What Next For Man Utd After Erik Ten Hag's Firing?

LONDON, ENGLAND - OCTOBER 27: Erik ten Hag, Manager of Manchester United during the Premier League ... [+] match between West Ham United FC and Manchester United FC at London Stadium on October 27, 2024 in London, England. (Photo by Justin Setterfield/Getty Images)

Defeat to West Ham on Sunday was the final straw for Erik ten Hag as Manchester United with the Dutchman relieved from his position at Old Trafford less than 24 hours later. Ten Hag’s dismissal had been coming and now INEOS, Dan Ashworth and the decision makers at United must plot a route forward to salvage the 2024/25 season.

Ruud van Nistelrooy has been placed in interim charge of The Red Devils. The former Manchester United striker had been ten Hag’s assistant and has a management record of his own having previously coached PSV Eindhoven. Van Nistelrooy will help give the club time to find the right permanent replacement for ten Hag.

The problem for INEOS and Ashworth is that many of the names that might have previously been linked with the vacancy have disappeared in recent weeks. Mauricio Pochettino, for example, is now the USA men’s national team manager. Roberto De Zerbi took the Marseille job in the summer.

LONDON, ENGLAND - OCTOBER 16: Thomas Tuchel manager of England during the England Press Conference ... [+] at Wembley Stadium on October 16, 2024 in London, England. (Photo by Crystal Pix/MB Media/Getty Images)

Thomas Tuchel was reportedly interviewed by Manchester United during the summer when the club was weighing up ten Hag’s future. The German coach was out of work after leaving Bayern Munich at the end of last season, but has since agreed to take over the England team at the start of next year. He’s off the table as an option.

Julian Nagelsmann, Gareth Southgate, Xavi Hernandez and Graham Potter have all been linked with the job at Old Trafford, but Manchester United must settle on its principles and values as a club before it makes another managerial appointment. What does United want to be as a team? What does it want to stand for?

Sir Jim Ratcliffe, Ineos CEO and minority shareholder at Manchester United during the Premier League ... [+] match at Villa Park, Birmingham. Picture date: Sunday October 6, 2024. PA Photo. See PA story SOCCER Villa. Photo credit should read: Mike Egerton/PA Wire. (Photo by Mike Egerton/PA Images via Getty Images)

This will be the first real test of INEOS as the new decision-makers at Old Trafford. Sir Jim Ratcliffe has led an overhaul of the front office since arriving as Manchester United’s new minority owner at the start of 2024, but the appointment of ten Hag’s replacement will say even more about his vision for the club.

It might already be too late for United to truly salvage this season. The Red Devils are slumped in 14th place in the Premier League table, a long way from where they want to be near the top end. However, the decisions United makes now will determine what the future looks like for a club that has spent the last decade attempting to recapture the glory days.