Erik ten Hag on wrong end of Ralf Rangnick claim that he agreed with at Man Utd
Erik ten Hag has been sacked by Manchester United after a poor start to the season, and it seems like Ralf Rangnick's comments have come back to haunt him.
Ten Hag has been given his marching orders at United (Image: Eddie Keogh/Getty Images)
Ralf Rangnick previously noted that Manchester United needed an "open-heart operation" to fix their problems - a statement that Erik ten Hag once agreed with before he got the axe. The Dutchman has had his United bubble burst following a 2-1 defeat at West Ham on Sunday, leading to his sacking on Monday morning.
United have sacked the 54-year-old after a series of lacklustre performances this season, securing just three wins in nine Premier League matches, leaving them languishing in 14th place. The club are also 21st out of 36 Europa League teams in the table, after three frustrating draws in the European competition.
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However, before Ten Hag even took on the job at Old Trafford, outgoing interim coach Rangnick stated that the club had to sign the "best possible players" to give the Dutchman a chance to change the "attitude and energy" at Old Trafford - even likening it to an "open-heart operation.
The Austrian said: "We need positive energy for the new team and the new manager. If he gets that, if the right lessons are being learned, this could be one of the few good things about the season we are going through. At least you know which kind of screws we need to turn, things we need to change, and, if that happens, why should Erik ten Hag not be able to be as successful as he was at Ajax?
"It's not the manager's quality - it's changing all the other things that have brought the club into a position we are in right now. The good thing - one of the few - is it's crystal clear. You don't even need glasses to see the problems.
"Now it's only about how you can solve them. Not minor cosmetic things. This is an open heart operation. If everyone realises this has to happen and works together, it doesn't need to take years. It can happen within one year. Other clubs have shown it's possible within three transfer windows."
Ten Hag echoed Rangnick's sentiments about the magnitude of the task at United, as he told Dutch newspaper AD Sportwereld: "Rangnick was absolutely right. We have been working very hard on this for two years, but he said it exactly right: it is a thorough, very complex operation. And I knew when I started that it was going to be a tough job."
Ten Hag had his bubble burst at United this weekend (Image: Justin Setterfield/Getty Images)
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These comments now appear to be a damning hint at the disappointing conclusion to Ten Hag's tenure at United. Despite securing silverware at the club, supporters were left disappointed and frustrated at the team performances - especially some heavy losses to their biggest rivals.
The club did activate a one-year extension to Ten Hag's contract following their FA Cup final triumph over Manchester City in May, but he has been sacked just three months later following United's second worst start to a Premier League season.
As United search for their sixth permanent manager since the departure of Sir Alex Ferguson in 2013, Ruud van Nistelrooy will now take the reins on an interim basis. However, it appears that the task of rectifying the club's issues has become significantly more complicated than ever before.
