United fires Ten Hag after woeful start

Manchester United finally ran out of patience and fired manager Erik ten Hag on Monday, after a troubled start to the season has left the 20-time English champion languishing at 14th in the Premier League amid a period of major upheaval.

Ruben Amorim, the coach of Portuguese team Sporting, was in talks about replacing Ten Hag, British media reported.

Ten Hag won two domestic cups in his two-and-half year tenure, but the Dutchman paid the price for leading United to its worst start to a season, with the team adrift in the lower half of the table having lost four of its opening nine league games.

Heavy home losses to fierce rival Liverpool and Tottenham left Ten Hag under severe pressure, and seemingly changed the mood among United fans who were previously prepared to give him more time. A 2-1 loss at West Ham on Sunday proved to be the final straw.

United has won just one of its last eight games in all competitions.

"Erik ten Hag has left his role as Manchester United men's first-team manager," United said, adding that Ruud van Nistelrooy, one of Ten Hag's assistants and a former striker at the club, would be taking over as interim head coach while a permanent head coach is recruited.

"We are grateful to Erik for everything he has done during his time with us and wish him well for the future."

Amorim, who has been Sporting's coach since 2020 and won the Portuguese league in 2021 and 2024, appears to be a top candidate to fill the vacancy, with local newspaper the Manchester Evening News reporting that he has agreed in principle to become United's next manager, and a compensation package was being negotiated.

Brentford manager Thomas Frank, who has previously been linked with United, was asked about his interest in the job and replied: "I've said many, many times, I'm very happy here. I think it's one of the best clubs in the world. What happens in the future, who knows? But I'm very, very happy here."

Others linked were former England coach Gareth Southgate, former Chelsea manager Graham Potter and former Barcelona coach Xavi Hernandez.

Ten Hag joined from Dutch giant Ajax in 2022, and was tasked with the responsibility of bringing the good times back to a club that has been in decline since former manager Alex Ferguson retired in 2013.

Despite winning the League Cup in 2023 and the FA Cup this year, United was showing no sign of improving on its worst league campaign in 34 years, having finished in eighth place last season.

Already 12 points behind first-place Manchester City in the Premier League, United — which never had a distinguishable style of play under Ten Hag, and often conceded late goals — appears to have little hope of challenging for the title and is in danger of missing out on qualification for the lucrative Champions League once again.

Ten Hag only held on to his job following an unexpected victory over fierce rival Man City in the FA Cup final in May and an extensive end-of-year review by United. He was then handed a one-year extension to his contract to 2026.

However, the club's new soccer leadership — fronted by new minority owner Jim Ratcliffe — was unimpressed with the pace of change and the recent results under Ten Hag, who has overseen the spending of about 615 million pounds ($800 million) on new players since his arrival. In the Premier League, only Chelsea has spent more in that time.

Ratcliffe, the British billionaire, has taken over control of United's soccer operations, with a new CEO, sporting director and technical director all installed in recent months. They now have to appoint a sixth permanent manager since Ferguson's departure, following David Moyes, Louis van Gaal, Jose Mourinho, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and Ten Hag.

"I don't think anybody will be truly shocked after what happened yesterday," former United defender Gary Neville said of the latest loss to West Ham.

"The fact they are in 14th is just unacceptable. You can't be 14th after nine games with the level of spending that has occurred, without being under significant pressure."

Bruno Fernandes, United's current captain, posted on Instagram his best wishes to Ten Hag.

"Thanks for everything boss!" Fernandes wrote, alongside pictures of him and Ten Hag holding the FA Cup trophy. "I appreciate the trust and the moments we shared together, I wish you all the best in the future."

Fernandes added: "Even knowing the last period hasn't been great from all of us, I hope you fans can keep with you the good things the manager has done for our club!"

United's next game is a home tie with Leicester in the English League Cup on Wednesday.

Agencies via Xinhua