a solid base to work from.
Worst overall
This is more straightforward. By virtue of circumstances, Moyes, whom Ferguson handpicked as his direct successor, takes home the gong. One could sympathise with his plight, being the first to defend Ferguson’s legacy and following him after nearly three unprecedented decades of success. However, some of his inglorious tenure rests on his shoulders, notably his isolation of the battle-tested winners who could have been his greatest allies. He wouldn’t last the season, and it didn’t help that he often downplayed Man United while propping up their rivals.
Rangnick is given a pass because he was essentially a caretaker, and not much was expected of him aside from guiding Man United back into calm waters. Ten Hag’s current run makes him a contender in some eyes, and it’s clear that 2023-24 was a tough year for Man United. However, there was enough good in his debut campaign to balance out the horrible second year. For now.
