Exclusive: 'I'm surprised it went beyond the summer' – Paul Scholes on Manchester United sacking Erik ten Hag
Updated 28/10/2024 at 17:09 GMT
In an exclusive interview with TNT Sports, Paul Scholes criticised Manchester United for waiting until now to part ways with Erik ten Hag given many viewed it as an inevitable decision. It always seemed to be a question of when, rather than if, the Dutchman would lose his job. For now, Ruud van Nistelrooy will take his compatriot's place in the Old Trafford dugout on an interim basis.
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Paul Scholes believes Manchester United made an error in delaying their decision to dismiss Erik ten Hag as head coach, and says it is vital they "get the next one right" when it comes to his replacement.
The Dutchman was sacked on Monday following a dismal start to the season, which sees United sitting 14th in the Premier League table and without a win in the UEFA Europa League.
Scholes explained that the club should have parted ways with Ten Hag last summer, and criticised Ineos for taking so long to make the decision.
“I don’t think it was a great surprise and was going to happen sooner rather than later,” he told TNT Sports.
He continued: “I’m surprised it went on beyond the summer after such a poor season last year. Along the way there have been some quite damaging defeats that he has survived."
Ten Hag won the Carabao Cup and FA Cup while at the helm, and Scholes said he deserved praise for securing silverware.
Scholes said: “You have to give him credit for winning those two trophies. But when you’re nine games into the season - a quarter of the way through - and you’re 14th in the Premier League and 21st in the new format of the Europa League with three draws from three games, it’s no surprise.
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“You only have to look at the positions in the tables. Whoever the manager was, he was going to be struggling."
Scholes feels Sir Jim Ratcliffe's Ineos, who took sporting control of the club earlier this year, need to shoulder some responsibility.
“It’s probably been a poor start for Ineos as well, because you felt the summer was the right time to do it," Scholes said.
“They’ve spent a lot of money on players and wasted money, so it’s no big surprise. They have to get the next one [appointment] right.”
what next for united?
Scholes turned his attention to Ten Hag's replacement, and was disappointed the club could not bring Thomas Tuchel to Old Trafford before he took the England job.
“I felt United had missed out on him,” Scholes added.
“I think it was documented that they had conversations with him, as and when I’m not too sure.
"Xavi is more recent. Manchester United are the biggest club in the world, so they need the best of the best. If they think Xavi is that man, then it’s a risky one.
“But he’s managed at an elite level with a club very similar to Manchester United in Spain with Barcelona. They won the league against Carlo Ancelotti’s [Real Madrid] team in difficult circumstances, so I wouldn’t be against that.
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“There’s Zinedine Zidane who was very successful at Real Madrid. Whether he wants to come to England, I very much doubt. He’s another name, and then you think about Ruben Amorim at Sporting Lisbon.
“Again, that’s a similar one to Ten Hag, doing well in a league that isn’t as well known or of the same stature as other leagues in Europe, but has done very well.
"Then you look at the likes of Thomas Frank, but then the expectations at Brentford are less than at Manchester United.
“Thomas Tuchel would have been my man, but that’s now gone. However, there are still people out there who have a chance to make the team successful.”
Ruud van Nistelrooy will take the reins on an interim basis and will hope to see an improvement when United play their first match of the post-Ten Hag era against Leicester City in the Carabao Cup on Wednesday.
When asked if there would be a new-manager bounce, Scholes replied: “I wouldn’t be surprised if that happened.
“The fixtures, other than possibly Chelsea on Sunday, are quite friendly towards him. I think he will get a bounce. We saw it with Ole Gunnar [Solskjaer, when he was initially given the job temporarily].
“I’m not sure they’ll give him the job. It’s a great chance for Ruud though. He’s managed in Holland and won the Dutch Cup at PSV.
“It’s a chance for him to do something different to get some results. It will be interesting to see how the players react to him.”
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