"You've got Van Nistelrooy there" - Ex-PL star thinks Manchester United will pull the plug on Erik ten Hag this season
Jamie O'Hara gave a grim verdict on Manchester United's 2-1 defeat to Brighton & Hove Albion, suggesting Erik ten Hag won't last the season. His Reds side suffered their first loss of the 2024-25 campaign away at the Amex yesterday (August 24).
The former Tottenham Hotspur midfielder reflected on the game while speaking to Sky Sports. He predicted Ten Hag would be shown the door at some stage this season, and Ruud van Nistelrooy may be his replacement:
"I just can't see how Ten Hag lasts a season at Man United. You've got Van Nistelrooy there and I think eventually they're gonna pull the plug on the situation."
Ten Hag spent most of last season looking likely to be dismissed by the Red Devils. His men encountered the worst Premier League campaign in history, finishing eighth, losing 14 of 38 league games.
Brighton beat Manchester United 3-1 at Old Trafford last season which kickstarted a gloomy Premier League campaign. The Seagulls were at it again yesterday, seeing off Ten Hag's troops with a 2-1 win:
"To throw the game away like they did, they'll be absolutely gutted. The substitutions he made didn't go down well, Bruno (Fernandes) coming off, (Marcus) Rashford, Amad Diallo coming off, the fans booed the manager taking them off. So I don't see how this manager lasts."
Danny Welbeck (32') opened the scoring, with Amad Diallo (60') hitting back in the second half. Calamitous defending from United left Joao Pedro unmarked, and he headed home a last-gasp winner (90+5').
Ten Hag was backed by the club's new co-owners, INEOS, ahead of the season with a new one-year contract extension. He was also given a new coaching team to work alongside, including legendary former striker Van Nistelrooy, who previously managed PSV Eindhoven.
"I couldn't refuse" - Ruud van Nistelrooy on returning to Manchester United as assistant manager
Van Nistelrooy could be Manchester United's long-term manager in waiting, and fans celebrated his return to Old Trafford like a new signing. The Dutch coach spent five glorious years with the club as a player, bagging 150 goals in 219 games.
The 48-year-old's decision to take up an assistant role was somewhat surprising. His last job was as manager of PSV, whom he guided to the Dutch Cup and Dutch Super Cup in 2023.
Van Nistelrooy opened up on rejoining Manchester United as an assistant coach to Ten Hag earlier this summer. He told the club's media:
"It's special to be back, to be fair. I mean, when United first came in with the opportunity to become assistant manager, it was fantastic. I never thought of it, but when it occurred, it was something that I couldn't refuse, with the role that I was going to fill."
Rene Hake joined Van Nistelrooy as Ten Hag's two new assistants. The former of whom left the Dutch outfit Go Ahead Eagles, they replaced Steve McClaren and Mitchell van der Gaag.