Should Manchester United replace Erik ten Hag with Thomas Tuchel?

Sportsdunia DeskPublished on: 7th May 2024 04:19 PM

Thomas Tuchel is emerging as a strong contender to replace the seemingly unsuccessful Erik ten Hag as the Manchester United coach, following an “imperfect” Premier League season. Since the appointment of Jason Wilcox as the technical director of the English club, Ten Hag has been put to the test to prove his managerial skills in order to extend his contract beyond the current season.

Wilcox has been assigned the responsibility to oversee Manchester United transfers from now on. With Bayern Munich’s coach, Tuchel, expressing his interest in managing the dismantled United team, the question that is making rounds in the club’s fanbase and management is: should Manchester United replace Erik ten Hag with Thomas Tuchel?

Both managers failed to live up to expectations this season with their teams. Bayern Munich has not been at their very best under Tuchel, losing the Bundesliga 2023-24 season, which is generally considered a league to be won by the Bavarians only. Despite going through transitions, the German coach has been heavily blamed for the downfall of the club in the domestic league, leading arch-rivals Borussia Dortmund to win the silverware. For Manchester United, their performances have been below average, contrasting with their “big club” tag.

Since joining the Red Devils, Ten Hag has witnessed a journey of ups and downs as the manager. Victory in the Carabao Cup and a runners-up finish in the FA Cup made United believe that he (Ten Hag) is the right man for the job. But since the departure of Cristiano Ronaldo following a fallout between him and the United coach, the joy at the club has been lost. The current season is being dubbed as the “worst” in the history of the English outfit. Many are of the view that his fate at Old Trafford now depends on the result of the FA Cup final, which is scheduled to take place later this month, with arch-rivals Manchester City on the other side of the field.

Due to this terrible season, a referendum has been prompted on the future of the Dutchman at Old Trafford. With Ten Hag’s job at risk, Thomas Tuchel is tipped to be the frontrunner to replace him as the United coach. But will it be a wise decision to bring the German to Old Trafford in Ten Hag’s place? As rumors of new Manchester United transfers are circling around, some movements from the club’s side are expected in the market. Meanwhile, let’s have a look at how Thomas Tuchel can fit into Ten Hag’s chair next if United opt to sign the German.

Should Manchester United Sign Thomas Tuchel as New Coach?

Tuchel is said to be interested in replacing Ten Hag as the new coach amidst Manchester United transfer rumors. Most of the supporters and a section of the club management are already endorsing the idea of handing the Old Trafford post to the Bayern manager. Based on the current scenario at the English club, Tuchel seems to be a better fit to run the club than Ten Hag.

The Reasons For Ten Hag to Go

Erik ten Hag — ten Hag during a match (Credit: Getty)

Manchester United is considered a top team in the Premier League. Given their history in the UK, a top-four finish has been the minimum requirement for club managers to stay at the helm. But, that possibility is long gone this season, with additional pain inflicted in the form of a 0-4 rout at the hands of Crystal Palace just a day ago. Sitting eighth heading into the next match week, the remaining three games feel like an acid test for both Ten Hag and his boys.

Anything less than a seventh-ranked finish will make it the Red Devils’ worst season in the history of the Premier League. Their three remaining matches are against Arsenal, Newcastle United, and Brighton, and even the most loyal supporter of Ten Hag is not confident about how the team will perform, considering their scattering form that has witnessed only two wins in the last 10 matches in the English top flight.

There’s a saying in sports: “Numbers don’t lie.” If United’s season is deconstructed by the numbers, then it would look horrific. The Red Devils have conceded a whopping 77 goals across all competitions, which is the most in a single season since 1979 while struggling to find goals on the other end. They managed to record only 52 goals in the Premier League while conceding 15 goals in just six Champions League group stage matches, resulting in a disastrous European campaign where teams such as Galatasaray and FC Copenhagen finished above them in the group. Since the 2023 Carabao Cup final, Manchester United has lost 33.5% of their matches, including a 0-7 thrashing at Liverpool.

Ten Hag wanted to implement the same style of play and mentality in the United dressing room, but miserably failed to do so. There have not been many moments where his tactical brilliance has brought results in favor of his team since his arrival in 2022. He often relied on individual brilliance at Ajax, but a team like United needed more to succeed in a tough competition like the Premier League. Managing European heavyweights like Man United is totally different than doing the same at Ajax.

Top stars like Marcus Rashford, Bruno Fernandes, and Harry Maguire have not found the nature of true warriors under his watch. Ten Hag has always believed in transition, rather than fighting for top glories like Manchester City, Liverpool, and Arsenal, which has never been an option at Old Trafford.

The Case For Thomas Tuchel to Replace Ten Hag

Since January this year, Manchester United have been hunting for a reputed manager to replace the under-performing Erik ten Hag. With a top-four finish out of the equation and European qualification chances in jeopardy, the management might finally replace the Dutchman at the end of the current season. Thomas Tuchel has reportedly shown interest in taking over as the head of Old Trafford. However, given his track record at Bayern Munich, it would be a no-brainer to hire him in the first place. But, it’s fair to say that he has more experience than ten Hag to run a champion team like United.

Thomas Tuchel is one of the underrated coaches in modern-day football. He has many flaws as a manager; maybe he is not at the level of Pep Guardiola, Jose Mourinho, or Jurgen Klopp, but it’s fair to say that the German is an elite tactician. His first season at Allianz Arena has not been fruitful, but in many ways, he has been successful in Germany. He made a name for himself on the list of promising coaches when he was at Borussia Dortmund. Since then, he has put his name on the elite list of coaches in Europe. He established himself as a great tactician when he led Chelsea to Champions League glory in his first season at the helm back in 2021.

The main reason behind Tuchel’s success is his chemistry with his players, which ten Hag lacks. Most of the United players are reportedly annoyed with the “dictatorship” of the Dutchman, who in the name of discipline has introduced “classroom rules.” A coach can’t succeed unless he wins over his players. The Bayern coach has something in him which helps him blend into the dressing room and understand the true environment. If Manchester United want to excel next season, and if Tuchel is the only option to replace ten Hag at the moment, then he must be brought in. Simply put, Tuchel has the ability to bring back the long-lost winning mentality to Old Trafford.

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