Football
“I demanded for four talented players but non has been signed till now and when things get wrong all the blames will be on my…That’s not fair”: Angry Erik ten Hag names the four talented players he asked Sir Jim Ratcliffe to sign before agreeing for contract extension
Erik ten Hag has gone on the attack and put four significant demands to Sir Jim Ratcliffe before he signs a new contract at Manchester United, and two of the requests will prevent the Dutchman from losing influence at Old Trafford, according to a report.
News broke late on Tuesday night of Erik ten Hag surviving Man Utd’s internal review. Led by co-owner Ratcliffe and right-hand man Sir Dave Brailsford, Man Utd conducted a thorough investigation into whether Ten Hag should be sacked.
Ten Hag’s many backers – including the majority of the fanbase – could not have argued if the Dutchman had been relieved of his duties.
Indeed, United produced a worst-ever Premier League finish of eighth, finished with a negative goal difference in the league and also bowed out of Europe prior to Christmas.
Of course, the flip side to that argument is Ten Hag guided his side to the FA Cup, while a brutal injury crisis hamstrung his side from first game to last.
Nevertheless, Man Utd explored all opportunities and it’s since emerged the club considered NINE different managerial candidates.
Gareth Southgate, Thomas Tuchel, Mauricio Pochettino, Roberto De Zerbi, Thomas Frank, Kieran McKenna, Marco Silva, Ruben Amorim and Roberto Martinez all came under the microscope.
But with many of those candidates unavailable or not deemed the perfect fit, United ultimately chose to put their faith in Ten Hag.
The 54-year-old’s existing contract has one year left to run and talks over tacking on an extra two years have quickly advanced.
However, according to a fresh update from the Sun, Ten Hag has used Man Utd’s U-turn as a chance to go on the attack.
The Sun reiterated Ten Hag feels ‘angry and frustrated’ at the manner in which he’s been treated.
It took the Red Devils 16 days following the FA Cup final victory to determine his fate. Prior reports have revealed Ten Hag feels the delay in deciding his future will and has already put the club on the backfoot in the transfer market.
Ten Hag feels hard done by and per the Sun, has put Ratcliffe in his place by making four demands before he’ll put pen to paper on the new deal.
Ten Hag makes four key demands
Firstly, Ten Hag will refuse to give up control of who Man Utd sign in the market. Once Dan Ashworth is in place as the sporting director and with Jason Wilcox in situ as the technical director, United had intended to take responsibility for new signings away from Ten Hag.
Secondly, the United boss will decline to reintegrate Jadon Sancho into his squad unless the winger apologises for his prior conduct.
The pair engaged in a public spat at the beginning of the season, with Sancho believing he was being scapegoated by his manager.
Sancho effectively went on to label Ten Hag a liar and was duly loaned out to former club Borussia Dortmund in January.
It had been speculated Sancho could have a future at United if Ten Hag were removed. However, that can only happen if Sancho apologises to Ten Hag, while numerous sources state United will entertain a sale if bids of £40m are received anyway.
Elsewhere, Ten Hag wants Man Utd first-team coach Benni McCarthy to be offered a new deal. McCarthy’s current contract expires at the end of June.
Ten Hag rails against Wilcox interference
The fourth and final demand Ten Hag has made relates to prior claims technical director Wilcox will be the one to dictate Man Utd’s style of play and not Ten Hag.
Reports surfaced in April of Wilcox ordering Ten Hag to adopt a more possession-based playing style. It’s also been speculated Wilcox was the one who suggested Bruno Fernandes should play as a false nine in the FA Cup final – which he did.
But per the Sun, Ten Hag has put his foot down and ‘is not prepared to be dictated to by Jason Wilcox as to how the team should play.’
Whether Man Utd accede to any or all of Ten Hag’s demands remains to be seen.
But given they’ve abandoned their search for a new manager and have put their faith in Ten Hag who remains popular with the fanbase, their backs appear to be against the wall.
Football
“Call it a Day”: Manchester United Midfielder Slammed Over ‘Disastrous’ Liverpool Performance
Old Trafford witnessed a revealing scene during the pre-game festivities as Manuel Ugarte was introduced to the Manchester United faithful. The Uruguayan’s debut couldn’t have come at a more poignant time.
As the 23-year-old midfielder took his introductory bows, his predecessor, Casemiro, was gearing up for what would become a fateful encounter against Liverpool—a match that would underline the vast gulf the Brazilian now needs to bridge.
