Gary Neville has urged Manchester United to stick with Erik ten Hag this season because he has yet to be convinced by the managers in the frame to replace the Dutchman. The Red Devils icon harbours doubts over Gareth Southgate and two other English coaches’ credentials to take the reins at Old Trafford this summer.
Ten Hag’s position has come under intense scrutiny throughout most of his second season in charge due to his side’s regression after a successful first year.
Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s £1.3billion investment for a 27.7 per cent stake and control over football operations has added a new element to speculation, sparking suggestions that INEOS will want a fresh start.
Significant change is on the horizon off the pitch. Omar Berrada will arrive from Manchester City at the end of the season, becoming United’s new chief executive.
A sporting director, technical director and performance director are expected to follow. Dan Ashworth and Jason Wilcox will likely fill the first two positions.
Uncertainty over Ten Hag’s future has unsurprisingly caused a whirlwind of managerial links. However, Neville doesn’t believe three of the names linked to United would be good fits or upgrades on the 54-year-old.
“I said on Stick to Football last week that even Gareth [Southgate], as well as Gareth’s done with England, I’ve never seen the fit between Gareth and Manchester United,” Neville explained on The Overlap.
“I’ve never seen the fit between Graham Potter and Manchester United, and that’s been a strong rumour. I don’t see the fit between Gary O’Neil and Manchester United.
“I don’t know [what fit I see]. Instinctively as a fan of a club when you hear a name, you feel it or you don’t feel it. You just do. It’s not a feeling I’ve had. I’ve not woke up thinking that looks like a United manager.”
Neville extended his backing of Ten Hag by insisting that he could still guide the club to a successful season with Champions League qualification and the FA Cup.
However, his primary concern is the lack of obvious successors currently available, which he hopes will lead to Ten Hag entering the third and final year of his contract.
Neville added: “Everywhere I look, I just think to myself, we could end up with someone who’s probably not as good as Erik ten Hag and got the pedigree of him.
“And he’s actually got two years of experience, and the fact he’s had that good for the season and he’s experienced that difficulty means that he should be better for it.
“So I think that I would like to see that. I don’t like the idea of him leaving and bringing in one of the names that have been suggested. That doesn’t feel right.
“I’d rather stick with Erik ten Hag and think right, okay, let’s just give him I wouldn’t even say another year, I’d say just believe in him.”
