Erik ten Hag’s dismissal from Manchester United came just hours after Jamie O’Hara urged the Premier League club to part ways with the Dutch manager. The 55-year-old was shown the door at Old Trafford last October, a day after his team suffered a 2-1 defeat to West Ham at the London Stadium.
As the Red Devils prepare to face the east London side on Sunday, it marks their first encounter since the initial match that triggered Ten Hag’s sacking after more than two years at the helm. The loss to West Ham was United’s fourth in just nine league matches, leaving them in a disappointing 14th place in the table – a situation the club’s top brass could no longer tolerate. However, before the decision to oust the former Ajax boss was made, Sir Jim Ratcliffe was advised to do exactly that by O’Hara, who urged the 13-time Premier League champions to cut ties with him.
During a discussion on Sky Sports, the ex-Tottenham Hotspur midfielder was asked about his stance on Ten Hag, to which he responded decisively. “I’d get rid of him; I would have gotten rid of him three months ago,” he said. “I wouldn’t have given him a contract after the FA Cup, I’d have said, ‘Thanks very much, you’ve finished with a trophy, go out on a high.
“They should have got something from the game today but overall they’ve been poor. I’ve watched them in the Europa League as well and they’ve been poor.” The football pundit’s prediction came to fruition when, less than a day later, Ten Hag was dismissed from Manchester United, as confirmed by the club’s official statement: “We are grateful to Erik for everything he has done during his time with us and wish him well for the future.
“Ruud van Nistelrooy will take charge of the team as interim head coach, supported by the current coaching team, whilst a permanent head coach is recruited.” Despite the managerial shake-up, United’s performance continued to decline, languishing in the bottom half of the table since Christmas and currently positioned at 15th with only three matches remaining.
Meanwhile, Portuguese manager Ruben Amorim is on the cusp of clinching a European title in his debut season, with his team set to face Tottenham Hotspur in the Europa League final this month. West Ham United have also seen a change in leadership since last year, with Julen Lopetegui being shown the door shortly after their 4-1 defeat at Manchester City in early January.
Graham Potter, formerly of Chelsea, stepped in to fill Lopetegui’s shoes, yet the Hammers have struggled to turn their fortunes around, securing a mere three victories in their last 15 league outings, leaving them precariously in 17th place.
Content Source: www.express.co.uk