Julius OkorieManchester United have sent coach Erik Ten Hag packing after two and a half years of romance following poor performance that has left the club in lowly 14th position on the EPL log.
Erik was appointed in April 2022 and led the club to two domestic trophies, winning the Carabao Cup in 2023 and the FA Cup in 2024.
Join our WhatsApp Channel“We are grateful to Erik for everything he has done during his time with us and wish him well for the future,” the club said in a statement on Monday. Apparently not ready to leave a vacuum the Old Trafford landlords announce immediate appointment of former team striker and assistant coach Ruud Van Nisterlrooy as interim coach.
“Ruud van Nistelrooy will take charge of the team as interim head coach, supported by the current coaching team whilst a permanent head coach is recruited.”the club statement added.
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Despite having led the club to notable successes—including triumphs in the Carabao Cup in 2023 and the FA Cup in 2024—Ten Hag faced mounting pressure as results failed to meet expectations in the early stages of the ongoing campaign.
In the summer, Ten Hag had been reinforced by Manchester United’s new co-owners, INEOS, who provided the necessary backing for a squad overhaul.
He was granted a contract extension that would have kept him with the club until June 2026. However, the recent lack of results ultimately led to his firing, creating an urgent need for a change in direction.
Van Nistelrooy, a legendary forward for the club during his playing days, now steps into the role with the hope of stabilizing the team’s fortunes and steering them back up the league standings.
United have made their worst-ever start to a Premier League season, with Sunday’s defeat by West Ham leaving them 14th in the Premier League table after nine games. They have also failed to win any of their three Europa League games, drawing against Twente, Porto and Fenerbahce.
Prior to coaching Manchester Unite, Ten Hag had managed four other clubs namely Go Ahead Eagles, Bayern Munich II, Utretch and Ajax. The Netherlands international as a player made 336 appearances for four different clubs with 15 goals to his credit.
Julius Okorie is Chief Sports and Entertainment Correspondent for Prime Business Africa. He began his journalism career with the Champion Newspaper and Sporting Champion and later moved on to Daily Independent and the Nation Newspapers. Okorie joined Prime Business Africa in 2024 bringing on board 20 years of experience in writing investigative news on Sports and Entertainment. His well researched and highly informative articles on Sports Business and general entertainment are followed by a wide range of audience.
