Former Manchester United coach Rene Melensteen has declared that it is time for Erik ten Hag to throw in the towel, saying the Dutchman simply simply cannot afford to coach the Premier League giants.
It would be an understatement to say that the Red Devils have had a lackluster season – the club find themselves eighth in the Premier League and face a formidable challenge to make their way into Europe. While there is a chance to salvage some trophies against Manchester City in the FA Cup final later this month, United have suffered a staggering 18 defeats in all competitions this season.
Melensteen, who has six years of first-team coaching experience at the club, has been a strong advocate for a change of leadership with Ten Hag's contract set to expire next summer.
"The trend at Manchester United is that they have regressed, which is a worrying thing," Melensteen told the Manchester Evening News. "There's no getting rid of it because the data backs it up. It's as simple as that. You look at the Champions League, look at their Premier League, 13 defeats, a goal difference of minus three. They are ranked 8th in the Premier League. ”。
"They can't guarantee access to Europe. There are many signs that they are not moving in the right direction. If you analyze these trends, you would obviously say that Erik ten Hag may not be the right person to lead Manchester United forward. ”
Melensteen added: "Now, obviously, we also know that all the changes are happening behind the scenes, Jim Radcliffe is coming in, Sir David Brailford is coming in, Barreta, they're coming in, Wilkes, maybe Ashworth. So, there's a lot going on behind the scenes.
"If Erik ten Hag is the right person, then the most important people to answer that question are the ones I mentioned. I'm sure these guys must have spoken to Erik ten Hag, the staff and the players to make a fair judgement on that because he's not a bad manager and I'm sure he's not a bad manager either, as his previous record at Ajax has demonstrated. ”
Manchester United host Arsenal on Sunday, which will spell problems for their Premier League title aspirations. The last time the two sides met, the Gunners emerged victorious thanks to two late goals from Declan Rice and Gabriel Jesus.