Ten Hag’s sacking by Man United will pave way for Ratcliffe ‘nightmare’ – expert
Everton’s former chief Keith Wyness has insisted Sir Jim Ratcliffe made a “schoolboy error” in allowing Erik ten Hag to expand his Man United backroom staff.
Speaking on the new edition of Football Insider’s Inside Track podcast, the 66-year-old – who served as CEO at Goodison Park between 2004 and 2009 and now runs a football consultancy advising elite clubs – claimed the size of Ten Hag’s entourage will provide another “potential nightmare” for the billionaire as his job hangs by a thread.
Football Insider revealed on Monday (14 October) that Man United will sack the Dutchman if the club lose their next two fixtures against Brentford and Fenerbahce.
United sit 14th in the Premier League after seven games – their worst-ever start in the post-1992 era.
Ten Hag kept his job after a review following the 2023-24 campaign and added Rene Hake, Ruud van Nistelrooy, Andreas Georgson and Jelle ten Rouwelaar to his coaching team.
The 54-year-old has also reunited with several ex-Ajax stars at Old Trafford – including Matthijs de Ligt and Noussair Mazraoui, who were signed in the summer window.
Ten Hag sack will create new Man United problems, says Wyness
Wyness told Football Insider‘s Insider Track podcast: “Don’t forget, it’s not just Ten Hag but his whole backroom staff.
“It’s a real Dutch contingent that he has hired.
“That’s the schoolboy error Jim Ratcliffe made. He allowed Ten Hag to put this big staff together even after the talk of him going at the end of last season.
“It’s a problem for Man United, how they negotiate that.
“It’ll be interesting. It’s another potential nightmare for them if things have to change this season.”
In other news, Man United told Eddie Howe’s Newcastle release clause.
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