Erik ten Hag is gone at Manchester United but, for legendary goalkeeper Peter Schmeichel, the frustration over how things unravelled will take a lot longer to dissipate.
A dreadful start to the 2024/25 season may have put pay to suggestions that the former Ajax boss could thrive under a more settled sporting structure and free from that injury crisis, but Schmeichel cannot help but feel a pang of sympathy in the pit of his stomach.
Erik ten Hag, it must be said, arrived at a Manchester United side when the prospect of a life without Joel Glazer pulling the strings felt like a pipe dream.
With Richard Arnold and John Murtough, rather than Omar Berrada and Dan Ashworth.
Schmeichel feels that, had Sir Jim Ratcliffe completed his takeover back in 2021 rather than early into 2024, Ten Hag’s chances of success would certainly have been boosted. At least a little.
Recruitment proved to be a particularly damaging shortcoming.
A series of underperforming signings – many of whom either worked with Ten Hag before or were known to the ex-Eredivisie coach – quickly became a stick with which to beat a man who’s Old Trafford tenure proved to be a disappointment in a number of areas.
Sunday’s 2-1 defeat to West Ham proved to be the final straw. Manchester United confirmed Erik ten Hag’s departure less than 24 hours later.
Peter Schmeichel shares sympathy for sacked Manchester United boss Erik ten Hag
“I don’t think Erik ten Hag had the support he needed,” Schmeichel begins, speaking to the official Premier League website.
“He needed to be guided a little bit in what kind of players you need to bring in to Manchester United. I think he was left a little bit on his own, and that is not how modern-day football management works.
“I understand that, when you come in, you want to have control over the players you bring in. But we are not talking about Ajax. We are talking about Manchester United. You have to perform to a different level. This means you need different characters.
“Yes, you can have good dribblers. Technical, skilful players. But, mentally, are they strong enough? I’ve played with players who were not the best players in the world but they were ‘Manchester United players’.”
Schmeichel, arguably the finest goalkeeper in United’s history and part of Sir Alex Ferguson’s 1999 Treble-winning team, feels that there are arguably five Ten Hag signings who would have been vetoed by a stronger board.
Antony, the £82 million winger with only one goal in 31 league games since the start of last season, is obviously the posterboy for Ten Hag’s failings. Much-maligned Brazil international Antony is even being linked with a return to Ajax.
The United boss also pushed hard, too, for the injury-hit Mason Mount, the misfiring Wout Weghorst, and the highly-underwhelming Sofyan Amrabat.
Transfer failures sum up Ten Hag’s Man United reign
“Yes, he wants control over who he brings in. But he needed someone to say; ‘Hey, this player won’t work here’. I think he has been allowed to sign three or four players who should never have been brought in,” adds Schmeichel.
“He wanted full control and the people behind him were not strong enough. I feel bad for him. He’s not a bad coach. He was just a little bit out of his depth.”
Schmeichel, who never finished lower than second during far more successful days at Man United, feels that there was one failure which stands out above the rest as a massive black mark against Ten Hag’s name.
The failure to survive a Champions League group containing Galatasaray and Copenhagen, albeit also Bayern Munich.
“You are only judged on your results,” adds the 1992 European Championship winner. “Yes, he did win the League Cup and the FA Cup but he finished eighth.
“He never made it [out of] the group-stage of the Champions League. This is something Manchester United must do. This is an absolute requirement.”
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