Rio Ferdinand identifies Erik ten Hag as the ideal Man Utd manager
Rio Ferdinand believes Ajax manager Erik ten Hag would be the ideal candidate to take the reins at Old Trafford were the club to part with Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.
The Dutch coach has been a revelation in Amsterdam since succeeding Marcel Keizer in 2017, famously guiding Ajax to the Champions League semi-final in 2018/19, winning the previous three Eredivisie trophies to end the club’s four-year title drought, and promoting academy players into the first team.
The likes of Frenkie de Jong, Matthijs de Ligt, Donny van de Beek and Sergino Dest have all flourished under Ten Hag, who was responsible for promoting from within, while current academy stars Jurrien Timber, Noussair Mazraoui and Ryan Gravenberch are shining at the club.
Solskjaer meanwhile is having difficulties over in England. The Norwegian coach has struggled to piece together a cohesive unit this season, with the club boasting several world class individuals, but looking dysfunctional and out of sorts as a collective, enduring some morale-sapping defeats as a result.
A 5-0 reversal at the hands of Liverpool is arguably the nadir of Solskjaer’s tenure in the Man Utd hotseat, but that performance was matched just a fortnight later as Man City won 2-0 at Old Trafford in a scoreline that overwhelmingly flattered the hosts and prompted Gary Neville to describe it as a “calm annihilation”.
As a result, some fans have started to turn on Solskjaer and the pressure is now beginning to build on the Man Utd boss. Ferdinand has intensified the narrative by namedropping Ten Hag as a possible successor to Solskjaer should the club decide to move in a new direction.
He told his FIVE Youtube channel: “For any manager coming in to a new club, it’s almost like you’ve got to show people why you’re there immediately.
“I use Antonio Conte as a good reference point for that. Whenever he joins a new club, there is no negotiables and he tells them, ‘this is what’s happening, this is what I am – if you’re not with me you can go.’
“I think that’s the type of attitude and the type of mentality that separates the good managers from the top managers.
18+, UK only. Deposit and place a minimum £10 cash bet at single or accumulated odds of 1/1 or greater and we will give you 1 x £5 in free bets plus an extra 3 x £5 Free Bets the following day. Applies to first cash bet only. Free bets credited as 4 x £5 bets to use on 3x Any sport & 1x Virtuals. Cashed Out, Void or Draw No Bet wagers do not qualify for this promotion. 1 x £5 Free Bets are credited upon qualifying first bet settlement, other free bets credited by midday the day after your first bet settles. 7-day free bet expiry. Available once per customer. This offer cannot be combined with any other promotion. Full T&C’s apply.
18+ only. Use code BET30. New Players Only. Minimum stake $/€/£ 10, minimum odds1.5, stake not returned.1X wagering the winnings from the free bet. Wagering occurs from real balance first. Wagering requirement is calculated on bonus bets only, wagering starts from real funds. Free bet is valid for 7 Days from issue. Max conversion: $/€/£ 200. Excluded Skrill deposits. Withdrawal requests voids all active/pending bonuses. Full Terms Apply
18+ only. £10 min. deposit required. 1 x £10 qualifying bet required. Qualifying bet must be placed on selection with min. odds of 1.8 (4/5). 4 x £5 Free Bets will be credited once the qualifying bet has been settled. 1 x Free Bet valid for any Football Match Result market. 1 x Free Bet valid on any Football Correct Score market. 1 x Free Bet valid on any Horse Racing market. 1 x Free Bet valid on any Tennis market. Free Bets valid for 7 days once credited. T&Cs apply.
“You’ve got to be able to go in there and command a whole dressing room full of egos, big personalities, big characters. That’s the job of anyone coming in.
“Now I don’t know Ten Hag personally but he’s doing a fantastic job at Ajax.
“Let’s remember that Ajax isn’t a small club. They’re a massive club – the biggest club in Holland.
“Yes, it’s different and the landscape is different but it’s still a huge club that he’s got to work with and the expectation levels there every day are to win.
“That’s something that will be there every day and would be there if he was to come to Manchester United.
“Anyone who comes in, they’ve got to be able to deal with people. That’s the art of a fantastic manager.”
