"The media makes it difficult" - Manchester United star sends message to INEOS amid Erik ten Hag sack rumors
Manchester United midfielder Scott McTominay has come out in defense of manager Erik ten Hag amidst speculation about his future. The Scotsman credited the Dutchman for their FA Cup victory and praised him for his handling of the situation.
Ten Hag's future at Old Trafford has been a topic of discussion ever since Sir Jim Ratcliffe's INEOS bought minority stocks in the club earlier this year. The Dutchman led the Red Devils to their worst-ever Premier League finish (8th) in the 2023-24 season. The team looked disjointed on the pitch and put in many disappointing performances.
However, Ten Hag did help Manchester United win the Carabao Cup in his first season and the FA Cup last season. They beat city rivals Manchester City 2-1 to win the latter. In a recent interview with Daily Mail, McTominay spoke about the feeling of winning the FA Cup and credited Ten Hag for the win.
“Sometimes people can have their opinions and say whatever they want. City are an amazing team, but we stuck together," McTominay said. "I want more moments like that. I came away from that FA Cup final thinking, ‘D’you know what, I want more of that’. That is my motivation.
"Every credit to Erik. The media makes it difficult. That’s the case for any Manchester United manager, given the magnitude of the club. That’s only normal, but he’s handled it extremely well. I am very, very pleased for him… he deserved that FA Cup. It’s not easy when everyone is writing you off, and you come up trumps," he added.
McTominay added that the FA Cup win helped change the feeling at the club:
“It makes a big difference to the feeling and confidence around the place. We know as players how big the club is. We expect everything that comes our way, whether it’s positive or negative.”
Despite it being over two weeks since the season's been over, Ten Hag's future at Manchester United is still unclear.
Who could potentially replace Erik ten Hag at Manchester United?
Sky Sports chief reporter Kaveh Solhekol has reported that Erik ten Hag's review from the Manchester United hierarchy is entering its final stages. With the transfer window set to open on June 14, the final decision of whether the Dutchman will stay or be sacked could be revealed soon.
If Ten Hag does get sacked, the Red Devils have a few names on their list to potentially replace him. Thomas Tuchel and Mauricio Pochettino remain the most prominent names on the list. Tuchel parted ways with Bayern Munich at the end of the season after they went trophyless. Pochettino, meanwhile, left Chelsea mutually after they finished sixth in the Premier League.
England manager Gareth Southgate has also been linked with the Manchester United job. The upcoming UEFA Euro 2024 could be his final tournament with the Three Lions. Managers like Roberto de Zerbi and Edin Terzic have also been linked with United.