The defensive midfield role at Manchester United has been a subject of intense scrutiny and Casemiro, once a stalwart at Real Madrid, found himself overwhelmed in a game that laid bare many of United’s deeper systemic issues.
The match ended in a 3-0 defeat, with Casemiro’s disastrous performance a glaring weak spot. As Jamie Carragher insightfully remarked earlier, it might be time for Casemiro to step away from the top echelons of football, suggesting, “Football has left him at this top level. He needs to call it a day at this level and move.”
Despite the immediate criticisms, it’s crucial to remember Casemiro’s significant contributions to football, underscored by his wife’s poignant social media post showcasing his extensive trophy haul.
Such a decorated career deserves recognition, even as discussions about his current form persist. As Gary Neville empathetically noted, even the best can falter under pressure, reflecting on his own career’s twilight years.
For Manchester United, the challenge is not just about replacing a player but about realigning their entire midfield setup to compete effectively against top-tier teams like Liverpool.
Casemiro’s situation serves as a stark reminder of the relentless pace and physicality of the Premier League, where even the most experienced players can find themselves outpaced and outplayed
Football
“Biggest mistake of his life”: Real Madrid star told he has made the biggest mistake of his life for joining the Los Blacos
Kylian Mbappé joined Real Madrid as a free agent this past summer transfer window. While this is a significant step in his career, one person believes it’s the wrong decision.
Moreover, he notes that it’s an easy route to securing his football glory as winning the Ballon d’Or and UEFA Champions League at PSG would have had a different meaning than winning these honors at Real Madrid.
As a result, Cyril Hanouna stated in his interview with Europe 1 that the 2018 FIFA World Cup winner made a mistake leaving his hometown club.
“For me, Kylian Mbappé made the mistake of his life,” Hanouna stated (h/t Le10Sport). “I didn’t elaborate last time, but I’ll do it now. Winning the Champions League with Real Madrid is normal. Of course, winning the Champions League with Real Madrid, everyone does it. All the players who are at Real Madrid, at some point, will win the Champions League.
“Being Ballon d’Or at Real Madrid is rather easy. Benzema won it at Real Madrid. Mbappé should have stayed at PSG, won the Champions League with PSG, and won the Ballon d’Or with PSG. The club was giving him everything; it would have been his club. He would have been the main man at PSG.”
PSG are a young but exciting team, and perhaps they might not have the expectations of winning the Champions League this season. However, Real Madrid has the pressure of winning the competition this campaign with the Frenchman; if they don’t, then many will consider Year 1 of Mbappé a failure.
It will be interesting to see how this tournament plays out this season as Real Madrid know who they’ll be facing in the league phase. Mbappé won’t win the Ballon d’Or this year, but winning the Champions League and playing a key role could help his chances in 2025.
Football
“A really good signing”: Alan Shearer gives his verdict on Arsenal’s unexpected signing as he backs the player become a valuable star in the team
The term ‘baptism of fire’ is often overused in football, but it rings true for Raheem Sterling when considering he could make his Arsenal debut away to Tottenham Hotspur.
For a different player, Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta might decide against deploying his new signing on such an occasion, but Sterling certainly has the mental resolve to handle it.
Sterling has endured some tough times in the past for England, criticised for his performances, and he’s been subject to similar at Chelsea too.
But in north London, the 29-year-old now has a new home, and the majority of Arsenal fans are excited to see if Arteta can recapture Sterling’s best, in a similar vein to Kai Havertz.
The two are at very different stages of their career, but like just Havertz, Sterling may find his confidence once again, a player who is still in his prime years.
Alan Shearer explains why Raheem Sterling could be really ‘valuable’ to Arsenal
Speaking on ‘The Rest Is Football’ podcast, Alan Shearer was very happy that Sterling had managed to get away from a ‘horrible’ situation at Stamford Bridge, which could have become even more messy.
And the pundit then went on to explain what Sterling can offer Arsenal, a move that suits both parties.
Shearer said: “Yeah I think it’s a really good move for him. I think it was important that he got out and played.
“It would have been horrible for him to sit there and rot in the stiffs, not even maybe, not even see first team football, never mind train or whatever with them.
“So I think it was really important for him to get out with his experience and know-how, he could be valuable to Arsenal.”
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