Lidt fra Laurie Whitwells artikel omkring trænersædet, Murtoughs fremtid og Wilcox’ rolle som teknisk direktør:
No decision has been made but planning for next season is happening with Ten Hag at the helm. He is being included in meetings about recruitment and the medical department, areas viewed as requiring refinement at United.
Ten Hag is having regular conversations with Brailsford, who has largely been based at United’s training ground, Carrington, since the INEOS investment was agreed in December. Several figures around the club feel Ten Hag deserves the chance to operate in a new structure populated by people whom Ratcliffe and Brailsford regard as “best in class”. Performances and results this campaign have raised scrutiny on Ten Hag, but United’s consistently long injury list is viewed internally as genuine mitigation.
Ten Hag is described as being open to operating as a head coach and feels alignment with Ratcliffe and Brailsford on their vision, having held several talks. He had a strong connection with a sporting director at Ajax, Marc Overmars.
Brailsford has an open-door policy for staff and players to discuss their thoughts on improving the environment at the club. Several members of Ten Hag’s squad have taken up the opportunity to speak candidly with Brailsford in his office. As might be expected given the turbulence of this campaign, there has been criticism amid the feedback, but sources close to the first team, speaking anonymously to protect relationships, insist any attempts by players to undermine Ten Hag are cut short.
Football director John Murtough is set to depart. There had been a loose proposal he could continue working in a reduced role, but all parties now accept a clean separation makes most sense. Murtough’s exit should be confirmed once hires on the structural side are formalised. In the meantime, he will continue his work.
Jason Wilcox will likely come in as technical director from Southampton. He is expected to engage daily with the United manager and provide a link to the hierarchy. He will also be a bridge between the youth setup and the first team, tapping into work he did as academy director at Manchester City. United are hopeful an agreement on compensation with Southampton can be reached soon. His arrival would mean a recalibration of responsibilities and a new job title for Darren Fletcher, United’s technical director.
Der står også at INEOS helt naturligt har en liste med eventuelle erstatninger på trænerposten men at de ideelt ønsker at det er Berrada og Ashworth der både skal træffe beslutningen om Ten Hags fremtid og evt. finde den rette afløser, og de når simpelthen ikke at være i klubben længe nok til at tage e kvalificeret beslutning. Kort sagt så virker det til at der skal en implosion af de større til i resten af sæsonen før han mister jobbet og at CL kval ikke skulle være den afgørende faktor for hans fremtid.
Ten Hag er manager træner næste sæson tyder det på. Jeg kan egentlig godt lide måden det håndteres på, og at det denne gang er spillerne og ikke træneren som udskiftes og så må jeg jo bare krydse fingre for at det er forskellen på om at Ten Hag agerer taktisk som nu eller som vi ved han er i stand til. Jeg stoler ikke længere på ham taktisk, men som jeg skrev inden kampen i går siger mavefornemmelsen stadig at det er den rette beslutning at give ham en chance i en kompetent drevet klub i en struktur som da han arbejdede sammen med Overmars. Det er et godt signal at sende at det er slut med player power, og endnu vigtigere at man ikke panikker når folkene der bør og skal tage beslutningen endnu ikke er i klubben og så må vi håbe at han dropper nuværende taktik efter et forhåbentligt godt vindue.
Manchester United
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