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Former Manchester United star and treble winner, Wes Brown, has come to the defence of under-fire manager Erik ten Hag.
The Dutchman could no wrong last season as his Red Devils side marched to third place in the league and won the Carabao cup in his first year at the helm.
However, this season has been an unmitigated disaster after being knocked out of Europe before Christmas and their defence of the Carabao Cup falling at the second hurdle at home to Newcastle.
The Old Trafford side also languish in sixth place in the league and are well behind both Aston Villa and Tottenham for the probable Champions League spots.
United managers have historically met a sticky end when they don’t qualify for the Champions League in the post-Ferguson era so numerous rumours have naturally grown over the future of the 54 year old and what INEOS will decide to do with him.
Consequently, the club has been linked to a number of alternatives, such as Thomas Tuchel, Roberto De Zerbi and Graham Potter.
However, former Manchester United defender, Wes Brown, has leaped to the defence of the current boss.
Speaking to instantcasino.com (via DAZN), Brown stated “I think the new owners will keep faith with Erik ten Hag”.
“Obviously it’s very hard when new people come in because they’re going to have their own views on how the football club is run, but I can tell you from being around the club a little bit that the owners have been very positive. I do feel like there will be some changes, particularly with some of the players, but I also think that they will give the manager time”.
“It’s a tough one – Manchester United have had some legendary managers over the past 11 years and are yet to really get back to where they want to be, but I’d like to see Erik ten Hag stay and try and build a team – his team. He deserves it after the season he had last year”.
However, it must be stated that Brown is currently employed by Manchester United’s in-house TV channel, MUTV, so regardless of his true feelings, he is hardly likely to call for the current manager’s head and to be seen to be rocking the boat, especially in the context of his public ongoing financial troubles.
There have been mixed messages over INEOS’ intentions, as some reports have suggested they like the manager and sympathise with the extremely tough injury and off-field issues he has had to deal with this campaign.
However, many pundits disagree with Brown and believe that time is up for the former Ajax man as Paul Scholes has claimed after the defeat in the Manchester derby that “I think they (INEOS) have already made their mind up. I don’t think he’ll be there next season. I wouldn’t be surprised if they’re looking for a new manager now”.
The rapidly approaching FA Cup tie at home to Liverpool this Sunday will certainly shed some light on Ten Hag’s future. Win and he will once again have some much-needed breathing space, lose, and the noose could be tightening in an irreversible way.
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