It seems the writing was always on the wall on Erik ten Hag's time at Manchester United, with Sir Jim Ratcliffe watching the manager throw away a lead at Stamford Bridge last season
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File photo dated 25-05-2024 of Sir Jim Ratcliffe
Sir Jim Ratcliffe watched Erik ten Hag struggle against Chelsea
(Image: PA)
Sir Jim Ratcliffe decided to give Erik ten Hag the benefit of the doubt despite watching the Dutchman toss away a 3-2 lead against Chelsea last season.
The INEOS chief, who became a minority shareholder at Manchester United in February 2024, was spotted stone-faced at Stamford Bridge to watch the Red Devils in the Premier League in the April. And given that United had already endured a lacklustre season, with Ten Hag under scrutiny for failing to provide results, the loss could have been the straw that broke the camel's back under the new era of investment.
A brace from Alejandro Garnacho and a goal from Bruno Fernandes cancelled out strikes from Conor Gallagher and Cole Palmer as the regular 90 minutes came to a close, but United saw their fortunes diminish completely late into stoppage time. Palmer converted a penalty ten minutes into additional time, before stealing all three points for Chelsea the very next minute in emphatic fashion.
And while many fans may have assumed that Ten Hag would have been shown the door of Old Trafford come season's end, with the Red Devils finishing a record-low eighth in the Premier League, securing an FA Cup over neighbours in Manchester City delayed the decision.
Ten Hag will have still felt the pressure given comments made by Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff upon Ratcliffe's arrival - given that he and INEOS own a third of the Formula 1 team. Wolff said: "This is a no bull**** organisation.
"They are huge in terms of revenue and profit. Decisions are being made quickly – three bullet points on a page and ‘here we go’. With Jim all the bull**** is cut out."
Meanwhile, speaking about his own plans for United last February with Belgian newspaper De Tijd, Ratcliffe said: "We have to look at the organisation of the club, because it is not good at the moment. Take the head coach, for example: he must report directly to the CEO.
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 Eddie Keogh/Getty Images)
Sir Jim Ratcliffe gave Erik ten Hag time(Image: Getty Images)
"That is no longer possible in a modern football organisation. We have to ensure that the right people end up in the right positions. Every person in management must be world class.
"And then it is important to create a positive, supportive, friendly and high-quality environment. That culture was missing before.
"Only in such an environment can you get the best out of sportsmen. If successful, the results will follow automatically. That's the plan and I believe in it."
Despite a disappointing season on the whole, and rumours of Gareth Southgate and Zinedine Zidane coming in at Old Trafford, Ratcliffe and the United board decided to back Ten Hag for 2024/25. They offered the 55-year-old a contract extension through to June 2026 while granting him a reasonable transfer budget to build on his squad.
MANCHESTER, ENGLAND - MAY 11: Ruben Amorim manager / head coach of Manchester United applauds during the Premier League match between Manchester United FC and West Ham United FC at Old Trafford on May 11, 2025 in Manchester, England. (Photo by Catherine Ivill - AMA/Getty Images)
Ruben Amorim replaced Erik ten Hag in November
Despite reportedly spending £36.5million on Joshua Zirkzee, £42m on Manuel Ugarte, £52m on Leny Yoro, £49.2m on Matthijs de Ligt, and £17m on Noussair Mazraoui, Ten Hag failed to turn the tide at the start of the current term - winning just three of his first nine games before being shown the door following a 2-1 loss to West Ham United in October. He was replaced by Ruben Amorim the following month.
Fast forward to May 2025, and Ratcliffe will undoubtedly be keeping an eye on his side come Friday evening when they once again travel to Stamford Bridge to take on Chelsea. It's been a truly dismal campaign for the Red Devils that many fans will hope to see the back of, with the club currently sitting 16th in the league standings with just ten wins to show for their efforts.
However, the silver-lining is that United may still walk away with a piece of silverware in the form of the Europa League, as they are set to face a struggling Tottenham Hotspur in Wednesday's final. While a win would see them qualify for the Champions League, a major overhaul is needed this summer should Amorim hope to challenge in the competition and climb back to Premier League glory - with his current squad inherited from Ten Hag struggling to adapt to his patented style of play.