Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag wanted to do it all his own way at Manchester United. This has had mixed results.
Erik ten Hag arrived at Manchester United like a tour de force in 2022, determined to have total control over his role at the club.
Bearing in mind warnings he had received from fellow Dutchman, Louis van Gaal, after he failed to the players he wanted, Ten Hag’s insistence on control was understandable.
But as part of this directive, Ten Hag also dispensed with the services of Ralf Rangnick, who had been due to work as a consultant, and could have provided valuable help.
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Antony mistake and Elanga exit
The biggest mistake in Erik ten Hag’s reign so far appears clearly to have been pushing to spend £80 million on Antony.
Antony has just gone through 2023 with one goal scored in the Premier League, and none in all competitions so far this season, with no assists.
The over priced winger is looking like a monumental waste of money right now, and this was made to look even worse by the way Anthony Elanga has shone since his exit in the summer.
Ten Hag sold Elanga for £15 million this summer, deeming him surplus to requirements, barely giving him a chance at Old Trafford. Between January and May 2024, Ten Hag started the Swede in just one game.
Elanga has 10 goal contributions for Forest this season already, 10 more than Antony has for United, including a match-winning assist against United this past weekend.
Anthony Elanga started a couple of games early in Erik ten Hag’s reign, featuring in wins against Liverpool and Leicester City.
Once Antony signed in his big money move, Anthony Elanga’s career at the club was effectively over, with Ten Hag showing a preference for the Brazilian.
After Antony signed last September, Elanga started just three Premier League matches the entire season. No wonder he decided to move on.
Rangnick admired Elanga
Had Ralf Rangnick remained as a consultant, he probably would have been able to steer Erik ten Hag away from splurging the money on Antony.
Elanga was a player hugely admired by Rangnick, who promoted him to become a first team regular.
He had given him a chance to kick on, and Ten Hag decided not to do so. Elanga did not get a fair shout.
Rangnick told club media: “He has shown what is possible in football with the right mentality and the right approach to go into games. This is exactly what he did and what he always does in every training session.”
Even if you believe Antony is a slightly better player than Anthony Elanga, the numbers do not back this up, and there is certainly not a difference worth the finances required to buy one for £80 million and sell the other for just £15 million. Elanga was also on a far cheaper wage.
Ten Hag would have been better off working with Elanga and trying to develop him as a top young talent.
The choice he has made, has not worked out at all. And it really does show that the Dutchman needed wise people around him, like Rangnick, who could have advised, and been able to say ‘no’ when it came to spending the money poorly.
New investors Ineos will aim to provide the expertise to help Ten Hag.
This will be too late to prevent the Antony mistake, but hopefully will try to avoid any more colossal over-spends, especially on a player whose equal, or superior, is sitting right there already.
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