Krishnan Sreekumar
Former Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson wishes incoming boss Erik ten Hag well
Speaking to RTE Racing (h/t Daily Mail), former Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson has wished incoming new boss Erik ten Hag well, as the Dutchman prepares to take over at the English club in the summer.
The Dutchman will take over the reins from incumbent head coach Ralf Rangnick, who has been appointed by the Manchester side on an interim basis until the end of the season in an attempt to steady the ship after sacking Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.
The 52-year-old is currently in charge of Ajax Amsterdam, and is busy trying to win his third consecutive Eredivisie title as they sit on top of the league table. He has also managed to win multiple domestic cup competitions with the team.
He rose to prominence in 2019, when he led a young yet talented Ajax team to the semi-finals of the Champions League. Unfortunately for him, he saw his side get beaten by Tottenham Hotspur thanks to a last-gasp Lucas Moura goal at the death.
“I hope he does well yeah”
He seems to have gotten a nod of encouragement from Sir Alex ahead of his imminent move to Old Trafford as well, when the Scot was quizzed about ten Hag’s arrival in the summer. The 80-year-old had appeared on RTE Racing in his capacity as co-owner of horse Clan des Obeaux.
The former boss seemed keen to wish the Ajax head coach well, saying that the club needed someone to get in control of the club and change things around. The English side has brutally fallen from its pedestal since Sir Alex’s retirement in 2013.
“I hope he does well [Ten Hag], because the club needs someone to get in control. I hope he does well yeah.”
The ex-manager is a legend at Old Trafford, having led the club to a record 13 Premier League titles and 2 Champions League trophies during his tenure. He lasted a remarkable 27 years with the Red Devils, which is unheard of in the modern game.
He built United to become a heavyweight in the English top-flight as well as in Europe, and unfortunately for those that followed him, the expectations would also be sky-high. ten Hag will become the fifth permanent manager to be appointed since Sir Alex’s retirement, with his predecessors unable to deliver success.
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Only Jose Mourinho and Louis van Gaal were able to win trophies after the Scotsman departed the club, but neither lasted more than three years. In fact, Mourinho was also the last manager to win silverware for the Manchester side, lifting the UEFA Europa League in 2017.
It remains to be seen whether ten Hag will follow the same path as those before him, or chart his own part when he takes over in the summer. If he even manages to get to a third of the glory that Sir Alex brought, he is sure to be considered a success.
