Thomas Frank and Rúben Amorim are leading the race to become the next manager of Manchester United, following the dismissal of Erik ten Hag on Monday.
Last season, as Ten Hag’s position became unstable, Frank, Brentford’s chief coach, was considered as a possible successor. Several prospects were vetted by the football division of Jim Ratcliffe’s Ineos.
Amorim, despite initially planning to retain his place as the head of the Portuguese champions with aspirations to secure Sporting Lisbon’s second consecutive title – a glory last witnessed 70 years ago – may now reconsider his decision. Previous interest from teams like West Ham and Chelsea coupled with rumours that Manchester United reached out to him on Monday may sway him.
At 51, Frank boasts a track record of three complete Premier League seasons, leading Brentford to the 13th, 9th, and 16th positions, the latter accomplished even without striker Ivan Toney’s help in the last four months of the season due to a gambling-related ban.
Though Frank’s current team ranks ninth with 13 points, he has demonstrated tactical adaptability, oscillating between a three-man defence and a traditional backline. Brentford, under Frank’s guidance, was the most recent team to beat Manchester City in their home ground leading to a 2-1 victory in November 2022.
In response to speculation about his interest in the vacant role at Old Trafford prior to the Carabao Cup clash with Sheffield Wednesday, Frank reiterated his satisfaction with his current position. He remarked, “I’ve continually expressed my happiness here. I regard it as one of the world’s greatest clubs and can envisage myself serving here for many more years.” Nonetheless, he left the door ajar for future possibilities.
United, after bidding goodbye to Ten Hag, is seen to consider Xavi, the erstwhile coach of Barcelona, as a possible replacement. Xavi, now unemployed, has not been formally approached by United. The 44-year-old is eclipsed by Edin Terzic, formerly at the helm of Borussia Dortmund, who United, it has been reported, had a dialogue with a fortnight ago.
The abrupt decision to sever ties with Ten Hag was spurred by the poor performance of the club in the league, especially the recent 2-1 loss to West Ham, making it one of their worst Premier League starts. The club’s standing is disappointing, with just one victory from their last five elite matches, placing them 14th in the league. Only seven points above the drop zone, they’ve scored a mere eight goals in nine encounters. On Monday morning, the club’s officials decided Ten Hag was no longer the right fit and proceeded to give him the news.
While the hunt for a new head coach continues, former United player Ruud van Nistelrooy will temporarily take on the role, supported by the rest of the coaching staff. Van Nistelrooy joined United’s coaching team this summer. The team’s imminent showdown is this Wednesday against Leicester in the Carabao Cup.
In a statement, United acknowledged Ten Hag’s departure and credited him for the two domestic trophies won under his guidance- the Carabao Cup in 2023 and the FA Cup in 2024. The club expressed gratitude and wished him the best for his future ventures.
Rumours suggest that keeping his job would depend on a win in at least one of the games against Fenerbahce in the Europa League and against West Ham. After managing just a 1-1 draw against José Mourinho’s team in Turkey, the outcome on Sunday sealed his dismissal.
There was hope that Ten Hag could bring about a significant improvement in the club’s performance in alliance with new sporting director Dan Ashworth, and technical director Jason Wilcox, despite being stuck in transition. However, there was no tangible improvement since the 8th place finish the preceding season.
“In a monumental move by Ratcliffe and his colleagues, their corporation, Ineos, has purchased a minority share in his company. Their lowest league end since 1990 was marked by United ending in the eighth position last season, and their current campaign has seen them achieve four victories from 13 games across multiple competitions.
As September began, Ten Hag received strong backing from United’s CEO, Omar Berrada, and Ashworth. Berrada stated, “Our faith in Erik is unwavering. We are convinced that Erik is the perfect coach for our team and we wholeheartedly support him.” However, just three days later, reports surfaced that his “game model” was being critically examined.
Facing immense scrutiny towards the end of the previous season, Ten Hag emerged victorious against Manchester City in the FA Cup final, keeping his role after United had discussions with several prospective candidates. These included Thomas Tuchel, who declined the job and was later named as the England national team’s head coach. Other potential replacements were Frank and Gareth Southgate, the ex-manager of England’s team.
Taking over from interim manager Ralf Rangnick at United, Ten Hag departed Ajax for the 2022-23 season. With an agreement spanning up until June 2025, with an optional single year extension enacted in the summer, the Dutchman gained a fleeting show of support from Ratcliffe.
Following the renewal of his contract, Ten Hag was granted funds for transfers. However, Matthijs De Ligt, Noussair Mazraoui, Joshua Zirkzee and Manuel Ugarte, all of whom joined the team in exchange for considerable fees, have failed to acclimatise since their arrival. Doubts have been cast on Ten Hag’s recruitment strategy, especially considering the controversial €100 million investment on Antony from Ajax.
In Ten Hag’s debut campaign, United landed in third place, a full 14 points away from the lead, but managed to secure a victory in the Carabao Cup by defeating Newcastle in the final. – Guardian”