A biography of Manchester United’s first genuinely great manager, Sir Matt Busby, is entitled ‘A Strange Kind of Glory’. More than half a century after Busby last managed United, almost 30 years since his death, one of his successors, Erik ten Hag, is on the brink of a strange kind of success.
A point is required to make the Dutchman the latest manager to follow in Busby’s footsteps and steer United into the European Cup or Champions League. Factor in a trophy, rendering him the eighth United manager to secure major silverware, and his debut season will represent a triumph, especially after the nadir of 2021-22, of a Premier League record low of 58 points and a goal difference of zero, of a campaign that ended with six straight away defeats.
